DAYS: The Day "Days" Almost Went Live!

[JAS0N47]

THE DAY "DAYS" ALMOST WENT LIVE!

A new piece of information has been found while compiling the production dates of the 1960's "Days" episodes..."Days" almost had to go live in April 1967.

Thanks to a 13-day strike by AFTRA, "Days" had to unexpectedly stop taping after Tuesday, March 28, 1967 and went dark for two straight weeks. The show did not resume taping until Tuesday, April 11, 1967, just ...24 hours before Episode # 365 was set to air. The next day, on Wednesday, April 12, 1967, the production schedule shows that "Days" got even closer to going live...they didn't finish taping Episode # 366 until 4:05PM PT (which is 7:05PM ET)...less than 16 hours before the episode aired on the East Coast!

If the 13-day AFTRA strike had not ended on April 10, "Days" would have run out of episodes to air just 36 hours later!

 

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[DRW50]

Interesting. 

 

Wasn't there a strike that affected Dark Shadows around this time? An acting strike I think? Maybe that also had an impact here. 

[sungrey]

I think I found the answer. There were two strikes that year, but the Dark Shadows one didn't happen until October.

This is probably the one that affected Days:

https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-406233251/anchors-away-huntley-brinkley-and-cronkite-and

It all but shut down the TV shows and even the newscasts were affected. When the strike was over, Johnny Carson refused to go back and he staged a walkout for more money.

[JAS0N47]

Thanks Sungrey! I had searched "Days of Our Lives" in the Variety archives for 1967, but nothing popped up. Will look more into what you found.

[cassadine1991]

That's crazy

[JAS0N47]

"DAYS" WEEKLY PRODUCTION SCHEDULE: 1965-1969

"Days" fans, take a step back in time and check out the weekly production schedule from 1965-1969, now available online!

Find out which episodes were taped each week, plus, check out the telecast reports for Episode #s 1, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 to see which sponsors aired ads during the show's earliest years, as well as which shows NBC aired promos of (the original "Star Trek" is listed on one!).

http://www.jason47.com/days/productionschedule19651969.html

[DRW50]

Thanks. It's such fascinating stuff. 

[Paul Raven]

Great stuff as usual Jason. The live soaps had to go off the air and the networks put on sitcom reruns etc.

Did Days have to work extra days to get ahead once more?

[JAS0N47]

Is that what happened with the other soaps? Was wondering what they would have done with Days if the strike lasted another few days. I guess repeats of a sitcom.

Yes, they worked 18 days in a row! I just posted the full production schedule from the 1960's yesterday, so you can see every day they worked or had off:

http://www.jason47.com/days/productionschedule19651969.html

 

[JAS0N47]

Here's some additional reports I just found in the Variety archives:

3/29/67:

Webs Poised For AFTRA Walkout; Celluloid to Roll
 
American Federation of Television & Radio Artists was determined to carry out its strike this (Wed.) morning at the 8 a.m. deadline set by the talent union. Members were alerted to begin picketing.
 
Bargaining talks between AFTRA and the major networks broke off about three weeks ago. There were reports that since then NBC had maneuvered informally through a mediator in an effort to get negotiations going again, but apparently the effort got nowhere.
 
At least as of Variety presstime last evening, there were no last-ditch moves afoot to avert the walkout, which would have crimped operations of the networks and their o& o's in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Other o& o's would not be affected.
 
Impediments to a pact settlement are the stands of both sides re FM o& o automation, and salary and fee patterns for local newsmen.
 
As for the schedules on the tv nets, some of the NBC and CBS soaps would be jettisoned for film reruns. Ditto for NBC's "Tonight," though the web planned to keep its "Today" strip going. . Of the nighttime staples, only Ed Sullivan appeared in immediate danger. Jackie Gleason, also on CBS, generally tapes one show ahead, but could also give way to a repeat seg should the walkout endure.
 
Otherwise, of course, newscasts, live blurbs and breaks would have to be taken over by management personnel.

 

3/30/67:

AFTRA Walkout Sixteen Hollywood - originated taped series were affected by the AFTRA walkout, six each on NBC-TV and  ABC-TV, and four on CBS- TV. At CBSTV, coast program chief Perry Lafferty said Red Skelton cancelled a show he was to have taped In N.Y. before the UN, because of the strike, and with his troupe was returning here. Lafferty also said Smothers Brothers Show has been shut down by the strike, as has Art Linkletter's show. A CBS Playhouse special starring Fredric March and Florence Eldredge, to have started taping Tuesday, is now a doubtful starter, unless walkout ends quickly. Nighttime poses no problem for  NBC or ABC. Dean Martin & Andy Williams are taped for rest of season at NBC, remainder schedule is on film. NBC day shows, said to be taped a day or two in advance and not in production are Pat Boone,  Hollywood Squares, Let's Make A Deal, You Don't Say and Days Of Our Lives. ABC's dayllghters are Dream Girl, Newlywed Game, Dating Game and Genera! Hospital.

[DRW50]

Thanks. Fascinating. I guess only two soaps were LA based then?

[jam6242]

I remember reading about this strike when I was looking for some information about The Doctors.  That article mentions that old game shows were used to replace the soaps.  But I found another article that indicates Days might not have been affected.

From The Progress, April 22, 1967, and The Indianapolis Star, May 28, 1967.

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I think the October 1967 strike was by the technicians.  I remember Robert Gerringer (Dr. Woodard) from Dark Shadows was fired because he refused to cross the picket line.

[Paul Raven]

Repeats of Loretta Young replaced Another World while The Doctors showed repeats (from the anthology days most likely), while CBS used I Love Lucy,Jack Benny, Candid Camera and repeats of drama anthology shows in daytime.

[JAS0N47]

Thanks for finding this!!