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Current Talk '12 II / Re: Discuss - Ep #0297
« on: September 13, 2012, 04:27:47 PM »
Another one of Frid's letters to his mom. This one was written on August 2, 1967, the day this ep was taped:
Wednesday
Dear Mother,
I'm always a little afraid to write you good news for wondering if my star will have fallen by the time the letter has reached you.
Your letter (Sunday) which just arrived today did not mention The Times. There is to be a story on "Dark Shadows" in Newsweek magazine next week (Mon Aug. 7th). They interviewed me for about half an hour the other day. This is how I was greeted by the writer: 'We understand the ratings for "Dark Shadows" are among the highest ABC has enjoyed for a day time show, They (the ratings) have even surprised CBS' "Edge of Night" and you are the man responsible.'
Whatever the meaning or exaggeration of this phenomenon is, it has made me very very happy and extremely nervous. I really don't know how to handle it use it. I don't even know if I believe it. My one refuge from all this is going to the studio and actually doing the shows. My confidence is secure there, even though I still shake a little each time we start taping a show. I feel my performance has improved greatly since the beginning. (That show when the fire took place still has to be aired and I dread that one.)
On the whole my acting has been better.
But this other business I just don't know. The phone keeps ringing, every now and again I get giggling clusters of teenagers greeting me on the street, the mail keeps coming, begging me to answer. Some day soon all this will fade and I'll be down in the dumps.
I was talking to the script writers yesterday and they say I'll be going at least until the end of October. But even this could be subject to change.
Love, John
I have the Newsweek article that Frid mentions - but I have no idea exactly where it is. So, if anyone also has a copy and they know where to get their hands on it, certainly feel free to post a copy.
And the reason why he mentions Edge of Night is because DS was on opposite that soap and it was the highest rated soap in the time period (but at this point in time I believe all the CBS soaps were doing phenomenally well). So apparently they were getting a bit concerned that DS was building an audience against them. (And they should have been because for the 1966-1967 period Edge of Night had a 10.9 average rating and ranked 2nd among all 13 soaps on at the time, whereas DS had a 4.3 average rating and was ranked 12th. But for the 1967-1968 period Edge of Night slipped to a 9.4 average rating and was ranked 6th. On the other hand, DS' average rating climbed to a 7.3 - though it was still ranked 12th because it had been way behind the other soaps. And also note that Frid doesn't say in his letter that DS' ratings were among the highest for all soaps - only those on ABC, whose soaps in general had dismal ratings compared to those on CBS and NBC. But even at that DS was not ABC's highest rated soap in the 1967-1968 period. That honor went to General Hospital with an 8.8 average rating and a 9th place ranking.)
And as a tease, there is big news in the next letter - but we'll have to wait a bit for that one...
Wednesday
Dear Mother,
I'm always a little afraid to write you good news for wondering if my star will have fallen by the time the letter has reached you.
Your letter (Sunday) which just arrived today did not mention The Times. There is to be a story on "Dark Shadows" in Newsweek magazine next week (Mon Aug. 7th). They interviewed me for about half an hour the other day. This is how I was greeted by the writer: 'We understand the ratings for "Dark Shadows" are among the highest ABC has enjoyed for a day time show, They (the ratings) have even surprised CBS' "Edge of Night" and you are the man responsible.'
Whatever the meaning or exaggeration of this phenomenon is, it has made me very very happy and extremely nervous. I really don't know how to handle it use it. I don't even know if I believe it. My one refuge from all this is going to the studio and actually doing the shows. My confidence is secure there, even though I still shake a little each time we start taping a show. I feel my performance has improved greatly since the beginning. (That show when the fire took place still has to be aired and I dread that one.)
On the whole my acting has been better.
But this other business I just don't know. The phone keeps ringing, every now and again I get giggling clusters of teenagers greeting me on the street, the mail keeps coming, begging me to answer. Some day soon all this will fade and I'll be down in the dumps.
I was talking to the script writers yesterday and they say I'll be going at least until the end of October. But even this could be subject to change.
Love, John
I have the Newsweek article that Frid mentions - but I have no idea exactly where it is. So, if anyone also has a copy and they know where to get their hands on it, certainly feel free to post a copy.
And the reason why he mentions Edge of Night is because DS was on opposite that soap and it was the highest rated soap in the time period (but at this point in time I believe all the CBS soaps were doing phenomenally well). So apparently they were getting a bit concerned that DS was building an audience against them. (And they should have been because for the 1966-1967 period Edge of Night had a 10.9 average rating and ranked 2nd among all 13 soaps on at the time, whereas DS had a 4.3 average rating and was ranked 12th. But for the 1967-1968 period Edge of Night slipped to a 9.4 average rating and was ranked 6th. On the other hand, DS' average rating climbed to a 7.3 - though it was still ranked 12th because it had been way behind the other soaps. And also note that Frid doesn't say in his letter that DS' ratings were among the highest for all soaps - only those on ABC, whose soaps in general had dismal ratings compared to those on CBS and NBC. But even at that DS was not ABC's highest rated soap in the 1967-1968 period. That honor went to General Hospital with an 8.8 average rating and a 9th place ranking.)
And as a tease, there is big news in the next letter - but we'll have to wait a bit for that one...