Anyone who’s been watching “General Hospital” as of late knows that the iconic sudser is seriously on fire — and from what we can tell, the flames don’t look as if they’ll die down any time soon! In fact, when Soap Opera Network caught up with executive producer Frank Valentini at this month’s Television Critics Association event at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, California, he revealed that fans haven’t seen anything yet! Read on for the scoop on what’s to come in the weeks ahead, how interaction with the network heads has helped with the soap’s recent success and what to expect for the long haul when it comes to everything Port Charles!
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Fans love it when their show goes on location, but whatever happened to exterior shots – images of outdoor locations inserted before a scene takes place between characters – which were heavily utilized on “Passions,” the now defunct NBC and DirecTV daytime soap opera?
Had ABC not canceled “All My Children” back in 2011, and Prospect Park didn’t decide to cancel it again in 2013, Agnes Nixon’s “All My Children” would have celebrated its 44th anniversary today. Susan Lucci, who portrayed matriarch Erica Kane on the soap, was the only original cast member from the first season of “AMC” that had remained with the show without interruption since its debut on January 5, 1970 through its final ABC broadcast on September 23, 2011.
After nearly 14 years on the air, SOAPnet ended its broadcast run at the stroke of midnight with the final 2013 episode of ABC’s “General Hospital” (originally aired on Monday, December 30) taking it out in style.
When thinking of daytime dramas like “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “The Young and the Restless,” extreme drama, intrigue, love and romance probably come to mind. But how about comedy? Is laughter an important component within daytime dramas?
One thing we’ll soon find out is how much of an effect SOAPnet’s demise will have on “General Hospital,” if any at all. In a new promo touting the multi-platform availability of ABC’s sole remaining daytime soap opera, the network wants to make sure its viewers have every opportunity of catching up with the latest happenings in Port Charles.
The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced today nominees for Outstanding Achievement in Television, New Media, News, Radio, Promotional Writing, and Graphic Animation during the 2013 season for its annual Writers Guild Awards. In the category of Daytime Drama, NBC’s “Days of our Lives,” ABC’s “General Hospital” and CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” are set to duke it out when the ceremony takes place on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York.
The onscreen comings and goings in the soap opera industry are enough to make anyone’s head spin, and the behind the scenes business is just as action packed! In fact, three soap stars have recently made bold moves by switching agencies.
So by now you may or may not know that same-day airings of CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” are now available on TVGN after just over seven years on SOAPnet. To keep you up-to-date with the soaps transition, we thought it best to provide new and old viewers with some tidbits on TVGN and “Y&R’s” move to its new home.
Looking at how daytime television has become the pre-primtime of the entertainment landscape in more ways than one, Variety.com, now part of Penske Business Media, LLC (owners of Deadline.com and TVLine.com), has highlighted several of daytime’s biggest stars in front of and behind the scenes who help make the daily drama, the fun & games and the topics of discussion millions of viewers tune into each and every weekday. Those featured in the article include Angelica McDaniel (Senior Vice President, CBS Daytime), Frank Valentini (Executive Producer, “General Hospital”) Kelly Ripa (Tak Show Host, “Live with Kelly and Michael”; ex-Hayley Vaughan Santos, “All My Children”), Heather Tom (Katie Spencer, “The Bold and the Beautiful”), Katie Couric (Talk Show Host, “Katie”), Judge Judy Sheindlin (Judge, “Judge Judy”), Carla Hall and Clinton Kelly (Co-Hosts, “The Chew”) and many more.
As People Magazine gets ready to release its special collector’s edition honoring 50 years of “General Hospital” on Tuesday, March 12, the editors of Soap Opera Digest have collaborated on their own special tribute issue for the ABC Daytime drama series. Going on sale on Monday, March 25, the full sized Digest issue will include “revealing interviews, backstage gossip, photos, memories and more!”
In a report outlining the tremendous turnaround daytime soap operas have experienced in recent months, following five years of consistent cancellations, which found numerous soaps ending their runs starting with “Passions” in 2008, “Guiding Light” in 2009, “As The World Turns” in 2010, “All My Children” in 2011 and “One Life to Live” in 2012, Deadline is reporting that CBS and ABC are about to forgo another year of fan heartbreak. According to the sites sources, the networks are expected to continue production of “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “General Hospital” for the foreseeable future. This news would follow in line with NBC’s recent announcement that it had renewed “Days of our Lives” through the next television season (2013-2014).
Had “All My Children” remained on the air beyond its final September 23, 2011 episode, cast/crew and fans all around the world would have been celebrating the daytime soaps 43rd anniversary today, January 5, as the drama series debuted on this day in 1970.
Five years after being taken off contract and placed on recurring status, Jacklyn Zeman (ex-Bobbie Spencer, “General Hospital”) has opened up to Soap Opera Digest in its newest issue about the circumstances surrounding her unexpected departure from the ABC daytime drama series.
A week after word leaked that Ronn Moss (Ridge Forrester) opted not to renew his contract, CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful,” now in its 26th season, has worked overtime to not lose another member of its “core four” (the soaps four original cast members).
In its newest issue, TV Guide Magazine has revealed some of televisions highest paid stars. As you can imagine, the list comprises of former daytime soap stars who’ve either gone on to host their own talk show or headline a top ranked primetime series, or in the case of primetime soap stars – gotten richer!
America Media, Inc. (AMI) has purchased 37-year-old Soap Opera Digest from previous owner Source Interlink Media. As followers of Soap Opera Network knew, America Media licensed Digest from Source Interlink on April 14, 2011, wherein American Media would retain editorial, advertising, marketing and distribution control of the magazine and its sister publications Soap Opera Weekly and Pixie! (both now defunct), while ownership would remain with Source Interlink.
On Wednesday, March 28, the Disney/ABC Television Group and Nielsen Media Research announced they would begin measuring behavior in consumers using proprietary metering technology.
On Friday, June 1, 2012, Source Books (publisher of the recent “Days of our Lives” series of novels and coffee books) has scheduled the hardcover release of “The Young and Restless Life of William J. Bell: Creator of The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful,” which covers the life and times of one of daytime’s most creative minds.
Although the likelihood was expected thanks to the loss of long-time soaps “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” in 2011 and 2012, which were preceded by the departures of “Guiding Light” and “As The World Turns” in 2009 and 2010, news broke on Thursday, March 22 that after 22 years in publication Soap Opera Weekly would end its successful run as one of the premier soap opera magazines. The final decision to end the mag was just one of many blows the soap opera industry has felt in as many years. Soap Opera Network takes a by the numbers look at Weekly and how its readership levels helped lead to its ultimate demise.