Llanview In The Afternoon

During its more than four decades in the ABC daytime lineup, "One Life to Live" told countless stories, from sensational adventures to thoughtful social commentary. But the tales that went untold -- the experiences of the writers, producers, cast and crew behind the scenes -- are just as fascinating as any kidnapping, baby switch, or courtroom confession. Today, network soaps are struggling for survival against cheaper-to-produce talk shows and reality series, but their cultural impact resonates more strongly than ever -- and a tribute to the work that goes into producing them is long overdue. To that end, "Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live" focuses on some of the most unique aspects of working on a five-day-a-week television series -- from the actors, who had to deal with the daytime stigma and the psychology of living so intimately with their characters for extended periods of time, to the crew, who produced scripts and episodes at a blistering pace while working with a dwindling pool of network resources. Featuring interviews with more than 50 "One Life to Live" veterans, including Erika Slezak, Robin Strasser, Robert S. Woods, Hilary B. Smith, Ilene Kristen, Kassie DePaiva, Michael Storm, Judith Light, and Nathan Fillion -- plus many more -- "Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live" offers readers a one-of-a-kind perspective on one of television's longest-running shows.

"Why do I like soap operas?" Laura Stempel Mumford asks, and her answer emerges in a feminist analysis of soap opera that participates in current debates about popular culture, television, and ideology. She argues that the conventional daytime soap has an implicit and at times explicit political agenda that cooperates in the "teaching" of male dominance and the related oppressions of racism, classism, and heterosexism -- so that they seem inevitable. All My Children, General Hospital, Another World, One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless: a close reading of their texts will also answer some larger questions about television and its place in the broad landscape of popular culture.

Now, for the millions of fans of ABC's "One Life to Live", comes its anniversary scrapbook, which beautifully and definitively captures 30 years of the popular soap's intrigue, fantastic plot twists, and so much more! Includes a complete wedding album and a genealogy of Llanview's illustrious residents. 350 photos, many in full color.

Praise for THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE OF WILLIAM J. BELL "A beautiful dedication to Bill and the pioneering legacy of the Bell family. Their endless commitment, passion, and creativity have left an indelible mark on the genre."—Frank Valentini, executive producer of General Hospital and Emmy-winning director of One Life to Live "Reading this book is like rolling in the arms of soap opera's greatest lover...Bill Bell!"—Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes, Emmy-nominated actors on Days of our Lives and authors of the novel TRUMPET "An informed, insightful look at the inner workings of the Bell Empire—the most successful dynasty in daytime television history. It's a great read."—Peter Bergman, three-time Emmy-winning actor on The Young and the Restless "Michael Maloney has complied an impressive amount f details into an entertaining and fast-moving book. Read this book if you want a fascinating insight into one of television's original show runners and the legacy he left behind."—Cady McClain, Emmy-winning actress, All My Children and As the World Turns "One of the reasons for Bill Bell's legendary success in daytime drama was his immense respect for the genre and its audience. Longtime daytime journalist Michael Maloney uses the same respect for the genre to reveal the man behind the legend. For any fan of soap operas, this book is a must-read."—Dave Rupel, executive producer, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Emmy-winning writer for Guiding Light "Nobody 'gets' daytime like Maloney! A fascinating read for the dedicated soap fan!"—Michael Bruno, daytime talent manager "A fitting tribute to the man who brought daytime's most memorable characters to life, with great insight into his passion for the genre and dedication to his family...THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE OF WILLIAM J. BELL honors the legacy of daytime's 'Drama King.'"—Angelica McDaniel, senior vice president, CBS, Daytime "I cannot remember the last biography I enjoyed reading as much as THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE OF WILLIAM J. BELL. Together with Lee Phillip Bell, Michael Maloney has done a masterful job of weaving private family memories, never-before-told anecdotes, and an insider's knowledge of the soap industry together to create a tapestry as rich and colorful as Bill Bell himself. A must-read for any soap opera fan!"—Roberta Caploe, former managing editor of Soap Opera Digest and author of MELROSE CONFIDENTIAL "The carefully selected photographs alone are worth this beguiling trip down memory lane."—Lynette Rice, Entertainment Weekly Millions of fans worldwide know his soap opera and his characters, but few know the story of the man who brought them to life. William J. Bell, television's most prolific writer, reinvented the soap opera genre with his groundbreaking serial The Young and the Restless in 1973 and went on to co-create The Bold and the Beautiful with his wife and successful TV host Lee Phillip Bell, which debuted in 1987. The Young and Restless Life of William J. Bell tells the inside story of daytime's greatest storyteller, including his role as an advertising executive in the era of Mad Men, working for legendary serial creator Irna Phillips, and his move from Chicago to Los Angeles, which resulted in Y&R taking the top spot in the rating. This book offers an unprecedented look into the life of the man who defined the soap genre and draws readers behind the scenes into the captivating world of the daytime soap they know and love.

A half century ago gay men and lesbians were all but invisible in the media and, in turn, popular culture. With the lesbian and gay liberation movement came a profoundly new sense of homosexual community and empowerment and the emergence of gay people onto the media's stage. And yet even as the mass media have been shifting the terms of our public conversation toward a greater acknowledgment of diversity, does the emerging "visibility" of gay men and women do justice to the complexity and variety of their experience? Or is gay identity manipulated and contrived by media that are unwilling—and perhaps unable—to fully comprehend and honor it? While positive representations of gays and lesbians are a cautious step in the right direction, media expert Larry Gross argues that the entertainment and news media betray a lingering inability to break free from proscribed limitations in order to embrace the complex reality of gay identity. While noting major advances, like the opening of the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookstore—the first gay bookstore in the country—or the rise of The Advocate from small newsletter to influential national paper, Gross takes the measure of somewhat more ambiguous milestones, like the first lesbian kiss on television or the first gay character in a newspaper comic strip.

New from the author of Blackouts and Breakdowns--and in the tradition of Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Chelsea Handler--a collection of funny essays skewering the author's struggles with weight and body image, both as a kid in the 1980s and as a gay man in the 2000s. Mark Rosenberg has had more ups and downs with his weight than Oprah--but unlike Oprah, no one gives a sh*t. Coming of age very outrageously as an overweight, soon-to-be gay kid, he learns to relate to others by way of his beloved Melrose Place and Clueless--which serves him well when exiled to fat camp and faced with an opportunity to bribe an adulterous counselor or poison his stepmother by birthday cake--and thinks nothing of dressing as Homey the Clown (in blackface) for Halloween. This sets him up for adulthood in the image-obsessed world of gay men in New York City, where he hires personal trainers he wants to sleep with, applies an X-rated twist to Julie & Julia in an attempt to reach blogger stardom, and has an imaginary relationship with the man on the P90X workout infomercials that becomes a little bit too real. Hilarious, heartwarming (as if), and especially scandalous, Eating My Feelings leaves no stone unturned and no piece of red velvet cake uneaten.

This teacher resource book is filled with more than 200 communicative, interactive, task-based grammar games that help make learning grammar fun. All of these grammar activity ideas are keyed to the Azar English Grammar Series, by Betty Schrampfer Azar, and include complete step-by-step instructions for the activities to add a fun new learning dimension to the classroom. --From publisher's description.