A World Apart (TV series)
Encyclopedia
A World Apart is an American daytime drama
which ran from March 30, 1970 to June 25, 1971 on the ABC television network
.
(Irna allegedly quit her head writing job at CBS
's As the World Turns
to help her daughter at the rival network). Soap opera writer Betty Kahlman (Elizabeth Lawrence, Augusta Dabney
) raised her adopted children without a husband, elements similar to Irna's own life. (Her sounding board and friend was fellow soap opera writer Meg Johns, played by actress Anna Minot). Betty then married Russell Barry (William Prince
) and the early focus was on generational conflicts between a newly married middle-aged couple and their confused children. People tried to understand each other but were ultimately "a world apart", echoing the title. Eventually the show-within-a-show element was scaled back (and Katherine Phillips was replaced by Richard Holland
and Suzanne Holland) and Betty and Russell settled into a tranquil marriage.
Other storylines centered around the Sims family, who were mired in less turmoil than the Kahlmans but still had their problems, as Dr. Ed Sims (James Noble
) and his extremely conservative wife Adrian (Kathleen Maguire
) struggled with their rebellious daughter Becky (Erin Connor).
Many future film and television stars appeared during the brief run, including Susan Sarandon
(Patrice Kahlman), Nicolas Surovy (Fred Turner), Susan Sullivan
(Nancy Condon), Dorothy Lyman
(Julie Stark), and David Birney
(Oliver Harrell).
The most successful alumni of the show is James Noble
, (Dr. Ed Sims) who eventually went on to play the lovably goofy but very capable Governor Eugene Gatling on the television comedy Benson
alongside Robert Guillaume
. Also becoming rather successful is Clifton Davis
(Matt Hampton) who went on to become successful in the series That's My Mama
; and much later, the series Amen
where he played Reverend Reuben Gregory. Clifton Davis and actress Jane White played son and mother on both A World Apart and Amen.
and NBC
's The Who, What, or Where Game
. ABC canceled the show after a little over a year, wrapping up with a moving episode where Patrice Kahlman finally made peace with giving her newborn son up for adoption (among the few, if not only, episodes of this show known to survive).
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
which ran from March 30, 1970 to June 25, 1971 on the ABC television network
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
Overview
The initial stories were written by Katherine Phillips, adopted daughter of soap legend Irna PhillipsIrna Phillips
Irna Phillips was an American actress and most notably writer who created and scripted many of the first American soap operas.Phillips created radio and TV soap operas including:...
(Irna allegedly quit her head writing job at CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
to help her daughter at the rival network). Soap opera writer Betty Kahlman (Elizabeth Lawrence, Augusta Dabney
Augusta Dabney
Augusta Dabney was an American actress known for her role as Isabelle Alden on the daytime series Loving...
) raised her adopted children without a husband, elements similar to Irna's own life. (Her sounding board and friend was fellow soap opera writer Meg Johns, played by actress Anna Minot). Betty then married Russell Barry (William Prince
William Prince (actor)
William LeRoy Prince was an American actor who appeared in numerous soap operas and made dozens of guest appearances on primetime series as well as playing villains in movies like The Gauntlet and Spontaneous Combustion.-Biography:Prince was born in Nichols, New York, the son of Myrtle , a nurse...
) and the early focus was on generational conflicts between a newly married middle-aged couple and their confused children. People tried to understand each other but were ultimately "a world apart", echoing the title. Eventually the show-within-a-show element was scaled back (and Katherine Phillips was replaced by Richard Holland
Richard Holland
Richard Holland or Richard de Holande , Scottish writer, author of the Buke of the Howlat, was secretary or chaplain to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray and rector of Halkirk, near Thurso....
and Suzanne Holland) and Betty and Russell settled into a tranquil marriage.
Other storylines centered around the Sims family, who were mired in less turmoil than the Kahlmans but still had their problems, as Dr. Ed Sims (James Noble
James Noble (actor)
James Noble is an American actor best known for his portrayal of the slightly daffy Governor Eugene Gatling on the 1980s sitcom Benson. He began his career in soap operas, most notably, The Brighter Day; As the World Turns, The Doctors and A World Apart...
) and his extremely conservative wife Adrian (Kathleen Maguire
Kathleen Maguire
Kathleen Maguire was an American actress who won an Obie Award in 1958 for her performance in the stage play, The Time of the Cuckoo...
) struggled with their rebellious daughter Becky (Erin Connor).
Many future film and television stars appeared during the brief run, including Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
(Patrice Kahlman), Nicolas Surovy (Fred Turner), Susan Sullivan
Susan Sullivan
Susan Michaela Sullivan is an American actress, known for several notable roles on various television programs. Sullivan played the role of Lenore Curtin Delaney on the daytime soap opera, Another World ; waitress Lois Adams during the first season of the comedy It's a Living, Maggie Gioberti...
(Nancy Condon), Dorothy Lyman
Dorothy Lyman
Dorothy Lyman is an American television actress, director and producer. She is most commonly known for her work as architect Gwen Parrish Frame in Another World and in All My Children as Opal Sue Gardner, and on the syndicated sitcom Mama's Family, as Naomi Harper.Lyman was born in Minneapolis,...
(Julie Stark), and David Birney
David Birney
David Edwin Birney is an American actor/director whose career has performances in both contemporary and classical roles in theatre, film and television. He has three children, a daughter Kate, and twins, Peter and Mollie....
(Oliver Harrell).
The most successful alumni of the show is James Noble
James Noble (actor)
James Noble is an American actor best known for his portrayal of the slightly daffy Governor Eugene Gatling on the 1980s sitcom Benson. He began his career in soap operas, most notably, The Brighter Day; As the World Turns, The Doctors and A World Apart...
, (Dr. Ed Sims) who eventually went on to play the lovably goofy but very capable Governor Eugene Gatling on the television comedy Benson
Benson (TV series)
Benson is an American television sitcom which aired from September 13, 1979, to April 19, 1986, on ABC. The series was a spin-off from the soap opera parody Soap ; however, Benson discarded the...
alongside Robert Guillaume
Robert Guillaume
Robert "Bob" Guillaume is an American stage and television actor, best known for his role as Benson Du Bois on the TV-series Soap and the spin-off Benson, voicing the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King and as Isaac Jaffe on Sports Night...
. Also becoming rather successful is Clifton Davis
Clifton Davis
Clifton Duncan Davis is an American actor, songwriter and minister. He has appeared on the television shows as A World Apart, That's My Mama and Amen...
(Matt Hampton) who went on to become successful in the series That's My Mama
That's My Mama
That's My Mama is an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the ABC network from September 1974 until December 1975. There are 39 episodes of this series.-Synopsis:...
; and much later, the series Amen
Amen (TV series)
Amen is an American television sitcom produced by Carson Productions that ran from September 27, 1986 to May 11, 1991 on NBC. Set in Sherman Hemsley's real-life hometown of Philadelphia, Amen starred Hemsley as the deacon of a church and was part of a wave of successful sitcoms on NBC in the 1980s...
where he played Reverend Reuben Gregory. Clifton Davis and actress Jane White played son and mother on both A World Apart and Amen.
Broadcast history
The series ran Monday through Friday at 12:30 PM EST, opposite CBS' then-very popular Search for TomorrowSearch for Tomorrow
Search for Tomorrow is an American soap opera which premiered on September 3, 1951 on CBS. The show was moved from CBS to NBC on March 29, 1982. It continued on NBC until the final episode aired on December 26, 1986, a run of thirty-five years. At the time of its final broadcast it was the...
and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The Who, What, or Where Game
The Who, What, Or Where Game
The Who, What, or Where Game was an American television game show that was broadcast weekdays on NBC from December 29, 1969 to January 4, 1974...
. ABC canceled the show after a little over a year, wrapping up with a moving episode where Patrice Kahlman finally made peace with giving her newborn son up for adoption (among the few, if not only, episodes of this show known to survive).