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By Paul Raven · Posted
GH 1976 . A transition as the show went to 45 mins and the revamp continued. From the Daytime serial Newletter PT 1 Since 1963 General Hospital, the story of the staff of the seventh floor at General Hospital in the town of Port Charles, has endeavored to show the personal problems and emotional conflicts faced by the members of a medical team, who must at all times be ready to save lives. Dr. Steve Hardy, his staff’s source of emotional support and advice as well as their professional chief, is increasingly upset by the marital problems of Dr. Jim Hobart and his wife, Audrey, Steve was once married to Audrey and still has strong although concealed feelings for her, and he resents Hobart’s futile efforts to stop drinking and straighten out his life, as his failures are dragging Audrey down with him. Dr. Leslie Faulkner is married to business tycoon Cameron Faulkner, who recently financed a free clinic for her at General Hospital. But Leslie’s professional life has been overshadowed by the shocking discovery that her illegitimate child, born when Leslie was a college student, didn’t die at birth, as she had been told, but rather, on her domineering father’s instructions, was substituted for the stillborn child of a Mrs. Barbara Vining. Cam has helped Leslie locate the child but is definitely resentful of the intrusion of another focus for Leslie’s love into their lives. Young med student Bobby Chandler has just married nurse Samantha Livingstone but is concealing his recent discovery that his life-insurance application was rejected because of a suspicious blood-test result. Psychiatrist Peter Taylor has reconciled his emotional upheaval at the discovery that Martha, the child of his wife, Diana, was fathered by the late Dr. Phil Brewer (by rape) and that Diana will not be able to have another child, as a hysterectomy was necessary after Martha’s birth. Diana suffers feelings of inadequacy, believing she is beneath Peter socially, as she was a waitress before successfully completing nurses’training. Nurse Jessie Brewer, who was married to Phil years ago, has tried to show Diana that her present accomplishments have overcome her disadvantaged origins. Dr. Leslie Faulkner, driven by the recent knowledge that her baby daughter was taken from her at birth, has learned that thirteen-year-old Laura Vining is that child. When Laura’s mother expresses concern at the attention and gifts that a total stranger is showering upon her daughter, Laura points out that Leslie is not really a stranger—the news magazines are always carrying articles about international business magnate Cameron Faulkner and his doctor wife. Barbara is even more upset when she realizes that Cameron Faulkner is having his employees check on them. Cam himself is upset by Leslie’s preoccupation with the girl, and warns Leslie that many lives could be irreparably harmed if Laura finds out she’s illegitimate. Leslie retains an attorney, Curtis Baxter, whose reputation doesn’t stress ethics. He advises her to sue for custody if a personal appeal to the Vinings to relinquish the child doesn’t produce results. Barbara’s fears are more than realized when she returns Leslie’s extravagant Christmas gift to Laura—an electric typewriter—and Leslie, pressed by Barbara to explain her interest in Laura, reveals that she just recently learned that her own father bribed her nurse to switch her newborn daughter for Barbara’s stillborn child, to “protect” his unwed daughter. At home, Barbara tells her husband, Jason, that she didn’t see their baby until the day after she was born, as the delivery was long and difficult, and she now remembers that Nurse Roach was somewhat reluctant to hand her the child. But the biggest fear they face is that Laura might somehow learn that her parents weren’t married when she was born, as Jason was on military service in the Pacific. Baxter serves the Vinings with a writ of habeas corpus, requiring them to have Laura in court on the specified day. Cam assures them he will make sure there is no painful press coverage and that all efforts are taken to prevent Laura from being emotionally upset. The Vinings then find that they must submit to blood tests to determine whose blood groupings match Laura’s. In court, Leslie again painfully explains the circumstances of her birth and the recent revelations by a dying Nurse Roach which led to her search for Laura. The Vinings are horrified to learn that the blood tests have revealed that neither of their blood types matches Laura’s. Medically this means that Jason can’t be Laura’s father—but Barbara could still be her mother. But Barbara has assured Jason that he is the only man she has ever been intimate with. Faced with this incontrovertible evidence, the Vinings realize that Leslie’s claim has basis; and since Barbara is too emotional to tell Laura what they have learned, Jason tells her. Laura is told she will have to decide whether she wants to make her home with the Vinings or with the woman she has just been told is her real mother. When Laura level headedly replies that she doesn’t know Leslie well enough to make this decision, the judge rules favorably on a one-month temporary custody order for the Faulkners and explains that Laura may decide then. Cam is upset at the way Leslie uses this month to give Laura a whirlwind introduction to the jet-set life, managing to quickly arrange a round-the-country tour with parties and social events including movie stars and other celebrities. He warns that Leslie is trying to win Laura by the material things she can give her and that she is obviously counting on Laura’s deciding to live with them. At the end of the month Laura is still unable to come to a decision, so the temporary custody is extended for another month. But Laura is now torn between the glamor of the Faulkners’ life and her love for the Vinings, who are forbidden by the court order to contact her during the decision period. Leslie is spending so much time with Laura that her medical career is suffering, but she tells Cam it doesn’t matter, as she is planning to leave medicine to devote her full attention to her daughter. Cam warns her that she’s risking heartbreak by assuming she will get permanent custody of Laura, and again suggests she is trying to buy the girl’s love with possessions. Leslie retorts that Cam’s objections seem to stem from the selfish desire to have their life return to the glittering comfort they had when there were just the two of them to consider. But when Laura falls ill with influenza meningitis she deliriously calls for her “real mother,” rejecting Leslie’s presence. Leslie is horrified when Barbara shows up, summoned by Cam, and demands to see her daughter. Leslie tells Dr. Steve Hardy she’s going to lose Laura and it’s Cam who is taking her away. In Laura’s best interest, Barbara and Leslie join forces to help the child’s recovery. But her doctors are puzzled when her symptomatic fever and convulsions continue after the meningitis is overcome. Leslie’s emotional condition isn’t helped when Cam insists ‘that her constant vigil over Laura is obsessive and she’s neglecting him. He makes it clear that she is going to have to choose. Needing help with these pressures, she consults psychiatrist Peter Taylor, who helps her see Cam’s side, and they make up. But Peter’s probing has made Leslie face another truth that Laura’s illness may be psychosomatic, due to the choice she must make. As Leslie faces the growing realization that she is the cause of her daughter’s illness and she may have to give her up to make her well, Cam secretly visits the judge and asks that he decide to return Laura to the Vinings in order to save Leslie from the guilt of giving up her daughter herself. : -
By Paul Raven · Posted
1976 Part 3 Peggy Brooks, the youngest Brooks daughter, upset over her parents’ recent marital trouble, has turned to her college teaching assistant for help with her studies, and then for emotional support. Jack Curtis is deeply attracted to her but tries to warn her not to get emotionally involved. But Peggy confesses she’s fallen in love with him, and he knows he returns her feelings. Jack, whose real name is Johnny Kryzynski, a name he feels is too difficult for professional use, is married to Joanne, a waitress at the Allegro, Leslie Elliot’s restaurant. Joanne, who is very overweight, is on another of her frequent reducing diets, hoping to regain Johnny’s love and attention. She is encouraged by Brock Reynolds, who manages the Allegro for Leslie. Sympathizing with her problem and her need for her husband’s love, Brock tells. her she must feel beautiful herself before other people can see it. One night, while discussing Joanne’s previous, fruitless attempts to diet, Jack asks her a question he’d never actually asked ‘before: Why had she gained all that weight? Joanne painfully tells him that she found out a year after they were married that she was pregnant. When she sounded him out about children, he had made it clear they couldn’t have a child until he’d finished school, so she secretly had an abortion, which left her feeling so empty that she ate to fill the emptiness. For the first time in a long time, Jack put his arms around her and kisses her. Feeling that Johnny really cares now that he knows about the abortion, Joanne’s trying very hard'to stay on her diet. But Peggy, having lunch at the Allegro, confides in her friendly waitress that she’s in love, and the man’s name is Jack Curtis. Joanne is heartsick, not only for herself but for Peggy, who obviously has no idea that Jack is married. Knowing that Peg’s sister Chris Foster works for Legal Aid, Joanne consults Chris about a legal name change, explaining that her husband, Johnny Kryzynski, uses the name Jack Curtis professionally she may as well make it their legal name. Chris makes the connection and tells her father about it. Stuart confronts Jack, demanding to know how he could do this to his wife and to Peg, and what he is going to do about it. Jack asks for time to let Peg down easily. When Peg learns that her father has seen Jack, she furiously informs him to stay out of her relationship with Jack. Peg later apologizes for her angry words, but she and her father cross swords again over Jack, and, backed into a verbal corner, Stuart blurts out, ‘For’ God’s sake, he’s a married man!” Disbelieving, Peggy goes to Jack, who tries to explain he’s started to tell her many times but, not wanting to hurt her, kept hoping for a better time to do it. Peggy, in shock, goes to the Allegro to think this out. Seeing the pain Peggy’s suffering, Joanne goes over to her and gently tells Peg she understands the hurt she’s going through—they are both in love with the same man, because Jack Curtis is her husband. Jill, having decided she must have revenge on Kay, has liquor delivered to her daily. When this doesn’t drive Kay back to alcoholism, Jill embarks upon a campaign to'convince Kay that Phillip is still alive. Jill slips into the Chancellor house each evening, after Liz has left, and leads Kay into reliving incidents and conversations which occurred over a year ago, when Jill was Kay’s paid companion. In this way Jill shakes Kay’s acceptance of Phillip’s death and has her convinced that Phillip is only away on a business trip. But Liz and Brock discover Jill’s grisly charade and begin to help Kay back to reality. Faced with the enormity of what she’s been doing, Jill realizes how wrong this is and decides to end the hostilities. -
Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest, and Knots Landing episodes for the week of October 24, 1983. -
By Paul Raven · Posted
I really don't want to see some old P&G actors on the show. To me Lindstrom and McLain have brought nothing special. The show needs to find new talent, so it has it's own identity,which overall they have. Timon, Tricia, Ambyr are breakouts. Most of the others are fine .We all know the exceptions. -
By Paul Raven · Posted
I would wager that was because it was a new character for the likes of Devon, Lily and Nate to interact with. Watching the likes of Billy fall in love again-Phyllis, Chelsea,Lily and now Sally is repetitive, especially when he is no prize. Josh doesn't really do long term couples. So every year or so they swap partners. It diminishes them as characters as they don't seem to grow or learn from the past. We know those characters so well and they've been through just about everything, so the only solution is to involve them with new characters and have them react to the newbies drama. They tried with Ashland and the Rosales but Josh dumped the latter and wrote so badly for Ashland who could have been a long term antagonist. All we got was another short lived marriage for Victoria and another accidental killing. And Josh thinks having them sit in restaraunts for the whole episode talking business, mergers, takeovers and job switching is interestring. It's not. I feel sorry for the actors who must know they are serving shite. -
By Soaplovers · Posted
If I were to cast a Soap Opera veteran as Jan.. I would have picked Krista Allen (of Days and B & B fame) since she did move to the Atlanta area in late 2023... and knows all there is about the Soap opera way of filming. And I could see her playing Ashley's mom. -
Is the set for Lulu's new house an updated version of the set used for the childhood home of Luke, Bobbie and Pat Spencer? -
I feel like AMC would be the easiest of their soaps to revive but a reboot seems cursed at this point. I wish we had more insight on what was pitched for the primetime reboot as well as these movies. That would give us a better idea of why it keeps getting shot down. -
Mansion of the Damned sure is a "talkative" horror movie. In the past when I've watched those episodes, I was paying attention to The Edge of Night characters and not really zeroing in on the rehearsals/blocking/filming of the actual movie. This time I've been following the plot of Mansion of the Damned pretty closely, and all I can say is Hester Atherton and Nicholas Harriman are about the most chit-chatty Witch and Devil I've ever heard in my life! -
Ashley and Derek have been so isolated that I need the show to develop something, anything to justify their presence. It's not that I think Joey being her father will be the greatest story ever told but at least it would be something and connect her to more characters. I just need the show to move forward with them. Out of all the characters, these are the only two with no storyline/development. We have recurring characters who are better used with less screentime. If the show is going to keep them on contract they need to do something with them.
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