ALL: Proposed Soaps Over The Years

[Paul Raven]

Feb 1955 A proposed TV version of the long running radio serial. It would be years before ABC got into the soap business,

 

John L. Clark is casting this week at Trans -American in New York for several roles for his Life Can Be Beautiful pilots (5 quarter-hours) for ABC. Bill Marceau will direct the scripts by Carl Bixby.

Roles to be set include "ChiChi," a petite young girl, uncultured as the story opens; "Papa David," her father; "Stephen," a young cripple, 28-30, living with Papa David, "Mendoza," a hard character, in his late 30's and "Toby," about 25.

Edited January 31, 2020 by Paul Raven

[will81]

From a Marylin Beck colum from Oct 1981, doesn't say much but gives an idea of when Judith Krantz was working on the CBS soap, here it is called "Judith Krantz" Beverly Hills

 

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Here is Liz Smith's column from January 1982 talking about Capitol, she mentions CBS were developing a show called "Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills" with Judith Krantz

 

[Khan]

I love Liz Smith's snark on "the experts" who were chasing after the young demographic even then.

[Paul Raven]

1954

NBC investigating bringing radio soap "Big Sister ' to TV.

It has previously had a short experimental TV run in 1945 with Mercedes McCambridge.

[Paul Raven]

Frank and Doris Hursley had several soap proposals in the works over the years

Crossroads Clinic

Hollywood Girl

Lady of the Theater

Richard Douglas for the Defence.

South Paradise 1966

This Precious Hour

 

As did daughter and son in law Bridget and Jerome Dobson

Bodies and souls 1993

Co-Ed 1990

Couture

Dangerous Liasons 1994

One World 1990

Westwood

General Hospital - Sixth Floor

Heritage 1973

 

[Paul Raven]

In the Bill Bell archives is a series proposal 'The Many Ways of Love'

[Paul Raven]

Update

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by Paul Raven

[te.]

It's such a shame 13 Bourbon St. never surfaced - it would've been interesting to see what it would've done, but I guess both Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210 had started their declines back then. Still, I believe a pilot was shot and I'd kill to see it.

[SteelCity]

I still have no idea why FOX never got into the soap game.

[Paul Raven]

1967

Producer William Dozier, whose Greenway Productions produces Batman and Green Hornet in association with 20th Century -Fox TV, is moving into daytime programing.

He has formed Greentree Productions, a separate organization, also associated with Fox, to turn out a pilot for a projected soap opera for NBC -TV. Plans call for the series, Brookfield, to be a daytime strip.

TV Guide reported Brookfield was set in a 'posh girls school'.

 

1970

Paramount Television is producing the pilot for daily half - hour daytime series, Holm Sweet Home, which is aimed for showing on ABC -TV this fall. The program, which is being written by Roy Kammerman, is described as a humorous soap opera that centers around a midwestern family's experience in the age of the atom, the pill and the miniskirt.

 

As for 1971 -72, WB -TV reported a number of plans for series that would include segments on the drug -abuse problem. One is a daytime serial, The Woman Inside, WB -TV says has been optioned to a network it declines to identify. 

 

1971

Universal Studio's entry into the daytime television arena will be via a drama said by its creator, George Lefferts, to be a departure from the traditional soap opera. The program is being produced for General Foods. No network has been announced. World of Women was described as an "update of the patriarchal society of the era of The Forsyte Saga with the heroine of the 'now' generation replacing the patriarch of yesterday" by Clare Simpson, vice president in charge of programing for Young and Rubicam, agency for General Foods. The half -hour show now in development, according to Universal Studios daytime programing vice president Frank O'Connor, will deal with the modern female as she confronts the problems and rewards of a contemporary existence.

Edited March 19, 2020 by Paul Raven

[Khan]

 

I think network affiliate clearances, or lack thereof, had a lot to do with it.

[SteelCity]

Oh. That's kinda sucky. I just feel like FOX, more than any other could push boundaries. I thought it could be due to FOX only owning about 15 hours of original television a week. Everything else is syndication and infomercials.

[Paul Raven]

1966

Griffin Productions Co., NewYork, is raising its sights in the TV programming field to gain representation outside of the "game show" area and into daytime serial, primetime specials and nighttime series sectors. Last March Merv Griffin, president, appointed Bob Aaron, who had been director of daytime programs for NBC -TV for six years, as executive vice president with a mandate to accelerate the company's expansion and diversification effort.

In script form are two projected daytime serials. One is Keep It in the Family, described as the adventures of a "real family" and Best Things in Life (adventures of four American girls working abroad), which is aiming for a "new dimension" in daytime programming through production entirely in Europe.

[Khan]

 

Well, that's what I meant previously by lack of network affiliate clearances.  Even today, I think, FOX doesn't have an actual daytime lineup the way ABC, CBS and NBC do.  For the most part, their daypart is syndicated talk and courtroom shows, and cheap, local programming.  For that matter, I don't think FOX isn't a late-night performer either (although, not for lack of trying), which really makes me wonder how a show like "13 Bourbon Street" would have performed, had FOX persuaded enough affiliates into carrying it.

[SteelCity]

I feel like it could have worked as an advantage because it would be the only scripted program at that time and it would be all new.