'As the World Turns' axed after 54-year run

[Brian Damage]

And then there were six.

The ailing soap industry took another hit this morning with the announcement that CBS has canceled As the World Turns. The show will end its 54-year run in September.

The move, which comes just three months after CBS bid adieu to Guiding Light, will leave just six soaps on the air. The number could soon shrink to five if ABC axes One Life to Live, as has been rumored.

“We are disappointed and saddened by the news that the show is not being renewed,” said ATWT exec producer Chris Goutman in a statement. ”It will certainly be a loss for all of us, and for the show’s loyal audience.”

Producers are shopping the show around to other outlets, but don’t hold your breath. A similar effort was mounted for GL, and we saw how well that worked out.

ATWT’s demise wasn’t unexpected, but it still stings. As you probably know, I got my start covering soaps. In fact, my first college internship was at ATWT. To watch the once-mighty industry wither away like this is beyond depressing

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/12/08/breaking-cbs-cancels-as-the-world-turns/

[catlover79]

:( :( :( :( :(

[JT]

:(:(:(:(:(:(
Words cannot express my sadness. ATWT is the quintessential soap opera. It was a prototype that many soaps after it modeled themselves upon, and I am going to miss it eternally.
:(:(:(:(:(:(

[catlover79]

Soon it could be 5 - DAYS' days are numbered, and I highly doubt it will be renewed when its contract with NBC expires in 2010. Just sad to see how the soaps are just being killed off. At least there's YouTube and other outlets to still watch the classics.

[Scoobiedoo30]

I just heard the news that As The World Turns is going to be Cancelled if I hadf to guess I would say The 25, 000 Pyramind would talk over As The World Turns Time Period

[Brian Damage]

Soon it could be 5 - DAYS' days are numbered, and I highly doubt it will be renewed when its contract with NBC expires in 2010. Just sad to see how the soaps are just being killed off. At least there's YouTube and other outlets to still watch the classics.

I hope Days of Our Lives gets renewed. It is my favorite soap.

[browneyes106]

Soon it could be 5 - DAYS' days are numbered, and I highly doubt it will be renewed when its contract with NBC expires in 2010. Just sad to see how the soaps are just being killed off. At least there's YouTube and other outlets to still watch the classics.

I agree with you. I don't think DAYS will get renewed in 2010. The show has a bad writing in the past ten years. I will miss the show if it doesn't get renewed. But I think the soap genre will be gone within ten years.

[Scoobiedoo30]

with As The World Turns Cancelled it just The Young and The Restless and The Bold and The Beautiful

[gidgetgrape]

OMG! I loved ATWT when I was a kid. I loved the Lily, Dusty, Holden storyline.

[Scoobiedoo30]

I have a friend who watches CBS Soap Opera's and when I tell her this she is going to be upset I just Hope that The Bold and The Beautiful is not Next

[Retro4Life]

My mother adored ATWT and watched it from it's beginning in 1956 almost up until she passed away in 2005. I became a fan of it through her interest.

I remember great characters like John Dixon, James Stenbeck, Steve Andropolous, Lisa McColl, Tom and Margo, all the Hughes' and Stewarts', etc.

In its heyday, it delivered great drama like no other show.

:rip: ATWT :(

[gidgetgrape]

I remember great characters like John Dixon, James Stenbeck, Steve Andropolous, Lisa McColl, Tom and Margo, all the Hughes' and Stewarts', etc.

Oh yeah! I remember those names too - especially Stenbeck. He was like the guy you couldn't kill.

[HuntingtonM15]

Sad news for the Soap world. I know it will be only a matter of time until they're all gone, and I can't imagine that.

[catlover79]

Sad news for the Soap world. I know it will be only a matter of time until they're all gone, and I can't imagine that.
Exactly. Soaps were a staple of Americana from their radio days, then became bigger once they headed onto TV. Then things changed, and the networks/sponsors stopped caring about quality and what the fans wanted. Such a shame. :(

[JT]

Exactly. Soaps were a staple of Americana from their radio days, then became bigger once they headed onto TV. Then things changed, and the networks/sponsors stopped caring about quality and what the fans wanted. Such a shame. :(
I don't think it's as simple as that in describing why/how soaps have met their demise. The world is a much different place now than it was in the 60s and 70s when daytime TV was thriving. So few people are home during the day anymore, and those who are have so many more options than those of the old days did. The pisspoor management going on behind these shows hasn't helped one bit, of course, but I don't envy the people who have had to deal with an ever-changing TV landscape over the last 20 years.

[catlover79]

I don't think it's as simple as that in describing why/how soaps have met their demise. The world is a much different place now than it was in the 60s and 70s when daytime TV was thriving. So few people are home during the day anymore, and those who are have so many more options than those of the old days did. The pisspoor management going on behind these shows hasn't helped one bit, of course, but I don't envy the people who have had to deal with an ever-changing TV landscape over the last 20 years.
Neither do I. But you're right - times have changed, and there are very few full-time wives/moms who have time to stay home and watch the soaps all afternoon - especially in this economy.

Plus, not only are the soaps themselves in danger, but you have to imagine the folks at Soap Opera Digest and other soap mags are shaking in their boots. Pretty soon there won't be anything for them to write about!! :eek: :(

[CarJackSnyder]

This is devastating news. I have watched this show for fifteen years, :(

[MickeyMac]

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:


This is sad news. This is a soap my mother and gradmother watched for years. Its hard to believe its coming to an end.


I'm speachless

[Stuck In The '70's]

This is very sad. My Mom used to watch this show all the time as well as GL. I never got into it but I do remember some of the characters. And with this show's end...the last of the 1950's shows have come to an end. :ohno:

[James28]

I told you in a previous thread that I didn't expect As The World Turns to end its run until in the event that Helen Wagner passes away, but I think we should let the show end its run before that happens. Upon the cancellation of ATWT, we'll be stuck with six soap operas for a few years. Why can't there be any new soap operas in the 2010s decade. You're right about the soap opera genre being gone within a few years, but that cannot happen in real life. A member of my family (specifically one of my grandchildren) is going to prevent the soap genre from ecoming extinct altogether by creating a new TV network, and within that network will be a new soap opera, specifically in primetime. But the programming in that proposed network will probably end up consisting of animated programs, and there are no animated soap operas in television.

[Scoobiedoo30]

Befor you know it All Soap Opers will be Cancelled

[80sTrivia]

Just devastating... I guess it's official. The American daytime drama is dead and gone... :( :( :(

[Scoobiedoo30]

I know people who Loved As The World Turns

[Schmoopie]

Wow, I thought this was just a rumor. A friend of mine at work told me about this, but I couldn't believe it. I watched ATWT with my best friend (she was the real fan) when the Lilly, Caleb, Holden storyline was going on. I rememeber she even wrote a letter to one of the soap mags talking about how the mom (I forget her name... I think it was Holden's mom) was so down to earth in that she never wore pearls and heels to cook in the kitchen. It was really cool because her letter got published!

I really think that Days will be the next to go, and that is really sad because I was a fan of that show for years.... I started watching in 1989 and watched on and off until 1993. Can't imagine life without it, even though I haven't watched it in a long time!

I'm hoping the OLTL cancelation is a rumor. I thought the ABC soaps were doing rather well. If GH goes, then you KNOW that soaps are dead! I might actually cry over that one. GH was the first soap I ever watched!

[musicradio77]

Thanks for the info. I was watching the news yesterday about the cancellation of "As the World Turns". They did the same thing with "Guiding Light" being canceled back in September. Soap operas has been around for 7 decades, back in the days of radio in the 30's and 40's with shows like "Vic & Sade" and "One Man's Family". In the 50's when TV took over, they had some good soap operas like "Search for Tomorrow", "The Edge of Night" (when it was usually on WABC-TV channel 7 during the 70's when it was followed by "The 4:30 Movie"), "Loving", "Ryan's Hope", "General Hospital", "One Life to Live", "All My Children" and many other soaps that we grew up with.

I don't watch soap operas that much, I used to watched soaps since I was a kid when my grandmother used to put on "Ryan's Hope", "One Life to Live", "General Hospital", "Loving" and others. I remember "Santa Barbara" was a soap opera back in the 80's as well as "Another World" right up until "Passions" in around 2000 with Hayley's sister Juliet Mills played as Tabitha Lennox, but I stopped watching it, because soap operas get too bored.

I'm very sad to say soap operas has come and gone. Things changed after all these years. My brother used to watched "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" back in the 90's as well as "Passions" back in 1999 right up until 2000 when I stopped watching soap operas.

As I said, sorry to see them go come September "As the World Ends". I hope the folks at CBS would get another show to replace "As the World Turns" maybe if the network needs to expand the "Early Show" until 10 AM and move "Let's Make a Deal" with Wayne Brady to the afternoon slot. I hope "Let's Make a Deal" will end up at 1 PM replacing "As the World Turns" come next year. I hope let's make room for game shows and maybe soap operas will clean up the house.

That is so sad! :(

[Dr. Thong]

My mother adored ATWT and watched it from it's beginning in 1956 almost up until she passed away in 2005. I became a fan of it through her interest.

I remember great characters like John Dixon, James Stenbeck, Steve Andropolous, Lisa McColl, Tom and Margo, all the Hughes' and Stewarts', etc.

In its heyday, it delivered great drama like no other show.

:rip: ATWT :(

I watched it back in those days. I remember when Meg Ryan played Betsy and a newcomer named Julianne Moore played Frannie.

It seemed like James Stenbeck came back from the dead about fifty times. I'll never forget my shock when he came back the first time -- I really thought he was dead.

I shoulda known....!;)

[MickeyMac]

They had so many good storylines and so many good actors. The Hughes, Stewarts, and Snyders were their best familes,and John Dixon and James Stenbeck were outstanding villians.

[Karenlynn]

I am sad about their cancellation but not too surprised. I figured when Guiding Light went off that ATWT would be next. I have been a fan since the 1970s but lately the writing has been really bad. I can barely get through the show each day. I pretty much fast forward through it.
I really miss the veterans being on all the time. I think that has been a big mistake not using them more.
I wonder how they will end it. Hopefully the characters will get happy endings.

[Scoobiedoo30]

There was talk of ABC Canceling One Life To Live

[MrCleveland]

Soap Operas also lost creativity.

Soaps like "Dark Shadows", "Mary Hartman Mary Hartman", and even "Passions" had creativity.

I think Soaps will be gone from TV in the 2010's and SOAP Station will be the only station to have Soap Operas.

[catlover79]

Soap Operas also lost creativity.

Soaps like "Dark Shadows", "Mary Hartman Mary Hartman", and even "Passions" had creativity.

I think Soaps will be gone from TV in the 2010's and SOAP Station will be the only station to have Soap Operas.
You're right. Back in the day, the soaps had their own identities. Ryan's Hope was about an Irish-Catholic family who ran a bar. One Life to Live began with core families of different nationalities - there was a WASP family, a Jewish family, an Irish family, a black family and how their lives all intertwined. Of course, Dark Shadows had the gothic thing going on, and Passions had the witch, the living doll, the demons in the basement and the pregnant boy who gave birth to his own father's child (don't ask).

These days, it seems all the soaps are just the same. It gets harder to tell one soap from another. No innovation whatsoever. Except on General Hospital, where it's all mob, all the time. :rolleyes: :mad:

[MrCleveland]

You're right. Back in the day, the soaps had their own identities. Ryan's Hope was about an Irish-Catholic family who ran a bar. One Life to Live began with core families of different nationalities - there was a WASP family, a Jewish family, an Irish family, a black family and how their lives all intertwined. Of course, Dark Shadows had the gothic thing going on, and Passions had the witch, the living doll, the demons in the basement and the pregnant boy who gave birth to his own father's child (don't ask).

These days, it seems all the soaps are just the same. It gets harder to tell one soap from another. No innovation whatsoever. Except on General Hospital, where it's all mob, all the time. :rolleyes: :mad:

Even the parody Soap Opera show "Soap" had creativity. Too bad that show ended soon.:(

[catlover79]

Even the parody Soap Opera show "Soap" had creativity. Too bad that show ended soon.:(
Soap was great. They actually had a couple of actors in the cast who acted in the daytime soaps. Robert Mandan (Chester) was on Search For Tomorrow for several years in the late 60s, and Donnelly Rhodes (Dutch) was part of the original cast of Young & Restless.

[Scoobiedoo30]

so you think Bold and The Beautiful could be next

[Dragonflies]

This sucks, I love ATWT :(

Soon it could be 5 - DAYS' days are numbered, and I highly doubt it will be renewed when its contract with NBC expires in 2010. Just sad to see how the soaps are just being killed off. At least there's YouTube and other outlets to still watch the classics.

I doubt it, not with the demos and ratings Days is getting. They are truly the comeback kid

[Scoobiedoo30]

before you know it Soap Opera's will be gone from The Daytime Schedule's and Replaced with Game Show's

[angiefan]

I used to watch Days of our Lives. Pretty soon it'll be 5 soaps left. I used to watch Santa barbara and another World.:happyface I'm getting into Desperate Housewives. ATWT was the soap that interuppted when JFK was shot.

[tvfreak1987]

Another soap I grew up watching with my mother and late grandmother bites the dust. This is really sad. I'm still reeling from losing GL. :crying:

I think the next to go will be OLTL and then maybe AMC. I would've put DAYS on the list not too long ago, but their ratings are way up, so I think it's gonna be sticking around for awhile.

[MickeyMac]

CBS soaps were big in my family. My mother, my aunt and my grandmother used to watch them religiously. The day before my grandmother passed I went to see her and what was she watching, ATWT. Now they are cancelling it. :(

[catlover79]

CBS soaps were big in my family. My mother, my aunt and my grandmother used to watch them religiously. The day before my grandmother passed I went to see her and what was she watching, ATWT. Now they are cancelling it. :(
It's a shame, for sure. Too bad TIIC have no regard for an American institution, the soap opera. :mad:

[Retro4Life]

Who would everyone like to see return for the September finale?

I'd like to see the following; Helen Wagner, Larry Bryggman, Frank Runyeon, Meg Ryan, Marisa Tomei (I can dream right?), Scott Bryce, Justin Deas, Margaret Colin (even if their roles are being played by others; I want the originals!), Hugo Napier (Gunnar), Kathryn McNeil (Karen), and many others I'm sure I've forgotten. :)

[Scoobiedoo30]

Meg Ryan

[catlover79]

Larry Bryggman, Lesli Kay and Scott DeFreitas I'd love to see back. The latter probably wouldn't be too hard to get considering he's married to Maura West (Carly) in real life. How about Pat Bruder and Rosemary Prinz?

[Retro4Life]

Pat Bruder was Ellen Stewart, right?

Oh, boy, I had forgotten about Prinz (Penny). My mom always liked her. Geez, wikipedia says she's 79 now.

Anyway, yes, good choices. :)

[catlover79]

Pat Bruder was Ellen Stewart, right?

Oh, boy, I had forgotten about Prinz (Penny). My mom always liked her. Geez, wikipedia says she's 79 now.

Anyway, yes, good choices. :)
Yup, that was Ellen Stewart. :cool:

[tvfreak1987]

Who I'd like to see back:

Larry Bryggman, Scott Bryce, Rosemary Prinze, Pat Bruder, whoever played Lyla Montgomery (blanking on the name), Jullianne Moore, Meg Ryan (I can dream, can't I?), Frank Runyon, Scott DeFreitas, among others. Refresh my memory, who did Marisa Tomei play?

[catlover79]

Who I'd like to see back:

Larry Bryggman, Scott Bryce, Rosemary Prinze, Pat Bruder, whoever played Lyla Montgomery (blanking on the name), Jullianne Moore, Meg Ryan (I can dream, can't I?), Frank Runyon, Scott DeFreitas, among others. Refresh my memory, who did Marisa Tomei play?
Marcy Thompson was the name of Marisa Tomei's character. Anne Sward played Lyla Montgomery.

[MickeyMac]

An addition to all the characters yall mentioned who should return. I think ATWT should get one final appearance from James Stenbeck to shake things up again.

[Retro4Life]

An addition to all the characters yall mentioned who should return. I think ATWT should get one final appearance from James Stenbeck to shake things up again.

Yes, and in the finale someone should either kill him for good, or he should end up in prison where he's wounded and the attending physician would be a very pleased and smiling John Dixon. ;)

[MickeyMac]

Yes, and in the finale someone should either kill him for good, or he should end up in prison where he's wounded and the attending physician would be a very pleased and smiling John Dixon. ;)



Thats perfect!

[catlover79]

An addition to all the characters yall mentioned who should return. I think ATWT should get one final appearance from James Stenbeck to shake things up again.
Of course!! "Hello, Barbara." :nod:

[Dr. Thong]

Of course!! "Hello, Barbara." :nod:

I'll never forget that first time when James emerged wearing a monk's robe, pulled off his hood and coolly uttered those words, "Hello Barbara."

He'd been "dead" for over two years at this point and I never figured he'd come back. Of course, it was the first of several "returns from the dead," which grew tiresome after a while, but back then, it was like :eek: !

[catlover79]

I'll never forget that first time when James emerged wearing a monk's robe, pulled off his hood and coolly uttered those words, "Hello Barbara."

He'd been "dead" for over two years at this point and I never figured he'd come back. Of course, it was the first of several "returns from the dead," which grew tiresome after a while, but back then, it was like :eek: !
Don't forget at the beginning that their son Paul was played by a very young Danny Pintauro of Who's the Boss fame. I've seen some YouTube clips of those days and they were so much fun - like soaps (and TV in general!) used to be - and SHOULD be!!

[MickeyMac]

I remember Stenback's first appearance from the dead dressed as a monk, back in 1986. That "Hello Barbara", he does it so well. Over the next two years he died two more times, until in 1989 Paul shot him and we all thought he was dead for sure this time. Then he popped up again in 1997.

[Retro4Life]

I remember his first appearance, way back in the late 70's early eighties. He seemed to be "dashing" multi millionaire but it didn't take long for his true colors to be revealed; smuggling drugs and jewels and messing around on Barbara, not to mention later trying to drive her insane.

One of my favorite plots of the show was when he and Dixon went at each other, after Dixon first realized he was having an affair with Margo and disapproved. Later, after a murder attempt by James (with John faking his own blindness then turning the tables on James with a gun) and some blackmail by John after John found out about James's faux parentage and that Gunnar was the true Stenbeck heir. Then you had John faking his murder to get James off his back (after more murder attempts), which was foiled when he had to return to save Dee from getting prosecuted!

Good old days. :)


I'd also like to see Steve and Craig go at each other one more time; theirs was another of the great ATWT rivalries (that Craig was such a weasel, lol).

[MickeyMac]

^


First they have to get Steve out of that Greek prison.

[catlover79]

One of daytime's greatest villains, for sure.

[Dr. Thong]

Speaking of Anthony Herrera (James Stenbeck), how is his health these days?

I know at one point a while back, he came out publicly with the news he was being treated for a form of cancer. I don't remember what it was, but he was grateful that ATWT was still employing him and working with him during his illness.

One of the great soap villains, to be sure.

[catlover79]

Speaking of Anthony Herrera (James Stenbeck), how is his health these days?

I know at one point a while back, he came out publicly with the news he was being treated for a form of cancer. I don't remember what it was, but he was grateful that ATWT was still employing him and working with him during his illness.

One of the great soap villains, to be sure.
I haven't heard anything about his health lately, so I guess no news is good news. I DO know he wrote a book about his experiences - it's called The Cancer War. I've never read it, but I'll have to one of these days. Here's his website:

http://anthonyherrera.org

[80sTrivia]

They simply have to bring Larry Bryggman back as John Dixon! Pair him up with Lucinda (the beyond-incredible Elizabeth Hubbard) again and let some final sparks fly! I also hope John & Kim's son Andy makes an appearance with Scott DeFreitas in the role. It would be nice to see Lisa find happiness at last in [yet another] marriage! I hope they give Barbara a happy ending! A final tribute to Hal Munson would be in order as well. The final scene should focus on Nancy, of course, provided Helen Wagner's health holds out for the very end, Lord willing. It's going to be a very emotional final episode, that much is for certain... :(

[catlover79]

They simply have to bring Larry Bryggman back as John Dixon! Pair him up with Lucinda (the beyond-incredible Elizabeth Hubbard) again and let some final sparks fly! I also hope John & Kim's son Andy makes an appearance with Scott DeFreitas in the role. It would be nice to see Lisa find happiness at last in [yet another] marriage! I hope they give Barbara a happy ending! A final tribute to Hal Munson would be in order as well. The final scene should focus on Nancy, of course, provided Helen Wagner's health holds out for the very end, Lord willing. It's going to be a very emotional final episode, that much is for certain... :(
Those are all great ideas - you should write to the show and submit them!! :nod:

[Retro4Life]

I found some great old clips of some of James' and John's best storylines last night. I'll post one from both but there are multiple parts of both which are available in the "related to" box on the right of each. They brought back some great memories of when the show was (for me, at least) in its heyday. There were definitely some powerful moments and wonderful characters there.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQj-3SGWdUQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onTy9Ud-m-E&feature=related

[80sTrivia]

Those are all great ideas - you should write to the show and submit them!! :nod:

Thank you... but you know they probably wouldn't take a fan's ideas into consideration... :(

I was recently watching some clips from the 50th Anniversary special a few years ago. The episode of "Seven Divas on a Bus", where Kim, Lisa, Lucinda, Emma, Susan, Barbara and Nancy get stuck in the middle of nowhere on a bus after attending the luncheon in Nancy's honor. Definitely some of the best writing in the show's history. If they are able to capture the same magic for the finale, then it should be very moving indeed. Here's the links to the "Divas on the Bus" videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd9X1gs5NJc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rQOVUTUxvk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT9fGraTsBQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGxsuLX64pk

[catlover79]

Thank you... but you know they probably wouldn't take a fan's ideas into consideration... :(

I was recently watching some clips from the 50th Anniversary special a few years ago. The episode of "Seven Divas on a Bus", where Kim, Lisa, Lucinda, Emma, Susan, Barbara and Nancy get stuck in the middle of nowhere on a bus after attending the luncheon in Nancy's honor. Definitely some of the best writing in the show's history. If they are able to capture the same magic for the finale, then it should be very moving indeed. Here's the links to the "Divas on the Bus" videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd9X1gs5NJc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rQOVUTUxvk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT9fGraTsBQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGxsuLX64pk
Yeah, I know, but it's worth a try anyway! :D

[musicradio77]

The only two soaps left on CBS are "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "Young and the Restless". I hope that these two will stay and moved "Let's Make a Deal" to 2 PM next fall and then expand "The Early Show" to 10 AM. Now look what NBC is doing with the "Today" show, they ran from 7 AM until 11 AM and it is four hours. As for the "Early Show", it is two hours and I hope it will expand to three hours until 10 AM and move "The Doctors" from 9 AM to 10 AM before "The Price Is Right" (the Drew Carey one that I don't watch anymore) comes on at 11 AM.

I hope the change will take place next fall when "As the World Turns" ends it 54-year run.

[catlover79]

The only two soaps left on CBS are "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "Young and the Restless". I hope that these two will stay and moved "Let's Make a Deal" to 2 PM next fall and then expand "The Early Show" to 10 AM. Now look what NBC is doing with the "Today" show, they ran from 7 AM until 11 AM and it is four hours. As for the "Early Show", it is two hours and I hope it will expand to three hours until 10 AM and move "The Doctors" from 9 AM to 10 AM before "The Price Is Right" (the Drew Carey one that I don't watch anymore) comes on at 11 AM.

I hope the change will take place next fall when "As the World Turns" ends it 54-year run.
I don't think the Bell soaps are going anywhere - at least not in the forseeable future. For whatever it's worth these days, Y&R is the #1 rated soap and B&B does extremely well in the foreign markets. So, we'll see.

[Coffeecup]

What do you think will fill the time slots once these shows are gone?
I can take a good game show but I am not crazy about a talk show. I wonder how many soaps were on at one time?. Now there is 6. It seems 30 years ago the air waves were filled with soaps. I agree with several posters women aren't home like they used to be. But how in the world is Oprah pulling in the viewers.?

[Jude The Obscure]

^Even Oprah is not the powerhouse she once was.....

I think CBS is going with another game show(s), since LMAD is a success, pulling in 5% more viewers than GL did in the time slot and is WAY cheaper to produce.

Don't know how true it is, but I heard CBS actually made the decision to cancel ATWT the same day as GL, but withheld the announcement in hopes of seeing some turnaround.

[catlover79]

^Even Oprah is not the powerhouse she once was.....

I think CBS is going with another game show(s), since LMAD is a success, pulling in 5% more viewers than GL did in the time slot and is WAY cheaper to produce.

Don't know how true it is, but I heard CBS actually made the decision to cancel ATWT the same day as GL, but withheld the announcement in hopes of seeing some turnaround.
I'm not a huge game show person, but I'll take a game show over a talk or reality show anyday!!

[Jude The Obscure]

Rumor has it, it could be the revival of Pyramid as Million Dollar Pyramid--photos and such of the pilot that was made earlier this year are on Youtube. The set is designed to resemble the retro look of the '70s and not that "millionaire"-esque look the Donny Osmond revival had.

[catlover79]

Rumor has it, it could be the revival of Pyramid as Million Dollar Pyramid--photos and such of the pilot that was made earlier this year are on Youtube. The set is designed to resemble the retro look of the '70s and not that "millionaire"-esque look the Donny Osmond revival had.
Now something like that I might actually watch. One game show I really loved was The Weakest Link - especially when George Gray hosted it. I LOVED that guy; he was hilarious. :cool: :D

[Dragonflies]

I think CBS is going with another game show(s), since LMAD is a success, pulling in 5% more viewers than GL did in the time slot and is WAY cheaper to produce.


Really? From what I read it is getting the same demos GL did, so is that really a success?

[JT]

Really? From what I read it is getting the same demos GL did, so is that really a success?
The fact that LMAD is so much more cheaper to produce means that it can get the same demos as GL but be considered more of a success.

[MickeyMac]

I'm not a huge game show person, but I'll take a game show over a talk or reality show anyday!!


I'll take staring at a garbage dump over a talk or reality show. Wait, there all the same.

[Dragonflies]

The fact that LMAD is so much more cheaper to produce means that it can get the same demos as GL but be considered more of a success.


Hmm maybe, but ratings can be good and demos suck, so I don't see LMAD lasting more than a year(if that)

[JT]

Right, but LMAD costs less than GL, so it doesn't require as many viewers as GL does for it to turn a profit. It's possible that GL could have been doing just below the threshold while LMAD is right on it.

[catlover79]

I've always loved ATWT's signature globe.

[Retro4Life]

That's neat, Monika. Thank you!

How many SO members remember the "old school" black and white globe she posted? I do! :)

[catlover79]

That's neat, Monika. Thank you!

How many SO members remember the "old school" black and white globe she posted? I do! :)
I don't remember it, but I had fun looking up the old title cards. :cool:

[80sTrivia]

I was at the dentist the other day and there was a copy of one of those supermarket tabloids in the office, which I picked up out of boredom. There was an article in the magazine about how the producers of ATWT had to bring in counselors to help longtime cast members with their grief at losing the show. The article mentioned Helen Wagner (Nancy) as well as Don Hastings (Bob) and Eileen Fulton (Lisa) as taking the cancellation the hardest. Granted, the news came from a tabloid, but I wouldn't doubt that cast members who have been with the show almost from the beginning (and from Day One as in the case of Helen Wagner) would be emotionally devastated at the cancellation of the show... :(

[catlover79]

I was at the dentist the other day and there was a copy of one of those supermarket tabloids in the office, which I picked up out of boredom. There was an article in the magazine about how the producers of ATWT had to bring in counselors to help longtime cast members with their grief at losing the show. The article mentioned Helen Wagner (Nancy) as well as Don Hastings (Bob) and Eileen Fulton (Lisa) as taking the cancellation the hardest. Granted, the news came from a tabloid, but I wouldn't doubt that cast members who have been with the show almost from the beginning (and from Day One as in the case of Helen Wagner) would be emotionally devastated at the cancellation of the show... :(
That is so sad. :( But having the same gig for 50+ years is nothing to sneeze at. I hope they're as proud of their work and legacy as the fans are of them!!

[MickeyMac]

I was at the dentist the other day and there was a copy of one of those supermarket tabloids in the office, which I picked up out of boredom. There was an article in the magazine about how the producers of ATWT had to bring in counselors to help longtime cast members with their grief at losing the show. The article mentioned Helen Wagner (Nancy) as well as Don Hastings (Bob) and Eileen Fulton (Lisa) as taking the cancellation the hardest. Granted, the news came from a tabloid, but I wouldn't doubt that cast members who have been with the show almost from the beginning (and from Day One as in the case of Helen Wagner) would be emotionally devastated at the cancellation of the show... :(



:(

[Moondance]

I didn't even know about this until Frank Dicopoulos mentioned it on Twitter. I'm saddened.

[MickeyMac]

Both As The World Turns and The Edge of Night were the first two soaps to be a half hour. They both premired on CBS on the same day in 1956. Now they're gone:(

[catlover79]

Both As The World Turns and The Edge of Night were the first two soaps to be a half hour. They both premired on CBS on the same day in 1956. Now they're gone:(
So sad. ohno:

[catlover79]

What's the final airdate again? The 17th or the 26th (of September)?

[Karenlynn]

The last episode air on Sept. 17. Only 20 more episodes to go. Now it is finally getting good!

[MickeyMac]

I grew up on this show, and now in less than a month it will be gone. :(

[Stuck In The '70's]

What will be the longest running daytime soap after ATWT ends? General Hospital? Days of Our Lives?

I never watched the show constantly like I did with GL but I know my Mom used to watch it. I remember a lot of the characters and I remember playing with my toys on the floor and having ATWT play on our B&W TV. Ah the memories. It seems like all of our television heritage is vanishing...being replaced with crappy reality and talk shows. :(

[Dragonflies]

I can't believe it's almost gone :(

I flove Henry & Babs, haven't loved an ATWT couple like this in ages and no more of them after next month :(

[catlover79]

What will be the longest running daytime soap after ATWT ends? General Hospital? Days of Our Lives?

I never watched the show constantly like I did with GL but I know my Mom used to watch it. I remember a lot of the characters and I remember playing with my toys on the floor and having ATWT play on our B&W TV. Ah the memories. It seems like all of our television heritage is vanishing...being replaced with crappy reality and talk shows. :(
I'm pretty sure it will be GH, which debuted in 1963 - DAYS premiered in 1965. They're rapidly becoming a dying breed. :(

[catlover79]

The last episode air on Sept. 17. Only 20 more episodes to go. Now it is finally getting good!
Thanks for the clarification - almost a year to the day when GL went black (which was Sept. 18, 2009). What a shame. :(

[Rezny@gmail.com]

Yeah,it's a shame to see it go,and remember in the 1960's the announcer always said at halftime said "The first portion of this program has been brought to you by..(whatever Procter and Gamble product was the last commercial)?But as they say "all good things must end".

[catlover79]

Let us not forget that ATWT was/is the last soap to premiere in the 50s. :( After September 17, the few remaining soaps are all from the 60s - present.

[Rezny@gmail.com]

And don't forget:This is a REAL memory jogger.In 1965,when ABC's "Peyton Place"was popular on nighttime TV,CBS attempted a spinoff(yes,it was the VERY FIRST spinoff of a daytime soap opera,)of "As The World Turns",called "Our Private World".It didn't last very long ,however.Anyone remember this short-lived nighttime soap?I do.How about the rest of you?

[Stuck In The '70's]

Let us not forget that ATWT was/is the last soap to premiere in the 50s. :( After September 17, the few remaining soaps are all from the 60s - present.
This soap premiered the same year that my Dad graduated HS and joined the Marine Corps. :eek:

[MickeyMac]

If I am not mistaken Friday is the last day. :(

[catlover79]

If I am not mistaken Friday is the last day. :(
You would be right. Here's the latest Soap Opera Digest:

[catlover79]

To make things even sadder, ATWT's sister soap, Guiding Light, ended its run just a day shy of a year of ATWT - September 18, 2009. :(

[applecherry]

If I am not mistaken Friday is the last day. :(
Yes, Friday is the end for ATWT's....The Price Is Right will take over it's time slot....at least here in Texas.

I wonder how long will my top three soaps last

The Young & The Restless...All My Children...&...One Life To Live.:rolleyes:

[HuntingtonM15]

Maura West has already started taping episodes of Y&R as Diane. I believe she first airs October 8.

[MickeyMac]

Right now all I can add to this thread is :(

[catlover79]

Right now all I can add to this thread is :(
Couldn't have said it better myself. :(

[80sTrivia]

Don't want it to be over, but know that the inevitable end is near... going to be hard to watch that final episode... :(

[catlover79]

Don't want it to be over, but know that the inevitable end is near... going to be hard to watch that final episode... :(
Yeah, like the SOD cover says, have those tissues handy!! :(

[Retro4Life]

I hope the final episodes will be available online, Hulu, YouTube, etc. I work during the show and will have to miss them. :(

Then again they will probably just make me sad.

[catlover79]

I hope the final episodes will be available online, Hulu, YouTube, etc. I work during the show and will have to miss them. :(

Then again they will probably just make me sad.
Yeah, I'm sure you'll find them online someplace.

[howilu]

Before my mom reentered the workforce in the mid 70s, she was a housewife and would watch As the World Turns each day. I remember watching with her and remember the spinning globe at the opening and closing as well as the mid=show break where announcer Dan McCulloch would say "This portion of As the World Turns is brought to you today by (name of product)."

Another long-running soap is leaving the airwaves due to the declining daytime audience and cable. The world will always be turning with many memories of the show's 54 years.

[MickeyMac]

I watched it and this hit me harder than GL's cancellation. Right now all I can offer is a :(

[80sTrivia]

"I don't think there should be goodbyes, just goodnight..."

[Dragonflies]

Read that Telenext is taking off episodes of ATWT and AW off of Youtube and Hulu starting in October. Enjoy them while you can, they continue to twist the knife

[catlover79]

End of an era...how sad...:(

[Stuck In The '70's]

I didn't see it. Was it a good ending?

I once thought that the daytime soaps would last forever but everything has a beginning and an ending I suppose. :(

[Dragonflies]

It was good, very good. Better than GL's IMO.

It should be up at the CBS ATWT site

[Stuck In The '70's]

It was good, very good. Better than GL's IMO.

It should be up at the CBS ATWT site
Thanks Angela.

[Jude The Obscure]

I have the last three episodes taped and will transfer them soon to DVD. i did this mainly for my mom, even though I grew up with the soap, I really hadn't watched in about 15-20 years.

[Retro4Life]

If anyone is interested, found this (and other) retrospective clips of ATWT on YouTube tonight. There's links to others in the series on the "related videos" box on the right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6-AhFz5vug

It makes me very sad to think the show is over, but honestly I haven't followed it in a very long time. I think it's kind of been a shadow of itself for quite a while, eschewing strong, mature actors for models, with obvious and cliched writing to boot. And that's a criticism that could be directed at most of the soaps today.

Still...those memories are wonderful and I'll always remember watching the show with my mom for over twenty five years.

:rip: ATWT

[Stuck In The '70's]

If anyone is interested, found this (and other) retrospective clips of ATWT on YouTube tonight. There's links to others in the series on the "related videos" box on the right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6-AhFz5vug

It makes me very sad to think the show is over, but honestly I haven't followed it in a very long time. I think it's kind of been a shadow of itself for quite a while, eschewing strong, mature actors for models, with obvious and cliched writing to boot. And that's a criticism that could be directed at most of the soaps today.

Still...those memories are wonderful and I'll always remember watching the show with my mom for over twenty five years.

:rip: ATWT
I think that's what it is for alot of us. It's the memories of watching these soaps with our Mom's and remembering a time long since gone.

[Retro4Life]

I think that's what it is for alot of us. It's the memories of watching these soaps with our Mom's and remembering a time long since gone.

Agreed.

[catlover79]

A much more innocent time!! Our moms, grandmas and great-grandmas weaned us on these shows - and they are rapidly becoming just a memory. :(

[80sTrivia]

I'm glad Barbara was given a happy ending with Henry as they danced together! It was great to see Lucinda and John back together, and Lucinda finally realizing it's way past time to mellow out regarding Worldwide and being so controlling over Lily's life.

I wish they would have featured Lisa more in the final episode, though. :(

It would have been nice to see Luke with Noah one final time, although the scene with Luke listening to Reid's heart beating in Chris' chest with Katey looking on was touching. Lily and Holden's scene was also touching, knowing that they still loved each other and would always love each other, even if they weren't together. No offense to Noelle Beck, but I wish it would have been Martha Byrne in that final scene. :(

Good to know that Carly and Jack would be reunited for the final time... they will be together forever now that the show is off the air...
Tom and Margo saying goodbye to Casey as he went off on his new life with Allison wrapped up one of the great, strong relationships in daytime history. It would have been nice if Hal had been referenced in the final episode.

It was nice to see Emily and Paul finally in a stable relationship... :lol:

I did like the final scene, with Susan saying goodbye to Bob as he retired from Oakdale Memorial and Bob and Kim sharing a last moment in his office. I loved the final scene with the globe spinning as Bob said goodnight and turned out the light... :(

However, the final worlds spoken on the last episode should have been a voice over of Nancy (Helen Wagner) saying, "Hello, dear." which were the very first lines spoken on the show all of those years ago. It would have been the perfect homage to the rich history of a show that will be missed by so many...

[catlover79]

^ Well, at least the last scene was between Bob and Kim - whose love story dates back to the early 1970s. However, it makes one wonder what the final scene would've been had Helen Wagner (Nancy) lived and been well enough to do it. :(

[MickeyMac]

It was a good ending, and even better than GL's ending. As I could tell there were no loose ends. Whats just as sad as this being off the air is Helen Wagner didnt make it to the finish line, but it was great having Don Hastings do the narration since Bob Hughes is now the head of the Hughes family.

[MickeyMac]

A much more innocent time!! Our moms, grandmas and great-grandmas weaned us on these shows - and they are rapidly becoming just a memory. :(



I can remember when I was growing up my mom, aunt and grandmother watch soaps (the CBS ones), religiously, they never missed an epidose.


Now they are becoming a thing of the past and sadly it looks like soaps will go the way of the horse and buggy. :(

[catlover79]

It was a good ending, and even better than GL's ending. As I could tell there were no loose ends. Whats just as sad as this being off the air is Helen Wagner didnt make it to the finish line, but it was great having Don Hastings do the narration since Bob Hughes is now the head of the Hughes family.
:yeahthat

[Dr. Thong]

My confession: I was a teenage World Turns addict. I never meant to be, but you know these things happen.;)

My mother used to watch the show and it would be on when I got home from high school. And I got roped in. Even after she passed away, I still continued to watch.

I can say that I saw Meg Ryan, Julianne Moore and Marisa Tomei long before most people did.

My favorite villain was James Stenbeck. Although, they killed and resurrected him one too many times for believability...even for a daytime soap.

I meant to record Friday's final show, but didn't. Oh well, maybe I'll catch it online soon.

[Dragonflies]

It's up at CBS.com, I just hate watching it there cause of the stupid ads that cut in

[catlover79]

My favorite villain was James Stenbeck.

"Hello, Barbara..." :eek: :cool:

[Retro4Life]

For those of us who haven't seen the ending, maybe a "spoiler alert" warning might be helpful to warn us away from anything we don't want to know just yet? Sorry, I'm always the last to see everything I think! :lol:

[JoPol_wannabe]

I watched atwt since I was 5. I got hooked on it through my parents watching it. They would tape it and watch it at night and I would sneak out of my bed and creep down stairs to watch it while they were. My Grandmother was also a big fan of the show and when I would stay at her house during the summer I would watch it with her and we would talk about the storylines and who were our favorite characters and who we hated. I heard that the show was going to be cancelled a couple months after GL but I hoped that was just a rumor so until a week before it's last episode was when I found out it really was going off the air. It's weird coming home today and not seeing that show on I mean this show has been TV even before I was born. I mean this past year it wasn't as good as it has been I mean since they made Luke gay that was just a little weird for me and then Martha Byrne quite and I just couldn't get used to the new lily actress I mean Martha is the only one that can play Lily. I thought the last episode was pretty good accept I wish they would of let the cast say one last goodbye at the end of the show. I did like that they let Bob Narrate the episode that was neat but it was sad that Helen Wagner didn't quite make it to the end. But it will be weird turning on the TV and not seeing Carly and Jack, Lucinda and the whole ATWT gang on TV anymore I just hope we get to see these actors again on TV in the future.

[Dr. Thong]

"Hello, Barbara..." :eek: :cool:

Yup, I went bug eyed too. Being a newbie to soaps, I figured, he fell out of a plane, he couldn't possibly have survived. Two years later, 1986...he's baaack!

However, when James was killed and came back as a ghost and they later decided he hadn't been killed (at point blank range by his own son, no less), it went a little too far over the top....even for a soap opera!

[Retro4Life]

Finally caught it online. Wow, a lot of people I don't recognize.

Great touch having Bob narrate the final ep. That alone made me tear up a bit. Nice to see John back, but I always hated he and Lucinda together; I'd much rather he'd hooked up with Susan. Oh well.

I wish there had been some reference to Helen Wagner in this episode.

:rip: ATWT

End of an era, for sure. They'll never take all those great memories away from me.

[catlover79]

Yup, I went bug eyed too. Being a newbie to soaps, I figured, he fell out of a plane, he couldn't possibly have survived. Two years later, 1986...he's baaack!

However, when James was killed and came back as a ghost and they later decided he hadn't been killed (at point blank range by his own son, no less), it went a little too far over the top....even for a soap opera!
Yeah, but it's a shame they couldn't have brought him back one last time to tangle with his old rival, John Dixon, or spook out Barbara and Paul. :eek: :lol:

[catlover79]

The We Love Soaps website has awesome interviews with Don Hastings (Bob), Liz Hubbard (Lucinda) and Colleen Zenk (Barbara). Here they are!!

http://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/04/wls-interview-archive-don-hastings.html

http://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/09/we-love-soaps-tv-interview-archive.html

http://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/09/zenk1.html

[80sTrivia]

^Thank you for posting those fantastic interviews, Monika!

[MickeyMac]

^


Those interviews make me miss ATWT and GL. I know they are only TV shows, but there were institutions in so many people's lives for so long, including members of my family.

[catlover79]

^Thank you for posting those fantastic interviews, Monika!
No problem!! I love the We Love Soaps website. They always have cool interviews, retro articles/clips, photos, etc. of all the past AND current soaps. :cool: :D

[catlover79]

^


Those interviews make me miss ATWT and GL. I know they are only TV shows, but there were institutions in so many people's lives for so long, including members of my family.
After these people have been on America's TV screens for years on end, they really do become like members of your family. :nod: