Jump to content

The soap opera writers' discussion


Recommended Posts

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Replies 429
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Members

Gabrielle Upton/Gillian Houghton has passed away.

 

Gabrielle Upton, ‘Gidget’ Screenwriter, Dies at 101

She also worked on several network soap operas as well as primetime series like 'The Loretta Young Show,' 'Ben Casey' and 'The Virginian.'

 

 

 

 
 
Gabrielle Upton
Gabrielle Upton COURTESY OF GREER UPTON
 

Gabrielle Upton, who wrote the screenplay for the classic California surfing movie Gidget, starring Sandra Dee, Cliff Robertson and James Darren, has died. She was 101.

Upton died Sept. 13 in Santa Rosa, California, her daughter, Greer Upton, told The Hollywood Reporter. News of her death had not been reported until now.

A three-time WGA Award nominee, Upton wrote for such network shows as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour/Alfred Hitchcock PresentsBen CaseyConvoyOne Step BeyondThe Bold Ones: The New DoctorsThe VirginianThe Big Valley and The High Chaparral.

 

She also worked on several daytime soap operas during her career, including Guiding LightAs the World TurnsEdge of NightSearch for TomorrowThe Secret Storm and Love of Life.

After Frederick Kohner took a crack at adapting his best-selling 1957 novel Gidget, the Little Girl With Big Ideas for Columbia Pictures’ Gidget (1959), Upton came on and received sole screenplay credit.

Directed by Paul Wendkos, the coming-of-age movie spawned several other Gidget movies and a 1965-66 ABC/Screen Gems comedy starring Sally Field.

Upton also provided the story for Robert Siodmak’s Escape From East Berlin (1962), based on a true story and starring Don Murray, Christine Kaufmann and Werner Klemperer. She lived in Germany while that film was in production.

Born in British Columbia in 1921, Upton acted and wrote radio plays for the CBC. She and her husband, actor and sound man Julian Upton, then moved to Los Angeles and worked at what is now known as Theater of Arts on Hollywood Boulevard.

Upton served as head writer on CBS’ Guiding Light for many years starting in 1952 and held a similar position at many other (soap operas).

In 1953, she wrote and starred on an episode of the CBS anthology series Schlitz Playhouse, then wrote for The Loretta Young ShowFord Television Theatre and the drama Wire Service early in her career as well.

Upton also co-wrote the screenplay for the German-French thriller Tender Sharks (1967), starring Anna Karina, and came up with the story and script for Brown Eye, Evil Eye (1968), starring Hugh Griffith.

She often wrote under the pseudonym Gillian Houghton and specialized in medical, legal and suspense shows.

Survivors also include her son-in-law, John. Her husband died in 2016 at age 94.

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • Members

David Davidson was a writer I was not familiar with. He wrote The Brighter Day in 1961 under the name of Albert sanders.

Found this info in his NY Times obit from 1985

David Davidson, a novelist and author of about 100 network television plays, died Friday at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center's Neurological Institute after a stroke. He was 77 years old and lived in Manhattan.

Mr. Davidson, a newspaperman-turned-novelist, wrote his plays during what he called the ''golden age'' of television drama in the early and mid-1950's. They were seen nationally on such programs as ABC's ''Alcoa Hour,'' NBC's ''Elgin Hour,'' CBS's ''Playhouse 90,'' and NBC's ''Kraft Television Theater.''

One of Mr. Davidson's plays, ''P.O.W.,'' became the first production of ''The United States Steel Hour,'' broadcast by ABC in October 1953. Like many of Mr. Davidson's works, the play, about a group of American soldiers returning from the Korean War after having been captured and brainwashed, had a topical theme.

By the late 1950's, Mr. Davidson began to voice disenchantment with television as a source of solid drama, holding that scriptwriters, like the rest of the industry, had abandoned quality in a scramble for mass production and ratings.

The Federal Communications Commission held hearings on the subject in 1961. Mr. Davidson, serving as national chairman of the Writers Guild of America, told the officials that deteriorating standards and professional pressures had prompted him and some of his colleagues to turn out soap operas under assumed names.

 

His own pseudonym, it was later disclosed, was Albert Sanders.

In 1965, the American Broadcasting Companies supported a program to develop talented television writers at the Yale School of Drama. Mr. Davidson was chosen to initiate it as lecturer and writer in residence.

He later taught at New York University and the University of Iowa. In addition, he continued to write magazine articles and contributed to television series, including the recent ''Civilization and the Jews.''

Mr. Davidson came to national attention with his first novel, ''The Steeper Cliff,'' published in 1947. It was based on his experience with the American Military Government in post-war Bavaria in trying to revive a democratic German press.

Mr. Davidson was born in New York City and graduated from City College and the Columbia School of Journalism. He went to work at The New York Evening Post in 1933 and, five years later, he turned to radio, writing hundreds of scripts for some of the most popular serial programs of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Members

The Post-Star

Glens Falls, New York • 1

Writer turns actor at age 65

Why would an established and successful writer decide to turn actor at the age of 65? Robert Cenedella. now starring in the Lake George Dinner Theater production of "The Gin Game," had a special love of acting but in his early career, seemed better suited to writing. Now the career roles are reversed, and he is pleased to be playing the role of Weller Martin. the cantankerous rebel of the retirement set.

Cenedella remembers,"The first time I saw the play in New York City starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, I knew I wanted to play that part. I found a part of Weller Martin in myself; there may be a little of him in all of us. 

Although spending the majority of his nearly 70 years as a writer ,Cenedella has always been dedicated to acting, serving as president of  the Drama Club at Colgate University and teaching high school in his hometown of Milford,Mass. He later became principal of the junior  high there, continuing his interest in drama as he directed several student performances at  the school.

At the same time, he developed his natural writing ability with several short stories and radio scripts. With the introduction of TV, Cenedella made the transition into the world of TV, becoming head writer for such soap operas as "Another World." "The Doctors." and "The Guiding Light." In the early 1960s,he completed his first full-length novel "A Little to the East" acclaimed by The New York Times as one of the outstanding books of the year.

After decades of writing, Cenedella decided it was time to try acting despite his age.He appeared in numerous off-off-Broadway productions. including "Passion of Dracula" and "Conflict of Interest." 

He also has played in films, notably in  "First Deadly Sin" with Sophia Loren and Frank Sinatra, soap operas and commercials, but he but says the stage is his favorite,  with "The Gin Game" being his first experience in dinner theater.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Wasn't Robert Cenedella the creaor of Somerset?

I have always been curous about him. There is not a lot of info on him. He wrote for many soaps but his tenure was never long. Was he not considererd a successful wrier or just someone who was lucky to be hired and rehired at different soaps?

Edited by ClassicsSoapFan
mispelling
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I think that NBC really liked Mr. Cenedella.  He wrote Another World after Agnes Nixon had departed, Somerset (which he created), The Doctors, How to Survive a Marriage and the serial Return to Peyton Place all on NBC.   I know that NBC did not own most of these shows (only The Doctors and How to Survive a Marriage), but probably was responsible for his being hired at Return to Peyton Place.

His storylines were excellent (in my opinion) on Somerset.

He also wrote for The Secret Storm and The Guiding Light.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • Members

This information about two writers appeared on the Search for Tomorrow page.   It was posted by RavenWhitney.

 

"Leonard Kantor was a prolific and successful television writer until his death at 59 (likely from HIV/AIDS) in NYC in 1984. He was brought in to The Doctors in 1982 to help young writer, Barbara Morgenroth, in the final six months of the show.  

"Doris Frankel was briefly head writer of Somerset with Winifred Wolfe in 74. It was a much talked about period when the writers focused on Ellen's May/December romance with a much younger man and the introduction of Carrie along with several other senior citizens.  i watched with my grandmother and it was smartly written and entertaining. Doris also wrote for AMC"

Any information about any of the writers is always appreciated!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

 

 

Here is an obituary of the writer John Hess.   (It was written by Doug Martin, who obviously is not the character from Search for Tomorrow played by actor/writer Kenneth Harvey.)

It mentions that he worked on Search for Tomorrow in its early years, and I wonder what he did.   The show's creator was Roy Winsor; its first head writer was Agnes Eckert (Agnes Nixon); succeeding her was Irving Vendig.   So, how was he involved with the show?

John Hess, 85, Noted Writer; Created an Early Soap Opera

 

John D. Hess, a prolific writer who originated one of the earliest television soap operas, ''Love of Life,'' died April 15 at his home in New Hope, Pa. He was 85.

The cause was lung cancer, said his brother, Carl B. Hess.

Mr. Hess was the originator of ''Love of Life.'' ''Search for Tomorrow'' began three weeks earlier in 1951, and the two shows, both on CBS, were among the first daytime dramas to become long-running successes on television.

''Love of Life'' was broadcast until 1980, and he often wrote two or three episodes a week in the early years.

Mr. Hess also wrote episodes for many other shows over the years, including the comedies ''M.A.S.H.,'' ''Alice'' and ''One Day at a Time,'' and the dramas ''The Streets of San Francisco,'' ''The Rockford Files'' and ''Ben Casey.''

 

His play ''The Grey-Eyed People'' opened on Broadway in December 1952 and closed after five performances. In 1961, Mr. Hess wrote and produced a movie, ''A Matter of Morals,'' in Sweden.

 

Its distribution was limited because of objections by the Catholic Legion of Decency to a scene in which a fully clothed couple emerges from a bedroom.

Mr. Hess wrote fiction for The Saturday Evening Post, Colliers and other magazines. In 1961, he turned a story he had written for Esquire into a television comedy called ''The Wicked Scheme of Jebel Deeks,'' which was broadcast on Ford Startime to critical praise and starred Alec Guinness in his American television debut.

John David Hess was born in Chicago on April 17, 1918. He graduated from the University of Chicago Laboratory School and from Dartmouth, where he twice won the prize for the best original play. He spent a year at Yale Drama School before becoming a writer for WGN radio in Chicago.

During World War II, he was a tank officer, and he later assisted victims of concentration camps and helped relocate refugees. He wrote ''Move Out, Verify -- The Combat Story of the 743rd Tank Battalion.''

In 1946, he returned to WGN in Chicago and began his writing career. In 1954, he was named playwright in residence at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope. His plays ''The Facts of Life,'' ''The Better Mousetrap'' and ''A Perfect Frenzy'' had their first performances there.

His first wife, the former Jane Vosper, died in 1996. He is survived by his second wife, the former Mary Ann Van; his brother, Carl, of Manhattan; his sons Anthony G., of New Hope, and Oliver G., of Ojai, Calif.; and two grandsons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • Members

In a Feb 68 Variety article Irna Phillips talked about the importance of mentoring other writers to carry on the soap writing tradition.

Mention was made of Agnes (now at AW) Bill Bell (Days) and David Lesan (SFT) all who started with Irna.

It mentioned her current proteges John Boruff and Warren Swanson.

In looking at those names of course Agnes and Bill are legends.

But the others did not become prominent writers so the torch was not really passed on. 

Irna's daughter Katherine did not continue.

Bell mentored Kay Alden and Sally Sussman  but neither could live up to his legacy. Sally got to create Generations but it struggled.

Did Agnes really mentor anyone who went out on their own? Megan Mc Tavish?

I think it was hard for later writers to wield the sort of power those Big 3 had. TV had changed too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Harding Lemay derives a lot of humor and sympathy out of his portrayal Irna as a tyrant in his memoir.  But, that was only his experience, and it is easy to empathize what it might have been like for Irna to work with this guy who had never written a soap and was so critical of the source material that she created.

I barely recall Ken Corday's book, but obviously he didn't interact much with Irna, once he took over as a producer. 

And, I've never read Bill Bell's memoir, or watched all of his Academy interview.  So, what was his experience with her as a mentor? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Agnes Nixon mentored two of the best All My Children head writers - Wisner Washam and Lorraine Broderick. I always wondered what Wisner could have accomplished on his own on another soap.   He could have been the head writer to make Loving a success.

Edited by Efulton
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I looked for information about Warren Swanson.  I found this obituary:

 

WARREN SWANSON, 66, ATTORNEY; WROTE SOAPS

By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah and Tribune Staff Writer
Chicago Tribune
 
 

Warren L. Swanson wore many hats--he was an attorney, a soap-opera writer and the co-author of well-known guides to Chicago. He dreamed up the idea of the first Easter Seal telethon and owned some prime real estate in the city.

"He was a Renaissance man," said his son, Sheridan Christopher. "He tried everything and he had a knack for it."

The 66-year-old South Loop resident who lived two doors away from Mayor Richard M. Daley died May 7 of a brain hemorrhage in Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago.

Mr. Swanson was born and lived most of his life in Chicago.

Mr. Swanson graduated from the University of Chicago and then Northwestern Law School. He at one time tutored former Gov. James Thompson through law school, his son said.

During the early part of his career, Mr. Swanson butted heads with the late Mayor Richard J. Daley. As one of two special prosecutors in a vote fraud probe 40 years ago, Mr. Swanson won convictions against three Democratic precinct workers who pleaded guilty to altering ballots in the 1960 election. Then, in 1968, when board members of a civic group he headed, the Citizens of Greater Chicago, decided to give the late mayor an award for "safeguarding lives and property" during the Democratic convention, Mr. Swanson resigned the group in protest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • I am happy that Max (Branning) is back and that might get me back to watch the show again. I am happy that Bernie and Felix are leaving, because both are such boring characters to me. As for Ben being back.. I used to like him. But reading all that he's done in between me liking him and today makes me really dislike the character and I have no desire in seeing him unless he will be seen as a bad guy that he is on the show, which will not happen. 
    • Thanks @kalbir Looks like once the Corringtons left, Search struggled. National City Star-News, Volume 104, Number 18, 2 March 1986 Domini Blythe finds soap acting quite challenging By Nancy M. Reichardt English-born actress Domini Blythe Is a veteran of the finest classical theater companies In England, Canada and the United States, but her American television debut came only five short months ago when she accepted the role of Estelle Kendall on the NBC soap "Search for Tomorrow." Miss Blythe Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company In England when she was 18 years old. She did several films. Including "Tutankamun,” which was filmed In Egypt, then moved to Canada, where she eventually became a member of Canada’s Stratford Festival Company. Miss Blythe decided to seek work In the United States after she embarked upon an American teaching tour with the Royal Shakespeare Company. "After working between England and Canada for several years and expanding a lot of energy trying to keep a career going in both countries, it suddenly seemed to make much more sense to work li North America,” says Miss Blythe. "I landed a one-day role on 'Search for Tomorrow,”' she remembers “The feedback on that role was very good, and the producers said that they’d find a role for me, and the did with the role of Estelle. Asked why she agree to do a sopa opera role after her extensive credits I classical theater, she replied, "It seemed to me that this was the very best thing one could do upon coming here. Doing a soap provides a relatively stable Income with terrific exposure. "There's a challenge I playing a part that has no beginning and no end. It's so unlike anything else I’v ever done. I love the idea that a soap is a collaborative effort between you as an actor and the writer: which Is completely unlike performing the works of Shakespeare or any other  playwright who's dead." Miss Blythe describe Estelle as a “survivor'' an adds that she’s please that Estelle Is "a strong woman who can deal easily In a man’s world while she also has a very vulnerable side. "I like the fact that Estelle Is neither all good nor all bad like all hums beings,” Miss Blythe say "I find the Intricacies of the character interesting. Rather than dealing with murders, I'd prefer to deal with a corporate struggle. That’s something that can relate to more easily.
    • She appeared in this movie.  

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Desert Sun, Volume 43, Number 248, 23 May 1970 Soap Opera Queen A Real Homebody HOLLYWOOD (UP!)—Denise Alexander is unknown to nighttime-only television viewers but she is one of the queens of soap opera in her role of Susan Martin on the daily “Days of Our Lives’’ strip. The auburn haired beauty moved here from New York 12 years ago and into a Beverly Hills apartment she has furnished with antiques from a shop she opened and later closed. Her potpourri antique store was a modified success. Modified because Denise “tried to find good homes’’ for her merchandise. As a result many an ancient chair or table rests in her home, some with price tags still on them. A regular with “Days of Our Lives” for four years, Denise leaves her four-room diggings—bedroom, kitchen, dining room and living room—at 6: .10 a.m. every day for morning rehearsals at NBC. At noon the show is taped and by 1 p.m. the cast runs through the next day’s episode of the soap opera. “We can’t ad lib because the camera shots depend on word cues,” Denise says. “So we’ve learned to memorize our lines quickly.” Denise’s boy friend is actor David Hartman who stars in “The Bold Ones” for television. They are together almost every evening. Most often David takes Denise to dinner, and then perhaps a movie. Other evenings Denise broils steaks in her apartment for her “fella,” as she calls him. At the moment they haven’t any marriage plans. The actress prefers gourmet dishes and few chefs prepare veal cordon bleu better than she. Her swiss steak with wine sauce is also a treat which Hartman relishes. No Discotheques Their social life revolves around small dinner parties with friends and dancing at secluded, romantic places. They abhore discotheques. Weekends for the couple are devoted to tennis, sailing and restful days at the beach sunning and surfing. Then again, Hartman may stop by ,and the two will spend the day reading, with a little background music. Denise opened her door one day and an enormous white cat walked in, hopped onto a chair and staked a claim. She named the intruder “Cat." and he has been a member of her household ever since. Unlike the Sue Martin she portrays on the show, Denise is very much with it. Sue wears a conservative wardrobe. Denis prefers sophisticated, chic outfits from boutiques. She dislikes shopping but loves clothes. The problem is solved by periodic shopping sprees during which she purchases enough outfits to see her through for six months or more. When she feels out of style, back she goes to the smart shops.
    • Like why? That is one character who needed to be retired for decades. Yes, plural. There is literally nowhere else you can take this character anytime soon.  This show really needs to grow a pair and start killing off certain characters. And Martin wasn't one of them.  *coughs* Anyone with the last name Mitchell *coughs*  It's time. 
    • The A/C running.

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Search for Tomorrow CBS run and Ryan's Hope were time slot rivals December 27, 1976-June 5, 1981. From the 1970s Ratings and 1980s Ratings threads, these were the weeks from December 27, 1976-June 5, 1981 that Search for Tomorrow finished ahead of Ryan's Hope: December 27-31, 1976 January 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, 31-February 4, 7-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-March 4, 7-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-April 1, 4-8, 11-15, 1977 April 18-22, 1977 ratings not found April 25-29, 1977 May 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-June 3, 6-10, 13-17, 1977 June 20-24, 1977 ratings not found June 27-July 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 1977 August 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 1977 August 22-26, 1977 ratings not found August 29-September 2, 5-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30, 1977 October 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, 31-November 4, 7-11, 1977 November 21-25, 28-December 2, 5-9, 12-16, 1977 December 19-23, 1977 ratings not found December 26-30, 1977 January 2-6, 1978 January 16-20, 1978 February 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 1978 March 13-17, 1978 March 20-24, 1978 ratings not found March 27-31, 1978 April 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 1978 April 24-28, 1978 ratings not found May 22-26, 1978 June 26-30, 1978 ratings not found July 17-21, 1978 August 7-11, 1978 August 28-September 1, 1978 ratings not found September 25-29, 1978 October 2-6, 1978 October 16-20, 1978 October 30-November 3, 1978 December 18-22, 1978 December 25-29, 1978 ratings not found January 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 22-26, 29-February 2, 1979 February 12-16, 19-23, 26-March 2, 5-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30, 1979 April 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-May 4, 7-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-June 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, 1979 July 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-August 3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-31, 1979 September 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, 1979 October 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 1979 October 29-November 2, 5-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30, 1979 December 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, 1979 December 31, 1979-January 4, 1980 January 7-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-February 1, 4-8, 1980 February 18-22, 25-29, 1980 March 3-7, 1980 March 24-28, 1980 May 5-9, 1980 May 26-30, 1980 June 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 1980 August 11-15, 1980 September 22-26, 1980 October 6-10, 1980 November 17-21, 1980 December 15-19, 1980 March 9-13, 1981 March 30-April 3, 6-10, 13-17, 1981
    • I watched some of Friday's show. It was sweet to see Julie celebrate her wedding anniversary to Doug (their second - kudos to the writing team for remembering). Those moments with Julie are always so moving to me because you can tell they are straight from Susan's heart.  I know Patsy Pease hasn't been on DAYS in 15 years, but I still miss Kim in weeks that are so important for the Bradys and their history on the show. Michael Dietz was always a very likeable presence onscreen, even if he was never the greatest actor. That hasn't changed.  I was impressed with how well put together the montage was of John's various identities/memories. A number of those stories were ludicrous, and several of them never should have existed, but the way this was all crafted you could see just what a unique character all those parts made John...and how much Drake played the material as best he could, no matter what. The mirror scene was a great inclusion as that really wrapped everything of John together - viewers never truly knew who he was, nor did the people in Salem, but it didn't matter, as everyone loved him anyway. 
    • Been a long time, but always worth the wait!  1973 will be coming soon!  Hooray!! 

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Thanks @Paul Raven  Amidst these terrible stories I see we get the arrival of Heather. I never knew Alice forged references for her. No wonder she later became a murderer. She was a criminal all along.  The Jeff/Monica/Rick story always seems so brazen and so depressing all at once - I can't imagine how people would have talked about it in the Internet/Twitter era.  I don't understand the choice to put Audrey and Steve through even more misery after they had been separated for almost a decade. The sudden inclusion of magazine stories is fascinating...and I'm not sure if it is ever a huge story narrative for GH after this point, even when characters on the show ran magazines. The end of the Leslie and Cam story did not need to be like this (and feels a little rushed). Had every woman on the canvas at this time been raped?   
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy