The Life and Times of Richard Dawson

Richard Dawson is best known as the witty, wisecracking host of Family Feud and for his role as a British corporal in Hogan's Heroes.  Tom Shales of The Washington Post once described Richard as "the fastest, brightest and most beguiling interlocutor since the late great Groucho Marx bantered and parried on You Bet Your Life..  During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Family Feud was so popular that there was a daytime and syndicated prime time edition of the show, both hosted by Richard Dawson.

However, there was a more controversial side to the brash game show host.  In a 2016 Yahoo News article about Family Feud, Kristen Baldwin wrote, "And then there was the original host Richard Dawson, who had no qualms about fondling, grabbing, and kissing any female contestant who caught his eye.  Yeah, people didn't start taking sexual harassment seriously until the mid-'80s."

Richard Dawson was born Colin Lionel Emm on November 20, 1932 in Gosport, Hamshire, England.  His father, Arthur Emm, a furniture mover, was born in the United States.  His mother, Josephine (Lindsay) Emm, was a native of England and she worked in a munitions factory during World War II.  Richard and his older brother, John Leslie "Jack" Emm, were evacuated as children to escape the wartime bombing in southern England's major port cities.

At 14, Richard left home, lied about his age and joined the British Merchant Navy.  He remained in the Merchant Marine for three years  While in the service, he earned some extra money by competing in shipboard boxing matches.  After his discharge at the age if 17, Richard travelled the globe aboard a Cunard passenger liner.  When he returned to England, he launched a career as a stand-up comedian, performing in the clubs of London's West End.  In those days, he billed himself as "Dickie Dawson."  He later changed his moniker to "Richard Dawson," a name he would adopt legally.

By the mid-1950s, Dawson was playing London's famed Paladium Theatre.  His eventual goal was to make a name for himself in the United States.  In the early 1960s, he began to establish himself on American television, appearing on comedy and variety programs such as The Jack Benny Progam and The Dick Van Dyke Show. 

Richard appeared in a January 8, 1963 episode of The Jack Benny Program as an annoyed Englishman sitting beside Jack in the audience.  He then guest-starred in a 1963 episode of the Van Dyke show entitled "Racy Tracy Rattigan" (Season 2, Episode 27,  Air Date: April 3, 1963).  In the episode, Richard portrayed "Racy Tracy" Rattigan, an English music hall comic who is hired as a substitute host for Alan Brady during Brady's summer vacation.  "Racy Tracy" lives up to his nickname by flirting with every woman in sight, including Laura Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore), the wife of Alan Brady's head writer, Rob Petrie, (Dick Van Dyke).

According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com), here's how Richard Dawson related the story of his audition for the "Racy Tracy" role: Producer Sheldon Leonard asked him how he would make an entrance as this character.  Dawson replied, "Oh hello luvvies," using an upper-class British accent.  Leonard immediately handed him the job.

Richard as "Racy Tracy" on Dick Van Dyke Show

From 1965 to 1971, Richard played British Corporal Peter Newkirk in all 168 episodes of Hogan's Heroes, starring Bob Crane.  Hogan's Heroes was a hit CBS comedy series about a World War II prison-of-war-camp run by a group of bumbling Nazis. Richard's  performance as a military prisoner in the 1965 war film King Rat helped him win the role of Corporal Newkirk of the Royal Air Force. Newkirk, a Cockney, was a skilled tailor who altered uniforms, civilian clothes and other disguises when required for missions or to aid prisoners in escaping.  Newark was also a con man.  He was an expert safecracker and lock picker, a master at picking pockets and a card shark.  His proficiency in those areas was useful in outwitting the Nazis.

Richard as Corporal Peter Newkirk

With the success of Hogan's Heroes, Richard Dawson had achieved stardom on American television., but the show was abruptly cancelled in 1971.  After its cancellation, Richard Dawson became a regular performer on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.  After the 1970-71 season of Laugh-In, Arte Johnson and Henry Gibson left the show.  They were replaced by Richard and another former Hogan's Heroes star, Larry Hovis, both of whom had already made previous sporadic appearances on the show.  Dawson remained with Laugh-In until it ended in 1973.

From 1973 to 1974, Richard played the role of Richard Richardson on seven episodes of The New Dick Van Dyke Show, starring Van Dyke and Hope Lange as a married couple who have comic misadventures while raising their teenage daughter.  The series was created by Carl Reiner, the creator of the original Dick Van Dyke Show.  

During the 1970s, Richard made guest appearances on such TV series as McMillan & Wife (1975), The Love Boat (1978) and Angie (1979).  It was in 1976, however, that he made the biggest breakthrough of his career.  Richard Dawson will always be remembered best as the host of the popular television game show Family Feud, which debuted on ABC on July 12, 1976.  Richard was the original host of the show during its first run, from 1976 until 1985.  On Family Feud, two families competed to guess the most popular response to survey questions.  Richard's catchphrase was "survey says."  He wore three-piece suits with a flower on his lapel.

When Richard began hosting Family Feud, he was well recognized because he had been a frequent panelist on Match Game since 1973 (He continued to be a panelist on Match Game until 1978).  Family Feud  viewers enjoyed Richard's flippant sense of humour, but it was his unconventional way of greeting female contestants that attracted attention.  Within the first few weeks of Family Feud, he began kissing female contestants on the cheeks, hands and lips.  It all started when a woman was so anxious that she was unable to name a green vegetable.

In his 2010 interview with the Archive of American Television, Richard described the incident from his perspective: "I said, 'I'm gonna do something that my mom would do to me whenever I had a problem of any kind . . . and I kissed her on the cheek, and I said, 'That's for luck.'  And she said 'Asparagus' . . . They went on to win."

Richard's penchant for kissing women did not meet with everyone's approval and his flirtatious touchy-feely behaviour seems out of place in the Me Too era.  Television executives back then tried to convince him to put an end to all that kissing and touching.  According to Richard in his Archive of American Television interview, the executives claimed that advertisers frowned upon such behaviour.  He was told that sponsors did not approve of randomly kissing women without regard to their consent or the marital status.  It was unsightly and ill-mannered, they contended.  In his interview, however, Richard hinted that their opposition may have had something to do with him kissing non-white woman.  He stated, "It's very important to me that on Family Feud I could kiss all people . . . I kissed black women daily and nightly on Family Feud for 11 years and the world didn't come to an end, did it?"

Richard apparently asked viewers to write in with their opinion on the kissing issue.  According to the book Hogan's Heroes: The Unofficial Companion, by Brenda Scott Royce, the majority favoured kissing (14,000 to 704).  Royce's book also claims that contestants filled out a questionnaire before each game and they were asked, "Do you mind if Richard Dawson greets you with a kiss?"

In 1988, Family Feud was revived by CBS.  The new version was hosted by Ray Combs.  Two months later, a new nighttime syndicated version of the show was launched, also hosted by Combs. CBS cancelled the daytime version in early 1993, but Combs continued to host the prime time edition.  In September of 1994, Richard Dawson returned to the syndicated version, replacing Combs, who had been fired because the shows ratings had plummeted.  Dawson completed the final season of the show's second run. 

During the 1994-1995 revival of Family Feud, Richard did not kiss female contestants, due to a promise he had made to his daughter, Shannon.  He made it clear to the very first female contestant that that there would be no more of his signature greeting.  He declared, "I can't kiss any of the ladies because I promised my daughter I would only kiss Mom."

Although Family Feud's ratings initially improved upon Richard return, those higher rating could not be sustained.  As a result, the final episode was aired on May 25, 1995.  Family Feud went out of production for the next four years.  In 1999, Richard was asked to appear on the current version of The Feud, but declined.the offer.


Richard Dawson was married twice.  His first wife was English film actress Diana Dors.  In the 1950s, Diana was billed as a "blonde bombshell," Britain's answer to Marilyn Monroe. She was the queen of B-movies and the second highest paid actress in the United Kingdom after Vivien Leigh.
Richard met her through actor Victor Mature's stuntman.  They wed on April 12, 1959 while in New York for an appearance on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show.  The ceremony took place in singer Fran Warren's apartment and was attended by friends such as Allen.

Richard and Diana soon after their wedding

Richard and Diana had two sons: Mark Dawson (born in London, England on February 4, 1960) and Gary Dawson (born in Los Angeles on June 27, 1962).  In 1958,  RKO studios had cancelled her contract due to her offscreen exploits.  Diana never really caught on in the United States and Americans dismissed her as talentless blonde, trying to cash in by jumping on the Monroe bandwagon.  During her marriage to Dawson, she spent much of her time performing in low-brow cabarets and British working-class clubs. 

In 1967, Diana walked out on Richard.  The couple divorced and Richard obtained custody of both sons.  In 1968, Diana married British actor Alan Lake, an actor nine years her junior, who was battling alcoholism.

In 1977, Richard told People magazine that he "went into a 14-month funk" after Diana left.  "I absolutely wallowed in self pity.  People looked down their noses at Diana for leaving me with two young boys," he said.  "But it was an act of sheer kindness.  I don't know what would have happened to me without them."

Richard met his second wife, Gretchen Johnson (born September 22 1955), when she and her family were  contestants on Family Feud in 1981.  In his interview with the Archive of American Television, Richard discussed meeting Gretchen on the show.  "I knew there was just something special about this young lady and myself," he stated.  He later asked for permission to call her.  They married in 1991.   Their daughter, Shannon Nicole Dawson, was born in 1990.

Richard and Gretchen on Family Feud

Richard Dawson died on June 2, 2012 of complications from esophageal cancer at the age of 79.  He passed away at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical in Los Angeles, California.  He was survived by his wife, Gretchen, three children, and four grandchildren.

END NOTES   

* On June 7, 1978, Richard Dawson hosted the Daytime Emmy Awards and he also won the award for best game show host for Family Feud.

* Richard once broke out into an almost uncontrollable fit of laughter after asking a female contestant on Family Feud, "During which month of pregnancy does a woman start to look pregnant?"  Her response was "September."

* Richard was a heavy smoker for most of his life.

* Richard was a self-described bleeding-heart liberal who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

* Richard played himself  as host of Family Feud in a 1973 episode of Angie entitled "Family Feud" (Season 2, Episode 9, Air Date (November 20, 1979).  He also portrayed himself as host of Family Feud in a 1983 episode of Mama's Family, starring Vicki Lawrence of The Carol Burnett Show.  The episode is entitled "Family Feud" (Season 1, Episode 5, Air Date: February 19, 1983).

* Richard's first wife, Diana Dors, died in Windsor, Berkshire, England on May 4, 1984, after a recurrence of ovarian cancer.  She was 52 years old at the time of her death.  On October 10, 1984, Alan Lake, Diana's third husband, committed suicide.  He was 43 years old.

* Richard Dawson became a U.S. citizen in 1984 and showed off his passport during the introduction to a Family Feud episode.

* Richard was a frequent guest host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show and he filled in for Johnny several times in 1979 and 1980.

* Comedian Bill Murray did a satirical parody of Richard on Saturday Night Live in which the Family Feud host was portrayed as leering, nasty character who even slapped a contestant (John Belushi) for getting too fresh.

* Richard parodied his own image in the 1987 dystopian film The Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.  In the film, he portrayed Damon Killian, the host of a deadly TV show. set in a totalitarian future.

* Richard resided in Beverly Hills, California until his death.

Below is a photo of Richard Dawson during his Archive of American Television interview.  The interview was conducted in Beverly Hills California on December 1, 2010.

SOURCES:  People, "Richard Dawson Lost His Own Family Feud with Diana Dors, but His Show Is Hot Comfort,"  by Sue Reilly, Novermber 21, 1977; People, "Her Days as a Sexpot Done, Diana Dors Now Hopes to Become the Next Big Fitness Guru," by Roger Wolmuch, December 12, 1983; People, "Top of His Game, by Mark Goodman, November 14, 1994; CNN.com, "Former 'Family Feud' host Richard Dawson dies;" by CNN Wire Staff, 2012; Good Housekeeping, "Here's why Richard Dawson Started Kissing Female Contestants on 'Family Feud,'" by the editors of Good Housekeeping, September 22, 2017; Yahoo News; All Hail 'Family Feud" Host Richard Dawson, Pioneering Game Show Perv, by Kristen Baldwin, September 23, 2016; Archive of American Television interview with Richard Dawson, December 1, 1910; Wikipedia; Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com)


- Joanne

Dealing with bad news on TV

We are in the midst of a global crisis of epic proportions.  For those who have not lived through the Great Depression and World War II, this COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented.  The minute we turn on our TVs and computers, we are deluged with bleak news and depressing statistics.  Technology, of course, has altered our lives drastically.  During the hungriest days of the Depression and the darkest days of World War II, there was no television.  There was no social media.  There were no 24-hour news stations with grim-faced announcers spouting doom and gloom all day and all night.  In those days, there were only radios and newspapers.

Don't misunderstand me.  We can't just bury all the bad news under a rug and be done with it.  The media have a responsibility to educate and advise us in times of crisis.  We depend on the the media to provide us with accurate information so that we can make intelligent decisions.  It would be a grave dereliction of duty if the free press failed to do live up to to its responsibilities during a global crisis like this.  At the same time, it is our civic duty to keep informed.  That does not mean, however, that we have to wallow in despair.  We don't have to allow ours minds to be saturated with depressing news.  For the sake of our health and well-being, we need occasional respites from all the suffering and distress in the world.  A person can only endure so much stress.

That's where television and streaming services come in.  People are in isolation.  They are frightened. They fear for elderly and vulnerable family and friends.  Their lives are overloaded with worry and anxiety.  They need diversions.  They need a distractions.  Otherwise they will crack up from all the pressure.  They can't go to restaurants or movie theatres or attend religious services,  Their community centres and libraries are closed.  They are prohibited from attending sporting events or taking part in any major public gatherings.  Purchasing necessary items in grocery stores and pharmacies is a harrowing experience these days.  People are nervous.  They wear face masks and avoid each other.  I realize these measures are absolutely necessary, but they are not pleasant.

It's hard to live with such a great deal of uncertainty.  We don't  know how long this pandemic will last and when things will return to normal.  During these long days of self-isolation and quarantine, it doesn't hurt to be entertained a bit.  We should watch a an episode of an old TV series.  We should do a bit of  binge-watching on Netflix.  Hey, let's even read some books.  It's called harmless escapism.  As long as we do it in moderation, it's good for our mental health during these extraordinary times. 


- Joanne

Y&R Report (March 28, 2020): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

  

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama. Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT: Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet. Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance. 

Due to the outbreak of  the COVID-19 virus, production has shut down on Y&R, The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS) General Hospital (ABC) and Days of Our Lives (NBC).  According to Deadline, the shutdown for the two CBS soaps took effect on March 17, 2019.  The current plan is to cease production of Y&R and B&B for two weeks.  That could be extended if necessary.  The shutdown is not currently expected to affect what viewers see on-screen.  Both soaps have already filmed about four to six weeks of episodes.  General Hospital has halted production through mid-April and Days of Our Lives has suspended production indefinitely.

I have to mention that scene in which Mariah walked on stage at Tessa's concert and begged Tessa to forgive her.  That was a very unrealistic scene.  It would never have happened.  It just wasn't believable.  I can't see anyone being allowed to interrupt a public concert in that manner.

It's good to see Faith (Alyvia Alyn Lind) back in Genoa City.  It appears that she is going to stay, at least for a while, because she has returned from boarding school.  She is a good young actress and I am sure she will receive many offers to do movies and other television series on network TV or streaming companies such as Netflix.  For now, Faith is in Genoa City and very concerned about her cancer-stricken mother, Sharon.  She has also shown the first signs of teenage rebellion by skipping classes at school.  The way she's been brought up, with both parents continually changing partners, it's a wonder she hasn't done anything worse.

According to an online spoiler, Summer will end her relationship with Kyle until he finds closure with Lola.  That's really not surprising.  There's a reason why Kyle has not filed for divorce yet.  As I've mentioned in previous postings on this website, there is good chance that Hunter King will be leaving Y&R to star in a prime time show called Prospect.  Kyle is the heartbreak kid and this time his own heart may be broken.  He may eventually have to battle Theo to get Lola back.

Sleazebag Theo Vanderway is showing his true colours.  He's trying to get dirt on Kyle so that he can manipulate his way into Jabot's CEO chair.  I think Theo will also take advantage of Dina's will and the fact that he is her grandson to do it.  Is he really trying to romance Lola because he cares about her or is she just another means to an end?  Is he using Kyle's estranged wife so that Kyle will be upset and he can achieve his goals?

Adam Newman is also showing his true colours.  He has not stopped trying to seek revenge on Victor and the rest of his family.  He still has darkness in his heart and Chelsea has been enabling him to be ruthless.  She brings out the worst in him, probably because she was raised by a con woman mother, Anita.

VIEWER FORUM

If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line. I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them  You do not have to use your real name. 
My email address:  jmadden16@yahoo.ca

Regular contributor CC in Etobicoke, Ontario sent me the following email:

Hi Joanne,

Hope you are keeping well during this difficult time. I am not finding any of the present stoylines particularly interesting.  The Victor/Adam conflict is so old.  Throw Acting CEO Nicholas Newman into the mix and it really feels tired.  I really was't missing Lily's character at all.  Has her contract changed from recurring?

Overall too many of the storylines are focused on negative themes.  As well, there are too many clandestine-type shenanigans going on at the same time.  They move along slowly as if the writers are unsure about which ones they will go on with.  Changes are definitely needed.


Yes, CC, the show needs a shot in the arm, some energizing.  I'm willing to give the Victor/Adam conflict a chance.  It seems that Adam is going to blackmail Victor into letting him have the CEO position at Newman.  He will give the job to Adam without providing a reasonable explanation.  His princess, Victoria, will be devastated.

Actually, CC, I'm pleased that Lily (Christel Khalil) is back and that Billy is acting in a more reasonable manner.  It's refreshing to see him working with Lily, rather than agonizing over Delia, seeking revenge on Adam, standing on ledges and gambling.  So far, I've been unable to confirm whether Christel is back on contract.  It appears that she is.  Otherwise, why would she be so involved in a brand new storyline with Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson).

Yes, too many of the storylines are focused on negative themes.  Right now, there are three major downbeat themes: Sharon's breast cancer, Dina's Alzheimer's and Victoria's depression.  However, to cut the writers some slack, all of those storylines were planned and developed well before the global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.  For example. it was former head writer Mal Young who created the Alzheimer storyline because his mother died of the disease.  When things get back to normal and the new episodes are filmed, Y&R should feature a lighter storyline.

I spoke with longtime Y&R viewer, Fifi in Collingwood, Ontario.  She had a suggestion about what the show should do as the virus crisis continues and it faces the possibility of being without new episodes.  She thinks The Young and the Restless should rerun old episodes beginning with the first one in 1973.  I think that's a great idea and it would be fun to see how the show has changed.  It would be interesting to see the old characters and storylines at a time when there were no cell phones and laptop computers or tablets.


CAST NEWS
Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren Fenmore) is making lifestyle changes

Tracey Bregman (Lauren) is making changes in her life that could affect her status at The Young and the Restless.  The actress took to Instagram to share the news that she will be dividing her time between Los Angeles  and Nashville, Tennessee.  Tracey lost her home in the disastrous 2018 California wildfires and she now has a home and property on her ranch in Tennessee.  It is called Black Horse Ranch and was named after her 19-year-old horse.

Tracey and her TV husband, Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin), haven't had much screen time lately and they are not involved in any major storylines.  Will this part-time move to Nashville mean that Tracey's appearances on Y&R will be even less frequent?


Greg Rikaart (Kevin Fisher) has tested positive for COVID-19 virus

Greg Rikkart, who plays Kevin Fisher on Y&R, has tested positive for COVID-19 virus.   He disclosed his illness on social media.  "I just tested positive for coronavirus," he wrote.  "I am a pretty healthy 43-year-old who doesn't smoke, doesn't drink much, eats well and exercises regularly and this has been the hardest experience of my life"     

Greg revealed that everyone in his house had a bit of a cough and that his son came home from school with a high fever.  Everyone recovered except Greg.  He isolated himself from his family on Saturday, March 14th.  He had a fever, for 11 days, difficulty breathing and was diagnosed with pneumonia.  He added that he believes he has "turned the proverbial corner" and was fever free for the first time since he became ill.

Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe Mitchell) gives birth to baby girl

Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe Mitchell) and her husband, Rob Meder, welcomed their first child on Friday, March 27, 2020.  Elizabetth, 40, gave birth to a healthy daughter named Josephine James Meder.  According to People,, "the baby weighed in at 6 lbs, 11 oz. (about 3 kilograms).

The child, of course, was born in the midst of a global pandemic.  As reported, Greg Rickkart, who plays Chloe's Y&R spouse, Kevin Fisher, has tested positive for the COVID-19.  The two actors work closely with each other on screen and that certainly must have concerned Elizabeth.  In a statement to People, she said, "When dreaming about your first child words like 'social distancing' and 'shelter in place' never seem to enter into the picture.  Yet, here we are."


SOAP NOTE:  NO DAYTIME EMMYS IN JUNE

The 2020 Daytime Emmys ceremony has been put on hold indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The ceremony was to have taken place over three nights in June and a streaming service had been rolled out to make the awards easier for fans to watch.  Alas, there will no Daytime Emmys later this spring.

Voting for all categories will continue and nominations will be announced in mid-May.  It remains to be seen if there will be a live ceremony this year.


Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Joshua Morrow (Nick)

Michelle Stafford

Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) and Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) have broken up and gotten back together many times.  They are back together again even though their own daughter, Summer, isn't thrilled about their reunion and doesn't think it will work. Nick's mother, Nikki won't be happy either.  What do you think, fans?  Do you give them a chance of lasting, at least for a while.  Respond to the poll below and let me know.

Do Phyllis and Nick have a chance of lasting for a while?

No. Definitely not. Phyllis will do something that Nick can't accept. It will be sooner rather than later. Phyllis is Phyllis. She can't help herself.

Yes. They are a fun couple and they will probably last for a while. Phyllis makes Nick happy.

I don't know.

Other

Please Specify:

Created with PollMaker

That's all for now.  Don't forget that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, April 11, 2020.  Take care everyone and stay well.


- Joanne

The Murder of Bob Crane of "Hogan's Heroes"

Robert Edward "Bob" Crane was born on July 13, 1928 in Waterbury, Connecticut, the son of Alfred Thomas Crane and Rose Mary Crane.  He had an older brother, Alfred John Crane (1926 - 1994).  Bob spent his childhood in Stamford, Connecticut, where he learned to play the drums at an early age (He was inspired to play by Gene Krupa at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City).  After graduating from Stamford High School in 1946, Bob became a drummer with The Connecticut Symphony Orchestra for about a year.  In 1948, he enlisted in the Connecticut Army National Guard.  He served for two years and was honourably discharged in 1950.

Below is Bob's yearbook photo from the Seniors Class of 1946 at Stamford High School.  The caption next to his picture reads ROBERT EDWARD CRANE: "Bob" - Loud ties . . . drumming . . . musician of note.  Home room Vice President. Popular Music Assembles.  Band.  Orchestra.  Member of Requiem Orchestra.  Future - Staff musician in Studio Orchestra.

In 1949, Bob Crane married his high school sweetheart, Anne Terzian.  The couple had three children: Robert David, Deborah Anne and Karen Leslie.  In 1950, Bob got his start in radio with WLEA in New York, after which he went to WBIS in Bristol, Connecticut and WLIZ/WICC in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

In 1956, Bob and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he hosted the popular CBS radio morning show on KNX, the network's Los Angeles flagship station.  Bob's show had the highest ratings among listeners in the L.A. area and he interviewed stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope and Charlton Heston, Jack Lemmon, Jayne Mansfield, Jerry Lewis and Jonathan Winters.  He remained at KNX until August, 1965, when he left to focus on Hogan's Heroes.

In the early 1960s, Bob Crane launched a television career.  He guest-hosted for Johnny Carson on the daytime game show Who Do You Trust?.  He also made an uncredited appearance as a disc jockey on The Twilight Zone (1961) and guest-starred on General Electric Theater (1961), Channing (1963) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1963).  When Carl Reiner, appeared on Bob's radio show, Crane persuaded Reiner to give him a role on an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show (Reiner was the creator of the show).

Bob appeared in a 1962 episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show entitled "Somebody has to Play Cleopatra" (Season 2, Episode 14, Air Date: December 26, 1962.  In the episode, Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) is assigned the task of casting the lead roles in the annual variety show sponsored by his neighbours.  As he tries to cast the perfect "Cleopatra" to go along with "Mark Antony" he is forced to deal with spousal jealousy.  Crane played a philanderer Harry Rogers, a seemingly amorous Mark Antony.

Below is a photo of Bob Crane and Mary Tyler Moore on the Dick Van Dyke Show in 1962.

After Bob's performance on The Dick Van Dyke Show, he was cast in a regular role on The Donna Reed Show as Dr. David Kelsey, a dentist and next-door-neighbour of Donna's television family, the Stones.  Donna had been a guest on Bob's KNX-CBS radio show and was impressed with him.  She invited him to appear on an episode on her show.

In "The Two Doctors" Bob first episode on The Donna Reed Show, he portrayed Dr. Dave Blevins,  a medical friend and colleague of Donna's TV husband, Dr. Alex Stone (Carl Betz).  Bob's appearance in "The Two Doctors" (Season 5, Episode 26, Air Date: March 14, 1963) made such a favourable impression on Donna and her producer/husband Tony Owen that he was offered the regular role of Dr. Kelsey, opposite Ann McCrea who played his wife. Midge.  The Kelseys are introduced in the episode ""Friends and Neighbous," which aired on April 4, 1963.

From 1963 to 1965, Bob appeared in 63 episodes of The Donna Reed show.  Below is a 1963 photo of Bob Crane with Donna and Carl Betz.

In 1965, Bob Crane was offered the leading role in s new TV comedy called Hogan's Heroes and  he quickly became a popular television star.  Hogan's Heroes was a resounding success and it ran on  CBS for six seasons (168 episodes), from September 17, 1965 until April 4, 1971.  The series, starring Crane as Colonel Robert E. Hogan,  was an unlikely situation comedy.  After all, it was set in a German Prisoner of War (POW} camp during World War II.  Nevertheless, Hogan's Heroes resonated with audiences.  Viewers seemed to enjoy watching the Americans, led by the wise-cracking Hogan, outwit the bumbling Nazis, led by Colonel Wilhelm Klink (Werner Klemperer), the pompous, self-serving Kommandant of Stalag 13.  Hogan's Heroes ran on CBS for six seasons (168 episodes), from September 17, 1965 until April 4, 1971.

Below is photo of Bob Crane as Colonel Hogan, circa 1969.

Hogan and Klink on Hogan's Heroes

In 1969, Bob Crane and his wife, Anne, separated after 20 years of marriage.  Their divorce was finalized in 1970.  Soon after, Crane married for the second time, to Patricia Annette Olson, an actress whose stage name was Sigrid Valdis.  Valdis played "Hilda," Colonel Klink's secretary on the Hogan's Heroes.  Hilda and the womanizing Colonel Hogan flirted on screen and they also began an affair in real life.

On October 16, 1970, Bob and Patricia wed on the set of Hogan's Heroes..  The late Richard Dawson, who portrayed Corporal Peter Newkirk on the show, served as best man. (After Hogan's Heroes, Dawson went on to host Family Feud).  Bob and Patricia had a son, Scotty, who was born in 1971.  They also adopted a daughter, Ana Marie.

Below is a photo (circa 1969) of Bob Crane and Sigrid Valdis as Colonel Hogan and Fräulein Hilda on Hogan's Heroes.

In 1971, CBS abruptly cancelled Hogan's Heroes.  After its cancellation, acting parts began to dry up for Bob Crane.  He was only able to secure guest spots on TV series such as The Doris Day Show (1971), Night Gallery (1971), Love, American Style (1971), The Delphi Bureau (1972) and Police Woman (1974).  The parts were few and far between.

In 1975, however, Crane returned to television in the NBC series The Bob Crane Show.  He portrayed Bob Wilcox, a 40-something man who quits his job as an insurance salesman to return to medical school.  Patricia Harty played his wife, Ellie Wilcox.  The show, however, was short-lived.   After 14 episodes, it was cancelled due to poor ratings.

In the mid-1970s, after the cancellation of The Bob Crane Show, Bob made more guest appearances on The Magical World of Disney (1976), Ellery Queen (1976) and  Gibbsville (1976).

During the run of Hogan's Heroes, Richard Dawson introduced Bob Crane to John Henry Carpenter, a video equipment salesman from Sony.  Carpenter (born June 24, 1928) was of Native American and Spanish heritage.  He and Bob became friends and began frequenting bars together.  With the assistance of Carpenter and his technical knowledge, Bob descended into a dark world of video pornography and sex addiction.  He used his celebrity status to attract women and introduced Carpenter as his manager.  When Carpenter later became national sales manager for Akai, a Japanese consumer electronics brand, he arranged his business trips to align with Bob's dinner theatre performance schedule.

John Henry Carpenter

By the late 1970s, Bob Crane's career was on a downhill slide and his second marriage was in trouble.  He and Patricia had separated and she resented the influence that Carpenter had on him..  Bob was forced to rely on the dinner theatre circuit for work and he could only win guest spots on shows like Quincy, M.E. (1977), The Hardy Boys/ Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977) and The Love Boat (1978).  The Love Boat (Season 1, Episode 13, Air Date: January 7, 1978) was his final screen acting credit.

In June of 1978, Bob was starring in a play called Beginner's Luck at the Windmill Theatre in Scottsdale, Arizona, an affluent suburb of Phoenix.  He had purchased the rights to the romantic comedy and during the run of the play, he was staying at the Winfield Place Apartments in Scottsdale. 

On the afternoon of June 29, 1978, Victoria Ann Berry, Bob's co-star in Beginner's Luck, entered his apartment when he failed to show up for a lunch appointment.  She discovered Bob's body and local police immediately summoned to Apartment 132A.  When they entered the apartment, they came across a grisly scene.  They found the battered and bludgeoned body of 49-year-old Bob Crane.  He was sprawled on the bed and there was an electrical cord knotted around his neck.

Suspicion fell on John Carpenter but DNA testing was unavailable in 1978.  Still, there was no sign of a forced entry to Crane's apartment, which suggested that the murder victim was familiar with his assailant.  Robbery was not a motive since nothing of value had been taken from the apartment.  Police found blood in Carpenter's rental car, a Chrysler Cordoba.  It was Bob's blood type and nobody who had handled that vehicle had the same blood type as Crane.  Without a murder weapon, however, the evidence police found in Carpenter's car was not considered enough to issue a warrant for Carpenter's arrest.

It wasn't until 1990 that Scottsdale Police Detective Barry Vassall and Maricopa County Attorney's Office investigator Jim Raines, re-examined the 1978 evidence and persuaded the county attorney to reopen the case.  Raines had discovered a crime scene photo that showed a speck of brain tissue in Carpenter's car.  The sample no longer existed, but the image was considered admissible by a judge.

In June of 1992, John Carpenter was arrested and charged with the murder of Bob Crane.  He went on trial in 1994, but the prosecution found it difficult to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  DNA testing of the blood proved inconclusive.  Witnesses testified that Crane and Carpenter had had a friendly dinner the night before the murder.

At the trial, however, Bob's son, Robert Crane, told a different story about his father's relationship with John Henry Carpenter.  He stated that Carpenter had become "a hanger-on"  and "a nuisance to the point of being obnoxious."   Robert also testified that his father had contacted Carpenter the night before the murder and put an end to their friendship.

Carpenter's attorney dismissed speculation that a missing camera tripod could have been the murder weapon and pointed out that there was no proof of its existence.  The defence suggested that an angry husband or boyfriend of one of the women Bob had been involved with could have been the killer,

Detective Barry Vassall still believes that Carpenter was Bob Crane's killer.  He told Entertainment Weekly that he is doubtful that infidelity was a motive for the crime.  Vassall stated that "Bob was a non-confrontational guy, and those women liked him.  I don't think I ever interviewed one that disliked him."

Ultimately, there was not enough evidence to convict the accused and he was acquitted.  Carpenter maintained his innocence until his death in 1998, four years later.  Officially, the murder remains unsolved.  Detectove Vassall stated, "We did the best we could.  We went through all the evidence . . . A lot times when you have an old case like that, it's very difficult to get a conviction.  It would have been a slam dunk with the DNA testing."

In 2016, the Maricopa County Crown Attorney's Office allowed Phoenix television reporter John Hook to submit the DNA blood samples from Carpenter's car for more advanced DNA testing.  The samples were sent to the same firm that assisted with the high profile JonBenét and O.J. Simpson cases.  The testing only confirmed the presence of a previously unidentified male.  The rest of the results were inconclusive.  No further tests are possible because this testing consumed all the remained DNA from Carpenter's vehicle.


END NOTES

* Bob Crane's second wife, Patricia "Patti" (some sources spell it "Patty") Olson died of lung cancer on October 14, 2007.  She was 72 at the time of her passing.  After Crane's murder, she left the Los Angeles area.  In 1980, she moved to Seattle and later joined the cast of her son Scott's syndicated radio show, Shaken, Not Stirred.  In 2004, she returned to her childhood hometown of Westwood, Los Angeles, California..  She died at the home of her daughter, Ana Sarrmiento. in Anaheim, California.

Patricia's stepson, Robert Crane, tried to point a finger at her, speculating that she might have had a role in instigating her estranged husband's murder for financial gain.  Police have never taken his accusations seriously.

* Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink) died of cancer on December 6, 2000.  He was 80 years old.

* On July 5, 1978, Bob Crane was given a funeral at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Westwood, California.  About 150 to 200 people attended, including celebrities such as Patty Duke, John Astin and Carroll O'Connor.

* There is a 2002 feature film about Bob Crane called Auto Focus.  It stars Greg Kinnear as Crane, Willem Dafoe as Carpenter and Maria Bellow as Patricia.Olson.  Scott Crane, Bob's son with Olson, challenged the accuracy of the film.

SOURCES:  Entertainment Weekly, "The Tragic, unsolved murder of Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane," by Lynette Rice, August 26, 2019.  Biography.com, "10 Quick Facts About 'Hogan's Heroes' Star Bob Crane," by Carol M. Ford, March 19, 2016; Wikipedia; Internet Movie Datbase (IMDB.com.)

- Joanne

Whatever happened to Marc Copage (Corey Baker on "Julia")?

Marc Copage

Julia was a groundbreaking sitcom for women, especially black women.  The show ran on NBC for three seasons, from 1968 until 1971.  It featured actress/singer Diahann Carroll as a widowed nurse named Julia Baker.  Julia's husband, an Army pilot, had been shot down and killed in Vietnam.  She was left to raise their young son, Corey, played by Marc Copage.  Marc was just five years old when he was cast in Julia, which debuted on September 17, 1968, only five months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  It was a turbulent time in America with Vietnam War protests and race riots.

Julia was the first weekly series to depict an African-American woman in a professional, non-stereotypical role (The first sitcom to star an African- American actress was Beulah. which aired on ABC from 1950 to 1953, and variously starred Ethel Waters, Hattie McDaniel, and Louise Beavers as a comical maid).  Julia Baker was a nurse, not a servant.  She was also one of the first independent women in an American TV series.  Before Julia, there was That Girl (1966-1971), starring Marlo Thomas as Ann Marie, a single, aspiring actress with her own apartment in New York City.  Ann-Marie supported herself, but she had a boyfriend and parents to lean on if necessary.  Julia was completely on her own, a working mother with a son to look after.

Below is a photo of Julia cast members Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker, Lloyd Nolan as Dr. Morton Chegley and Marc Copage as Corey Baker.

MARC COPAGE

Marc Diego Copage was born in Los Angeles, California on June 21, 1962.  He was the second son of actor and real estate broker John Copage and actress/dancer Alibe Copage.  Marc's parents separated when he was a very young child.  His mother left the family to pursue an acting career in Europe, and Marc and his older brother, Eric, were raised by their father.  John became Marc's personal manager, acting coach, musical supervisor and publicist.

It was John who took Marc to audition for Julia and it was he who encouraged him to do the show.  Marc enjoyed having Diahann Carroll as his TV mom so much that he often asked to go home with her after work.  In 2008, Diahann participated in a "Salute to TV Moms" event at the Television Academy in Los Angeles.  Marc was reunited with her at the event and he told her that he was "very lucky to have the opportunity to play your son for three years. He added, "Having grown up without a real mother, you filled that void."

John Copage

After Diahann's death, Marc wrote the following in The New York Times: "Ms Carroll taught me to always be punctual and a person of my word, as she was.  She came to the set on time for each show, completely prepared.  She was polite to everyone and always careful about her diet.  She would let me know if I started to get a little too pudgy.  The producers would give me Bazooka bubble gum, but she would give me carob snacks that she thought were much healthier."

During his years on Julia, Marc also pursued a singing career.  He signed his first of three recording contracts with Metromedia Records.  His second contract included a single, "Will It Be Me," with Avco Embassy and his third was with Sussex Records.  It was an educational album called Phonics Rocks.  He later recorded music with a teenage vocal group called The Merging Traffic, in which his brother Eric played electric bass.

After Julia, Marc Copage's acting career never really took off.  It stagnated.  He never had another major role on a television series.  The parts dried up and some considered him a has-been at the age of nine.   All he was offered were guest spots, afternoon specials and a couple of pilots.  He guest-starred in  episodes of such shows as Young Dr. Kildare (1972), Sanford and Son (1975) and Diff'rent Strokes (1985).  In 1981, he appeared on CBS Afternoon Playhouse and on an ABC Afterschool Special.  He also portrayed a band leader in a 1981 TV movie entitled Best of Times.

"When you're a black child actor," Marc told L.A. Focus newspaper in 2019, "you're even going to have less opportunities.  Not to play a racial card, but that's kind of a reality.  There's going to be less roles, especially at that time."

In 1990, Marc portrayed a singing cop on an episode of Cop Rock.  He later played Lawyer Jim in the 2000 feature film The Kid, a comedy starring Bruce Willis, and an interrogator in the 2018 science fiction/horror move The Meg.

In a 2014 interview with Jet, Marc was asked what he'd been up to.  He replied that he'd returned to school to study jazz improvisation and to become a jazz musician.  He said that he'd been playing piano in a jazz combo, and singing.

Marc Copage has certainly had his ups and downs.  His Facebook biography states the following: "He's been given the keys to cities by Mayors, and was even invited to the White House to meet the President of the United States.  He's also mopped floors, cleaned toilets for a living, and been nearly homeless."  Marc's Facebook biography also says that he now works as a cater-waiter and is attending Pasadena College to obtain a degree in music.

"Not that there's anything wrong with being a cater-waiter," Marc wrote in his New York Times op/ed.  "It's an honest profession.  There are upsides.  I've stood just feet away as Stevie Wonder, Sing, John Legend, Lady Gaga, Lenny Kravitz, Elton John and Katy Perry performed.  I've tasted the finest foods prepared by famous chefs from around the world.  Whenever I come across an entitled celebrity at one of these events, I remember how I was once once of them.  I'm in the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian, part of our national archives.  How many people can say that?"

More recent photo of Marc Copage

END NOTES

* Marc's older brother, Eric Vance Copage (born December 14, 1954) , is a professional actor, musician and author.  He is a former reporter for The New York Times and has been an editor for The New York Times Magazine as well a music columnist for Essence.  Eric appeared as "Cliff" in a 1968 episode of Julia entitled "Farewell, My Friends" (Season 1, Episode 11, Air Date: December 3, 1968).

* Diahann Carroll died of breast cancer in Los Angeles on October 4, 2019.  She was 84 years old.  Upon her passing, Marc sent a poignant letter to The New York Times entitled "Diahann Carroll Was the Only Mother I Knew."  She was a surrogate mother to him and he detailed the admiration and respect he had for her in his letter.

Diahann Carroll as Julia

Diahann as Julia and Marc as Corey

* Lloyd Nolan, the veteran movie and TV actor who played Dr. Morton Chegley, the physician for whom Julia worked.  Lloyd died of lung cancer on September 27, 1985 at the age of 83.

LLoyd Nolan

* Michael Link, born June 12 1962,in Provo, Utah, played Earl J. Waggedorn, Cory Baker's best friend.  The two boys lived in the same apartment building.

Michel Link appeared in 81 of the show's 86 episodes.  After Julia, his career never blossomed.  He guest-spots in episodes of The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1972), The Sandy Duncan Show (1972), ABC Afterschool Specials (1973, 1974, 1975),  Three for the Road (1975), Police Story (1977) and Martin (1994).  He starred as Eli "E.J." Mackermutt Jr. in  Stowaway to the Moon, a 1975 TV film about a preteen boy (Link) who stows away on an Apollo moon mission.

* Betty Bearid played Marie Waggedorn, Earl J. Waggedorn's mother and Julia's friend and neighbour.  Betty was was on March 11, 1935 in El Paso, Texas.  After Julia, her acting credits are few and far between.  She had a minor role in the 1974 film I Love You . . . Goodbye, starring Hope Lange.  She also played a woman executive in 1981's The Incredible Shrinking Woman.  She appeared in two episodes  the TV series Boomer (1980, 1981), which chronicled the adventures of a stray dog, and in four ABC Afterschool Specials from 1975 to 1982.  She portrayed Eleanor Tuttle in the 1981 TV adventure move The Time Cystral, directed by Ron Howard.  She also had a small role in a 1993 episode of the sitcom Martin, starring Martin Lawrence. (She has no acting roles listed on  after 1993).

Betty Bearid and Michael Link

* According to IMDb.com, Marc Copage is "most widely known to be a private man."  As  far as I can determine, he hasn't spoken publicly about any romantic relationships.

SOURCES: Ebony, "The Double Life of Marc Copage: Demands of public life keep young star on the go", December 1969, Jet, "What ever happened to Marc Copage?" by Deanna Martin-Osuagwu; September 18, 2014; L.A. Focus, Whatever happened to Marc Copage, ?" by L.A Focus, December 2, 2019; Internet Movie Database IMDb.com); Wikipedia


- Joanne

Y&R Report (March 14, 2020): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

  

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama. Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT: Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet. Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance. 

It was a dark and stormy night in Genoa City and it took about three or four episodes to get through that one night.  The ice storm was devised story was devised by the witers to get various characters stranded with each other, but it dragged on too long.  I've heard complaints that the pace of Y&R is too slow and the it is too repetitious.  Speed it up a bit, Josh Griffith and Co.!  Just because the February sweeps are over, doesn't mean you have to tone down the excitement so much.

Here we go with another round of Nick and Phyllis.  Nick Newman has fallen under the spell of the manipulative redhead yet again.  I have to say that Nick is not the sharpest knife in the drawer because he took Phyllis' advice.  She persuaded him to take the CEO post at Newman Enterprises while his sister, Victoria, is recuperating from a stabbing attack.  It is obvious that Nick's heart isn't in it.  That decision was a monumental mistake and will cause enormous heartache because Adam is going to seek revenge.  Chelsea has been urging him on.  She told him she is willing to support him in his efforts.  That means more fighting and chaos within the Newman clan, as usual. 

Nick always claims he doesn't want anything to do with Newman Enterprises, but he usually gets sucked in.  He's made it clear that he's going to be CEO on a temporary basis during a family emergency.  He intends to step down when Victoria is ready to return.  He doesn't trust Adam and he feared that Adam would not relinquish the powerful CEO post upon Victoria's recovery.  Nick's intentions are good, but it's not that easy to push Adam aside.  Not only that, but Adam is a much more experienced businessman than Nick and would do an infinitely better job as CEO.

The real problem is Victor.  He really didn't have to choose between his two sons.  That was a recipe for disaster.  It was pointed out to him that there are qualified executives at Newman who would perform competently as interim CEO.  However, "The Moustache" would have none of that.  Oh no!  The CEO of Newman Enterprises (even on a temporary basis) must have the royal Newman blood.  Nothing else is acceptable.  As Victor told his grandson, Connor, you have to be tough when you're a Newman.

The relationship between Sharon and her former mother-in-law,Nikki has improved considerably.  Nikki has been very understanding and sympathetic to the cancer-stricken Sharon.  They actually embraced. Nikki even wants Sharon to help Victoria get through her depression and trauma.  What a change from the days when Nikki regarded her as a gold digger.  She had a sour face at Nick and Sharon's wedding because she didn't think Sharon was good enough for her son.  I wonder if Nikki would approve now if Sharon reconciled with Nicholas.  She won't be very happy that Nick's with Phyllis again.  I think she'd prefer Sharon over Phyllis, although she probably thinks nobody id good enough for her sonny boy.

So, Lily's back in town and it looks as if she's going to stay in Genoa City this time.  Jill has partnered her with her wayward son, Billy, and they are going to run Chancellor Industries' new media division.  Will this lead to a storyline in which there is a triangle between Billy, Lily and Amanda?  Not only do Lily and Billy have names that rhyme, but they have a past.  They were once involved in a love "quadrangle" along with Chloe and Cane.  If you recall, Chloe led Cane to believe his was the father of her daughter (Delia) when it was actually Billy.

As for Amanda, we have finally learned some more about her past.  She now know that she was a foster child.  That could explain why she is a dead ringer for Hilary.  Maybe she and Hilary were twins, separated at birth.  Haven't we gone down that road before with Cassie and Mariah?


VIEWER FORUM

If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line. I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them  You do not have to use your real name. 
My email address:  jmadden16@yahoo.ca

Here is an e-mail I received from longtime Y&R viewer Carly in Barrhaven, Ontario.

I am fast forwarding a lot on Y&R  The Sharon storyline is depressing.  The Kyle/Summer/Lola/Theo storyline is so stupid.  I honestly think that they are looking for fillers as the show has been quite boring.  And then there's Phyllis and Nick again and again and again.

Yes, Carly, I think the show has been dragging.  The writing could be much better and the writers need to pick up the pace.  I can also see how a lot of people would find Sharon's cancer storyline depressing, especially with all the cancer illnesses in the world and the horrible caronavirus pandemic.  We're also going to see some grieving and sadness when Dina dies.  The show could use a little more humour and lightness.

I think the Kyle/Lola/Summer/Theo storyline could be improved, but I don't dislike it as much as you do.  As for Nick and Phyllis, I don't think it will last.  Phyllis is guaranteed to mess things up and Nick will have to clean up her mess.  The best match for Nick is Sharon and he'll probably go back to her someday, just as Visctor went back to Nikki.


I spoke to another longtime Y&R viewer, Fifi in Collingwood, Ontario.  Fifi is not please about the lack of storyline for Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc) and Lauren Fenmmore (Tracey Bregman)..  As she pointed out to me, there has not been a good storyline for the couple in a long while.  I really think that they should have more screen time and I believe their talents are being wasted.


CAST NEWS

Terrible Tom (Roscoe Born) dead at 69

On March 3, 2020, veteran soap actor Roscoe Born died at the age of 69.  From 2005 to 2009, he played the role of Kevin's father and tormentor, "Terrible" Tom Fisher, on The Young and the Restless.  He's the one who terrified poor Kevin (Greg Rikaart) as a child and locked him up in closets.  Roscoe is also known for playing another villain, Mitch Laurence, on One Life to Live, from 1985 to 2012, and for his roles as Joe Novak on Ryan's Hope (1980-1988), and Robert Barr and Quinn Armitage on Santa Barbara from 1989 to 1991.

Roscoe was born in Topeka Kansas on November 24, 1950.  He was a talented singer/songwriter and theatre actor.  He also appeared in episodes of such television shows as Murder, She Wrote, The Incredible Hulk and The Rockford Files.  He had three marriages.  From 1994 to 2004, he was married to Roberta Weiss, his castmate on Santa Barbara (She played Flame Beaufort)  The couple had a daughter, Alberta May.  Roscoes previous wives were Randall Edwards (Ryan's Hope, Delia Ryan) from 1985 to 19990 and Adrienne Hampton from 1976 to 1982.


Doug Davidson (Paul Williams) seems to be off the show again

Doug Davidson has not appeared on Y&R since the February 21st episode in which Victoria Newman was stabbed.  When a fan asked him if he was off the show again, Doug responded, "I have no shows left to air and no dates scheduled.  I guess I'll let you draw your own conclusions."  He added, "It's a choice.  I think they have chosen to go in new directions."

Doug has portrayed Paul Williams since 1978.  He has been let go from Y&R once before, but returned after some fan protest.  However, his appearances have been minimal since then.  With Rey and Chance on the show, the writing is on the wall..

I think Y&R has treated Doug shabbily.  I'd like to know why they brought him back if they didn't intend to give him screen time.  He has devoted so much of his life to the show.  He deserves better than that.


Y&R REPORT READERS POLL

Abby Newman and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) are having an all out feud.  It's the red head versus the blonde.  I'm not a big fan of either character, but I really think Phyllis needs to be taken down a notch.  She's too manipulative and she's been interfering too much in other people's lives.  Abby is certainly no angel, of course, but Phyllis has become downright annoying.  What do you think, fans?  Respond to the poll below and let me know.

In the feud between Abby and Phyllis, which woman do you support?

I support Phyllis. She is tough and feisty and doesn't let herself get pushed around.

I support Abby. Phyllis is annoying and her behaviour is ridiculous. She deserves to be taken down.

Both women have been behaving poorly. I don't support either of them.

I don't know.

Created with PollMaker

That's all for now.  Please remember that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, March 28, 2020.



- Joanne