"Audiences are generally reluctant to get hooked on a new soap and it takes time to build the confidence," John Conboy who produced the TV drama 'Capitol', set in Washington D.C. said in 1983. John believed a 2-year period would be an ideal testing time for any new soap opera. In 1974, Caroline McWilliams could be seen playing Janet Norris on 'The Guiding Light'. She theorized, "People don't look at soap operas because their own lives are dull. They watch because in soaps we express emotions they won't allow themselves to have – love, deep feelings. Fewer and fewer actors put down the soaps. There's now (in 1974) a respect for our ability to make a script come alive. And it's great training. Daily we do 25 pages of dialog. Like any other muscle, our acting strengthens with constant use. I never wing it. There's too much time pressure not to be certain. And as a courtesy to the other actors, you have to know your lines to throw the cues."
Don Diamont played Carlo Forenza on 'Days of our Lives' then Brad Carlton on 'The Young and The Restless' made the comment in 1992, "Daytime is in the unique position of being in people's dens all year-round, every day. You, in effect, build a relationship with them. It allows you to stay home, to be in one place. For young actors, it's a good place to learn, get your feet wet and really grow as an actor. I've met people in real life that are crazier than the craziest people on soaps."
Jack Coleman played Jake Kositcheck on 'Days of our Lives' pointed out in 1985, "The prejudice against doing a soap has broken down a lot. I don't think anyone is exactly scouring the soaps for talent, but I think the casting people now realize that just because you're doing a soap doesn't mean you can't act."
Soap writer Lynda Hirsch made the observation in 1981, "Men won't admit to watching soaps. I have a friend who's a gynecologist. He and his wife love 'General Hospital', with all its medical inaccuracies...If I want good plots and interesting characterization, give me daytime TV." Lynda argued in one week on 'All My Children' at the time, "'Dallas' didn't do that in 13 weeks."
It was said, "A soap opera is constantly changing." Meredith Brown of Soap Opera Digest elaborated in 1987, "As daytime soap opera storyline reflect contemporary lifestyles, sets have moved from the kitchen – 4 walls and a coffee pot – to more glamorous and realistic settings."
In Australia, Rowena Wallace's performance made her character Patricia on the TV series, 'Sons and Daughters' (1982-87) a household name. She mentioned in 1983, "People stop me in the street and say how much they enjoy it and then: 'but you're such a bitch, aren't you?'" When Rowena's character was written out of the show, Bevan Lee who was the executive story editor on the program made known, "We're going to keep the audience guessing. Her life will be in jeopardy for some time. It will be better than the 'Perils of Pauline'. She's such a bitch, we want mayhem around her departure." Rowena remarked in 1989, "Acting is fine, it's all the stuff that goes with it that can be dangerous. When the trappings of success start to disappear, you feel that it's you yourself that's disappearing." Gail Lanham-Brigden was in charge of wardrobe disclosed in 1982, "We saw Patricia Hamilton as an upper North Shore or Double Bay lady, while Beryl Palmer is what we'd call in Sydney Mrs Western Suburbs."
Pam Long was the head writer on 'Guiding Light' made the point in 1989, "I never say, 'This is going to be a ha-ha (comedy) day'. But if we see that a day is one of heavy, heavy emotion, where you know you've got scenes that will make viewers cry, we say, 'What can we do across town to make things lighter?'" Agnes Nixon of 'All My Children' observed, "Nowadays (in 1989), we even dare to end an act with humor, which we wouldn't have done 20 years ago (in 1965), because it doesn't have 'stay-tuned' suspense. But if Palmer Courtland (on 'All My Children') suddenly gets his comeuppance, and it's at the end of an act and it's humorous, we do it. Humor makes a show 3-dimensional and gives characters more appeal." Jill Farren Phelps was the executive producer of 'Santa Barbara' at the time added, "I don't know that we set out to be funny, but I think we just all are, across the board – writers, producers and actors. I don't revere the art form of soap opera, so I'm not afraid to be different, to take chances."
