Grayson McCouch Joins HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS

AS THE WORLD TURNS and ANOTHER WORLD star Grayson McCouch has landed a role on the new Nick at Nite soap currently in production, HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS.

McCouch will play Don Masters, a surgeon and the father to Loren’s (Brittany Underwood) high-school nemesis, Adriana (Hunter King). He owns the clinic where Nora (Jama Williamson) works, but their relationship may turn into something more than just professional.

Today in Soap Opera History (July 15)

1968: Agnes Nixon's One Life to Live premiered on ABC.

"History is a vast early warning system."
― Norman Cousins

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1940: On The Guiding Light, Rose Kransky (Ruth Bailey) and Charles Cunningham had dinner together after a chance meeting on the street.

The episode opened with the following narration: "Where we are free to act, we are also free to refrain from acting. And where we are able to say no, we are also able to say yes. And yet it seems so strange that so many times what we will to be, and what the facts strictly are contrary one to the other."

PREVIEW: This Week's HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS (Day-by-Day Spoilers)

HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS kicks off its eighth full week on Nick at Nite on Monday, August 6, at 9 p.m. ET. Derived from the popular Mexican telenovela, ALCANZAR UNA ESTRELLA, HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS follows 18-year-old Loren Tate (Brittany Underwood, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) on her path from shy high school senior to superstar on the rise as she wins the love of her rock idol (Cody Longo, Fame).

Check out the day by day spoilers for this week below:

News Brief

New York Daily News: As the writers strike approaches its third month and prime-time dramas grind to a halt, all eight network soaps continue to air new episodes every weekday.

"We had been planning for a possible strike for months," explains an executive producer, who asked not to be named. "We wrote ahead, we had a long-term story in place, and we made contingency plans in the event that our writers went out."

Those contingency plans included lining up execs or hiring former head writers to fill in if the current head writers walked.

For example, No. 1-rated THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS is now helmed by Josh Griffith, who was Y&R's co-executive producer and prior to that co-head writer of "One Life to Live."

Another exec widely believed to be filling in as head writer now (although not officially credited) is AS THE WORLD TURNS executive producer Christopher Goutman.

"CBS is declining comment on any matters to do with the writers strike," says a CBS representative.

Longtime GENERAL HOSPITAL writer Garin Wolf has gone "FiCore" (Financial Core, which allows WGA union members to return to work without censure) and is now the only name credited.

James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten have also gone FiCore and are co-head writers of ALL MY CHILDREN.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE brought in its former executive producer, Gary Tomlin, as head writer; he previously wrote for ANOTHER WORLD. days is using former OLTL head writer Dena Higley.

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL is being written by former Y&R head writer Kay Alden. GUIDING LIGHT was the most ahead when the strike hit; the current staff is unconfirmed. Since a typical writing staff involves 15-20 people, obviously other, unnamed people are filling in. But some shows have discovered they can do the job - at least temporarily - with fewer people.

"GH" and "Y&R" are showcasing more musical montages than usual, while "DAYS" and "OLTL" are using more flashbacks. "AMC" chose to distract viewers from the spotty writing by bringing back fan favorites like Rebecca Budig as Greenlee. Most actors miss their writers and want them back writing ASAP, but a few have commented that their shows are more balanced now.

"Our head writer had a few pets that [he/she] always wrote for. The new one is writing for everybody."

"There is obviously some tap-dancing going on during the transition," says an insider. "But thank God for the people who stepped in to television's longest continuous genre and kept it on the air. Because we all know if soaps had stopped airing, we'd be done."

Media Life: Death in the afternoon? A likely story. An exaggeration, perhaps, but it doesn't look good.

TV Envy: Daytime Dish on GENERAL HOSPITAL, ONE LIFE TO LIVE and AS THE WORLD TURNS.

AfterElton.: Best. Gay. Week. Ever. We've got Nuke this Friday on AS THE WORLD TURNS. Phew! Luke (and Noah) are there when Luke's dad, Holden, gets arrested for killing someone we don't care about because, well, they are aren't Nuke!

Winston-Salem Journal: Last May on the soap opera AS THE WORLD TURNS, the character Casey Hughes was dragged off to prison for theft. He’s now been released - and, when he returns to the show on Tuesday, he’ll look a lot like an alumnus from the N.C. School of the Arts. Billy Magnussen, who graduated in 2007, is taking over the role of Casey. That makes him the sixth actor to play Casey since the character was born in 1991. “This is a character that just got released from jail, who’s had gambling troubles and who’s stolen money,” he said. “There’s scandal and intrigue happening. It’s a fun plot line to play.” Magnussen, 22, got into acting when he was a high-school student in Cumming, Ga. “I was a big jock,” he said. “In wrestling I tore a hamstring and couldn’t take gym classes. So I took an acting class, and I fell in love with it.”

Miami Herald: ABC soaps stirring up the mix. We can't remember when there have been so many significant comings and goings at one time on daytime television. The big news is over at ALL MY CHILDREN, where four character additions are being made. Recently, fan favorites Rebecca Budig (the "real" Greenlee), Debbi Morgan (Angie) and Darnell Williams (Angie's beloved Jesse) have returned to the canvas. All three were wildly popular. Morgan and Williams joined the show in the early 1980s, and audiences watched as Williams' character was killed off. No matter, we will willingly suspend our disbelief to have this magic couple back. Many viewers didn't accept Budig's replacement, Sabine Singh, but she grew on a lot of viewers. Promos touting Budig's return as "the real Greenlee" were a real slap in the face to Singh, who was still airing at the time. Recently, the show announced the fourth addition -- actor/director Mario Van Peebles, who will be joining AMC as a love interest for Erica (Susan Lucci).

WFAA: Dallas actress turned ONE LIFE TO LIVE diva Melissa Archer will be back in town for the parade at the Feb. 2 Mardi Gras event at Victory Park called MystiQal 2008.

AFP: A star of South Africa's most popular television soap opera, GENERATIONS, has landed herself in hot water after accusing the ruling ANC party of trying to bump off its political opponents.

hello magazine: EASTENDERS actor Sean unveils new Hollywood comedy in LA.

Buzzworthy Radio: AUDIO: Interviews with ONE LIFE TO LIVE star Ilene Kristen and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS diva Michelle Stafford.

Genie Francis Leaving THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS

Genie Francis has been fired from THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, according to a report by Soaps in Depth. Francis debuted on Y&R as Genevieve Atkinson in May 2011. Francis was apparently let go for budgetary reasons and may not be the last to go.

In an August interview with TV Guide Magazine after taking over as executive producer, Jill Farren Phelps addressed rumors that Francis would be one of the first to go.

PREVIEW: This Week's HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS (Day-by-Day Spoilers)

HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS kicks off its second full week on Nick at Nite on Monday, June 25, at 9 p.m. ET. Derived from the popular Mexican telenovela, ALCANZAR UNA ESTRELLA, HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS follows 18-year-old Loren Tate (Brittany Underwood, One Life to Live) on her path from shy high school senior to superstar on the rise as she wins the love of her rock idol (Cody Longo, Fame).

Check out the day by day spoilers for this week below:

PREVIEW: HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS Day-by-Day Spoilers (The Final Week)

HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS kicks off its final week on TeenNick on Monday, October 1 at 8 p.m. ET. Derived from the popular Mexican telenovela, ALCANZAR UNA ESTRELLA, HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS follows 18-year-old Loren Tate (Brittany Underwood, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) on her path from shy high school senior to superstar on the rise as she wins the love of her rock idol (Cody Longo, Fame).

Check out the day by day spoilers for this week below:

DAYS OR OUR LIVES Thoughts and News Round-Up

Soap opera message boards and blogs are buzzing over the latest DAYS OF OUR LIVES news. Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn will be off the show in January. This is the latest real-life drama that has dominated soap news in 2008.

We started the year with the writers on strike, and have suffered through Hinsey-gate, Martha Byrne leaving ATWT, the ouster of Josh Griffith at Y&R and soap actors rewriting scripts. I'll post a complete timeline later this year, but with so much backstage drama, this latest news, while huge in the soap world, has left a lot of people a little numb, including myself.

First of all, this is DAYS we're talking about, where actors leave and come back constantly. They killed Alice by choking her on a donut then brought her back. Drake Hogestyn himself was "fired" from the show last year only to return a few months later.

Should John and Marlena fans start campaigning and raising hell? Would it matter? Is this just another lame PR trick and they'll be back before you know it? Does anyone still care?

Fans are already used to the annual "new way to save DAYS" story from Executive Producer Ken Corday which never pans out. When the backstage drama starts to become boring, you're in trouble.

I personally believe this soap needs to have a clear vision for the future, even if the show only lasts until September 2010. And that vision includes a smaller and more focused cast. If we knew DAYS would be off the air for sure in less than two years, I would be 100% behind focusing on the beloved characters and working towards giving them (and us) the happy ending they deserve.

But you can't run a business like that. The producers have to approach the future with a long-term strategy and that likely includes making some tough decisions. The best thing they could have done is to keep John dead last year, but that is water under the bridge now. So it's time to move forward. But who is going to be left when the bloodbath is over and the budget is made?

As with any soap, it boils down to the writing. Can Dena Higley consistently craft an entertaining show no matter who the characters are? I doubt it. But it is even harder when you can't plan long-term because you don't know who will be on the canvas. My recommendation to DAYS - make the cuts you need and make them now. Get it over with so three months down the road we start hearing news about the actual storylines instead of just who has been fired this week or who is rewriting Higley's scripts. There are still plenty of beloved characters left on this show (see Maggie, Abe, etc) and it's not too late to use them.

A number of people have spoken out about this latest twist. Here's a round-up:
TOM CASIELLO: I wish nothing but the best for Days. I grew up on this show, I was thrilled and inspired by so many of its stories. But this is like that insane ex whose antics you get wrapped up in for too many years, and one day you just realize, 'Enough. I have better things to do with my time.' It should make you sad. But it doesn't. You just don't care anymore."

MICHAEL FAIRMAN: "I know many are in shock, disbelief, digusted, and angry. There are those on the internet, and those who believe, that the announcement of John and Marlena riding off into the sunset and wrapping up there current story is all a hoax to get viewers to tune-in over the next few months, to drive up ratings. This time though, it is my belief it is for real. Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn will be exiting. Meantime, the show will try to get itself on some economic footing, within a daytime industry that has to cut back costs in so many ways to survive, and to deal with network executives who may want to kill off some of our most cherished pleasures -soap viewing."

SARA A. BIBEL: "Many people have compared this situation to ALL MY CHILDREN firing Susan Lucci or THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS deciding Eric Braeden is not worth the money. I am going to respectfully disagree. Erica Kane and Victor have always been at the center of their shows. They’ve had brilliant storylines and appalling storylines. There have been periods of time when they have been backburnered as all characters are, but they have consistently driven story. Even when the shows were at their creative nadirs, the headwriters had the common sense to know that they need to be on the TV screen on a consistent basis. They are also standalone characters who are not tied down to any particular romantic pairing. Yes, most fans would agree that Nikki is the love of Victor’s life and that Erica and Jackson belong together over the long haul. But viewers will accept and enjoy watching them with other people."

J BERNARD JONES: "The news that Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn have been fired from DAYS OF OUR LIVES pulled me out of my self-imposed moratorium on posting for the next few days, drowning as I am in work. However as I watched this news filter out over the internets and the intertubes, the completely understandable and justifiable reactions by fans of shock, anger, disbelief and inevitable doomsaying about the future of Days were leavened by my sense that something was amiss in my own reaction. At first I couldn't put my finger on it until it hit me out of the blue. My reaction was, 'Whatever.'"

SNARK: "The very wording of that quote [to Soap Opera Digest] tells me that Corday doesn't intend to keep them off the show forever. He's simply trying to save money until the show gets back on its feet. There's just one flaw in that strategy: The show will never get back on its feet, because it is managed by brain-damaged chimps, of which he is the chief."

BECCA THOMAS: "I must admit, this doesn't upset me. I liked them in the 80s and 90s (yes, even together -- I have not always been a hater), but Marlena in particular hasn't been an interesting character in about a decade. I've liked the latest incarnation of John Black a lot, but if these two bring in huge salaries and had to be cut to give the show one last shot at continuing, it's fine by me."

TV ADDICT: "The problem is that for fans, this is a lose/lose scenario. If the show — already struggling in the ratings thanks to an endless series of lackluster plots — has really gotten rid of Hogestyn and Hall, it may prove to be a crippling blow. And if this is yet another publicity stunt, fed-up fans may not stick around to see how it unfolds. Given the sad state of daytime affairs, this may not be the best time for so drastic a move."

PATRICK ERWIN: "This move also fits in with my contention that occasionally, we need to creatively prune the tree. (Or rotate the crops, take your pick of farming metaphors.) I’m a big believer in ROTATING stories, content and actors when possible. This is not only necessary financially but healthy for shows creatively, lest they send viewers away from the screens out of boredom or irritation."

DAYTIME CONFIDENTIAL PODCAST: Nelson Branco and Tom Casiello joined DC's Luke, Mike and Jamey for a comprehensive (and funny) look at what is going on at DAYS and what the future might hold.

Even Perez Hilton posted about this. Will the soaps ever again be more interesting than the backstage drama has been this year?

PREVIEW: HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS Day-by-Day Spoilers

HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS kicks off a new full week on TeenNick on Monday, August 27, at 8 p.m. ET. Derived from the popular Mexican telenovela, ALCANZAR UNA ESTRELLA, HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS follows 18-year-old Loren Tate (Brittany Underwood, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) on her path from shy high school senior to superstar on the rise as she wins the love of her rock idol (Cody Longo, Fame).

Check out the day by day spoilers for this week below:

Evening News

Deep Soap: All The Drama Your Computer Can Handle
"At the risk of sounding serving, right now the real action in daytime is happening on-line. That’s where all the behind-the-scenes drama is revealed. That’s where viewers can watch classic soap episodes. The internet is also filled with original soap content. GENERAL HOSPITAL: NIGHT SHIFT features weekly webisodes about the characters of Claire and Kyle. Last year, NBC experimented with an original on-line soap COASTAL DREAMS, written by current DAYS OF OUR LIVES co-headwriter Rick Draughon. Josh Griffith wrote an on-line miniseries for CBS.com, L.A. DIARIES about the adventures of The Young & The Restless’s Amber (Adrienne Frantz) and As The World Turns Alison (Marnie Schulenburg) in Los Angeles. Now, daytime veterans are producing their own series for the net. All My Children alumna Eden Riegel stars in the on-line hit IMAGINARY BITCHES. Next week GENERAL HOSPITAL writer Karen Harris is launching LIFE IN GENERAL, an original series about a fictional soap opera."

INTERVIEW: One-on-One with Corbin Bernsen
"I like the fact that I continue to work. I don't think I'm ever fulfilled. I'm an artist and I don't think the canvas will ever be finished. It's always sort of a search. Every actor, and I don't care how big they are, we all worry about what the next thing is going to be. Not so much for a paycheck, I mean if you make $20 million for a picture you should be able to figure that much out. But there's this ego connection, and not in a bad way. It's what drives us to do these things and that's never really satisfied. So a more fulfilling career? I don't know. But it's led to a more full career."

Soap Stars in the "Photo File"
Theater Mania put up some photos from the past week which include ATWT's Billy Magnussen's opening night in "Paper Dolls" and ONE LIFE TO LIVE star Jason Tam looking very western.

ATWT's Lauretta Vaughn in "Street Lights For Obama"
Street Lights For Obama, a one-night-only benefit concert of Joe Drymala's new hip-hop/pop musical Street Lights, will premier this Sunday, August 17th at 8pm at The Zipper Factory. Lauretta Vaughn, of CBS' AS THE WORLD TURNS joins the company along with Lelund Derond Thompson, Jasmine Torres, Jason Michael Miller, Jhon Christopher, Jose Luis Trujillo, Ebony Hood, and Markita Prescott.

RICK SPRINGFIELD: He's still a working class dog
"Springfield still retains his dreamy good looks even as he approaches an age where many of his peers are addressed as Grandpa."

A Martinez and Hector Luis Bustamante team up for poignant story
A Martinez and Hector Luis Bustamante, stars of the Lifetime Movie Network film Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story, came to acting in different ways.

Martinez was drawn to acting for the company he would keep.

"I became an actor for the least noble of reasons," Martinez says during a party at the Beverly Hilton. "I wanted to be around the girls I met doing plays. When I was in high school, I noticed the females who were doing plays were the most interesting, the most accessible and fun of any females I had ever been around."

Same-Day Episodes of 'Days of our Lives' to Encore on Pop Weeknights Beginning August 24

Days of our Lives airs weeknights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Pop starting
Monday, August 24.

Starting Monday, August 24, the fan-favorite daytime television drama, Days of our Lives, will encore exclusively on Pop every weeknight at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Days of our Lives is set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem. The core families are the Bradys, the Hortons, and the DiMeras, and the multi-layered storylines involve elements of romance, adventure, mystery, comedy and drama. The show is currently celebrating the countdown to its 50th anniversary and remains a consistent favorite among critics and fans alike. The show's success stems from its consistent commitment to excellence in writing and storytelling - supported by a diverse ensemble of performers - and an uncanny knack for anticipating viewer interests. With its mix of classic genre traditions and groundbreaking narratives reflecting modern life, Days of our Lives remains a perennial favorite among viewers of all ages.

Watch a new Days on Pop promo below:

Today in Soap Opera History (July 15)

1968: Agnes Nixon's One Life to Live premiered on ABC.

"If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree."
― Michael Crichton

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1949: The final episode of John Haggart's A Woman to Remember aired on the DuMont Television Network.

1966: On Dark Shadows, the Collins family learned Roger had been in an accident.

1968: The Agnes Nixon daytime soap opera One Life to Live premiered on ABC. The original planned title for the series was Between Heaven and Hell. This was still the plan as of late April, and Don Wallace was expected to be the executive producer.

The original cast included Ernest Graves as Victor Lord, Paul Tulley as Dr. Larry Wolek, Trish Van Devere as Meredith Lord, Gillian Spencer as Victoria Lord, Antony Ponzini as Vince Wolek, Doris Belack as Anna Wolek, Ellen Holly as Carla Benari (Gray), Lee Patterson as Joe Riley, Niki Flacks as Karen Martin, Terry Logan as Dr. Ted Hale, Allan Miller as Dave Siegel, Lillian Hayman as Sadie Gray, Donald Moffat as Dr. Marcus Polk, Thalmus Rasulala as Lt. Jack Neal, Patricia Roe as Eileen Siegel, and Thurman Scott as Dr. Price Trainor.

One Life to Live aired on ABC until January 13, 2012. It premiered online via Prospect Park's The OnLine Network on April 29, 2013, and ran for one season before being canceled again.

Check out a montage of OLTL opening sequences during the ABC years below.

NEWS: Dena Higley, Scott Turner Schofield, Nicki Minaj, Vanessa Ray, Britney Spears

Britney Spears to guest star on The CW's Jane the Virgin
"We are so thrilled that Rogelio's 'nemesis'—Britney Spears—has agreed to appear on Jane the Virgin in Episode 205," says Jane the Virgin showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman. "Personally, after hearing about their longstanding feud (from Rogelio's point of view), we are eager to hear Ms. Spears' side of the story, which we assume is quite different. #TeamBritney”

Vanessa Ray as PLL's CeCe Drake.

As the World Turns alum Vanessa Ray on how she found out she was Pretty Little Liars' "A"
"We normally don’t get scripts until we get on set, but they couriered this one over to me. I was like, 'That’s weird.' I figured not at a lot was revealed, which is why they sent it around. Marlene texted me right away, 'Did you get it? I’m really excited for you to read it!' So I read it casually in my apartment, and when I got to Page 4, it says, 'It’s CeCe effing Drake,' or whatever word they used. I screamed and I threw the script across the room. My soon-to-be-husband came out to see if I was OK, and I was like, 'You’re not going to believe what’s in that!' It was the Neverending Story book all of a sudden. The script had power, I thought light was going to beam out of it."

Co-head writer Dena Higley takes leave of absence from Days of our Lives
Higley, co-head writer of Days with Josh Griffith, has taken a leave of absence from the soap opera citing personal reasons. There's no word on when Higley is set to resume her duties.

Scott Turner Schofield talks to Perez Hilton about The Bold and the Beautiful's historic wedding involving a transgender character
"Everybody knows a gay or lesbian or bisexual person. Even if it's only Ellen DeGeneres. Now people know a transgender person — Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne Cox, Maya, even maybe me. But in reality, everybody knows a person in their own small town now who is LGBT. People want to see their brother's, classmate's, colleague's lives told well. They demand it with us and for us with their voices and their remote controls and their dollars."

The Bold and the Beautiful casting bisexual character
B&B is looking for a white male between the ages of 25-28 to play the role of "Christian". The character, who works in fashion, is described as being sophisticated, professional, having a great sense of style and possibly a comic side to him.

George R.R. Martin: I'm planning a "bittersweet" ending for Game of Thrones
Martin says the ending, which he hasn’t written, will be in the vein of the Lord of the Rings ending. "I’ve said before that the tone of the ending that I’m going for is bittersweet,” he says.

Antenna TV to show full episodes of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Starting January 1, Antenna TV will show Carson reruns from 1972 to 1992 at 11 p.m. each night. The scheduling of episodes will be carefully curated to run as themed weeks or months, as well as episodes that coincide with notable anniversaries, holidays and other milestones.

The Secret Behind Old Soap Opera Plot Twists
In the mid-20th-century glory days of radio and TV soap operas, audiences—and advertisers—expected new episodes virtually non-stop. But that created a dilemma for cast members. The solution, as TIME explained exactly 75 years ago, in the August 12, 1940, issue, led to some of the plot twists that became central to the drama-heavy genre.

Nicki Minaj originally wanted to be a soap opera actress
Last week, Minaj paid a visit to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in conjunction with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. She spoke to children about important topics like art, education, and her journey from unknown rapper to platinum-selling superstar. She told everyone that she originally aspired to be a soap opera actress so she could buy her mom a house.

Homeland Season 5 will tackle ISIS, Edward Snowden, Vladimir Putin and Charlie Hebdo
“The first episode’s going to deal with Russia — what’s Putin up to? What’s going on with this tricky relationship there?” says Showtime president David Nevins. “It deals with ISIS. Charlie Hebdo. (Edward) Snowden, cyber terrorism, surveillance. These are interesting elements to the season, which brings a lot of things together.”

Showtime renews Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex
Both shows will return with 12-episode seasons in 2016.

41st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Winners List

Eileen Davidson won a Daytime Emmy for her work on Days of our Lives.

The 41st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, June 22 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, hosted by Kathy Griffin. The Young and the Restless was named Outstanding Drama Series, and took home the awards for Outstanding Writing Team, Lead Actor (Billy Miller), Supporting Actress (Amelia Heinle) and Younger Actress (Hunter King). The show's Jeanne Cooper tribute won in the Outstanding Special Class Special category. Below is a complete list of winners.

Outstanding Drama Series
The Young and the Restless CBS

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
BILLY MILLER, as Billy Abbott
The Young and the Restless CBS

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
EILEEN DAVIDSON, as Kristen DiMera
Days of Our Lives NBC

James Franco Will Play Movie Mogul "Oz" In HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS

HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS (previously titled REACH FOR A STAR) is a daily scripted series based on the wildly popular Televisa telenovela, ALCANZAR UNA ESTRELLA. The new soap will debut in primetime on Nick at Nite in June. The 80 one-hour episodes currently in production will star Brittany Underwood (ONE LIFE TO LIVE), Melissa Ordway, Cody Longo and Justin Wilczynski.

Actor James Franco will also be joining the cast of HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS in a multi-episode arc.

SOD: Biggest Story of Year? Decade?

From Lynn Leahey in the Soap Opera Digest Insider email for subscribers:
"It's the biggest soap news of the year, if not the decade: Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn have been let go from DAYS. In an exclusive interview in the new Digest, Executive Producer Ken Corday explains that NBC renewed the show, but at a 'greatly reduced' fee that necessitates major cuts. Hall and Hogestyn are two casualties, with more likely to come. It's unfortunate, because DAYS is on an upswing in ratings (it's the only show that's actually improved since last year), but the rocky economy is taking its toll. 'The state of NBC and DAYS is not the same as it was six months ago,' laments Corday. 'We're lucky that we're still on the air for 20 months, with possibly another year after that.'"

Biggest story of the year? Maybe I can buy it. Maybe it's my backstage drama fatigue showing, but in terms of sheer internet response, I think Carolyn Hinsey getting fired from Weekly was a bigger story. Possibly even that Josh Griffith/Dena Higley crazy weekend a few months ago, at least by fan reaction. In terms of importance, the writer's strike was a bigger story. This firing has received a lot of mainstream press, but not a tenth as much as the Nuke fans gay kissing ban international media blitz earlier this year, largely ignored by Digest. I'll have to think about it more for my year end list of the biggest stories of the year. Check back then to find out where this one ranks.

And for those anxiously awaiting my regular Digest cover rant about Eric Braeden, apparently Hall and Hogestyn are on the cover this week (my issue has not yet arrived). This is only their seventh and eighth covers of the year, respectively.

HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS Sneak Peak Coming June 11

Nick at Nite will treat viewers to a special preview of its original primetime soap opera, HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS with a sneak peek of its debut episode beginning Monday, June 11, encoring every night at 9 p.m. ET/PT through Friday, June 15, and leading into the series premiere on Monday, June 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Maria Arena Bell Given WIN's Humanitarian Award

Humanitarian Award winner Maria Arena Bell with Eric Braeden

Former THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS executive producer and head writer Maria Arena Bell was honored on Wednesday at the WIN (Women’s Image Network) Awards with their Humanitarian Award for her dedicated and long standing contribution to the arts and arts education.

The WIN Awards were co-hosted by Melissa Petermen and Bruce Vilanch. The Humanitarian Award was presented by actress Lisa Kudrow.

'Days of our Lives' Renewed! NBC "Excited to Bring Its Fans New Stories For the 51st Season"

Days of our Lives, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is one of the most iconic programs in the history of daytime television, has been renewed for a new season by NBC.

The announcement was made by Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment.

“NBC is incredibly proud of the legacy of Days of our Lives and we couldn’t be more excited to brings its fans new stories for the 51st season,” Salke said. “In a business where having a show remain on the air for two seasons is considered a success, what Days has achieved is extraordinary.”

So far this season, Days of our Lives is averaging a 0.90 rating, 6 share in women 18-49 and 2.901 million viewers overall in “most current” ratings from Nielsen Media Research. Through the first five weeks of the current quarter, “Days” has grown to a 0.93 rating, 6 share in women 18-49, up +6% versus its 0.88 for the same period last year, and 2.993 million viewers overall, up +15% versus its 2.601 million for the same weeks last year.

Days of our Lives has garnered 43 Daytime Emmy Awards, including 2015’s Outstanding Daytime Drama, and numerous nominations, as well as multiple People’s Choice Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, and Prism Awards. The show airs nationally on NBC in the United States and in more than 25 countries internationally.

“Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.” For over a half-century, those words have introduced and underscored one of daytime drama’s mainstays. Days of our Lives first premiered as a half-hour drama in 1965 and expanded to an hour 10 years later.

Days of our Lives is set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem. The core families are the Bradys, Hortons and DiMeras, and the multi-layered storylines involve elements of romance, adventure, mystery, comedy and drama.

Days of our Lives is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television. Ken Corday is executive producer, with co-executive producers Greg Meng and Albert Alarr. Dena Higley and Josh Griffith are the head writing team.

Robert Adamson Joins THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS

Robert Adamson, who is currently starring in HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS on TeenNick, is joining the cast of THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS as Noah Newman. Adamson beings taping on September 4 and will first air on October 1.

New Y&R executive producer Jill Farren Phelps and head writer Josh Griffith held the same positions at HEIGHTS where Adamson played Phil Sanders, Melissa’s conniving brother and Adriana’s boyfriend who has no problem breaking the rules to make things go his way.

Adamson tweeted on Friday, "Guess the word is out on Y&R. I'm not supposed to talk about details yet... Soon."