Best/Worst Soaps to Work on(through the years)

[SoapDope]

Y&R seems to have had problems behind the scenes for decades.

I would loved to of been a fly on the wall backstage at Y&R in the 80's when all the drama was going on with Brenda Dickson. What I have read in interviews, Jerry Douglas hated her. Jerry was use to working with Deborah Adair's version of Jill before BD came back. In Jeanne Cooper's book, she alludes to the fact about people playing dirty tricks on BD and they know who they are. I wonder if she meant actors or stage/production crew.

Terry Lester also didn't beat around the bush when he lashed out at Bill Bell for making his daughter Lauralee the main focus by the late 80's.

Then there was the Peter Bergman and Eric Braeden's backstage brawl.

Jeanne said that Melody Thomas Scott went through the phase of not speaking to her for unknown reasons.

Victoria Rowell's drama stories.

I read an old magazine interview where William Gray Espy (Snapper #1) said something like he and Trish Stewart (Chris Brooks #1) did not get along all that well and it was mostly his fault. He then said he is working on making things better. I then read a blurb from years later before he came back to soaps on Another World that said he was a house guest of Trish's. So They must have become friends at some point. WGE also said something that the reason he left Y&R is because he felt he was being taken adavantage of, what ever that means ? WGE always came across as someone who was always restless and didn't want to stay confined to one role for too long. When he returned to the show in 2003 for a guest stint, James Houghton (Greg #1) said WGE was at home watching the show and saw his name in the writers credits and called him up. So WGE must be a viewer of the show.

[Khan]

Probably both?

[amybrickwallace]

Did ANYONE on the show like Brenda Dickson???

[juppiter]

[SoapDope]

The only person I have read that had anything positive to say about her was Jeanne Cooper.

[SoapDope]

I remember reading an interview with Janice a few years back and said if she had it to do all over again, she would have never left Y&R. She said Leslie Brooks was one of the most interesting characters she had ever played. She said she was so young at the time and didn't have anything else to compare to and felt she needed to try other things.

I have read a lot negative stuff about John Conboy over the years. I take it he and Bill Bell clashed. I think even Eric Braeden said when he came on he didn't care for John and then Wes Kenney was hired not too long after.

[Khan]

From everything I've read over the years, Conboy and Bell never had the greatest working relationship. But what finally pushed Conboy off Y&R -- perhaps the start of CAPITOL? -- I've no idea.

[amybrickwallace]

LOL - ask a silly question!! Yes, I do recall that Jeanne wrote some positive things about Brenda in her book.

[amybrickwallace]

I believe he did leave to work on Capitol, though I'm not 100% sure. Speaking of Bill Bell, does anyone know what year he finally pulled up stakes from Chicago and moved out to LA?

[Khan]

Unless I'm mistaken, he and Lee Phillip Bell relocated to L.A. before the premiere of B&B.

[amybrickwallace]

B&B debuted in 1987, and didn't Lauralee debut on Y&R in 1983 or thereabouts? Being a minor at the time, I think her folks would have been there with her. Hmmm...

[SoapDope]

I remember reading that Bill Bell & Kay Alden would take a break during writing at Bill's house and watch the show, if Bill saw something he didn't like, he would call the control booth and tell John Conboy what he didn't like and that he didn't want to see what ever it was ever again.

Melody Thomas Scott said when she did her audition in 1979, they made a video of it and over night express mailed it to Bill along with other tapes of girls. They said Bill exclaimed that's his Nikki when he saw hers. MTS said she was on the show about 6 months before she met Bill face to face when he flew out from Chicago.

When Bill moved to LA, they said he would take his lunch break in his office to watch the show.

Melody Thomas Scott said when she did her audition in 1979, they made a video of it and over night express mailed it to Bill along with other tapes of girls. They said Bill exclaimed that's his Nikki when he saw hers. MTS said she was on the show about 6 months before she met Bill face to face when he flew out from Chicago.

When Bill moved to LA, they said he would take his lunch break in his office to watch the show.

[amybrickwallace]

Some of her work on AW is up on YT, from August 1980.

[SoapDope]

LLB said she stayed with family and friends. She came out during holidays, spring/summer breaks before she became a full time cast member.

[amybrickwallace]

OK, that makes sense. Thanks!!