Thursday, July I, 1976 Herald, Gloversville- Johnstown, NY.
Young and Restless' Soaper Escapes Doldrums of Summer, Still Bubbling By CHARLES WITBECK
Summer doldrums may be smothering the tube, but dat ol' lethargy hasn't settled over "The Young and the Restless" soaper. Lanky, tanned producer John Conboy, who came west two years ago to put on a soap opera replete with new young faces, getting away from the New York habit of round-robin casting, reports Y & R just pulled a hefty 40 share of the audience. The reason why isn't hard to figure out.
Blonde Trish Stewart, in the role of caring, concerned Chris Foster, got the soaper off with a startler when she was a rape victim. Now writers have Chris helping ex-raplst Ron Beker (played by Dick DeCoit) currently on welfare, search for a decent job. Stopping for a moment outside CBS rehearsal hall C-l, Trish reports fair-haired Ron hasn't conquered his violence yet, and is about to make another move. Trish doesn't know how she will handle the situation involving a relative this time, but admits writers have given her lady a very controlled manner. Maybe a breakdown is in the offing, Trish won't say.
The juicy part of Nancy Becker, the rapist's wife, falls in the hands of newcomer Cathy Carricaburu, former member of the Lawrence Welk company. Cathy puts her button-brown eyes to work defending ex-con husband, up on his second rape charge in less than a year. Horrified Nancy must bolster herhusband and deal with the Beckers' 3-year-old daughter. She feels guilt, believing she hasn't fulfilled husband's needs. Cathy revels in her first dramatic try-out. "I watch all the soap operas," she says. "This is more gutsy, more daring than the others."
The temperature's also rising for Juliet Prowse's husband, John McCook. As playboy Lance Prentiss, McCook notes with some relief that he's "not Prince Charming any more." The suave, overly handsome peacock is out making passes at sexpot Lorie Brooks (Jamie Lyn Bauer) in between big business deals. "Mother and I run a corporation together, and she's very possessive," says John. Stuffy, nice-guy Lance is changing gears and that can't hurt.
Meanwhile, Tom Hallick's intense Brad Elliot worries about his peepers. People and things blur, especially his wife. But noble Brad won't tell wife he's going blind and his proud, tied-up demeanor drives the lady batty.
Another stolid deep-thinker is Anthony Herrera's Jack Curtis, fed to the teeth with fat wife Joann (Kay Heberle). Teacher Jack has been dallying with student Peggy Brooks (Pamela Solow). Wife's weight problems have done the earnest professor in. "My wife became obsessed with obesity," says Herrera. "That's all she could talk about. I lost interest." A recruit from "As the World Turns," Herrera sneaked in time earlier to play a lawyer in the Manson TV movie, "Helter-Skelter," and he stretches acting muscles on weekends playing Shakespeare witt) Will Geer's group.
Since the good guys are displaying dark sides, the bad guys in turn must reverse fields. That's the case with Beau Kayzer's Brock. Sprees in Paris, squandering an inheritance, are over for Brock, according to Lorie Brooks, Jaime Lyn Bauer, the soaper's bad girl. "Brock is still a celibate," says Jaime. "Brock wouldn't touch me even if I were dying." "You wouldn't have to be dying Lorie," answers Beau. "Just very ill." And that's just a taste of the scuttlebutt from "The Young and the Restless.
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Paul Raven ·
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