Technical directors and daytime serial openings - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bmasters9 · 11-13-2015, 07:33 PM

On daytime serials like Another World, when it came time at the top of the show to fade out of the cold open and fade into a show opening like the 1981-87 "ring-tunnel/block-letters" opening, how was that handled? Did the director say to the TD something like, "Play opening, play music," and then as the AW title moved into place, cue Bill Wolff to deliver the opening billboard for a P&G product like Dawn, Crisco, Duncan Hines, etc.? It's probably a silly question, but I thought I'd throw it out here.

danderson400 · 11-05-2018, 09:16 AM

And back in the day, if Clarke Morgan or Chet Kingsbury was playing the organ(i assume a Hammond) they would get cued to play the theme, then Bill Wolff would say "And now, in color, the continuing story of Another World(in Bay City)."

danderson400 · 11-05-2018, 09:24 AM

My grandmom always liked the original theme written by Charles Paul rather than the the theme performed by Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris. For some reason, she liked the organ rendition of the Charles Paul theme over the Gayle/Morris duet.

stevea · 11-07-2018, 09:12 PM

This is off topic, but I found a really climactic ending to a story line I don't remember seeing at all, from a 1983 AW. I found it when I was checking an old beta tape to see what was on it. Evidently Larry Ewing and Sandy Cory were trying to solve some art thief caper, and it was coming to a climax in a snowstorm. At the end somebody got shot, and Cecile was yelling at Sandy for framing her. I doubt this episode exists anymore--it was probably wiped like so many of them.

Should I try to find some way to post this scene on Youtube?

danderson400 · 11-18-2018, 05:42 PM

On AW, a kaleidoscopic image of a circle of interlocking spectrum-colored rings shifted into focus. Then a kaleidoscope of the title "Another World" came into focus in the middle of the circle, then Bill Wolff would announce "Now, in color, the continuing story of Another World. The first part of Another World is brought to you by...(the day's sponsor)" with a tele-op slide of the product. how that was done would be amazing, to me.

danderson400 · 11-18-2018, 05:54 PM

A white circle was drawn clockwise on a black background. The completed circle flared then extended outwards to fill the screen, revealing in its middle a pattern of interlocking rings which eventually filled the screen. The camera then slowly zoomed in to the original circle, identifiable as brighter than the others. As it got closer, the words "Another World" in white letters became visible behind the pattern. When the original circle passed the boundaries of the screen, the pattern of rings disappeared, and the title screen was evident: A fine mesh background, the words "Another World," and a set of interlocking circles to the left centered in the middle of two vertical stripes, all of this in sepia tones. Over all of this, Bill Wolff says "We do not live in this world alone, but in a thousand other worlds. And now, Another World, brought to you by..." with the days sponsor.

stevea · 11-18-2018, 08:35 PM

This must be from the 60s. I don't remember it at all.

KurtfromPitts · 11-28-2018, 11:57 AM

I recall seeing that title when we switched the dial to the NBC outlet in time for "You Don't Say!", which followed AW back then.

danderson400 · 12-02-2018, 08:53 AM

I guess you don't remember this one(note; it's a black and white kinescope.)

And for the fun of it, here is the sponsor tag...

stevea · 12-02-2018, 01:21 PM

To me that's the most familiar one. They used it for years.

In color the surrounding rings varied in colors around the circle.

They probably changed it when the vocal version of the theme came in.

danderson400 · 02-22-2019, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmasters9

On daytime serials like Another World, when it came time at the top of the show to fade out of the cold open and fade into a show opening like the 1981-87 "ring-tunnel/block-letters" opening, how was that handled? Did the director say to the TD something like, "Play opening, play music," and then as the AW title moved into place, cue Bill Wolff to deliver the opening billboard for a P&G product like Dawn, Crisco, Duncan Hines, etc.? It's probably a silly question, but I thought I'd throw it out here.

Ben, would Bill Wolff's announcements be done live while the show was being taped, like Johnny O or Rod on TPIR, Jay Stewart on LMAD etc?

bmasters9 · 02-22-2019, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danderson400

Ben, would Bill Wolff's announcements be done live while the show was being taped, like Johnny O or Rod on TPIR, Jay Stewart on LMAD etc?

That's a good question, and very much a stumper for me.

danderson400 · 02-22-2019, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmasters9

That's a good question, and very much a stumper for me.

I'm guessing Bill Wolff would do the sponsor tags/announcements during taping, since soaps were done "live to tape" like game shows. Dan McCullough was always present in the studio on ATWT, so was Harry Kramer/Hal Simms on EON. Mel Brandt on the Doctors likely did the same thing, no?

11-13-2015, 07:33 PM	#1
bmasters9 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 2,550	Technical directors and daytime serial openings On daytime serials like Another World, when it came time at the top of the show to fade out of the cold open and fade into a show opening like the 1981-87 "ring-tunnel/block-letters" opening, how was that handled? Did the director say to the TD something like, "Play opening, play music," and then as the AW title moved into place, cue Bill Wolff to deliver the opening billboard for a P&G product like Dawn, Crisco, Duncan Hines, etc.? It's probably a silly question, but I thought I'd throw it out here.
	__________________ "CBS Sports presents...The Prudential College Football Report, sponsored by The Prudential, offering a full range of insurance and other financial services. The Prudential: the Rock...it's strong, it's on the move, it's bigger than life." (Don Robertson's spiel for The Prudential College Football Report in the 1986 season; modified from what it was in 1985)

11-18-2018, 05:54 PM	#6
danderson400 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 24, 2015 Location: danderson400 Posts: 650	A white circle was drawn clockwise on a black background. The completed circle flared then extended outwards to fill the screen, revealing in its middle a pattern of interlocking rings which eventually filled the screen. The camera then slowly zoomed in to the original circle, identifiable as brighter than the others. As it got closer, the words "Another World" in white letters became visible behind the pattern. When the original circle passed the boundaries of the screen, the pattern of rings disappeared, and the title screen was evident: A fine mesh background, the words "Another World," and a set of interlocking circles to the left centered in the middle of two vertical stripes, all of this in sepia tones. Over all of this, Bill Wolff says "We do not live in this world alone, but in a thousand other worlds. And now, Another World, brought to you by..." with the days sponsor. Attached Images
	Last edited by danderson400; 06-01-2021 at 02:47 PM.

11-05-2018, 09:16 AM	#2
danderson400 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 24, 2015 Location: danderson400 Posts: 650	And back in the day, if Clarke Morgan or Chet Kingsbury was playing the organ(i assume a Hammond) they would get cued to play the theme, then Bill Wolff would say "And now, in color, the continuing story of Another World(in Bay City)."

11-05-2018, 09:24 AM	#3
danderson400 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 24, 2015 Location: danderson400 Posts: 650	My grandmom always liked the original theme written by Charles Paul rather than the the theme performed by Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris. For some reason, she liked the organ rendition of the Charles Paul theme over the Gayle/Morris duet.

11-07-2018, 09:12 PM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,371	This is off topic, but I found a really climactic ending to a story line I don't remember seeing at all, from a 1983 AW. I found it when I was checking an old beta tape to see what was on it. Evidently Larry Ewing and Sandy Cory were trying to solve some art thief caper, and it was coming to a climax in a snowstorm. At the end somebody got shot, and Cecile was yelling at Sandy for framing her. I doubt this episode exists anymore--it was probably wiped like so many of them. Should I try to find some way to post this scene on Youtube?

11-18-2018, 05:42 PM	#5
danderson400 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 24, 2015 Location: danderson400 Posts: 650	On AW, a kaleidoscopic image of a circle of interlocking spectrum-colored rings shifted into focus. Then a kaleidoscope of the title "Another World" came into focus in the middle of the circle, then Bill Wolff would announce "Now, in color, the continuing story of Another World. The first part of Another World is brought to you by...(the day's sponsor)" with a tele-op slide of the product. how that was done would be amazing, to me.

11-18-2018, 08:35 PM	#7
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,371	This must be from the 60s. I don't remember it at all.

11-28-2018, 11:57 AM	#8
KurtfromPitts Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 10, 2006 Location: Carnegie PA Posts: 1,531	I recall seeing that title when we switched the dial to the NBC outlet in time for "You Don't Say!", which followed AW back then.

12-02-2018, 08:53 AM	#9
danderson400 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 24, 2015 Location: danderson400 Posts: 650	I guess you don't remember this one(note; it's a black and white kinescope.) And for the fun of it, here is the sponsor tag...

12-02-2018, 01:21 PM	#10
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,371	To me that's the most familiar one. They used it for years. In color the surrounding rings varied in colors around the circle. They probably changed it when the vocal version of the theme came in.