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William Christopher

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129-767: William Christopher (October 20, 1932 – December 31, 2016) was an American actor and comedian, best known for playing Private Lester Hummel on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. from 1965 to 1968 and Father Francis John Patrick Mulcahy on the television series M*A*S*H from 1972 to 1983 and its spinoff AfterMASH from 1983 to 1985. Christopher was born in Evanston, Illinois , in a family believed to be descendants of Paul Revere . He spent his youth in several of Chicago's northern suburbs, including Winnetka, Illinois, where he attended New Trier High School . Christopher graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, with

258-520: A Bachelor of Arts in drama, focusing on Greek literature . While at university, he participated in fencing, soccer, and the glee club, and was initiated as a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Christopher moved to New York and appeared in a variety of regional productions and later a number of off-Broadway productions such as The Hostage at One Sheridan Square. His Broadway debut came in Beyond

387-547: A SORASed Sami Brady , played by Alison Sweeney ; Lucas Roberts played by Bryan Dattilo ; Austin Reed portrayed by Patrick Muldoon and later, Austin Peck ; Abe Carver 's younger brother Jonah Carver, played by Thyme Lewis; Jamie Caldwell , played by Miriam Parish; and Wendy Reardon played by Tammy Townsend . These additions were to appeal to younger viewers. By 1997, the romantic dilemmas of Carrie, Austin, Mike, and Sami, and

516-485: A gunnery sergeant from Kansas, is Gomer's irritable, abrasive, and socially inept drill instructor (later his platoon sergeant) who is constantly annoyed by Gomer's well-intentioned mistakes. Carter disdains Gomer's country idiosyncrasies ("golly!" "Shazam!" "surprise, surprise, surprise!"). He is also put off by Gomer's expectation that the platoon should be a family, of which Carter is the father figure: As much as Carter wants their working relationship to be temporary, as

645-557: A "uniquely American archetype "—a "large, powerful man physically" with the "simple, honest nature of a child or animal". She also noted that, like stories with characters of such an archetype, Gomer's trusting nature was often taken advantage of, though in the end he "reaps happiness" because of his innocence. In his book Watching M*A*S*H , Watching America , media and communications scholar James Wittebols said that Gomer Pyle illustrated how class differences "supposedly negated or diminished by military training" made themselves apparent in

774-406: A Drama Series. The year 2000 saw the departures of cast members Louise Sorel as Vivian Alamain and Jensen Ackles as Eric Brady . Ken Corday and NBC announced plans to re-introduce a SORAS Brady Black , immediately following the conclusion of Eric's storyline. That spring, Kyle Lowder was cast as the new Brady Black, who would now be aged to his early 20s, first appearing on August 21, 2000,

903-773: A blind date. They married in 1957 and the couple adopted two sons. The two appeared together in the M*A*S*H season 4 episode "Dear Mildred", where they sang the song "All Dressed Up and No Place to Go" in a duet. Christopher died at his home in Pasadena, California , on December 31, 2016. According to his son John Christopher, the 84-year-old actor died as the result of non-small-cell carcinoma (lung cancer). He had been diagnosed with cancer about 18 months earlier, according to his New York-based agent Robert Malcolm. He died exactly one year after fellow M*A*S*H cast member Wayne Rogers . Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

1032-444: A derogatory term during boot camp, after incurring the drill instructor's wrath for being unable to turn off his idiot's grin and his perceived incompetence. A brief clip of the show airing on American Forces Vietnam Network television appears during the military hospital scene in the 1994 film Forrest Gump . In the scene, Gump is scolded for watching the show by a fellow soldier who calls it "stupid shit". E. Kitzes Knox wrote

1161-512: A distraction from the social changes of the 1960s . Despite being a military-themed show and airing during the peak of the Vietnam War , the show never discussed the war. Instead, the show was founded on "Gomer's innocent simplicity [and] Sergeant Carter's frustration and later concern for Gomer's well-being." This, compounded with the popularity of rural comedies in the 1960s, made the show popular. Frank Sutton, who played Carter, ascribed

1290-468: A month following Eric's exit. Brady was romantically linked to the character of Chloe Lane . The pair married and left town in 2005, when Lowder's contract was not renewed. 2003–2004's "Salem Stalker" & "Melaswen" storylines, saw several characters purportedly die at the hands of a masked psychopath; they are later revealed to have been kidnapped to the secret island of Melaswen ( New Salem spelled backward). 2007's "Bradys and DiMeras: The Reveal", told

1419-498: A monthly subscription or on a discounted pay-per-episode basis). In June 2007, episodes of the series began to be offered via iTunes . Under an agreement reached with Sony Pictures Television in March 2004, cable network Soapnet began airing same-day rebroadcasts of Days of Our Lives each weeknight at 7:00 and 11:00 p.m. (later 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. towa) Eastern and Pacific Time (with classic episodes sometimes filling

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1548-402: A more favorable license fee from CBS for its carriage of The Young and The Restless (even as Corday's share of distribution revenues decreased by over 50% in recent years). Corday also alleged that Sony Pictures executives have expressed indifference to Days of Our Lives , claiming that Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra said the soap is no longer a priority for the company and

1677-1399: A novel based on the series, also titled Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. The paperback was published by Pyramid and released in 1966. Jim Nabors recorded Shazam! , which is not a soundtrack of the show but features Jim singing novelty songs in his "Gomer" voice, and released it on the Columbia Records label. A board game was released in 1964 by Transogram . A trading card set was published by Fleer in 1965. CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment ) has released all five seasons of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. on DVD in Region 1 . All episodes have been fully restored and digitally remastered in full-color, but due to clearance issues, some episodes that feature Nabors (and other cast members) singing have been edited to remove those performances. On March 10, 2015, CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount) released Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.- The Complete series on DVD in Region 1. In Region 4, Shock Entertainment has released all five seasons on DVD in Australia. November 4, 2015 (Repackaged) Days of Our Lives Days of Our Lives (also stylized as Days of our Lives ; simply referred to as Days or DOOL )

1806-587: A part of Chrysler until the AMC buyout that occurred in 1987. Nabors and Sutton were the only actors credited in every episode (however, Sutton did not appear in every episode). Ronnie Schell (who played Duke Slater) left after the third season to star in Good Morning World , though he returned for the fifth season, promoted to corporal, after graduating from non-commissioned officer training. Roy Stuart , who played Corporal Chuck Boyle, made his debut in

1935-565: A percentage decline." Days of Our Lives had finished the 2008–2009 television season with a substantial increase in viewers (3.0 million vs. 2.8 million) and had risen to the No. 3 spot behind The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful , respectively. It was the No. 2 daytime program behind The Young and the Restless in the much-coveted 18–49 demographic. During

2064-546: A plowboy stepping through a field of cow dung. He is a walking disaster area." Though never promoted beyond private first class during the show's run, Jim Nabors (who played Gomer) was given an honorary promotion to lance corporal in 2001, to corporal in 2007, and then to sergeant in 2013 by the Marines. Gomer: I'm gonna be a fighting fool, you'll see. Sergeant Carter: Well, you're halfway there. "The Feudin' Pyles" Vince Carter (played by Frank Sutton ),

2193-502: A short time and were featured heavily in a tribute to Alice Horton. Guest cast members have included Elizabeth Alley . In late 2012, the show reintroduced Eileen Davidson in the role of Kristen Blake DiMera – one of six characters Davidson played during her original 1993–98 run on the show – after a fourteen-year absence. In mid-2013, the show debuted new characters such as JJ Deveraux ( Casey Moss ) and Theresa Donovan ( Jen Lilley ) to appeal to younger viewers. In celebration of

2322-437: A statement to cast and crew, Ken Corday announced Janet Drucker's promotion to co-executive producer. As a result of the investigation, Ken also announced additional HR protocols would be implemented, as well as "increased HR presence" while maintaining it was "imperative that we have a safe and inclusive workplace environment". In February 2024, it was announced Arianne Zucker —recognized for her portrayal of Nicole Walker on

2451-504: Is "hanging by a thread." Representatives for Sony described the claims made in the suit as "meritless." On November 12, 2019, TVLine reported that the entire cast was released from their contracts, in preparation for a previously planned production hiatus. Per reports, pending renewal, production will resume by March 2020. In a separate report, published by People , the shut down was known to cast and crew, for "scheduling reasons". Ten days later, Deadline Hollywood announced that

2580-453: Is Gomer's girlfriend. She debuts in the third season as a singer for a nightclub, but leaves the job at Gomer's urging to return home to Turtle Creek, North Carolina, and marry her beau Monroe Efford. In a later episode in the same season, she returns to California and reveals that she called the wedding off. At the end of the episode, she reveals that she wants Gomer to be her boyfriend, to the dismay of Carter and Duke. After she loses her job at

2709-410: Is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spin-off of The Andy Griffith Show , and the pilot episode was aired as the season finale of the fourth season of its parent series on May 18, 1964. The show ran for a total of 150 half-hour episodes spanning over five seasons, in black-and-white for the first season, and then in color for

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2838-580: Is an American television soap opera that aired on the network NBC from 1965 to 2022 and currently streams new episodes on Peacock . The soap is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965. A co-production of Corday Productions and Sony Pictures Television , the series was created by husband-and-wife team Ted Corday and Betty Corday . During Days of Our Lives ' early years, Irna Phillips (creator of former NBC stablemate Another World as well as its former CBS rivals, As

2967-417: Is common in the military, Gomer expects a life-long friendship, which exasperates Carter. Due to the audience's demand for more family-oriented programming, he eventually revealed his softer side: Carter became a father figure to Gomer as well as his best friend. Sutton stated that his character was created " out of whole cloth for the show" and, as the actor played him "by ear," Carter greatly changed during

3096-653: The 1984 Summer Olympics ); and " The Cruise of Deception " in 1990, when madman Ernesto Toscano invites all his enemies aboard a ship, the S.S. Loretta, and holds them captive. In 1992, the show was retooled with additions such as refurbished sets, the debut of the Brady Pub, the addition of new characters such as Vivian Alamain , Lisanne Gardner , Billie Reed , and Kate Roberts . Later that same year, Days of Our Lives introduced its highly popular teen scene with new characters such as Carrie Brady , played by Tracy Middendorf , and then back to Christie Clark again;

3225-530: The Gomer Pyle episode "The Price of Tomatoes." Allan Melvin, who had played Clarence "Doc" Malloy and other antagonists on The Andy Griffith Show , played Sergeant Carter's rival, Staff Sergeant Hacker, for four seasons. Nabors also carried the Gomer Pyle character to fellow CBS series The Lucy Show , in which he made a cameo appearance in a 1966 episode. Nabors always said he had a hard time watching

3354-595: The Will Horton paternity issue and custody battle storylines had become a focal point of the series. The shocking and ratings-grabbing 1993 plot when Vivian Alamain buried Dr. Carly Manning alive (the first controversial storyline from head writer Reilly); and the 1994–1995 storyline in which the town's Christmas tree burns down and Marlena becomes possessed in Exorcist fashion. From 1993 to 1998, actress Eileen Davidson portrayed several characters from

3483-464: The sketch comedy series SCTV (as "The Days of the Week") and the sitcom Friends , with some cast members making crossover appearances on the show, including Kristian Alfonso , Roark Critchlow , Matthew Ashford , Kyle Lowder and Alison Sweeney . The show has had high-profile fans such as actress Julia Roberts and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall . The Cordays and Bell combined

3612-552: The "hospital soap" idea with the tradition of centering a series on a family, by making the show about a family of doctors, including one who worked in a mental hospital. Storylines in the show follow the lives of middle- and upper-class professionals in Salem, a middle-America town, with the usual threads of love, marriage, divorce, and family life, plus the medical storylines and character studies of individuals with psychological problems. Former executive producer Al Rabin took pride in

3741-427: The 1980s, only to decline again by 1990, eventually falling back into eighth place. As Another World underwent its final ratings slump during the second half of the 1990s, many affiliates swapped the time slots of Another World and Days of Our Lives , which usually aired an hour earlier. While individual NBC affiliates had the right to air any show whenever they wished, most of the affiliates (almost all of them, in

3870-596: The 20-year tragic love triangle when John Black has an affair with Marlena Brady , who is married to Roman ; the 1982 "Salem Strangler" ( Jake Kositchek , who was nicknamed "Jake the Ripper") who stalks and murders women; the 1984 Gone with the Wind story line in which Hope Williams Brady and Bo Brady hide out on a Southern plantation and dress up as Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler (devised to keep viewers tuned in while rival network ABC's soaps were preempted due to

3999-522: The Brady and DiMera families were introduced, and their rivalry quickly cemented their places as core families in Salem beside the Hortons. Around the same time, with the help of head writers Sheri Anderson , Thom Racina , and Leah Laiman , action/adventure story lines and supercouples such as Bo and Hope , Shane and Kimberly, and Patch and Kayla reinvigorated the show, previously focused primarily on

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4128-492: The Emmy for Best Younger Actor", and Tamara Braun (Ava Vitali) won for Best Supporting Actress, the show's first acting victories in over 21 and 23 years, respectively As with all other network programming, Days of Our Lives ' ratings have declined somewhat since the 1990s. In January 2007 it was suggested by NBC that the show "is unlikely to continue [on NBC] past 2009." In November 2008, in an eleventh-hour decision, it

4257-554: The Fringe , a British revue, acting alongside Peter Cook and Dudley Moore . Christopher left New York City for Hollywood to attempt to gain work in television where he guest-starred in several well-known series, including The Andy Griffith Show , Death Valley Days , The Patty Duke Show and The Men from Shiloh . He made several appearances (each time as a different character) on Hogan's Heroes , and had recurring roles on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and That Girl . Christopher

4386-564: The Marines felt that the show would be good for the branch's image, Gomer Pyle was given "total cooperation," meaning that the show was allowed unlimited access to military equipment. The vehicles in the show were provided by the Chrysler Corporation , as opposed to the parent series' vehicles that came from the Ford Motor Company . Although Jeeps are also prominent in the show, the brand itself would not become

4515-469: The Restless , for rival network CBS. He continued with the show as a storyline consultant until 1978. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, many changes to the head writer position occurred. In the early 1980s, Margaret DePriest helped stabilize the show with her serial killer storyline. Later head writers, such as Sheri Anderson , Thom Racina , and Leah Laiman , built on that stability and crafted storylines of their own, temporarily helping to bringing up

4644-613: The West , With Six You Get Eggroll , and Hearts of the West . He had parts in telefilms including The Movie Maker , The Perils of Pauline , and For the Love of It . The comedy film With Six You Get Eggroll is notable for fans of M*A*S*H because Jamie Farr and Christopher appear in it together, both playing hippies, five years before they co-starred in the series. After gaining attention for M*A*S*H , Christopher appeared in various other television series, including Good Times (as

4773-522: The World Turns and Guiding Light ) served as a story editor for the program and many of the show's earliest storylines were written by William J. Bell , who would depart the series in 1975 to focus full-time on The Young and the Restless , which he created for CBS in 1973. Following the 2007 cancellation of Passions , Days of Our Lives remained the only soap opera airing on NBC. On August 3, 2022, NBCUniversal announced that it would relocate

4902-463: The World Turns and remained with Days until February 2011. On May 18, 2011, Dena Higley was fired, and replaced as head writer with Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas Jr. (who had previously worked alongside James E. Reilly as script writers on Passions ). On April 4, 2012, it was confirmed that McPherson and Thomas were fired as co-head writers, and would be replaced by Whitesell and former Days script writer Gary Tomlin . Two days later, it

5031-452: The article cited a "significant number of women who have left the show over the past couple of years including actresses who played major characters", while male actors were "bullied" on the set. Alarr was also quoted as saying "You're fucking horny, man, you just want to fuck her" during the filming of intimate scenes. The investigation also "examined an incident" in which Alarr was said to have "forcefully grabbed and kissed" one female actor on

5160-488: The budget, the latter of which is financed by NBC) to absorb budgetary production deficits, had provided them with inaccurate accounting, had failed to offer the show for distribution in certain foreign markets (including the United Kingdom and France) and had failed to pay profits within the eight-figure range as well as to negotiate a license fee with NBC that incurs a "reasonable profit" for Corday, while negotiating

5289-497: The cable channel and operated it as a joint venture with Lionsgate at the time.) Pop dropped Days of Our Lives from its lineup after the April 15, 2016, broadcast. NBC began making same-day episodes of Days available for streaming on the show's NBC.com subpage on August 10, 2009. The ten most recent episodes are available for viewing, with each episode being streamable for 16 days after their original airdate. Recent episodes of

William Christopher - Misplaced Pages Continue

5418-611: The cancellation of Another World ). Throughout the 2000s (decade), Days of Our Lives and all the other remaining network daytime serials (four are left as of 2021) have witnessed a steady erosion of viewers, mainly due to vastly altered viewing habits induced by cable networks and alternative genres such as reality and talk shows on minor network affiliates. On January 17, 2007, NBC Universal Television president Jeff Zucker remarked that Days of Our Lives would most likely not "continue past 2009." This contributed to an immediate ratings decline for Days of Our Lives . The show, which

5547-463: The change took effect on February 16, 2015. In August 2015, reports stated that Higley would be taking a leave of absence from the show. In her place, Sony would be sending a writer from The Young and the Restless – later revealed to be former head writer Beth Milstein – to help Griffith with the transition. In February 2016, several days after the show was renewed for a 52nd season, Soap Opera Digest exclusively reported that Griffith had departed

5676-422: The characters' passion, saying that the characters were not shy about "sharing what's in their gut." Critics originally praised the show for its non-reliance on nostalgia (in contrast to shows such as As the World Turns ) and its portrayal of "real American contemporary families." By the 1970s, critics deemed Days of Our Lives to be the most daring daytime drama, leading the way in using themes other shows of

5805-482: The creation of the character Gomer Pyle The 1960s saw a return to "the more mundane sensibilities of comedy," due to viewers' wishes for television programming to be a "cultural antidepressant." Thus, fantasy- and rurally-oriented comedies gained popularity and dominated the Nielsen ratings . Like other comedies at the time, Gomer Pyle was a "deep escapist " show; it avoided political commentary and offered viewers

5934-655: The dead"—for the third time—actor Matthew Ashford responded, "It is hard to play that because at a certain point it becomes too unreal...actors look at that and think, 'What is this — the Cartoon Network ' ?" (Ironically, Jack – with Ashford in the role – would be killed off for a fourth time in an explosion-related elevator failure in August 2012, only to be brought from the dead once more in December 2018.) In addition to receiving critical acclaim in print journalism,

6063-584: The domestic troubles of the Hortons. Since the 1990s, with the introduction of writer James E. Reilly , Days of Our Lives has moved from traditional plots to some supernatural and science-fiction-themed stories, in conjunction with the rivalry of good vs. evil, in a Hatfield/McCoy feud style the Bradys versus the DiMeras. Under the tenure of Reilly, ratings rose to number two, and stayed there until he left in 1999 to start his own creation of Passions . Despite

6192-404: The earlier days of television) aired the show when the feed was transmitted from the network. In the mid-1990s, however, the show experienced a resurgence in popularity, and the show reached number two in the ratings, where it remained for several years before experiencing another ratings decline beginning in 1999, the year that Days of Our Lives became NBC's longest-running daytime program (upon

6321-454: The entire NBC soap lineup had been experiencing trouble maintaining ratings traction against its competitors on CBS and ABC. In fact, by 1982, all of its shows were rated above only one ABC soap ( The Edge of Night ) and below all four CBS soaps. The "supercouple" era of the 1980s, however, helped bring about a ratings revival, and the 1983–84 season saw Days of Our Lives experience a surge in ratings. It held onto its strong numbers for most of

6450-423: The final season as the corporal of Gomer's platoon. Chuck Boyle (played by Roy Stuart ) is Gomer's corporal. He often serves as Carter's conscience and sticks up for Gomer when Sergeant Carter is annoyed over his mistakes. Stuart debuted in the second season and left the show after the fourth season; Boyle was replaced by Duke Slater as corporal for the final season. Lou-Ann Poovie (played by Elizabeth MacRae )

6579-522: The first few months of the 2009–2010 season, Days of Our Lives increased its average household rating to 2.4, and averaged consistently over 3,000,000 viewers. It was only one point behind the No. 2 daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful, and beat that soap on several days during the season. In 2010, Days of Our Lives continued to increase viewership, reaching as high as 3.6 million viewers on several days. A substantial increase in viewership such as Days of Our Lives had during that time also bucked

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6708-416: The first four seasons, before John Rich took over the role for the fifth season; other directors included Gary Nelson, Peter Baldwin, and Alan Rafkin. Ruth Burch was in charge of the casting, and John Finger directed the cinematography. The theme song was composed by Earle Hagen , who also composed the themes for shows such as The Andy Griffith Show , The Dick Van Dyke Show , and That Girl . The show

6837-430: The first season. Barbara Stuart played his girlfriend "Miss Bunny" for three seasons. Mark Slade appeared in eight episodes in 1964 in the role of "Eddie" though in the first of those appearances he was billed as "Private Swanson." Duke Slater (played by Ronnie Schell ) is Gomer's friend and platoon-mate. Schell left the show in the fourth season to star in the short-lived show Good Morning, World but returned in

6966-471: The friendship of women; meanwhile, in so far as Carter's abrasiveness repels women, Gomer is in the position of salvaging numerous social occasions by charming the women whose opinions are important to officers at the Marine base. Gomer was created as a stereotype of a rural American; according to Time , he "wears a gee-whiz expression, spouts homilies out of a lopsided mouth and lopes around uncertainly like

7095-402: The full-time, day-to-day running of the show. Ken Corday continues helming the show to this day, and as of August 2023, splits show-running duties with Drucker as co-executive producer. The first long-term head writer, William J. Bell , started writing for Days of Our Lives in 1966 and continued with the show until 1975, two years after he had created his own successful soap, The Young and

7224-453: The introduction of new head writer Hogan Sheffer in 2006, ratings failed to revive, which led the show's producers to hire a few past fan favorites to stop the ratings hemorrhage. In addition to the love triangles of Bill/Laura/Mickey and Addie/Doug/Julie, other memorable storylines include the 1968 story of amnesiac Tom Horton Jr. , who returns from Korea believing he is someone else and then proceeds to romance his younger sister Marie ;

7353-531: The ladder, either up or down." After Gomer Pyle left the air, Jim Nabors hosted his own variety show, The Jim Nabors Hour , from 1969 to 1971. As well as showcasing Nabors' singing and rich baritone voice, the show included comedy sketches that featured Nabors's Gomer Pyle co-stars Frank Sutton and Ronnie Schell. Though told that he should not leave Gomer Pyle , Nabors felt that the show would still be exciting and noted that every character he portrayed in his sketches "turn[ed] out to be Gomer." The show

7482-680: The main characters were "accessible" and "engaging," and the supporting characters were often eccentric. In the show's pilot episode, Gomer, a gas-station attendant from Mayberry , joins the Marines . Gomer's naïveté immediately exasperates his drill instructor , Gunnery Sergeant Carter ( Frank Sutton ). Originally situated in Camp Wilson in North Carolina, the setting was moved to the fictional Camp Henderson in California. The show

7611-522: The matriarch of the Horton family, Alice Horton ), remained with the show from its inception until her death in 2010; her last, formal appearance had occurred in December 2007. Suzanne Rogers is the longest-serving member of the program's current cast, and the longest-serving current cast member of an ongoing American soap opera, having appeared on the show since August 1973 (Rogers celebrated 50 years on Days of Our Lives in 2023). Susan Seaforth Hayes –

7740-514: The military doctor examining J.J. Evans ) and Murder, She Wrote , and made multiple guest appearances on The Love Boat . In 1998, he guest-starred as a priest in an episode of Mad About You . He also remained active in the theater, including a tour of the United States in the mid-1990s with Farr, performing Neil Simon 's The Odd Couple on stage. In 2008–2009, he toured with Church Basement Ladies . One of Christopher's last roles

7869-454: The military world. Gomer's personality might best be summed up by the words "Aw, shucks." The Andy Griffith Show Book Gomer Pyle (played by Jim Nabors ), from Mayberry , North Carolina, is a good-natured and innocent private whose naïveté constantly annoys his drill instructor, Sergeant Carter. Eventually, however, his "unquestioning love and trust of the world" lead those in his platoon to befriend him. His good nature attracts

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7998-456: The nightclub, Gomer finds her a job as a salesclerk at a record shop. In the song " Nobody Home " from Pink Floyd 's 1979 album The Wall , an audio clip of Pyle saying his signature line "Surprise, surprise, surprise!" can be heard. The audio clip, however, is not present in the 1982 film . In Stanley Kubrick 's 1987 film Full Metal Jacket , the nickname "Gomer Pyle" is given to Private Leonard Lawrence (played by Vincent D'Onofrio ) as

8127-439: The option of an additional year. In January 2017, while discussing the potential of renewal for the soap, NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt stated: "We don't make a decision for another couple months. [...] But I don't think it's over yet." In February 2017, NBC officially renewed Days of Our Lives for an additional year. Jennifer Salke, President of NBC Entertainment, said in a statement: "We feel so privileged to be able to continue

8256-404: The period would not dare touch, such as artificial insemination and interracial romance . The January 12, 1976, cover of Time magazine featured Days of Our Lives ' Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes , the only daytime actors ever to appear on its cover. The Hayeses themselves were a couple whose on-screen and real-life romance (they met on the series in 1970 and married in 1974)

8385-489: The presence of Linda Patterson (originally Margaret Mason for many years, later Elaine Princi ) who claimed that her daughter Melissa had been fathered by Mickey. When Mickey married the lovely Maggie Simmons ( Suzanne Rogers ), Linda became even more involved in the story line as the show's main villainess, marrying the wealthy Bob Anderson ( Mark Tapscott ) and taking over the running of Anderson Manufacturing when he became ill. The story line involving Mickey, Laura and Bill

8514-544: The program's ratings. Many head writer changes occurred after Laiman left the series in 1989 and the role would not become stable again until James E. Reilly joined the show in that role in 1993. His tenure, which lasted for four-and-a-half years and featured several supernatural-themed plotlines (which would later become the centerpiece of fellow NBC soap Passions , when the Reilly-created series debuted in July 1999),

8643-411: The rape of Mickey Horton 's wife Laura by Mickey's brother Bill . Laura confides in her father-in-law Dr. Tom, and the two agree that her husband Mickey should never know. The secret, involving the true parentage of Michael Horton (a product of the rape) and Mickey's subsequent health issues as a result of the revelation, spanned episodes from 1968 to 1975. This plot line was made even more complex with

8772-519: The reboot. These included Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford), Carrie Brady (Christie Clark), and Austin Reed (Patrick Muldoon). All three, including actress Sarah Brown, were fired from the show to lower production costs. The reboot was met with mixed reviews from critics. Head writers hired to handle the reboot, Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas Junior were subsequently fired due to declining ratings. Chris Whitesell and former Days executive producer Gary Tomlin were rehired after being fired as part of

8901-414: The recurring role of Gunnery Sergeant Carter's rival, Staff Sergeant Charley Hacker. Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell , writers for The Andy Griffith Show , are credited with creating the character of Gomer Pyle. The character was based on an "incompetent" gas station attendant whom Greenbaum met and named after Gomer Cool (a writer) and Denver Pyle (an actor on The Andy Griffith Show ). Jim Nabors

9030-570: The remaining four seasons. In 2006, CBS Home Entertainment (distributed by Paramount ) began releasing the series on DVD. The final season was released in November 2008. Like its parent series, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was also a major ratings hit, never placing lower than tenth in the Nielsen ratings , and ended its run as the second-highest-rated series in the United States (only behind Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In ). It has enjoyed continued popularity through reruns and DVD releases. The series

9159-545: The remarkable legacy of Days of our Lives . [...] We thank [exec producer] Ken Corday and his team for their incredible accomplishments and look forward to all the stories from Salem that will continue to unfold." In March 2018, NBC announced their decision to renew Days of Our Lives through fall 2019. In January 2019, NBC renewed the serial through September 2020. In a statement, NBC Entertainment said: "With writing that manages to weave together Salem's iconic characters with current realities, Ken Corday and his team have ushered

9288-500: The rights to the game show Let's Make a Deal to ABC, and in its wake, eight different shows were placed into the slot ( Hidden Faces , You're Putting Me On , Life with Linkletter , Words & Music , Memory Game , Three on a Match , Jeopardy! , and How to Survive a Marriage ) to little to no success. However, this first golden period for NBC's daytime lineup proved to be short-lived, as viewership for Days of Our Lives began to decline in 1977. Much of this dropoff

9417-513: The role of Father Mulcahy in the television series M*A*S*H when the actor who was first cast in the role, George Morgan, was replaced after a single appearance in the pilot episode. Immediately following M*A*S*H , Christopher continued the role for the two seasons of the short-lived spin-off AfterMASH . In feature films, Christopher performed in The Fortune Cookie , The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell , The Shakiest Gun in

9546-642: The role of Nicole in January 2024. On August 8, 2024, a Los Angeles County judge ruled in Zucker's favor, allowing her to "move ahead with the disputed portion of her complaint that's seeking a formal order" which would bar Alarr "from harassing behavior in any future workplace." In November 2024, it was announced the soap had been renewed through its 61st season, assuring its continuation through 2026. Days of Our Lives will celebrate its 15,000th episode on December 2, 2024. When Days of Our Lives premiered in 1965,

9675-583: The same family in the series. Her main character, the villainous Kristen DiMera , suffers a miscarriage in secret, and in a panic to keep her love John Black away from Marlena, Kristen pretends to still be pregnant with John's child. Stefano hires a doppelganger , Susan Banks , to conceive and bear a child for her (which resulted in the birth of EJ DiMera ). Eileen Davidson portrayed the entire Banks family clan, four in total (including one male), as well as her main character. Davidson received her first Daytime Emmy nomination in 1997 for Outstanding Lead Actress in

9804-449: The second longest-serving actor currently on the program – is the only cast member to appear on Days of Our Lives in all seven decades it has been on the air, having made her first appearance in December 1968 as a recast of original character Julie Olson . Due to the series' success, daily episodes were expanded from 30 minutes to 60 minutes on April 21, 1975. Days of Our Lives has been syndicated in many countries, internationally, in

9933-493: The second season and left after the fourth. Andy Griffith , Frances Bavier , Ron Howard , and George Lindsey made guest appearances on the series reprising their respective roles from The Andy Griffith Show . Denver Pyle and Allan Melvin , who both had roles on The Andy Griffith Show , appeared in Gomer Pyle , but did not reprise their original roles. Denver Pyle, who had played Briscoe Darling in six episodes of The Andy Griffith Show , played tomato farmer Titus Purcell in

10062-571: The series exclusively to its Peacock streaming service beginning September 12 after 57 years on the network and leaving NBC as the only Big Three network without a daytime serial. The series is set in Illinois , in the fictional city of Salem, and primarily focuses on two groups – the Brady and the Horton families. Other families, however, are also frequently represented including the DiMera and Kiriakis families. The actress Frances Reid (who played

10191-763: The series has won many awards, including a Daytime Emmy for Best Drama in 1978 and 2013 and a Writers Guild of America, East Award for Best Drama in 2000 and 2013. Days of Our Lives actors have also won awards: Macdonald Carey (Dr. Tom Horton ) won Best Actor in 1974 and 1975. Susan Flannery ( Laura Horton ) and Eileen Davidson ( Kristen DiMera ) won Best Actress in 1975 and 2014, respectively. Suzanne Rogers ( Maggie Horton ), Leann Hunley ( Anna DiMera ), and Tamara Braun ( Ava Vitali ) won Best Supporting Actress for, respectively, 1979, 1986, and 2009 and Billy Warlock ( Frankie Brady ) won Best Younger Actor for 1988. In 2009, Darin Brooks ( Max Brady ) took home

10320-464: The series were also available on Hulu from 2008 until August 2015, when the streaming service abruptly removed Days from its NBC program offerings, leaving General Hospital as the only remaining American daytime soap among Hulu's offerings. For its first three years on the air, Days of Our Lives was near the bottom of the Nielsen ratings, and at high risk of cancellation. However, its ascent to

10449-460: The set without warning or consent. Following a nine-week investigation, Alarr was given written warning and remained in his position. Following the report, several cast members – both past and present – spoke out in support of the report, including Lisa Rinna , who cited the work environment as "disgusting" when she filmed the first chapter of the spin-off series, Beyond Salem in 2021. Three days later, Deadline Hollywood reported production of

10578-544: The show ahead to the same 1:00 p.m./12 Noon timeslot. In exchange to its affiliates for taking away the old half-hour access slot at 1:00/Noon, NBC gave them the 4:00 p.m./3:00 slot, the offerings of which many (if not most) of the network's stations had been preempting for years anyway. By 1986, ABC and CBS followed suit, under the intense pressure of lucrative (and cheap) syndicated programming offered to affiliates. By 1980, Days of Our Lives had displaced Another World as NBC's highest-rated soap. Overall, though,

10707-488: The show as head writer with Higley remaining; the magazine further revealed that script writer Ryan Quan had been promoted to replace Griffith. On January 23, 2017, Soap Opera Digest confirmed that both Higley and Quan had been let go from their positions as co-head writers, with Higley being let go from the program altogether and Quan being installed in the newly created title of creative consultant. Former One Life to Live and General Hospital head writer Ron Carlivati

10836-459: The show had been renewed through September 2021. On January 29, 2020, NBC announced it had renewed the soap, and that production would resume in March; the following day, it was announced that cast and crew would return to set on February 3, 2020. In March 2020, it was announced that production on the soap was suspended pending "further notice," following the COVID-19 pandemic . In July 2020, it

10965-470: The show in contract or recurring roles, which is the approximate number of actors the show has used since then. Original cast member Frances Reid , who played Alice Horton, remained on contract with Days of Our Lives until her death on February 3, 2010, though she made her last appearance on the show in December 2007. Original cast member John Clarke , who played Mickey Horton, left the series in 2004. Suzanne Rogers , who plays Maggie Horton has been on

11094-430: The show in recent years have included the returns of Crystal Chappell ( Dr. Carly Manning ), and Louise Sorel ( Vivian Alamain ). In June 2010, characters such as Jennifer Horton ( Melissa Reeves , who returned to the show full-time shortly afterward), Bill Horton ( John H. Martin , taking over the role from Christopher Stone ), Shane Donovan ( Charles Shaughnessy ) and Kimberly Brady ( Patsy Pease ) returned for

11223-413: The show revolved around the tragedies and triumphs of the suburban Horton family. Over time, additional families were brought into the show to interact with the Hortons and serve as springboards for more dramatic storylines. Originally led by patriarch Dr. Tom Horton and his wife, homemaker Alice , the Hortons remain a prominent fixture in current continuity. One of the longest-running story lines involved

11352-418: The show since 1973, and Susan Seaforth Hayes has played Julie Olson Williams since 1968 with a few breaks in-between, and also her husband Bill Hayes , who has played Doug Williams since 1970, though neither Seaforth Hayes nor Hayes is employed with the serial on contract. In recent years, Days of Our Lives has hired back many former cast members. Twenty of the current contract cast members have been with

11481-405: The show's legacy into a new era that resonates with both longtime and new viewers." On February 11, 2019, one month after NBC announced its renewal of Days for a 55th season, Corday Productions filed a breach of contract and fraud lawsuit against Sony Pictures Television (which has co-produced and handled international distribution of the series since original production backer Screen Gems

11610-570: The show's opening credits, as many of the Marines he was filmed training with were later killed in Vietnam. The premise of Gomer Pyle is similar to and perhaps inspired by Andy Griffith's starring role in the Broadway play and film version of No Time for Sergeants , which was based on the Mac Hyman novel of the same title . Like Leonard's other shows, Gomer Pyle was character-driven;

11739-404: The show's popularity to its concentration on its two main characters, and the plots being built around their respective personalities. The program remained in the top 10 of the ratings throughout its run—in the top three for all but its third season when CBS moved it from Fridays to Wednesdays. Approaching age 40, Nabors quit because he desired to move to something else, "reach for another rung on

11868-470: The show's revamp. Daytime Emmy award winner Lorraine Broderick was hired as a member of the breakdown writing team in April 2012. Days of Our Lives is noted as the fourth longest running soap opera in the United States. On November 30, 2014, NBC introduced an updated logo for Days of Our Lives at the 2014 Hollywood Christmas Parade , in celebration of the series' 50th anniversary. On February 11, 2016, NBC renewed Days of Our Lives for one-year, with

11997-406: The show, off-and-on, since at least 1999. Since 2005, cast members from the 1980s and 1990s, such as Christie Clark ( Carrie Brady ), Stephen Nichols ( Steve "Patch" Johnson ), Austin Peck ( Austin Reed ), Mary Beth Evans ( Kayla Brady ), Joseph Mascolo ( Stefano DiMera ), and Thaao Penghlis ( Tony DiMera and Andre DiMera ) have been brought back to Days of Our Lives . More additions to

12126-456: The slot during NBC-predetermined preemptions), along with a (usually) five-hour-long weekend block of the past week's episodes; Days aired on the network until its closure in December 2013. On August 24, 2015, Pop began airing same-day rebroadcasts of the show as part of an early-prime-time soap opera repeat block that included CBS soaps The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful . (CBS's namesake parent, CBS Corporation , owns

12255-505: The soap on through 2014, its 49th year on the air. The series received a two-year renewal in January 2014 that was set to last until September 2016. Beginning on November 8, 2010, which marked Days of Our Lives ' 45th anniversary, the show began airing in high definition . The show was officially "rebooted" on September 26, 2011, to gain back its lapsed audience, appeal to long-term loyal fans, begin new stories, and boost ratings. Former fan-favorite characters were reintroduced as part of

12384-458: The soap would shut down for one-week, beginning July 31. On August 2, a subsequent report was published, claiming over 25 cast members had signed a petition, demanding Alarr's removal. The same report contained more details concerning the on-set misconduct; per the report, the cast is calling for an unnamed, respected director-producer to be named as Alarr's replacement. Two days later, on August 4, The Wrap announced Alarr had been let go. In

12513-469: The soap's advanced taping schedule, Carlivati's material is expected to be seen through April 2025. Episodes of Days of Our Lives were first made available on digital platforms in July 2003, when SoapCity , a now-defunct website owned by Sony Pictures Digital Networks, began offering same-day and archived episodes (dating back to the series' 1965 premiere) for streaming or direct download via its SoapCity Download subscription offering (available on either

12642-417: The soap's fiftieth anniversary in 2015, several cast members returned to the soap, including Peter Reckell ( Bo Brady , who was killed off in a decision by Corday and the show's writing staff in a move to provide closure in the relationship of Bo and Hope), Stephen Nichols and Penghlis (as Andre DiMera, as his brother, Tony, had been killed off in 2009). Co-creator and original executive producer Ted Corday

12771-522: The soap—filed a lawsuit against Corday Productions, Ken Corday, and Alarr, alleging sexual harassment, as well as wrongful termination. In the suit, Zucker claims she was "victim of nonconsensual sexual touching and inappropriate comments" by Alarr. She additionally claimed Ken provided a "take it or leave it" deal in October 2023, following her meetings in March and June of the same year with Sony and Human Resources. Reports claim Zucker concluded filming in

12900-564: The story regarding how the Brady/DiMera feud started. Past characters returned in June 2010 to honor the passing of matriarch Alice Horton , whose character died on June 23, 2010. On June 23, 2011, Days of Our Lives introduced Sonny Kiriakis , the show's first contract gay character onto the canvas to be featured in the show's first gay story line. Freddie Smith (Sonny) said in an interview, "He's very confident and mature, he's traveled

13029-413: The success of the program, NBC expanded Days from a 30-minute timeslot to 60 minutes on April 21, 1975. This expansion had followed the lead of Another World, which became the first hour-long television soap opera 3½ months earlier on January 6. Furthermore, Days of Our Lives ' new starting time of 1:30 p.m. (ET)/12:30 (CT) finally solved a scheduling problem that began in 1968 when NBC lost

13158-465: The themes explored were the honesty and "strong family values supposedly inherent in small-town life"; according to author Gerard Jones , Gomer Pyle' s basic message was "far simpler than any corporate suburban sitcoms with their lessons in compromise and role-following [...] It said merely that the oldest, most basic, least sophisticated sort of sweetness could redeem even the toughest modern types". Author Elizabeth Hirschman noted that Gomer represented

13287-400: The top was rapid; as the 1968–69 television season ended, it became an effective tool of NBC, which attempted to dethrone daytime leader CBS. By 1973, the show – pitted against CBS's popular Guiding Light and ABC 's The Newlywed Game at 2:00 p.m. (ET)/1:00 p.m. ( CT ) – had matched the first-place soap ratings of As the World Turns and fellow NBC soap Another World . Due to

13416-511: The world and is very open-minded. I'm very excited to portray him." After Sonny's arrival, Will Horton investigates his own sexuality, and reveals himself to be gay. He later starts a romantic relationship with Sonny. They eventually marry. On January 26, 2012, episode 11765 was a tribute to soldiers who have served in Afghanistan and previous wars with a PTSD therapy group for Jack Deveraux to talk over his time held captive there. This

13545-492: The writing team. In July 2020, it was reported that Greg Meng had been let go after more than 30 years with the soap and Corday Productions. On August 4, 2023, Alarr was replaced by Drucker as co-executive producer, following allegations of misconduct on the part of Alarr and internal investigations. On July 19, 2024, it was announced Carlivati had departed the soap as head writer, with Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford named as his successors "effective immediately". Due to

13674-607: The years since its debut. The soap was given the title of "most daring drama" in the seventies, due to the episodes venturing into topics that other soaps of the era would not dare to cover. The show's executive producer is Ken Corday , who has held that role since his mother, Betty, relinquished showrunning duties upon her semi-retirement from the program in 1986, with Janet Spellman-Drucker serving as co-executive producer. As of November 2024, Days of Our Lives has been renewed through 2026. The soap will celebrate its 15,000th episode on December 2, 2024. The show has been parodied by

13803-410: Was a fish-out-of-water piece, which, like its contemporary The Beverly Hillbillies , featured rural characters out of their normal settings. Like other comedies of the 1960s, the show avoided political commentary (especially concerning the Vietnam War ) and focused instead on the predicaments that ensued from Gomer's unintentional breaking of the rules or sticking his foot in his mouth . Among

13932-414: Was a student at Harvey Lembeck ’s famed L.A. improvisational workshop in the early 1970s during which time he performed improv skits (with two other performers, Carole White and Shelia Bartold, both also Lembeck students) during a January 1972 episode of The Carol Burnett Show . While the appearance was officially uncredited, he was introduced by Burnett as Bill Christopher. In 1972, Christopher gained

14061-431: Was also when the inline "Next On" promos were discontinued in favor of an external weekly promo . When Days of Our Lives debuted, the cast consisted of seven main characters: Tom Horton , Alice Horton , Mickey Horton , Marie Horton , Julie Olson , Tony Merritt and Craig Merritt. When the show expanded to one hour in April 1975, the cast increased to 27 actors. By the 25th anniversary in 1990, 40 actors appeared on

14190-412: Was announced that production on the soap would resume on September 1 of the same year. The following month, on October 12, Deadline Hollywood reported the soap was suspending production for two-weeks, following a positive COVID-19 test. Production resumed eight-days later on October 20. On September 9, 2022, Days of Our Lives aired its 14,418th episode, ending its NBC run. In April 2021, production

14319-486: Was announced the show had been renewed through September 2010. The 18-month renewal was down from its previous renewal, which was for five years. The show made somewhat of a comeback in 2009, with ratings increasing as the year progressed. In March 2010, the show was renewed once again through September 2011; then again on November 8, 2010, its 45th anniversary, the show was renewed for two more years through September 2013, with an option for an additional year which would keep

14448-431: Was associated with ABC's expansion of its increasingly popular soap All My Children to a full hour, the last half of which overlapped with the first half-hour of Days of Our Lives and CBS' As The World Turns, which had also aired at 1:30 p.m. since it premiered in April 1956. By January 1979, the network, in a mode of desperation more than anything else, decided to jump headlong against All My Children and moved

14577-455: Was averaging a 2.4 rating prior to the announcement, dropped to a 2.2 average household rating in the months after. In an April 2007 interview with Soap Opera Digest , executive producer Ken Corday commented on the ratings decline of the previous months, "If I don't pay attention to the ratings and what the viewers are saying, I'm an ostrich. I have not seen a decline in the ratings on the show this precipitous — ever. I've never seen this much of

14706-400: Was cast to play Gomer; he had been performing for a Santa Monica nightclub, The Horn, when Andy Griffith discovered him. Though originally intended to appear in only one episode, Gomer proved popular, and after appearing in seasons 3 and 4, Nabors was given his own spin-off produced by Aaron Ruben. The pilot episode of Gomer Pyle was filmed in 1963 as part of The Andy Griffith Show , but

14835-482: Was confirmed that former All My Children head writer Lorraine Broderick would join Tomlin and Whitesell as a breakdown writer on the series. On February 9, 2015, Soap Opera Digest confirmed that both Tomlin and Whitesell had been ousted in their roles as head writers; the magazine further confirmed that former head writer Higley would return, alongside former The Young and the Restless head writer Josh Griffith ;

14964-639: Was created by Aaron Ruben , who also produced the show with Sheldon Leonard and Ronald Jacobs. Filmed and set in California, it stars Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle , a naïve but good-natured gas station attendant from the town of Mayberry , North Carolina , who enlists in the United States Marine Corps . Frank Sutton plays Gomer's high-octane, short-fused Gunnery sergeant Vince Carter, and Ronnie Schell plays Gomer's friend Duke Slater. Roy Stuart portrayed Corporal Chuck Boyle, GySgt Carter's good-natured sidekick. Allan Melvin played in

15093-503: Was credited with bringing ratings up to the second place spot in the Nielsens. Other writers who succeeded him, such as Sally Sussman Morina and Tom Langan , failed to keep the ratings success, and additional head writer turnovers continued until Reilly – who would continue in his role as head writer and consulting producer of Passions after rejoining Days – returned to the series in 2003. Five-time Daytime Emmy winner Hogan Sheffer

15222-467: Was filmed at Camp Pendleton , Desilu Studios 's Desilu-Cahuenga , and RKO Forty Acres backlot , where The Andy Griffith Show was filmed. Though Ruben preferred the use of a multiple-camera setup for comedy programs, Gomer Pyle used a single-camera setup because much of the shooting was conducted outdoors. In his book And The Show Goes On , Sheldon Leonard explained that the armed forces offer levels of "cooperation" with filmmakers. Because

15351-546: Was folded into the former Columbia Pictures Television in 1974) in the Los Angeles County Superior Court , alleging that Sony placed the soap at a competitive disadvantage favoring its higher-rated CBS rival, The Young and the Restless . The suit – which seeks restitution payments of more than $ 20 million – alleges that Sony Pictures had forced Corday (which maintains a revenue-sharing arrangement to split any profits and production costs above

15480-405: Was launched following allegations of misconduct by Alarr – with 30–40 individuals interviewed, of which were predominately women – with claims that Alarr's behavior "had been present for years", and only increased among being named co-executive producer in 2015. The report also called Alarr "abusive", resulting in those feeling "uncomfortable and humiliated". In addition to Alarr's alleged misconduct,

15609-432: Was named as Higley's replacement, "effective immediately"; Carlivati's first episode as head writer aired on July 19, 2017. In addition to Carlivati's appointment, it was also announced that Sheri Anderson would return to the soap, sharing the role of creative consultant with Quan. In February 2019, Carlivati announced he had signed a new deal to continue as head writer; that same month, Anderson announced her departure from

15738-437: Was named head writer with great fanfare in October 2006, but lasted less than 16 months with the show, with his last episode airing in January 2008. Former head writer Dena Higley was re-promoted to succeed Sheffer in the role, with her first episode as head of the writing staff airing on April 23, 2008; her co-head writer was Christopher Whitesell , who had joined the series following a stint as an associate head writer for As

15867-417: Was not aired until 1964, as the finale of The Andy Griffith Show ' s fourth season. In the episode, Andy accompanies Gomer when he reports to the Marine recruiting base at Camp Lejeune . I had recently driven into a gas station with motor trouble. The attendant could think of no cure except to add more gas to the tank. We decided to write such an incompetent into the script. Everett Greenbaum on

15996-471: Was only at the helm of Days of Our Lives for eight months before dying of cancer in 1966. His widow and fellow co-creator, Betty , was named executive producer upon his death. She continued in that role, with the help of H. Wesley Kenney and Al Rabin as supervising producers, before she semi-retired from showrunning duties in 1985, two years prior to her death in 1987. Upon Mrs. Corday's semi-retirement, her son, Ken , became executive producer and took over

16125-501: Was paused, with NBC and Sony Pictures Television entering into renewal negotiations. The following month, it was announced NBC and Sony Pictures Television had reached a deal, renewing Days of Our Lives through September 2023. On March 15, 2023, Peacock renewed the soap for two additional years, through its 60th anniversary. On July 25, 2023, Deadline Hollywood published a report claiming an investigation against co-executive producer Albert Alarr for misconduct. The investigation

16254-416: Was produced by creator Aaron Ruben, Andy Griffith Show producer Sheldon Leonard (in partnership with Griffith), and Ronald Jacobs; it was co-produced by Bruce Bayley Johnson and Duke Vincent. Among the writers were Sam Bobrick, Harvey Miller, Aaron Ruben, Jack Elinson, and Bill Idelson; Andy Griffith Show writers Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell also wrote episodes. Coby Ruskin was the primary director in

16383-483: Was that of a priest (Father Tobias) on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives . Christopher, whose son Ned has autism , devoted much of his spare time to the National Autistic Society , doing public-service announcements to bring attention to autism. In 1985, his wife Barbara and he wrote Mixed Blessings , a book about their experiences in raising Ned. Christopher met his future wife Barbara on

16512-406: Was the first to bring the show to prominence, and put it near the top of the Nielsen daytime ratings. Another love triangle, between lounge singer Doug Williams , Tom and Alice's daughter Addie , and Addie's own daughter, Julie , proved to be very popular around the same time. The storyline culminated in the death of Addie in 1974 and the marriage of Doug and Julie in 1976. In the early 1980s,

16641-586: Was widely covered by both the soap opera magazines and the mainstream press. In the 1990s, the show branched out into supernatural storylines, which critics immediately panned, as it was seen as a departure from more realistic storylines for which the show had originally become known. However, these storylines did have the desired effect, making Days of Our Lives the most-watched daytime soap among young and middle-aged women, also becoming one of NBC's five most profitable shows in any time slot. In 2006, when asked about his character, Jack Deveraux , "coming back from

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