ABC Daytime

ABC Daytime (ABC-D) is a programming block on the ABC Network. The Disney-ABC Television Group named Brian Frons the president of the newly created Daytime, Disney-ABC Television Group in May 2006. The promotion elevated Frons from his position as head of ABC Daytime, a position he has served in since August 2002. MickeyNews Frons' boss is Anne Sweeney (Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks & President, Disney-ABC Television Group). Terry Cacavio, a former long time producer of All My Children, is the Director of Programming, East Coast. Its main competitor is CBS Daytime.

According to Soaps In Depth, over the past four years, ABC-D has approached Joshua Morrow (Nick-Y&R); Kristoff St. John, Morgan Fairchild, Todd Cahoon, Daniel Bernhardt, Bo Derek, Justin Torkildsen (ex-Rick-B&B), Paul Leyden (ex-Simon-ATWT), Grant Show (ex-Jake, Melrose Place), Jensen Buchanan (ex-Vicky-AW), Casper Van Dien (ex-Ty-OLTL), Kevin Mambo (ex-Marcus-GL) [1], Scott Reeves (ex-Ryan-Y&R), Camryn Grimes (ex-Cassie-Y&R), Victoria Rowell (ex-Drucilla-Y&R), Robert Kelker-Kelly (ex-Bo-DOOL), Roark Critchlow (ex-Dr. Mike-DOOL), Jason Brooks (ex-Peter-DOOL), Michael T. Weiss (ex-Dr. Mike-DOOL), Christie Clark (ex-Carrie-DOOL), Renee Jones (ex-Lexie-DOOL) about joining their respective shows.

Schedule

ABC Daytime Schedule (October 2003 - Present; NOTE: All times Eastern; affiliate schedules differ)

7:00 AM	Good Morning America (GMA)
11:00 AM	The View
1:00 PM	All My Children (AMC)
2:00 PM	One Life To Live (OLTL)
3:00 PM	General Hospital (GH)

Criticism And Controversy

When Megan McTavish returned as Head Writer of AMC in July 2003, she faced criticism for a story that depicted the rape of a lesbian character, Bianca Montgomery. The Advocate: The Rape of Bianca. AMC also faced opposition to its recent story of a transgender character in 2006.

ABC Daytime scrapped a storyline on OLTL which was to depict a school shooting rampage the day the Virginia Tech massacre occured on April 17, 2007. [2]

Good Morning America

• Debut: November 3, 1975
• Creators: Donald L. Perris, William F. Baker
• Producing Team: Jim Murphy (Executive Producer)
• Hosts: Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Chris Cuomo, Sam Champion

The View

• Debut: August 11, 1997
• Creators: Barbara Walters, Bill Geddie [3]
• Producing Team: Bill Geddie (Executive Producer), B. Walters, Alexandra Cohen
• Directing Team: Mark Gentile [4]
• Hosts: Whoopi Goldberg (moderator), Joy Behar, Barbara Walters, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sherri Shepherd

All My Children

• Debut: January 5, 1970
• Creator: Agnes Nixon
• Producing Team: Julie Hanan Carruthers (Executive Producer), Ginger Smith, Karen Johnson, Nadine Aronson, Barry Gingold, Joann Busiglio, Enza Dolce
• Directing Team: Casey Childs, Joe Cotugno, Steven Williford ([5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13]), Conal O'Brien, Angela Tessinari, Barbara M. Simmons [[14], Michael V. Pomarico
• Head Writers: James Harmon Brown & Barbara Esensten
• Breakdown & Script Writers: Chip Hayes, Stephen Demorest, Marla Kanelos, Kate Hall, Ron Renauld [[15], Hope Harmel Smith, Michelle Patrick, Amanda L. Beall, Jeff Beldner, Karen Lewis, Addie Walsh, Courtney Bugler, Joanna Cohen, Mimi Leahey, Rebecca Taylor
• Casting Director: Judy Blye Wilson
• Former Crew Members: Caroline Franz, Bud Kloss [16], Patti Dizanzo, Lorin Wertheimer, John Kuntz [17], Kathleen Klein [18], Christina Covino, Jack Wood [19], Meredith Post [20], Mary K. Wells [21], A.J. Gundell [22], Susan Kirshenbaum [23], Shirley Simmons [24], Roy B. Steinberg [25], Clarice Blackburn, Richard Polonetsky [26], Joan D'Inecco, Don Chastain, Louise Shaffer, Art Wallace, Sherrell Hoffman [27], Diana Wenman, Terry Cacavio, Thomas de Villiers

One Life to Live

• Debut: July 15, 1968
• Creators: Agnes Nixon
• Producing Team: Frank Valentini (Executive Producer), Suzanne Flynn, John Tumino, Shelley Honigbaum, Jacqueline Van Belle
• Directing Team: Jill Ackles, Mary Ryan, Larry Carpenter, Danielle Faraldo, Bruce S. Cooperman, Tracy Casper Lang ([28], [29], [30], [31], [32], [33], [34], [35]), Richard Manfredi ([36] [37] [38]), Jill Mitwell, Gary Donatelli, Howie Zeidman [39], Paul Glass, Teresa Anne Cicala, Alan Needleman
• Head Writer: Gary Tomlin; Ron Carlivati
• Creative Consultant: Brian Frons
• Breakdown Writers: Catharina Ledeboer, Chris Van Etten, Anna Cascio, Shelly Altman, Janet Iacobuzio
• Script & Other Writers: Elizabeth Page, Gary Tomlin, Jeanne Marie Ford, Aida Croal, Tamiko Brooks, Veronica Sandbridge, Carolyn Culliton, Michelle Poteet Lisanti, Frances Myers, Sheyne Lee Benoit, Laudine Vallarta, Jamie Lin-Yu, Garrett Greer
• Casting Director: Julie Ann Madison
• Former Crew Members: S. Michael Schnessel, Henry Slesar, David Cherrill, Melvin Bernhardt, Madelyn Davis, Peter Miner [40], Noel Black [41], Matthew T. Gannon, Bobby Hoffman [42], Matthew Hall [43], Lonny Price, Stephen Messer [44], Eugene Price, Gordon Rigsby [45], William M. Hoffman, Al Freeman Jr., David Pressman [46], Ron Lagomarsino [47], Barbara Dodd, Linda Gottlieb [48]

General Hospital

• Debut: April 1, 1963
• Creators: Frank Hursley & Doris Hursley
• Producing Team: Jill Farren Phelps (Executive Producer), Mary O'Leary, Mercer Barrows [49], Michelle Henry, Deborah Genovese
• Directing Team: Matthew Diamond, Danielle Faraldo, Craig McManus, William Ludel, Phideaux Xavier, Scott McKinsey, Owen Renfroe, Penny Pengra, Christine Magarian, Ron Cates [50], Peter Fillmore, Ronald C. Cates, Dave MacLeod
• Head Writer: Garin Wolf; Robert Guza Jr.
• Associate Head Writer/Script Editor: Elizabeth Korte
• Story Consultant: Brian Frons
• Breakdown Writers: Jim Reitzel, Michael Conforti, Heidi Ploen, Sasha Cartullo, Nathan Fissel, David Goldschmid, Meg Bennett
• Script Writers: Susan Wald (playwright) [51], Michele Val Jean, Mary Sue Price, Tracey Thomson, Karen Harris, Elizabeth Korte
• Casting Director: Mark Teschner
• Former Crew Members: John William Corrington [52] (ex-HW), Lewis Arlt, Lynda Myles, Alan Pultz [53] (ex-director), Judith Pinsker [54], Marlena Laird [55], Joseph Behar [56], Stephanie Braxton [57], Norma Monty (ex-HW/sister of Gloria Monty) [58], Frank South [59], Dana Herko [60], Ralph Ellis [61], Shelley Curtis [62], Hope Harmel Smith, Mary Madeiras, Phil Sogard ([63], [64], [65], [66], [67], [68], [69]), Shelly Moore: Wrote for Newhart, Misfits of Science, Beauty And The Beast, Shadowchasers, Hawkeye, DOOL (1985-1989), Dark Shadows (Executive Story Editor: 1991), Sunset Beach (1997) & General Hospital (1998-2004). Since 1984, her writing parnter has been Linda Campanelli. Soap Summit

Longest Running Actors

• Rachel Ames -Audrey Hardy, GH (1964-2007): 43 years
• Peter Hansen -Lee Baldwin, GH (1965-2004): 39 years
• Susan Lucci -Erica Kane, AMC (1970-present): 38 years
• Ray MacDonnell -[Dr. Joe Martin, AMC] (1970-present): 38 years
• Erika Slezak -Victoria Lord Davidson, OLTL (1971-present): 36 years
• Ruth Warrick -[Phoebe Tyler Wallingford, AMC] (1970-2005): 35 years
• John Beradino -Steve Hardy, GH (1963-1996): 33 years
• Eileen Herlie -Myrtle Fargate, AMC (1976, 1977-present): 32 years
• Leslie Charleson -Dr. Monica Quartermaine, GH (1977-present) : 30 years
• Stuart Damon -Dr. Alan Quartermaine, GH (1977-present): 30 years
• Julia Barr -Brooke English, AMC (1976-1981, 1982-2006): 29 years
• Jacklyn Zeman -R.N. Bobbie Spencer, GH (1977-1981, 1982-present): 29 years
• Phil Carey -Asa Buchanan, OLTL (1979-2007): 28 years
• James Mitchell -Palmer Cortlandt, AMC (1979-present): 28 years
• Anna Lee -Lila Quartermaine, GH (1978-2004): 26 years
• Robert S. Woods -Bo Buchanan, OLTL (1979-1986, 1988-present): 26 years
• Mary Fickett -Ruth Martin, AMC (1970-1995): 26 years
• David Canary -Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler, AMC (1983-present): 24 years
• Frances Heflin -Mona Kane, AMC (1970-1994): 24 years
• Michael Storm -Larry Wolek, OLTL (1969-1992): 23 years
• Anthony Geary -Luke Spencer/Bill Eckert, GH (1978-1984, 1991-present): 22 years
• Ann Flood -Nancy Karr, TEON (1962-1984): 22 years
• Shell Kepler -Amy Vining, GH (1979-2001): 22 years
• Emily McLaughlin -Jessie Brewer, GH (1963-1985): 22 years
• Michael E. Knight -Tad Martin, AMC (1982-1986, 1988-1990, 1992-present): 21 years
• Mandel Kramer Bill Marceau, TEON (1959-1979): 20 years
• Walt Willey -Jackson Montgomery, AMC (1987-present): 20 years

Bios

Babbin

Jacqueline Babbin (d. 2001) was an American television/theatre writer, producer, and executive. She entered high school at the age of eleven and Smith College at fifteen. She worked as an assistant to the renowned literary agent Audrey Wood in 1943, and Irene Selznick. She was briefly married to a Warner Bros. executive.

Babbin began her television career in 1954 at David Susskind’s production company Talent Associates, starting out as a script editor. She formed a successful writing partnership with Audrey Gellen. The two women collaborated on several adaptations of stage plays, including Harvey, The Browning Version, Ethan Frome, The Member of The Wedding, Our Town, and Billy Budd.

In 1961, Susskind and Babbin produced a short-lived dramatic anthology, Way Out, which was a series of macabre stories by Roald Dahl. They also continued their collaboration throughout the decade as producers on TV specials, including Hedda Gabler (with Ingrid Bergman and Michael Redgrave), and The Crucible (with George C. Scott, Colleen Dewhurst, and Fritz Weaver).

From 1979 to 1982, Babbin served as Vice President, Novels For Television And Miniseries for ABC Entertainment. In 1982, she was hired by ABC Daytime and Agnes Nixon to be All My Children's Executive Producer. During her tenure there, she hired Elizabeth Taylor and Carol Burnett as guest stars. She left AMC in 1986, began writing novels shortly after, and became the Executive Producer of Loving in 1990.

Novels: Prime Time Corpse, Bloody Soaps

Awards/Nominations: Babbin was nominated for 4 Daytime Emmy Awards.

Wells

Mary K. Wells (b. 19??, d. 2000) was an American television writer and actress. She acted on Return To Peyton Place, The Secret Storm, The Brighter Day, As The World Turns, Here Come The Waves, The Searching Wind, George Abbott's Three Men On A Horse, Any Wednesday (with Sandy Dennis), and Edward Albee's Everything In The Garden, The Edge of Night (as Louise Grimsley Capice; Ray McDonnell played her husband), Big Town (played Lorelei Kilbourne) and Love of Life. She wrote for All My Children from 1973-1993. She was nominated for 14 Daytime Emmys and won twice (1985 & 1988). [70], [71], [72], [73], [74], [75]

Pultz

Alan Pultz [76](b. late 1930s, d. 2001) was an American television director. He worked on General Hospital (1979-2000), Dark Shadows, Return To Peyton Place, The Best of Everything, A Flame In The Wind [77], and ABC's Wide World of Sports.

Awards/Nominations: He was nominated for 10 Daytime Emmys (DE) and a single DGA Award. His first DE nomination was shared with Marlena Laird [78] and Phil Sogard [79]. Directed Luke Spencer Raping Laura Webber

Gottlieb

Linda Gottlieb is an American television and film producer. Her credits include Soldier's Girl, "SoapLine" (a joint production of ABC News and ABC Daytime to bring viewers storyline updates, special features and interviews during breaks in live, pre-emptive coverage of the O. J. Simpson trial), Citizen Cohn, One Life To Live (Executive Producer: 1991-1994), Dirty Dancing, The Electric Grandmother, The Gentleman Bandit, We're Fighting Back, ABC Afterschool Specials, The Mating Season, ABC Weekend Specials, NBC Special Treat, Summer of My German Soldier, The Fur Coat Club, Limbo (starring Kate Jackson), and The Immigrant Experience: The Long Long Journey.

She is close friends with Doro Bachrach. She chose Emile Ardolino to direct Dirty Dancing.

Awards & Nominations: Gottlieb has been nominated for 5 Daytime Emmy Awards and won 3 times for Outstanding Drama Series (1993 & 1994), Outstanding Children's Anthology/Dramatic Programming (1980), Outstanding Children's Entertainment Special (1977 & 1979). She's been nominated for 3 Emmy Awards (1979, 1982 & 1993) and single Independent Spirit Award (1988).

Links: [80], [81], [82], [83], [84], [85], [86], [87], [88], [89], [90], [91], [92], [93], [94], [95], [96], [97], [98], [99], [100]

Past shows on ABC Daytime

Soap operas

• The Young Marrieds
• A Flame in the Wind
• Never Too Young
• The Nurses
• Dark Shadows
• A World Apart
• The Best of Everything
• Ryan's Hope
• The Edge of Night
• Loving
• The City
• Port Charles

Game shows

• All-Star Blitz
• Pyramid
• The Dating Game
• Family Feud
• Let's Make a Deal
• The Newlywed Game
• Password
• The Price Is Right
• Split Second
• Supermarket Sweep
• Trivia Trap
• Match Game

Ratings history

Main article: List of US daytime soap opera ratings

Latest ratings

Week of February 25-29, 2008: 1. Y&R 5,788,000 (-67,000/same) 2. B&B 4,161,000 (+55,000/+160,000) 3. ATWT 3,334,000 (-8,000/+191,000) 4. GH 3,015,000 (-46,000/-712,000) 5. DOOL 2,899,000 (-316,000/-30,000) 6. GL 2,742,000 (-66,000/-152,000) 7. OLTL 2,594,000 (-234,000/-617,000) 8. AMC 2,588,000 (-308,000/-779,000)

• AMC

Monday: 2,590,000 Tuesday: 2,714,000 Wednesday: 2,687,000 Thursday: 2,552,000 Friday: 2,396,000

• GH

Monday: 3,085,000 Tuesday: 3,022,000 Wednesday: 3,034,000 Thursday: 2,779,000 Friday: 3,157,000

• OLTL

Monday: 2,651,000 Tuesday: 2,659,000 Wednesday: 2,658,000 Thursday: 2,421,000 Friday: 2,578,000

External links

• ABC Daytime
• Disney•ABC-TV Group Talent Development