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Former OLTL and Dark Shadows Writer Sam Hall Has Died: Co-Wrote Karen's Courtroom Confession Classic On One Life!

Courtesy/YouTube

Courtesy/YouTube

Over the weekend, news that legendary soap scribe Sam Hall had passed away at the age of 93 on Friday September 26th, began to circulate in a very quiet way via his son Matthew’s personal blog! 

Hall was responsible at coming in to ABC’s Dark Shadows at a critical juncture in 1967 and giving the Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) storyline a much needed lift where many say he saved the show at that point from cancellation!

Hall was married to actress Grayson Hall, who eventually would find her way to Dark Shadows as s Dr. Julia Hoffman, an eccentric blood specialist who would discover that Barnabas was a vampire!  Grayson died in 1985 at the age of 62.  Sam was with Dark Shadows until 1971.  “I’ll never escape Dark Shadows,” he said in a June 2005 interview. “Never, never!”

Later, Hall joined former Dark Shadows scribe Gordon Russell over at One Life to Live in 1978 and remained a head writer there until 1984.  Gordon and Sam wrote one of One Life to Live’s most memorable story; Viki Lord’s  (Erika Slezak) 1979 trial for the murder of Marco Dane (Gerald Anthony).  During the trial, housewife Karen Wolek (played by Judith Light) revealed, in a heartbreaking emotional meltdown, that she was working for Marco as a prostitute.  The episode earned Sam and Gordon a Daytime Emmy nomination, and Judith Light won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress.  The duo also created the Buchanan family which remained prominent for decades after Hall left One Life to Live

Courtesy/ABC

In January 2014, Sam Hall filed a lawsuit against ABC in New York state court  claiming he had not been paid the weekly royalties he was owed for the showing of  Prospect Park’s online reboot of One Life to Live via iTunes, Hulu and other services.  According to the complaint, ABC made a deal in 1984 with Wildercliff, Ltd. for Hall’s writing services. The agreement was said to have entitled Hall to a weekly royalty “as long as the One Life to Live series is broadcast.”

Hall went on to also write for General Hospital, Santa Barbara and even started his career in the soaps with The Brighter Day!

So share your thoughts on the passing of Sam Hall below  …. and on his contributions to One Life to Live and Dark Shadows!

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ChristyMBmomof3mgb357dmrA Baptiste Recent comment authors
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jimh(leave it beaver)
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jimh(leave it beaver)

Dark Shadows had many flaws in its storylines and unexplained character departures(later explained in tv guide by Sam Hall after shows cancelation) but DS which remains my favorite soap ever was still fun, very entertaining, escapism five days a week!!!

vinman
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vinman

Still watching “Karen’s” Judith Light confession, brings me back to that courtroom in Llanview, Pa……..GREAT WRITING AND GREAT ACTRESS!!! “RIP” SAM HALL!!

Mark
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Mark

Dark Shadows was so good and I had no idea he wrote that scene for Judith light who rocks!! She is the only reason to watch the Dallas reboot!

KK Davis
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KK Davis

RIP Mr. Hall

Henrietta Boyd
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Henrietta Boyd

R.I.P. ANOTHER REAL WRITER LOST THANKS FOR THE GREAT STORIES !!

su0000
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su0000

Dark shadows was before my time..
but!
I broke my leg and a friend gave me the link to Dark Shadows, full series, I was bored from being down..So, I watched and I could not stop watching!!
I had to watch 6 episodes or more a day..!!
Sam Hall thanks for the best entertainment I could have ever hoped for while housebound, Dark Shadows is truly unforgettable..
You were a phenomenal writer!! Dark shadows will never fade away..

KansasGuest
Guest
KansasGuest

That was good stuff on OLTL! Well done, Mr. Hall.

Llanviewer717
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Llanviewer717

Thank you Mr. Hall for your contributions to our beloved OLTL. Watching Karen’s courtroom confession gives me chills even today. RIP.

JLH
Guest
JLH

Thanks for some great stories and memories, Mr. Hall! Rest in peace.

davlestev1
Guest
davlestev1

R.I.P Mr.Hall …Legendary!!

Laurie
Guest
Laurie

Dark Shadows was before my mind, but I remember my mom raving about that courtroom scene and Judith Light for years after it aired. I was a kid when I first saw it and pulled it up not long ago to re-watch it on youtube. It was every bit as great as I remember it. Really, that kind of drama and the build-up to it is really defines what a soap should be. Seems that scene really propelled Judith Light’s career & changed her life. Wouldn’t you love to have THAT on your resume? I wish there were still writers… Read more »

Alicia Douffet
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Alicia Douffet

My condolences to the family of Sam Hall. OLTL was my favorite soap opera. He was a great writer and did it with perfection. RIP Mr. Hall.

A Baptiste
Guest
A Baptiste

How lovely to recognize the man who wrote Karen Wolek’s/Ms. Light’s quintessential scene. It may have revealed a sensational topic, but stood for the lack of self-esteem and even self-loathing that so many of us may have had at the time, as did Karen. That’s why our hearts were broken, and we rooted for her, as we secretly rooted for ourselves. We were a nation of evolvement when it came to self-love and Mr. Hall’s writing may have tapped into our collective pain and hopeful evolution. God bless.

dmr
Guest
dmr

The OLTL courtroom scene with Judith Light (as Karen Wolek) is daytime television at its best! I’ve watched the scenes on YouTube (as they were before my time) and they are riveting!

mgb357
Guest
mgb357

Wow – two great pieces of television art. Thanks for the opportunity to remember.

RIP.

MBmomof3
Guest
MBmomof3

My condolences to the Hall family & friends. Mr. Hall provided the very best in daytime drama entertainment. Dark Shadows and One Life to Live are my all time favorites soaps. I have many fond memories of watching these shows with my mom & sisters. I started watching when I was pre-K and still remember my sister peeling my fingers away from covering my eyes as Barnabas Collins creeped from the shadows. Ah, sisters. Gotta lov’em.

R.I.P. Sam Hall & thanks for the memories!

Christy
Guest
Christy

How great is it that he was such a big part of two wonderful projects! No matter how old I get, those are two of my favorite shows and those courtroom scenes with Karen are permanently etched in my memories. I always think of that storyline whenever I see Judith Light!

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B&B’s 36th Anniversary Party (Photos)

Last week, the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful celebrated their 36th anniversary milestone with a get-together at La Piazza in Los Angeles.

The Bold and the Beautiful debuted on March 23rd, 1987 and is the sister soap to The Young and the Restless who is celebrating their 50th anniversary just three days later on March 26th.

Photo: Courtesy The Bold and the Beautiful

Taking part in the festivities were series stars: Katherine Kelly Lang, John McCook, Kimberlin Brown, Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, Don Diamont, Scott Clifton, Annika Noelle, Darin Brooks, Henry Joseph Samiri, Jennifer Gareis, Heather Tom, Lawrence Saint-Victor, Matthew Atkinson, Tanner Novlan, Naomi Matsuda, Ted King, Alley Mills, Dick Christie, Joshua Hoffman, and many more.

Check out our photo gallery from the event below.

Now, share your congrats for everyone at B&B for remaining on the air for 36 years, and still going strong via the comment section.

Photos: Courtesy of The Bold and the Beautiful

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Julianne Hough Replaces Tyra Banks as New Co-Host of ‘Dancing with the Stars’

After Tyra Banks revealed she was stepping away from Dancing with the Stars, a new co-host needed to be named and it looks like the reality-ballroom dance competition series has found their gal.

Julianne Hough, will rejoin the series, but this time as the new co-host alongside Alfonso Ribeiro.  Hough has previously appeared on the dance series as both a pro dancer and a judge.

With Julianne returning to the ballroom, she will be reunited with her brother, Derek Hough, who will be back at the judges table for the show’s upcoming 32nd season streaming on Disney+.

The new co-host has twice won the mirrorball trophy with celebrity partners, Apolo Ohno and Hélio Castroneves, during Dancing with the Stars fourth and fifth seasons on ABC.

As for Tyra Banks, last week, she told TMZ that she felt that it was time for her to exit DWTS and focus on her business and entrepreneurship, and that she would also be producing more TV but behind the scenes.

What do you think of Julianne replacing Tyra in the ballroom for season 32 of DWTS? Comment below.

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Y&R’s 50th Anniversary Party (Photos)

It was a night to remember and quite the spectacular event, when CBS, Sony Pictures Televisions, and The Young and the Restless, celebrated in style the iconic soap opera’s 50th anniversary.

Over the weekend on Friday, March 17th, cast, crew, colleagues, families, and the press gathered to salute the series at the The Vibiana, a beautiful venue in downtown Los Angeles that used to be a cathedral now turned event space.

Photo: CBS

After many of the stars in attendance walked the red carpet and conducted interviews with the press, the crowd gathered inside for a very special presentation featuring several speakers, and emceed by Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott).

During the speeches, none was more touching than when Lauralee Bell (Christine, Y&R) was joined by her brother Bradley P. Bell (executive producer and head writer of B&B) and in remarks, honored their late parents William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, the creators of The Young and the Restless.  

Photo: CBS

CBS Entertainment President, Amy Reisenbach, Sony’s Steve Kent, and Y&R’s legendary stars, Eric Braeden (Victor) and Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) also spoke and shared their thoughts on this milestone and more.

Attending were nearly 60 current and former cast members to commemorate Y&R’s golden anniversary, including: Linden Ashby, Catherine Bach, Peter Barton, Jaime Lyn Bauer, Lauralee Bell, Peter Bergman, Eric Braeden, Tracey Bregman, Lily Brooks O’Briant, Kimberlin Brown, Sean Carrigan, Sharon Case, Tricia Cast, Judith Chapman, Tamara Clatterbuck, Angell Conwell, Michael Corbett, Barbara Crampton, Michael Damian, Sean Dominic, Melissa Claire Egan, Cait Fairbanks, Conner Floyd, Adrienne Frantz, Jacob Aaron Gaines, Jennifer Gareis, Rory Gibson, Michael Graziadei, Camryn Grimes, Mark Grossman, Tom Hallick, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Courtney Hope, James Hyde, Bryton James, Sean Kanan, Kelly Kruger, Ashley Jones, Christel Khalil, Katherine Kelly Lang, Christian Le Blanc, Roberta Leighton, Kate Linder, Loren Lott, Janice Lynde, Judah Mackey, Beth Maitland, John McCook, Phil Morris, John O’Hurley, Melissa Ordway, Robert Parucha, J. Eddie Peck, Scott Reeves, Veronica Redd, Victoria Rowell, Brytni Sarpy, Melody Thomas Scott, Trevor St. John, Zach Tinker, Jason Thompson, Heather Tom, Jordi Vilasuso, Susan Walters, Jess Walton, Patty Weaver, Lauren Woodland and more.

Photo: CBS

Check out our photo gallery below featuring many of the red carpet arrivals and some of the moments with the cast from inside the party, and be on the lookout for our extended coverage with our video interviews from the red carpet in the days ahead.

Now after checking out the photo gallery, who were you happy to see attending? Who dressed for success? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

Photos: CBS

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