Edge of Night head writers

[aMLCproduction]

Since P&G fired Henry Slesar and being that Lee Sheldon took over the show who would have been a better choice to write EON?

2) If TPTB kept EON on past 84 and instead of cancelling it and got a new head writer who would have been a good choice after Lee Sheldon?

EON was a mystery theme soap. Could any soap writer write for it?

[danfling]

Rene Balcer and Joseph Kearns (from Law and Order)

Ann Marcus

Peggy O'Shea

Not sure if he was still living, but perhaps a return of Irving Vendig

However, in my opinion, it was NOT Henry Slesar who needed to be repleaced. It was Erwin Nicholson.

[beebs]

What was the trouble with Erwin Nicholson, exactly?

[danfling]

Too many great characters (Martha, Liz, Vic, Jim, Steve, Draper, Bill, Cookie, Ron) disappeared during this time as producer. Also, the show looked somewhat dated. I blame the producer for that.

His time at Search for Tomorrow, by the way, was quite short!

[sungrey]

Would have loved to see what Doug Marland could have done with Edge.

[Khan]

Is Erwin Nicholson really to blame for that, though? I've always had the impression that he supported the vision of his HW.

[danfling]

Producers need to produce with minds of their own!

[robbwolff]

And writers should have the ability to write without the interference of a producer.

[aMLCproduction]

Doug Marland can write mystery?

[Quent]

The case for Mystery Writer Doug Marland: The Doug Cummings Storyline

The case against Mystery Writer Doug Marland: The Carolyn Crawford Storyline

[danfling]

The producer of a show needs to guide the writer and appove of his storylines.

Who are Doug Cummins and Carolyn Crawford?

[sungrey]

LOL! You're right. Henry batted the ball well, you have to admit. He had a couple clunkers. Jody's "Eden" storyline in 1982 was less than thrilling (although I'd like to know how much of a hand ABC had in that). Still, he was a force.

[Khan]

"Who Killed Carolyn Crawford?" was, at the start, a tight story. It's only when Marland changed his mind about the culprit's identity -- a rarity, according to Julie Poll -- that it became a mess.

[Paul Raven]

Erwin Nicholson stayed at Edge for years while other P&G soaps changed producers often.

I am always puzzled by this.Despite falling ratings,change of network and timeslots, Nicholson was there to the end.I can understand Slesar staying as Edge was a specialized soap to write but as for Nicholson - maybe he knew where the bodies were buried!!

Speaking of Edge writers,Slesar's co writer Grace Garment created an Edge like mystery when she vanished in December of 76 and was missing for 6 weeks.Apparently appeals for her to contact her family were broadcast during an Edge episode in the hopes she might be watching..Her body was eventually found in a hotel room.She had suicided.

[danfling]

Another person who would have been a good candidate to successfully write The Edge of Night is director/writer/producer Don Wallace.

Among his earlier acheivements in soap opera are:

director, The Edge of Night

later, producer of The Edge of Night

producer, From These Roots

writer, Love of Life

executive producer, The Best of Everything

executive producer, Return to Peyton Place

writer, One Life to Live

writer, Loving

He was the original director of The Edge of Night and innovator of the location shoot. Having worked there in the beginning means (to me) that he understood the show and its specialness.