ALL: Proposed Soaps Over The Years

[Paul Raven]

NOV 1985

A DAILY soap opera depicting the lifestyles of the black community is under development by O.J. Simpson's Orenthal Productions and Ralph Edwards Productions in association with Columbia Pictures TV. The serial, called Heart and Soul, is being developed for syndication. It will revolve around the music industry and will feature original music produced in stereo. Stephen Karpf, Elinor Karpf and Jason Karpf, whose previous credits include the daytime soaps General Hospital and Capitol, will serve as head writers and producers on the drama.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Paul Raven

[Darn]

 

O...no.

[soapfan770]

 

Interesting! Time and Tide sounds so old fashioned but I wonder if it was a proposed fourth Ted Corday soap? I recall Corday's inspiration for titles Days and Morning Star came from Book of Psalms makes sense someone would pick a title out of an classic proverb.  

 

I wonder why NBC kept trying out soaps in mid-morning timeslots as opposed to something later in the afternoon in the 60's. 

Edited June 15, 2020 by soapfan770

[All My Shadows]

I had no idea Split Second was in development as early as 1965 - assuming this is the Hatos-Hall game that would end up airing on ABC from 1972-1975 and then in syndication from 1986-1987.

[GLATWT88]

So Empire but for daytime. 

[Paul Raven]

Variety October 1953

CBS announces 4 new soap operas to expand their lineup

Woman with a Past written by Mona Kent

Those Manning Girls written by Lawrence Klee

The Road Ahead written by Irna Phillips with Alex March producing.

The Family Upstairs from Charles Vanda (originating in Philadelphia)

 

Variety states that 'Woman' and 'Manning Girls' would get to air first.

 

Woman With a Past did get to air but Secret Storm was it's companion soap.

So none of the other 3 made it to air.

[soapfan770]

Is it possible that Phillips’ The Road Ahead was a possible working title for adapting The Road of Life from radio, which CBS did eventually a year later? 
 

Interestingly The Brighter Day premiered first in January 1954. 

[Paul Raven]

Yes good point.  I like The Road Ahead as a soap title prefer it to Road of Life.

[soapfan770]

Curious, was this the soap he was planning in 1976/77? Do we know anything about what it was going to be about?

[DRW50]

Return to Collinwood has a few details about some ill-fated attempts at reviving Dark Shadows in serial form:

 

Another opportunity arose in 1997 when 20th Century Fox's television production arm - called Twentieth Television at the time - and The Fremantle Corporation proposed producing with Curtis either a new daytime version or a weekly primetime version. A daily version in the original soap opera format was preferable since the Fox Network was considering possibly expanding their affiliate programming into the daytime market - a scenario that did not transpire. For the next four years, Fremantle continued to explore possibilities to resurrect Dark Shadows as a syndicated primetime weekly hour-long series but the deal was contingent on filming in Canada for budgetary reasons, a stipulation that Curtis could not accept as he felt the program would need to be produced under his watchful eye in Los Angeles, close to home.

 

---

 

In 2001, Curtis teamed with Aaron Spelling's company, Spelling Television, in an attempt to bring Dark Shadows to the Fox Network as a primetime weekly serial. Writer Eric Bernt was hired to pen the story with new twists, including introducing the character of Angelique in the premiere episode. Curtis' creative input remained a vital element but in early 2002, after delivery of Bernt's script, Fox decided not to pick up the project. 

 

Also in 2001, Fremantle made one last attempt to get in the Dark Shadows business with a plan to produce a new daytime version in Spanish using the original daytime series' scripts. But the idea once more failed to materialize. 

[Paul Raven]

June 1953

NBC announces plans for long running radio soap 'Big Sister' which had been cancelled Dec 52, to become part of its morning soap lineup.

[SteelCity]

Does anyone remember hearing about a soap in development called "Thunder's Secret?"

[te.]

 

It sounds like it was something some internet user dreamed up rather than a real project.

 

[Paul Raven]

April 1954

NBC proposed soap from Chicago 'Member of the Press' dealing with a female news journalist.Scripted by Bill Barrett.

[Paul Raven]

March 1951

The Loving Family by John Knuebeh

Starring Gale Page, Harry Ellerbe, Jimmy Page, Marjorie Lord, James Kirkwood and Wheaton Chambers.

Produced by Douglas W Bagier and Mishel Green

Directed by Walter Thompson

Filming of 260 15 min eps from Hollywood announced in full page Variety ad.

Never proceeded beyond this.