ALL: Errors, Myths, Omissions & Firsts that weren't

[Contessa Donatella]

This is to be a discussion of the many errors about soaps. Some are myths.  Many are firsts that weren't actually the first anything. And if you've tried to accomplish a correction, tell us what happened. 

This is my latest. Patrick Mulcahey told me that when the writing team for TEXAS was hired there wasn't any work for them yet so there, at the same location, they put them to work writing on ANOTHER WORLD. Even though I know he tried & failed I just tried to add it to his IMDb page. Below is the rejection I just got, after submitting only yesterday. Boy, are they ever timely! 

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[Darn]

You need a verifiable source, it can't be "he told me" lol.

How about some of the ones where it's claimed Irma or Agnes (I can't remember who) killed off a family in a plane crash? Or having someone fall up the stairs?

[Contessa Donatella]

I know what you're thinking of. It will not die! It apparently cannot be killed or corrected. The myth is that when Agnes Nixon left Guiding Light & went to Another World, which was in danger of early cancellation, she took the Gregory family that James Lipton had created on a plane & killed them off in a plane crash. Never happened! No one ever killed people in a plane crash on Another World. Also Agnes Nixon never wrote that anywhere for any soap. 

[Janet Marlowe]

ATWT getting "20 Million viewers" for that wedding in the '80s.

It never made sense - and seemed so random.

 

 

[Contessa Donatella]

Last year, on the Y&R50 Primetime Celebration 2 incorrect things were claimed. Each of them, to knowledgeable soap fans seem ridiculous! 

1. That Ashley Abbott had the first abortion. Truly laughable. The first was an illegal one, on AW, Pat Matthews. The second is largely unknown, but on SFT Kathy went to NY in 1970 & got an abortion. I exchanged messages with Courtney Sherman Simon who played Kathy in researching this. (Also have documentation in a soap mag & verification from a SON poster.) The third is most often cited as the first, unfortunately, and it is a legal Roe v. Wade 1973 abortion on AMC for Erica. 

2. That it was Bill Bell who introduced social issues as storylines on soaps. Again, love Bill Bell & he did many things, but not this one! No, Agnes Nixon is definitely the first on this! (And, IMO, she was also the best at it, with Claire Labine nipping at her heels.)

Edited February 1, 2024 by Donna L. Bridges

[Darn]

I can't help but think at some point someone from Meg Ryan's team just made this up to add more to her legacy on ATWT.

[Contessa Donatella]

Betsy & Steve, oh my, if one of her team did NOT make it up, they certainly should have!!! 

[Janet Marlowe]

^

THIS

[AMCOLTLLover]

But how many did watched it?

 

[DRW50]

The various "first black character on daytime" label attached to many over the years. 

[Janet Marlowe]

The ratings for that week (I believe it aired in May of '84) are posted in the '80s Ratings thread.

IIRC, ATWT got a 7.something for the week.

[Contessa Donatella]

I've posted a question on that week's ratings post. The wedding was May 30, 1984. Without knowing how much a rating point equaled at that time we can't calculate the number of people that a 7.8 represents. Someone, maybe Jason, will reply soon. 

But, get this. Today I asked Bing CoPilot which is AI how many people attended the wedding & this was their reply. 

 

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Edited February 3, 2024 by Donna L. Bridges

[Janet Marlowe]

Yes, that is the lie perpetuated. 

There is no actual evidence of it if you look at the hard data.

I was first suspicious - years ago - when I looked at the yearly averages, and saw ATWT in the middle of the pack for that year. Also knowing that ATWT/Steve & Betsy were hardly a phenomenon at that time - something it/they would have to be to garner 20,000,000 viewers for an episode. Even Greg & Jenny (who were MUCH more popular than Steve & Betsy) from AMC (#2 at the time) didn't get anywhere near that number - although the December 1983 interrupted wedding, by Greg, of Jenny & Tony Barclay received a 13.2  household rating (#1) for the week it aired.

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Edited February 2, 2024 by Janet Marlowe

[Contessa Donatella]

Maybe we can figure this out. 

Off the top of my head I looked up 4 African-American actors:

Petronia Paley at AW 1981

Morgan Freeman at RH 1981, at Texas 1981, at AW 1982

Al Freeman, Jr. at OLTL 1972

Laurence Fishburn at OLTL 1974 (He was a child at the time so he may be a first African-American child actor, maybe.)

Now who knows someone prior to 1972?

 

[I Am A Swede]

Both Ruby Dee and Cicely Tyson was on Guiding Light in the 1960s.

Edited February 2, 2024 by I Am A Swede