Bettina Bradbury Dead at 64

Former daytime soap opera writer Bettina F. Bradbury died on January 13. She was 64.

Her son, Danny Karapetian, shared the news on Facebook.

"It is my very sad duty to report that my Mom Bettina passed away this morning," he wrote. "She was an indefatigable force of nature, a talented and decorated writer, and a loving mother, sister, and friend to everyone she knew. Remember her for her humor, her hugs, and the eternal optimism she endowed in her family, colleagues, friends, fans, and children. She will be missed, and her absence is already deeply felt. Love you Mom, forever."

Daughter of famed science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, known mostly for his stunning novel Fahrenheit 451, and Marguerite McClure, Bradbury proved that the writing gene can be passed down. She studied Film/History at USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Bradbury worked at The Young and the Restless as executive producer John Conboy's assistant. She went on to write for Capitol, Santa Barbara, All My Children, One Life to Live and Days of our Lives. She earned three Daytime Emmys and seven Writers Guild of America Awards for her work in daytime television.

More recently, she had been working on a a memoir, "Growing Up Bradbury: Life With A Saturday Father."

"I am writing a memoir about the great life and times of growing up in the sixties in the company of child/parent Ray Bradbury," she revealed online.

John Conboy Dead at 83

John Conboy, an executive producer known for his work on soap operas The Young and the Restless, Santa Barbara, Guiding Light and Capitol, died Friday in Palm Desert, California. He was 83.

Conboy won four Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on the soap operas: his first for The ABC Afternoon Playbreak, two for The Young and the Restless and one for Santa Barbara.

After beginning his television career as an actor, he made the switch to producing in 1970 on Love is a Many Splendored Thing. He then moved to The Young and the Restless in 1973, winning Emmys in 1975 and 1983 for outstanding daytime drama. In 1982, he left the show to executive produce Capitol, which ran for five years.

Conboy went on to executive produce Santa Barbara, winning his fourth Emmy in 1990 for daytime drama. He returned to CBS to produce Guiding Light.

FLASHBACK: Writers Stephen, Elinor Karpf Believe Time For Soaps Is Now (1982)

CAPITOL stars Carolyn Jones & Constance Towers

Writers Stephen, Elinor Karpf Believe Time For Soaps Is Now

By Jerry Buck
Associated Press
March 27, 1982

Stephen and Elinor Karpf contend that the soap opera, broadcasting's endemic art form, finally has come of age.

The Karpfs, writing partners since they met as teenagers at a pre-college conference, are the creators of CAPITOL, a slick and high-powered daytime serial that got a sneak preview Friday night on CBS.

INTERVIEW: Lunch with Louise Sorel, Part Five: Dessert

This is the “dessert” part of my lunch with Louise Sorel, and the end of the interview we did together. I was impressed not only with her ability to entertain as an artist, but her with her dedication and passion as an animal rights activist. In this part we talked more about the causes that are near to her heart, and some hard life lessons learned.

We Love Soaps: Does it surprise you that after nine years off Days of our Lives that people are so thrilled to have you come back?
Louise Sorel: Yeah, I guess it does. I’m not surprised they liked the character. You know, I’ll tell you a story. I had to get an endoscopy done. And I’m lying down, and they’re trying to find my vein, and the doctor says, “I’m so upset that Hope left.” And I said, “Hope didn’t leave.” And I’m engaging in this insane conversation while he’s jamming a needle in my arm. And he says, “I didn’t like that new Bo who came in, I liked the old Bo.” And I said, “Could we not have this conversation right now?”

We Love Soaps: As we have said on our website, we have been celebrating the 25 year anniversary of Santa Barbara starting on the air. If you could go back and give yourself any kind of advice, what would it be?
Louise Sorel: “Keep your trap shut.”