On September 15, 1964, ABC launched a programming experiment—a prime time series similar to the daytime soap operas that were so successful. Peyton Place became a fixture on the network’s schedule for the next five years. The success of Dallas in the early 1980s made the prime time soap opera a staple of television programming.
From Bare Essence through The Yellow Rose, this reference work details the successes and failures of 37 prime time serials through 1993. For each show, a lengthy history covers the character development and provides production details, and season-by-season data provide start and end of the season, time slot, comprehensive cast and credits, and an episode guide.

Bruce B. Morris lives in Commack, New York.

Bruce B. Morris
Foreword by Michele Lee
Format: softcover (6 x 9 in 2 vols.)
Pages: 847
Bibliographic Info: 53 photos, index
Copyright Date: 2009 [1997]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4241-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0988-1
Imprint: McFarland

Volume 1

Acknowledgments      v

Foreword by Michele Lee      1

Introduction      3

How to Use This Book      9

The Series

BARE ESSENCE      11

BEACON HILL      16

BEHIND THE SCREEN      20

BERRENGER’S      23

CLIFFHANGERS      30

THE COLBYS      35

DALLAS      55

DARK SHADOWS      189

DYNASTY      195

EMERALD POINT, N.A.S.      284

EXECUTIVE SUITE      293

FALCON CREST      299

FILTHY RICH      382

FLAMINGO ROAD      386

FOR LOVE AND HONOR      398

FRESNO      402

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY      406

GOOD & EVIL      412

GRAND      416

Volume 2

HAIL TO THE CHIEF      425

THE HAMPTONS      428

HOMEFRONT      431

HUSBANDS, WIVES & LOVERS      444

KING’S CROSSING      448

KNOTS LANDING      452

L.A. LAW      584

THE LONG HOT SUMMER      649

NUMBER 96      656

OUR FAMILY HONOR      658

OUR PRIVATE WORLD      664

PAPER DOLLS      668

PEYTON PLACE      675

THE SECRETS OF MIDLAND HEIGHTS      713

SOAP      718

THE SURVIVORS      736

TWIN PEAKS      740

THE YELLOW ROSE      756

Index      765

“belongs in any library collection that serves a devoted television public”—Booklist; “a piece of good fortune for collectors of video trivia…a wealth of valuable facts. It’s the most complete work on this topic we’ve encountered and a must for every savvy serial connoisseur’s shelf”—Radiogram; “television reference collections need this”—Rettig on Reference; “the most impressive collection of documentation on a non-cult genre yet compiled…. Provides essential documentation on a variety of landmark TV series”—Television Chronicles; “exhaustive…exceptionally well produced”—Reference Reviews; “a well made and complete guide”—ARBA; “in-depth”—Reference & User Services Quarterly.