MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING SEMINAR SERIES, THE: 50 YEARS OF "GUIDING LIGHT": A SEMINAR {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum of Television & Radio. known at that time as The Museum of Broadcasting. This seminar celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the Emmy-award-winning daytime drama "Guiding Light." Museum president Robert M. Batscha welcomes everyone and introduces the moderator, actor Jerry ver Dorn. Ver Dorn in turn introduces the panelists, all "Guiding Light" personnel: executive producer Joe Willmore; writer Douglas Marland; director Bruce Barry; actor Christopher Bernau; and actresses Kim Zimmer and Krista Tesrau. Ver Dorn details the show's extensive run, which consists of more than thirteen thousand episodes. He gives a brief history of the show's storyline and major characters and explains that Procter & Gamble has donated old kinescopes, vintage soap commercials, and more to the Museum. A specially produced compilation follows, featuring some of this vintage footage as well as interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and scenes from recent programs.
Ver Dorn then opens the seminar to questions from the audience, leading to a discussion of the following topics, among others: the return of certain characters to the serial; the demands of writing the program; the villainous nature of Bernau's character; the demands on daytime actors; the evolution of soap operas; how far in advance a show is taped; a typical day of directing for Barry; the indoctrination of new writers; a typical day for Marland; Marland's response to unsolicited scripts; the reasons for the endurance of "Guiding Light"; the corporate role of Procter & Gamble in the program; the degree of power Zimmer exercises over the actions of her character, Riva; the recent cancellation of three Procter & Gamble serials; the extent to which the look of the characters on "Guiding Light" dictates the actors' appearance; the standard of beauty on the program; the routine of morning rehearsals; the producers' use of audience feedback; and the presence (or absence) of pertinent social issues in "Guiding Light" dialogue and plotlines.
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: January 29, 1987 Thursday 5:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:28:53
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T87:0231
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Robert M. Batscha … Host
- ver Dorn, Jerry … Moderator
- Bruce Barry … Panelist
- Christopher Bernau … Panelist
- Douglas Marland … Panelist
- Krista Tesrau … Panelist
- Joe Willmore … Panelist
- Kim Zimmer … Panelist