The Young Marrieds
Encyclopedia
The Young Marrieds was an American daytime soap opera
which aired on ABC
from October 5, 1964, to March 25, 1966.
The program was created by James Elward
and written by Elward with Frances Rickett. Authors John Pascal
and Francine Pascal
also wrote for the series. It was produced in Hollywood by Selig Seligman through his production company Selmur Productions. Producers included Richard Dunn and Eugene Barr. The serial was directed by Frank Pacelli
.
Mike Lawrence was the series announcer.
and his wife Susan Garrett
, commercial artist Walter Reynolds
and his wife Ann Reynolds, and Matt Stevens and Liz Stevens, a young couple who were engaged and ready to begin their married life together.
Shortly into the soap's brief year-and-a-half run, the Stevenses were wed then written out of the storyline, which was refocused almost solely on the marital problems of the Garretts and the Reynolds. Susan Garrett struggled with the knowledge that she was the biological mother of 10 year old Jerry Karr, who had been adopted years before by Lena Gilroy, an actress. Susan wanted to gain custody
of the boy, but Lena was unwilling to give him up. Meanwhile, the Garretts' neighbor Walter Reynolds saw his marriage unravel as wife Ann, his former model
, embarked upon a career as manager of Halstead's, a successful local department store
. Ann and Walter eventually agreed to divorce
, but they secretly remained in love with one another, although circumstances continued to keep them apart.
at 3:30ET/2:30 CT. Though it rated fairly well for fledgling ABC Daytime
, the serial aired directly opposite The Edge of Night
, a top-rated soap opera on CBS
/CBS Daytime
, and failed to maintain enough of General Hospital's lead-in
audience to make it viable. The final telecast on March 25, 1966 ended with a cliffhanger
that would remain forever unresolved, as a despondent Walter, having learned he would go blind
from a serious illness, locked himself in his studio with a loaded gun, apparently ready to commit suicide
.
Paul Nickell
James Elward
(Head Writer
for the first 10 weeks)
John D. Hess
Frances Rickett
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 aired on ABC
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...
from October 5, 1964, to March 25, 1966.
The program was created by James Elward
James Elward
James Elward was an author, actor, screenwriter, and playwright.-Personal Life/Education:He was born in Chicago, Illinois to Daisyann Lenert Elward and Joseph Francis Elward. He was the brother to Paul Elward...
and written by Elward with Frances Rickett. Authors John Pascal
John Pascal
John Pascal was an American playwright, screenwriter, author, and journalist.-Career:His works included collaboration on the book for the Broadway musical George M!, which was also released on NBC, and on scripts for the ABC Daytime soap opera The Young Marrieds.Mr...
and Francine Pascal
Francine Pascal
Francine Pascal is an author best known for creating the Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High was the backbone of the collection, and was made into a popular television series. There were also several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University...
also wrote for the series. It was produced in Hollywood by Selig Seligman through his production company Selmur Productions. Producers included Richard Dunn and Eugene Barr. The serial was directed by Frank Pacelli
Frank Pacelli
Frank Pacelli was an American television director and producer.-Positions held:*Producer on Children's Theatre; 1964*Director on Watch Mr. Wizard, Children's Theatre, Days of our Lives, Return to Peyton Place, The Bold and the Beautiful; and The Young and the Restless; Frank Pacelli (1934–1999)...
.
Mike Lawrence was the series announcer.
Overview
The Young Marrieds focused on the conflicts between three married couples in the suburban community of Queen's Point. (Queen's Point would later be retroactively revealed to be a suburb of an unnamed city; later revealed to be Port Charles, the setting of General Hospital) Dr. Dan GarrettDan Garrett
-External links:*...
and his wife Susan Garrett
Susan Garrett
Susan Garrett is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 29th District since 2003. The district includes all or parts of Bannockburn, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Fort Sheridan, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Highwood, Knollwood, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Mount Prospect, Niles,...
, commercial artist Walter Reynolds
Walter Reynolds
Walter Reynolds was Bishop of Worcester and then Archbishop of Canterbury as well as Lord High Treasurer and Lord Chancellor.-Life:...
and his wife Ann Reynolds, and Matt Stevens and Liz Stevens, a young couple who were engaged and ready to begin their married life together.
Shortly into the soap's brief year-and-a-half run, the Stevenses were wed then written out of the storyline, which was refocused almost solely on the marital problems of the Garretts and the Reynolds. Susan Garrett struggled with the knowledge that she was the biological mother of 10 year old Jerry Karr, who had been adopted years before by Lena Gilroy, an actress. Susan wanted to gain custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
of the boy, but Lena was unwilling to give him up. Meanwhile, the Garretts' neighbor Walter Reynolds saw his marriage unravel as wife Ann, his former model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, embarked upon a career as manager of Halstead's, a successful local department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
. Ann and Walter eventually agreed to divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, but they secretly remained in love with one another, although circumstances continued to keep them apart.
Ratings
The Young Marrieds aired immediately following General HospitalGeneral Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
at 3:30ET/2:30 CT. Though it rated fairly well for fledgling ABC Daytime
ABC Daytime
ABC Daytime is a programming block on the ABC Network which has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows and talk shows.-Schedule:...
, the serial aired directly opposite The Edge of Night
The Edge of Night
The Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...
, a top-rated soap opera on 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...
/CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime is a television programming block on CBS. It's the branding for the CBS Television Network's late morning and early afternoon programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows, and talk shows...
, and failed to maintain enough of General Hospital's lead-in
Lead-in
A lead-in is a short phrase, usually five words or less, that starts off a photo caption in a newspaper, high school yearbook, magazine or other publication.Lead-ins are used to catch the reader's attention and "lead in" to the main caption...
audience to make it viable. The final telecast on March 25, 1966 ended with a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
that would remain forever unresolved, as a despondent Walter, having learned he would go blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
from a serious illness, locked himself in his studio with a loaded gun, apparently ready to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Main Crew
Dick DunnDick Dunn
Richard 'Dick' Dunn OAM was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership .Dunn played 134 matches for the Eastern Suburbs club in the years...
Paul Nickell
James Elward
James Elward
James Elward was an author, actor, screenwriter, and playwright.-Personal Life/Education:He was born in Chicago, Illinois to Daisyann Lenert Elward and Joseph Francis Elward. He was the brother to Paul Elward...
(Head Writer
Head writer
A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...
for the first 10 weeks)
John D. Hess
Frances Rickett