GH: Classic Thread

[FrenchFan]

To go with @depboy January 1973, what Bryna Laub wrote about the show for this month.

 

Howie Dawson’s boss, Burt Marshall, resented Howie’s friendship with Brooke Clinton and treated him unfairly at work. Howie’s wife, Jane told him she would understand it if he quit, but he told her he couldn’t quit until he had another job.

Jessie Brewer’s divorce from her husband Phil was granted and Teddy Holmes told her he wanted to marry her. He argued that the difference in their ages was meaningless and asked for time to convince her. She wanted to believe him. Jessie’s niece, Carol Murray was jealous of Teddy’s attention to Jessie and again planned to run away. 

Diana Taylor, still upset, confided in Jane Dawson that Phil Brewer forced himself on her. Diana’s husband, Peter accidentally discovered her diary and learned of her having Hodgekin’s Disease. He took her to Dr. Steve Hardy immediately and another biopsy was done which proved the previous tests were incorrect, she didn’t have the disease. Phil visited her constantly, insisting he loved her, needed her and would do anything to get her and their son, Tracy. He refused to accept the fact that she and Peter were happily married.

Meg Baldwin was fighting her feelings of jealousy and suspicion of her husband Lee and Nurse Mary Briggs. Meg agreed to take her son Scotty to visit his grandparents in Arizona after Lee reaffirmed his love for her. Lee and Mary tried to avoid seeing each other. He felt guilty at contributing to Meg’s jealousy. Mary’s father-in-law died and left his estate - about two million dollars - to Mary and her husband, Wade, only if they were married and living together. If their marriage broke up, the money would go to charity. Mary told Lee she couldn’t go back to Wade even for a fortune, she just didn’t love him.

Steve Hardy asked Audrey March Baldwin to marry him. She refused, saying that if she divorced Tom, he’d never let her see her child again. She was dating Dr. Duncan Stewart and told him all about her past. He told her they had the basis of a good relationship as neither of them wanted to get married. She told him she was not interested in a relationship only in getting her child back. He said he’d keep trying. Lee finally heard from Tom that Audrey’s son, Tommy was fine. Unfortunately, the letter was untraceable.

Sharon Pinkham was pregnant. Her husband, Henry was pleased but concerned with overpopulation.

[depboy]

@FrenchFanI will need you for February.  I have limited summaries for February into early-March.

The information I have is from character sequences for Jessie and Jane.  The Brooke Murder, Mary/Lee/Meg/Wade story, the Audrey/Tommy story, and Peter/Diana/Phil story will have some gaps.

I will try to piece together the information I have to match airdates.  Would you be willing to DM me February's summary?

Edited August 14, 2023 by depboy

[FrenchFan]

Sure !

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[Paul Raven]

James Westmoreland was playing Teddy in Oct 72 . At some point John Gabriel took over. Do we have a date for that?

[depboy]

I can narrow the gap, but unfortunately, I don’t have an exact date of the recasting.

James Westmoreland is playing Teddy on December 11, 1972.

The first listing I have of John Gabriel as Teddy is February 1, 1973.

[Paul Raven]

@depboy. Thanks .The changeover could have happened at any time in Dec/Jan. I wonder why he was replaced?

Another interesting character at this time is Duncan Stewart played by Kerwin Matthews. Matthews was best known for the Sinbad/ Gullivers Travels movies and did some Euro pix. By 72 he was acting sporadically and I wonder if Duncan was always intended as a short term role and not a major new romance for Audrey.

ratings from around this time February 16, 1973. 

1. 11.9 - ATWT 35%

2. 11.0 DAYS - 33%

3. 10.5 AW 33%

4. 10.4 GH - 31%

5. 10.3 SFT - 33%

6. 10.1 Doctors - 32%

7. 9.3 OLTL - 27%

8. 8.6 EON - 28%

9. 8.6 AMC - 26%

10. 8.0 LOL 29% 

[depboy]

@Paul RavenFrom James Westmoreland's Website, in part two of "In Jim's Words":

"This was a day to remember.

         I hadn’t worked in two years.  To be honest, I was having so much fun playing golf and making plenty of money to last me I had forgot about my career.

         That was short-lived.  When we got back to my house I checked my answering machine and I had a message from Ronnie Lief, my agent.  I returned his call in the morning and he said the producer of “General Hospital”, Jim Young wants to meet you in his office as soon as possible.  I asked Ronnie if tomorrow around ten in the morning would be okay.

         Ronnie called me back and said a pass will be waiting for me at the Prospect and Thalmadge gate for me.

         I was on time and I was ushered to his door and I met Mr. Young.  We shook hands and he asked me to have a seat.  He said, “Jim, I run a tough ship with my show and I expect you to be prepared.”

         “Mr. Young, don’t you want me to read a scene for you?”

         “Jim, I know your work and you’re hired. You start Monday.  All I ask is that you arrive on set prepared and I don’t want you to be carrying a script to study while you’re on my set.”

         When I arrived on stage 3 the whole cast was there and Jim introduced me to all.  I made sure Jim Young was watching me when I dropped my script into the wastebasket.  I was put into a hospital bed because I was brought to the hospital ward because I had Serum Hepatitis that my character, Teddy Holmes, had picked up in Vietnam for shooting up with dirty needles. 

         My scene was shot live with three camera’s rolling to catch all angles.  I was in a delirious state of mind during the whole scene, and the twenty pages of dialog I had studied the whole previous evening paid off to the producer’s delight.  From that day on I never carried a script with me because I always made sure I was prepared for that day of shooting.

         General Hospital was fun for me and the cast were all professionals and easy to get along with.  Unfortunately after working on at least one hundred and forty shows I came down with a serious illness and I had to leave the show and the most wonderful part I had ever had came to an end."

[FrenchFan]

140 shows? It seems quite too much, doesn't it?

[Paul Raven]

@depboy Great find! Wish more actors would talk about their soap experiences.

Yes the claim of 140 seems too high.

[DRW50]

 

[depboy]

What a task it was piecing February 1973 together!  Again, the information I have is limited, and I used @FrenchFan's February monthly summary to try and firm up the timeline.  Audrey's story and Mary's story are sparse here, but nonetheless, here is what I could do:

Thursday, February 1, 1973: Peter gives Diana a ring as a symbol of their new-found love; she reassures him her feelings for Phil have ended. Note: Wade Collins, Mary’s husband, appears in this episode and he must call Mary upon his release as a phone booth set is listed.

Friday, February 2: Teddy tries to win Kent and Carol’s loyalty to Jessie by suggesting that she buy a car for them.  Howie makes a date with Brooke for tomorrow evening, but doesn’t explain to Jane. 

Monday, February 5: At Jo’s Restaurant, Howie gives Brooke a four-leafed clover charm for her birthday; Brooke arrives home late where Burt Marshall was waiting for her; angry and jealous, Burt demands to know who she was with; Burt hits Brooke who falls, hitting her head on a table.

Tuesday, February 6: Jessie tells Teddy she is afraid Carol has seen them embracing; Carol is unresponsive to all of Jessie’s attempts at friendship.  Sitting in his car, a frightened Burt recalls killing Brooke; he has hopes of pinning the blame on Howie; Howie gives Jane a four-leafed clover charm identical to the one he gave Brooke.

Wednesday, February 7: Steve returns to work, bringing the newspaper with news of Brooke’s murder; Jane is concerned by Howie’s intense reaction; Howie remembers seeing Burt at Brooke’s apartment; Burt fakes shock when he hears the news; Detective Fred Martin investigates.

Thursday, February 8: No information. Note: We see Mrs. Andrews and baby Tommy in Mexico.

Friday, February 9: Phil insults Teddy, asking how long he is going to live at Jessie’s house; Teddy tells Jessie it’s become painful to him to stay there in the given circumstances; when Jessie reveals her dismay of him moving, he suggests a way out would be for her to marry him.  Lucille clams up for Det. Martin; she tells Jane he bullied her, but she didn’t reveal Brooke’s association with Howie.

Monday, February 12: Burt cleverly threatens Howie with police exposure because of his relationship with Brooke; Howie remembers his date with Brooke the night of the murder.  Steve explodes in anger when Jessie tells him that Teddy wants to marry her.

Tuesday, February 13: The D.A. encourages Det. Martin to keep after Lucille.  

Wednesday, February 14: Jessie finds Kent friendly, but Carol is horrified by the idea that Jessie marry Teddy.  

Thursday, February 15: The detective questions Mr. Olson, the jeweler, where Howie bought the two identical charms; the jeweler identifies Howie.  Steve questions Teddy who tells him to mind his own business.  Diana tells Peter she may be pregnant.

Friday, February 16: Steve warns Jessie that Teddy is on the take.  Lucille tells the detective that Brooke was associated with both Howie and Burt; the detective questions Howie, who is relieved he wasn’t asked when he last saw Brooke.

Monday, February 19: Diana learns from Dr. Warren that she is pregnant and is ten weeks along; she realizes it’s Phil’s baby.  Howie tells Jane to butt out when she tries to help with the investigation.  

Tuesday, February 20:  Phil tries to comfort Audrey telling her that he too has lost his son because Diana and Peter have taken the child from him.  Miserable because Phil is her baby’s father, Diana tells Peter that the doctor has confirmed that she is pregnant.

Wednesday, February 21:  Detective Martin learns from Jo that Brooke and Howie were together at Jo’s Restaurant the night of the murder.

Thursday, February 22: Jessie tells Teddy that she will maybe marry him.  Fred Martin reports back to the D.A.
  
Friday, February 23: Burt flounders when Martin asks him where he was the night of Brooke’s murder; Burt does his best to throw suspicion on Howie.  Diana confides in Jane that she is pregnant by Phil.

Monday, February 26:  In Mexico, Mrs. Andrews is told that Tom has died from a serious illness; Mrs. Andrews tells Tommy she’ll never give him up. 

Tuesday, February 27: Carol urges Kent to lend her money and confesses she is planning to run away back home to Auburn.  The D.A. and Det. Martin agree that both Howie and Burt are worth further investigation.

Wednesday, February 28: Diana recalls her doctor telling her how far along her pregnancy is; Diana tells Phil never to visit her home again.

[FrenchFan]

Here is the monthly recap from February 1973. It can help filling some gaps for Audrey or Mary's storylines.

Howie Dawson took Brooke Clinton to diner for her birthday and bought her a four leaf clover charm. He bought an identical charm for his wife, Jane but told her he was working late. Brooke arrived home late for her date with Howie’s boss Burt Marshall and angry and jealous, he demanded to know who she was with. He hit her and she fell, hitting her head on a table. Realizing she was dead, Marshall wiped her fingerprints from the room and sneaked out. Detective Fred Martin learned Howie and Brooke dated during Howie’s separation from Jane and questioned him. Howie maintained he worked late that night. Marshall told Martin he worked late that night too, dated Brooke only occasionally and tried hard to throw suspicions on Howie. Martin learned Howie bought two charms - one was found on Brooke - and took her to dinner earlier on the night of her death. The police realized Marshall seemed to hate Howie intensely.

Teddy Holmes tried to convince Jessie Brewer to marry despite her being older that he was. Carol, Jessie’s niece, who had a crush on Teddy, ridiculed Jessie’s involvement. Steve Hardy and Phil Brewer, her ex-husband, tried to make her see Teddy was a sponger who was only interested in her money. She defended him and considered his proposal.

When Diana Taylor learned she was nine to ten weeks pregnant, she was horrified as she and her husband, Peter only began to try for conception four weeks ago. She was sure this child was Phil’s due to his forcing himself on her. Her doctor, assuming this child was Peter’s, told her there was no problem of the rare blood disease her first child had at birth. Diana told Phil never to visit her home again.

Duncan Stewart continued to encourage Audrey Baldwin into a relationship and asked her to go away for the weekend with him. She maintained her only interest is the safe return of her son Tommy. Steve Hardy blamed himself for encouraging her to marry Tom Baldwin in the first place. In Mexico, Tom, very ill, died. Tommy’s baby nurse told him she’d never give him up.

Wade Collins, infuriated that his wife Mary wouldn’t come back to him as his wife, threatened to sue Lee Baldwin for alienation of affection as Wade’s father’s will left him a million dollars only if he and Mary were together. He nastily implied that Lee and Mary had an affair while she cared for his ill son during Meg’s – Lee’s wife - hospitalization. Knowing Meg’s illness was emotional, Wade threatened to take his nasty theories to Meg herself. Mary and Lee feared for Meg but Mary could not bring herself to return to Wade and Lee agreed she didn’t have to.

[depboy]

Thanks @FrenchFan! I am back on track with summaries beginning 3/13/73.  Here's March which introduces a new doctor, Lesley Williams!

A biography of Lesley was included in these papers. I am including the link to a pdf of the document:

Lesley Williams Character Sequence

Thursday, March 1, 1973: Carol berates Teddy over his pursuit of Jessie and has a tantrum; Jessie tries to console Carol, and when Teddy tries to discourage Jessie, she asks Teddy to try.  

Friday, March 2: Jane tells the detective that Howie was in the office the night of the murder…which is what Howie told Jane; without each other’s knowledge both Howie and Burt have claimed the same alibi.

Monday, March 6: Howie is devastated to learn that Jane showed Fred Martin the charm he gave her, identical to the one he gave Brooke.

Tuesday, March 7: Carol tells Teddy she is leaving; he kids her along, trying to josh her out of it; he kisses her lightly and she passionately responds.

Wednesday, March 8: Fred reports to the D.A. that Jane has a charm exactly like the one they found in Brooke’s handbag.

Monday, March 12: Howie lies to Det. Martin when he is questioned about whether he was in the office (as Jane had said) the night Brooke was killed; Howie does not answer when asked if he had dinner with Brooke that evening.     

Tuesday, March 13: Phil resents Peter’s asking him to stay away from Diana.  Howie realizes the net he is caught in.  An attractive woman doctor, Dr. Lesley Williams comes to interview with Steve.  Jane and Mrs. Dawson quiz a reluctant Howie about his interview with the detective; they learn that Burt told the police he was in the office on the night of the murder; Howie can only say that he didn’t see Burt there.

Wednesday, March 14: When Phil is cynical about women doctors, he and Peter exchange sharp words.  Audrey is upset when she learns that Steve is hiring a replacement for Tom and accuses him of believing that Tom and Tommy are gone forever.  Diana is scared and upset as Peter relishes his knowledge that the baby will arrive just at Thanksgiving, when it will really be much earlier.

Thursday, March 15: Carol plots her getaway and convinces Kent to give her all of his money.  The D.A. and Fred talk over Howie’s admission that he was out with Brooke the night of the murder.  Audrey tells Duncan that Steve has given up on Tom’s ever returning; in Chicago, Mrs. Andrews (alias Mrs. Smith) explains to her neighbor that her son is dead and the baby she is caring for is her grandson.

Friday, March 16: Peter confides in Jessie that Diana is pregnant but it’s still a secret because Diana feels it’s too early to tell people.  Steve tries to comfort Audrey by saying she’ll get her child even without Tom’s bringing him back, as soon as they know where Tom is.  Meg is suspicious about why Mary went back to Wade so suddenly; she thinks Wade must have threatened to tell her something about Lee or Mary, and Mary went back to him to keep him from talking…she intends to find out.  Carol writes a note and takes a bus.

Monday, March 19: The detective questions Howie about Burt’s wife, Mamie; Howie has no information as he has only seen her once; Howie needles Burt by saying the detective was only inquiring about Burt; Burt is scared stiff when Howie tells him he told the detective he was working in the office the night of the murder.  Jessie and Teddy discover Carol’s note saying she’s left; Kent refuses to tell where Carol went; Teddy promises Jessie he’ll go after Carol and find her; she urges that he can have all the money he needs to bring her home.

Tuesday, March 20: Audrey tells Steve that a reporter wants to interview her.  Jessie tells Steve about Carol’s running away; Kent tells Teddy that Carol is heading home for Auburn.  The reporter, Lou Larkin, suggests that Audrey appear on a T.V. talk show and appeal to Tom.  Teddy reports to Jessie that Carol is heading to Auburn and that he is heading there; Jessie is terribly grateful.

Wednesday, March 21: Henry and Sharon argue about the baby’s name.  Mamie Marshall calls Burt and tells him she has an appointment with Detective Martin; scared, Burt tries to proposition Howie into cooperation against the police.  Diana tells Jane she still feels miserable about the baby; Jane tells Mrs. Dawson about Diana, without mentioning names.  Burt tries to get Mamie to keep her mouth shut with the detective; when she guesses Brooke was his girlfriend, he hits her.

Thursday, March 22: Audrey consults Steve about the talk show and finds him negative about it; she agrees to ask Lee what he thinks.  Scott talks to Meg about Mary and Brooke, rousing all her insecurities.  Jessie tries to comfort Kent who feels guilty about squealing on Carol; Teddy finds Carol in Auburn, but she refuses to come home.

Friday, March 23: Jessie is anxious because she hasn’t heard from Teddy about Carol.  Howie terrifies Burt by saying he told the detective he had taken Brooke to dinner the night she was killed; did Howie know that Brooke had a date with him after that dinner?  Teddy calls Jessie to report he found Carol.

Monday, March 26: Mamie Marshall tells the detective that she called Burt at the office several times the night Brooke was killed and he was not there.  Audrey has decided to go ahead with the plan to make a public appeal to find Tommy and Tom.

Tuesday, March 27: Steve hires Lesely Williams as a new doctor, now confirmed by the hospital board; he sends her to see Meg; Lesley visits Meg, who has a bad headache, and finds her blood pressure elevated; Meg pours out her torubles.  Jessie begs Kent to help her understand Carol’s unhappiness; Carol admits to Teddy that she likes him too much.

Wednesday, March 28: Diana gives Phil the cold shoulder; she is frightened by his contention that she is gaining weight.  Jane urges Howie to tell the police Burt is lying about his alibi; Burt learns from Mamie that she has told the police he was surely not in his office.  Peter tells Diana he plans to see the doctor with her the next time she goes.

Thursday, March 29: Steve tells an unenthusiastic Phil that Lesely has been hired and will share his office.  The D.A. and Fred Martin plan to put the heat on Burt, hoping to get evidence against their chief suspect, who is Howie.  Diana’s obstetrician refuses to lie about the baby’s due date.

Friday, March 30: Teddy tries persuading Carol in a New York Bar.  Howie questions Jo about what he told Martin; Burt and Howie quarrel as Burt suspects Howie of squealing on him; the detective orders Burt to appear in the D.A. 's office; sensing this is the end, Burt reserves a flight to Canada and empties the safe at work.

[Paul Raven]

It's my understanding that Denise Alexander was quickly hired by ABC when she was out of contract at Days.

So the writers had to quickly insert Lesley into the show, which must have meant some juggling of other stories?

NBC must have been pissed about losing Denise as they ran an ad in Variety in April 73 making an announcement that Bennye Gatteys had taken over the role if Susan (Denise's role) That was unprecedented as soaps in those days flew under the radar.

Edited August 23, 2023 by Paul Raven

[Doc Lesley]

Thank you so much for posting all of these daily summaries!  I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Dr. Lesley Williams. I love the character development sheet. I've learned some Lesley Williams facts that I did not know as this summary predates my watching General Hospital.

By 1973 Denise Alexander was leading most of the actress popularity polls. According to Denise, her contract with Days of Our Lives had expired. However, she continued to work in good faith for them. At the time Bill Bell was launching The Young and the Restless and DOOL did not have time to renegotiate her contract. GH got word that Denise was not currently under contract and they made her an offer for "multiple times" her DOOL salary. Denise went to Betty Corday with GH's offer and Betty encouraged her to take the offer.