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The Writers of ‘Guiding Light’ Come Together For A Virtual Conversation

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Unfortunately, will be missing it, so I will have to catch it at a later time.
Now this should be interesting! Let’s hope they talk about network/P&G interference in the stories they were trying to tell … and what it was like to see other writers undo the good work they had done.
Wish you would return where you left off.
Bridget and Jerome Dobson were the best writers… Doug Marland came next.
I absolutely adored the Marland era, and I thought the Dobson era was quite well done also, but Nancy Curlee is the one who really stands out in my mind. And the fact that she accomplished what she did WHEN she did, well after the heavy network and P&G interference started (which was circa 1988), made it even more remarkable. I wasn’t as fond of Pam Long’s work as some were, but when I look at clips in retrospect I realize she was much better than I gave her credit for at the time; I think I just didn’t like… Read more »
Very well stated. I found your comment about Pam Long interesting. I was in high school when her version of Guiding Light was in full-steam. I thought…at the time, it was masterpiece theater. Years later…(watching YouTube)…not so much. Watching the old clips, I find the show to be so hokey, bordering on high camp. I discovered the Dobson / and Marland eras via YouTube and must say, I absolutely love the writing and storylines. I now see what all buzz around these two era’s was about.
I love any soap discussion related to writing. Should be an interesting show.
IMO Douglas Marland was the BEST HEAD WRITER in history and I still miss him to this day, he died way to young…next in line was Bill Bell and he is also greatly missed.
I think the body of Marland’s work on the soaps, taken together, probably should mark him as the very best that was. I accept some of the criticisms people have levied as valid, but I can’t think of a perfect headwriter ever, and I still think on balance, he was tops. I never saw anything Irna Phillips wrote (my soap watching started a few years after she left ATWT for the last time), so I can’t include her in my sample group. I think the Dobsons did “intense” better than anybody else, and nobody was better than Agnes Nixon at… Read more »
Michael (not Fairman)…I am so impressed with your knowledge of a lot of the headwriters and I agree with you…I started watching GL when the Dobson’s were writing and then Douglas Marland…How I miss the good ole days of our daytime dramas…
Thanks for bring back The Light! But let’s bring it back for real. Writers need to get together and promote a 30 min GL soap revival again on a major network. You have a great list of writers on tap. Notably missing are some of the best writing in the 1980s (Pamela K. Long) and the 1990s (Nancy Curlee with Daytime Emmy Win for Writing and husband Stephen Demorest). Pamela created characters like Reva Shayne, Alexandra Spaulding, and Harley Davidson Cooper! Thanks to Alan Locher for putting these virtual conversations to the fans. And Michael Fairman for promoting it!
I miss this show so much!!! I wish theyd bring it back streaming!!! My favorite era was the early 80’s. The 4 musketeers!!!! I think they lost their way when they killed off Maureen.
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