JUNE 1976
All My Children
Written by : Agnes Nixon
Produced by : Bud Kloss
Phoebe Tyler had drafted a letter to be sent by Mrs. Lum in her role as Kitty's mother. The letter, mailed from Minneapolis where Phoebe had installed the colorful former "Carny" Circuit con woman, was replete with references to her "lost looks" - Kitty's mother was a very beautiful woman, and Mrs. Lum was careful to tell Kitty that then "you wouldn't know me on the street" -, a heart condition which prevented her from travelling, and the fact that she had been abandoned by Fred the man she left her family for and was going by the name of Lucy Carpenter once again.
Phoebe went to Linc's apartment looking for some snapshots of Kitty as a child and bribed the manager to let her in. When Lincoln returned, she told him that she was preparing a surprise, that she found it fun to play the good fairy. When Linc mentioned that Brooke English had told him that Phoebe had been wearing a blonde wig, Phoebe told her son that Brooke had overstepped her bounds by her reference to the wig; that it was just a whim and she was embarrassed at the mention of it - The wig was employed, along with dark glasses, as a disguise when Phoebe recruited and met with Mrs. Lum.
Upon learning that Lincoln planned to travel with Kitty to visit her long lost mother - Linc had given up any plans to join another law firm away from Pine Valley -, Phoebe telephoned Mrs. Lum and told her that it was extremely imperative that Kitty not go back to Pine Valley with Linc. Mrs. Lum told her that she had figured out what was going on; that Phoebe wanted to separate Linc and Kitty. She demanded that Phoebe send her an additional $5,000 more or she would "spill the beans."
Phoebe’s daughter, Anne, was waiting for word concerning Dr. Joe Martin's suspicion that she might be suffering from Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease transmitted by cats or in uncooked meat. - Anne had admitted to a fondness for Steak Tartare. - When the results of the tests proved positive, Joe told his brother Paul, Anne's husband that there was no way to tell before birth if the child Anne was carrying had been affected. He asked Paul if they had considered the possibility of abortion and told him that if they should decide that way they couldn’t delay too long.
When Ruth Martin told her husband Joe that her son Philip Brent was planning to fly to Arizona to visit Tara and his son little Philip, Joe pointed out that his daughter Tara had told Phil that the boy's doctor had advised against such a visit. He cited Philip's behavior as another example of self indulgence on her son's part which he believed Ruth had encouraged in him over the years - The boy's asthmatic attacks appeared to be due to his distress over the break-up of Tara and Chuck Tyler's marriage. Philip Brent was mistakenly reported killed in Vietnam and Tara, pregnant with Phil's child, accepted Chuck's offer to marry her. He had raised little Philip as his son. Tara had told Chuck that in the opinion of Dr. Hildebrand he would always be the psychological parent. When Ruth, referring to the beginning of a quarrel over their children's behavior, said that they seemed to have come full circle, Joe replied that they were light years away from that.
Joe had discovered a letter from David Thornton in which he offered to leave Pine Valley and Joe demanded to know why Ruth didn't take him up on his offer if, as she has insisted, she wanted to save their marriage. Ruth told Joe that David was special to her but not in the way he seemed to believe. She said that the marriage was over and he intended to spend the night at the hospital, Ruth told him that she would be the one to leave. She said that she hadn't been entirely truthful with him or with herself; that she didn't know what she wanted and she would have to decide. Ruth made preparations to move into her son Phil's apartment.
On his return from seeing Tara and little Philip in Arizona, Chuck Tyler was met in the hospital by Erica Brent who told him that she had appointed herself a committee of one to give him some well intentioned advice about Donna Beck. She pointed out that he was being naive in assuming that Donna a young prostitute was capable of changing her way of life or even that she wanted to. Chuck told her that as far as the "ugly talk" she had referred to going around the hospital was concerned, if he wanted to offer a helping hand to Donna he didn’t consider that it was anybody else's business. Erica, who had fantasized herself as Mrs. Charles Tyler on occasion after Chuck's divorce and the imminent end of her marriage to Philip Brent, accepted a job offer which she had previously turned down from Nick Davis to act as a Hostess at the Chateau along with Nick's present condition that she give Philip a divorce. One consideration on Erica's part was the prospect of still be tied to Philip when Mr. Right came along; another that Donna Beck was, after all, "just a kid."
Dan Kennicott had been tutoring Donna at the hospital to prepare her to take an equivalency test for a High School diploma. When he learned that Ty had thrown Donna's books out of the window and that Donna had accepted Ty's gesture and his threats against herself and Chuck as final, Dan insisted that Donna could not only pass the test but go on to college if she wanted to and when Chuck insisted that he go out and purchase more books, Dan gladly left for the Zodiac bookstore to comply.
When Dr. Frank Grant first learned of Ty's threat against Chuck, and his friends anger that Donna had given up the project and seemed completely cowed, he recommended that Chuck write the whole thing off as a loss. As Donna's doctor, he told Chuck that her reaction to Chuck's inclination to defy Ty would probably not be damaging to her emotionally but on the contrary she would most likely love to be the center of attention. But as Chuck's friend, he warned him that he could end up with a knife in him and would be dead a long time. Frank went on to insist that Chuck didn’t understand the relationship between Donna and Ty but when Chuck insisted that he did understand the laws of equal rights and went on to ask what they were struggling for, Frank acknowledged that Chuck was right saying he would stand behind him, and adding his thanks "for reminding me what a dirty word compromise is."
When Paul told Anne about the results of her tests she screamed. When Paul begged her not to get hysterical, she insisted that she was not; that they were talking about a real possibility of damage to her baby. When she said that she did not care about herself, that she would give up her life for the baby, Paul explained she didn’t have to do any such thing , the disease was treatable. He told her that Joe wanted to sit down with them and talk about medication. Paul reminded his wife that there was a very good possibility that the baby wouldn't be affected and added that it was true that their options were limited. At the word "options," Anne asked if he was referring to the possibility of abortion and said her decision was no. Whatever happened she would not sacrifice her child. She asked Paul if any of the doctors recommended abortion and Paul said that Joe suggested it as a possible choice. Paul succeeded in getting Anne to agree to a meeting the following day with the doctors to discuss treatment.
At the meeting between Kitty and Mrs. Lum, the woman posing as her mother, Mrs. Lum, suggested, after a time, that she and Kitty needed some time alone to get acquainted, so Linc returned to the hotel. Kitty told Mrs. Lum that she and Linc planned to return to Pine Valley the following day as Linc had business. Her "mother" asked if Kitty could stay for a few days more because they had so much ground to cover and she wanted to try to make up for all the years they lost. She added with her health being the way it was, it might be the last time they would have a chance to talk to each other. Kitty agreed to speak to Linc about it when she returned to the hotel.
Philip admitted to Tara that he was jealous and resentful of the time Chuck had spent with her and little Philip and worried about the feelings she had for Chuck. She said she had committed herself to Phil and they would be married if Dr. Hildebrand gave her approval. Philip suggested that they be married secretly; little Philip would not have to know. When Tara said that was not the way she wanted it, Philip told her if she loved him enough she would agree. Tara replied she wanted to be married with all the trimmings this time and asked him to have a little patience.
Erica told her mother she realized that she had her to thank for getting Nick to offer her the job as hostess at the Chateau again. When Mona told her that she thought Erica needed a little excitement in her life, Erica said that the one reason she took the job was the salary because she couldn't even depend on Philip for the time of day. She added that she wanted to be able to look for "greener pastures."
Donna Beck told Caroline Murray that Ty was furious when she called and told him that she had a new set of books and was continuing with her lessons. Caroline asked Donna why she didn't just hang up on Ty, why she felt she had to tell him. Donna answered she was afraid of what Ty might do if he just walked in and found her reading them.
After Donna warned Chuck that Ty might come looking for him, Chuck assured her that he could take care of himself. She said she wanted him to understand she was not committing herself to anything other than studying while she was in the hospital. Chuck told her that all he wanted was for her to give herself a chance and that he thought she was very brave to have agreed to go ahead. When she said she might not be as brave as he thought because she knew what Ty could do and that he laughed at Chuck's threat of bringing in the police, Chuck offered to put someone outside her door. Donna told him she didn't want that but asked if he would come back after dinner and spend some time with her.
July 1976
Dr. Chuck Tyler had driven through a rainstorm to Center City in an effort to locate Donna Beck after he learned that she had slipped out of the hospital with Ty's assistance to return to a life of prostitution. When he returned to Pine Valley and told Frank Grant that he was unable to find Donna, Frank told him that from his description of one of the girls he spoke with, he was sure it was Estelle, Donna's best friend. Frank promised to go with Chuck to Center City to help take up the search again but Chuck once more set out alone.
Chuck finally learned from Letty Jean, "Number One" in Ty's "stable" the location of the room Donna, unable to return to "the stroll" because of a swollen leg, the last remnent of a near fatal beating she suffered at Ty's hands, was working out of. After Chuck left, Ty threatened to have Letty Jean worked over and hurried to find Donna.
When Ty did come in and invited Chuck to check out Donna's leg and leave, Chuck maintained he wouldn’t leave Donna "here in this pig sty." Trying to ease her way out, Donna accused Ty of bluffing when he told her he had made her his new "Number One." She told Chuck: "If he can prove it, I'll stay, but I know he can't." Ty called in a bruised Estelle to verify that Letty Jean was packing.
After locating Chuck’s car, Frank called Dr. Charles Tyler and told him that he was determined to find Chuck. When he returned to the car he saw Chuck, who had managed to find his way back after being grabbed from behind and beaten by two of Ty's henchmen as he left Donna's building.
Upon his return from Arizona, Philip learned, from Erica, of Chuck's involvement with Donna Beck and, from his mother, Ruth, that Chuck had been checked out at the hospital and taken to Phoebe Tyler's home to recuperate. Over Phoebe's strenuous objections, Dr. Tyler gave Philip permission to visit Chuck. - Dr. Tyler and Dr. Joe Martin had urged Chuck to accept Donna's choice to stay with Ty but Chuck had insisted that to do so would condemn Donna to a "living death."
Philip returned to the apartment he was sharing with Ruth during her separation from Dr. Joe Martin and was disturbed to learn that while he was gone, Tara, who'd had a premonition of trouble, had called and asked about Philip and Chuck, insisting, upon hearing the hesitation in Ruth's voice, on knowing what was wrong. Philip, having told his mother that Chuck would go on playing the Good Samaritan 'til he got killed, shouted at Ruth that she should not have told Tara the whole story knowing how guilty Tara felt about Chuck. On the eve of Philip's leaving for Vietnam, he and Tara, unable to find a minister or a J.P. to marry them, exchanged vows privately. Philip was mistakenly reported killed and Tara, pregnant with Phil's son, accepted Chuck Tyler's offer to marry her and raise her son as his own.
The following morning, Tara was obviously anxious at not having heard from Philip through the night, and when she said that Chuck's involvement was due to the fact that his life was very empty, Philip told her that she had a crazy hang-up in that she would take anything in the world and make herself feel guilty about it. Reminding him that he, too, felt guilty over their situation, she seemed to accept Phil's assurances that Chuck was well enough to return to work within a few days, but when she hung up the phone, she immediately calls her son's doctor, asking for a conference as she intended to return to Pine Valley right away.
On a visit to her mother-in-law, Kate Martin, Ruth learned that Tad, the boy she and Joe had cared for as their own, was spending too much time alone reading since Ruth had left the Martin home. Kate pleaded with Ruth to come back and give her marriage another chance, asking "if you have mixed feelings, aren't your stronger feelings for Joe?" Ruth replied that she couldn’t deny her feelings for David, prompting Kate to say that she resented the trouble David had caused between Ruth and Joe. - Kate had been one of the first people in Pine Valley to make David, at first a sullen newcomer, feel welcome in her home. At a backyard supper, David performed an emergency tracheotomy upon Kate when she began to choke on a piece of steak. After witnessing his exceptionally fine performance, Ruth, a nurse, realized that David was a skilled surgeon.
On first setting eyes on her niece Brooke's house guest, Benny Sago, and his unconventional manner of dress for dinner, Phoebe Tyler breathed, "What rock did that crawl out from under?" poured herself a refill and proceeded to get drunk. But when Benny awoke to hear Phoebe's end of a telephone conversation with Mrs. Lum, the woman Phoebe set up to impersonate Mrs. Carpenter, her former daughter-in-law's long lost mother, her manner toward the young man changed radically for the remainder of his visit, puzzling both Brooke and Chuck Tyler. Brooke read a portion of a letter from Benny aloud to Phoebe with a message to the effect that Brooke's aunt "doesn't have to worry, because he knows how to keep his mouth shut."
Meanwhile, Mrs. Lum was becoming fond of Kitty who was roughly the age of her daughter who died. When Linc, after a conversation with his sister Anne, was determined to keep Kitty from getting further involved with a woman who was obviously determined to insinuate herself between him and Kitty, called and learned that Kitty planned to stay on because her mother had suffered a "heart attack," he flew out to Minneapolis. He told Kitty of his suspicions that Mrs. Lum was an imposter. Kitty told him angrily that she didn’t care what he believed anymore and that she would stay as long as her mother needed her.
Worried that his wife's illness in St. Croix, which the doctor attributed to flu, might in fact have been an acute stage of Toxoplasmosis, putting the date of the onset of Anne's illness with the disease back to an earlier stage of her pregnancy than was at first believed, with the attendant risk of damage to Anne's unborn child, Paul Martin convinced Dr. Charles Tyler to speak to his daughter who agreed that it was better to acknowledge that she was taking a chance carrying the child. Paul accepted his wife's decision not to consider an abortion and extracted a promise from Dr. Joe Martin, who was convinced that her choice was wrong, not to make Anne uneasy about her decision.
As David and Ruth were both in Dr. Joe Martin's office on separate business, Joe walked in and dismissed David, rudely. When Ruth commented on his manner, he accused her of using his private office as a meeting place with her lover; he reminded Ruth that she had promised to be discrete. She answered that she had been, and if he thought otherwise, he was imagining things. Joe tried to back off, but in his usual left-handed manner, he told Ruth if her real reason for being the one to leave was to accommodate him, he was sorry that he implied otherwise, and told her if she wanted to come back she was welcome. Ruth countered that she wouldn't dream of coming back and added she didn't marry an unfair and suspicious-minded man, but that was what he was turning into.
The following day, Joe apologized to Ruth for his high-handed manner, but was continually interrupted by phone calls. The last one was from Tara who told him that she was returning to Pine Valley with little Philip because she knew about Chuck's involvement with Donna Beck and knew she, herself, was responsible for the whole thing. When Joe asked how she heard all the details, she told him Ruth told her. When Joe told Ruth that Tara was upset and had worked herself up to assuming the guilt for Chuck's present situation, Ruth maintained that it never occurred to her that Tara would react that way.
Ruth told David that Joe did overreact, but that their personal conversation was disturbing to him and he would, in all probability, react the same way in the future because that was the way he was. David suggested, in that case, that they make a new start someplace else. He insisted that she was clinging to the habits of a lifetime and responsibilities no longer hers. He asked her to think about a move in terms of their need and their love, and she promised that she would.
Dr. Hildebrand told Tara her son had progressed in that he was able to articulate his fears and guilts, but warned her that he might never fully accept the absence of his father in the home. The doctor cautioned Tara, saying her own behavior might complicate things more for the boy because she acted out of her own desires by assuming blame that was not rightfully hers. Tara tried repeatedly to get Dr. Hildebrand to tell her what she should or should not do, but the doctor reminded her that the choice was hers. She did remind Tara that she and Philip had a right to establish their family unit, if that was what they both wished.
Erica went to visit Chuck who rose to Donna's defense, saying that she was a sensitive intelligent human being who had led a horrible life from the very day she was born; but did concede there was some danger involved in his intention to try again to get her away from Ty. In annoyance, he told Erica to quit hinting that there was any sexual interest involved, saying that Donna was just of high school age and he was not a dirty old man yet.
Ty had told Donna that she had to go back on the "stroll" in two days. Donna called Mona Kane at Dr. Tyler's office to inquire about Chuck, and Mona told her that Chuck was not seriously injured. Mona tried to get Donna to return to the hospital when she learned that Donna's leg is still very painful, and failing that, she suggested that Donna call Chuck and tell him that she was concerned about him. Donna fantasized about graduating with honors, with Chuck escorting her to the ceremonies.
One Life To Live
Written by: Gordon Russell
Produced by: Doris Quinlan
June 1976
On a trip to New York to meet with her publisher, Cathy Craig learned that Pat Kendall was not married to her late husband Paul until some months after the birth of her son Brian. - Pat had told Viki Lord that Brian was Tony's son though everyone including Tony and Brian believed that the boy's father was Paul Kendall who was killed in a shoot out with other members of a revolutionary organization. –
On her son’s birthday, Pat made up her mind to tell Tony and left a message at Tony's Place for him to contact her. She also promised Brian a "special surprise." As Pat and Wanda Wolek waited for Tony and Cathy to return from what they believed was a picnic date, Tony came back and introduced Cathy as Mrs. Tony Lord. Later Pat told her son that the special surprise, in addition to his other presents, was a 10-speed bike which he might choose himself at the store. She then told her son of Cathy and Tony's marriage. Later Pat told a resentful Brian that he was going to have to accept the fact that Tony and Cathy loved each other and that they were man and wife.
Viki visited Pat after learning of Tony and Cathy's marriage to tell Pat that she was worried about her. Pat told Viki that she was surviving. She said that she should have her head examined wasting all those years waiting for someone who didn’t love her and that it was time she learned to face a little reality. Saying that she had considered the possibility of leaving Llanview but was tired of running away, and there was no reason why she couldn’t start a new life, Pat told Viki that she realized that someday she would have to tell Brian that Tony was his father but not then as she was afraid that Brian would feel he was deserted by two fathers instead of one.
Victor Lord had been trying to talk and while Joe Riley was in the room he said Joe's name and "Dorian." Dorian administered a sedative saying that Victor's effort caused quite a bit of exertion on his part. Joe commented that it was too bad that Victor had to be medicated just when he was starting to talk and though Victor was straining, he felt that it would have been a relief to Victor to be allowed to continue. Dorian told him that it was very likely that Victor would attempt to talk again but that in the meantime he needed total rest.
Dorian told the nurse in attendance to take a break and rest adding that once the word was out that Victor was attempting to speak, they would be deluged by calls and both of them would need all their strength.
Alone with Victor, she told him she would never leave him. That the things they had said to each other had been haunting her day and night - Victor suffered a stroke following his confrontation with his wife Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord and her admission that she knew and withheld from Victor the fact that Tony Lord was his son because she felt that Tony was a threat to her determination to get control in Llanview by means of Victor's money and the power represented by the Lord name. - She left Victor's bedside to join Peter Janssen downstairs at Llanfair and hear a report he had prepared at her request on his work at the Free Clinic. When Peter finished the report and asked what purpose she had in mind when she asked him to prepare it, Dorian told him her reason must have slipped her mind but that she was sure it would come to her. Peter told Dorian that his work was very important and that he did not like to see it treated lightly or himself for that matter. Dorian was then summoned by Victor's nurse with the news that Victor was again trying to speak and left Peter to go upstairs saying that she was sorry if she offended him. Peter said that he would try to be a little less sensitive. When Dorian did not return, Peter, feeling he couldn’t wait to say goodbye because he had to get back to the Clinic, went in search of Dorian or the nurse and was outside Victor's room writing a note to be left for Dorian as Victor, inside, said "phone — get me Hanson." - Victor's lawyer. - Dorian told Victor that he couldn’t have any visitors even Viki or Tony and again administered a sedative saying that was what happened when he overexerted himself. The following day, Victor, comatose, was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
As Victoria was trying to reach Tony with the word that their father had suffered a relapse, he and Cathy were determined not to answer the phone so they could enjoy a sense of isolation. Cathy told Tony that she would like to have a child and emphasized that it was very important to her. Tony told Cathy, when she asked what he thought of her book, that for the most part she wrote with a tremendous sense of honesty but that he had reservations about her treatment of one of the central characters who was obviously based on Viki. Cathy said that Pat too had some qualms and that she – Cathy - had agreed to revise it and tone it down on the advice of her agent. She said his mind could rest in peace, Viki was going to be spared. The phone rang then and Tony told Cathy that he was leaving for the hospital.
Victor, near death, was conscious and calling for Viki. The nurse suggested to Dorian that Victor would calm down if he was able to see his daughter and offered to look for her. Another nurse entering the room told her that Joe and Viki were keeping vigil in the hospital courtyard where the plantings designed by Victor and furnished from Llanfair were a source of comfort to them. Dorian, who had just left Joe and Viki there, quickly said that she too saw them in the courtyard, but she believed that Viki said she and Joe were planning to wait in Dr. Craig's office.
Jim Craig sent for Victoria when Victor insisted and Dorian told Jim that she didn't understand why she had been told to leave Victor's room so that he might have absolute quiet when Viki was being looked for. Told that Victor was calling for his daughter, Dorian persisted in suggesting that perhaps Victor should rest first and then saw Viki. Jim told her that he couldn’t guarantee Victor would have that much time.
When Viki arrived, Victor couldn’t say aloud all that he had been thinking and experienced great pain. Jim ordered Viki from the room to wait in his office as he and nurses tried once again to administer to Victor Lord. He joined Viki, Joe and Tony in his office to tell Victoria that her father had died; that he never regained consciousness after she left.
Mr. Hansen, one of Victor Lord's attorneys, called on Dorian the day after Victor's funeral and told her that, considering the extent of Victor's holdings, he had taken steps to see that the will was probated as soon as possible. He asked Dorian if she had given any thought to the provisions her husband made in his will. Dorian replied that she didn't know the terms of her husband's will and wouldn't let Victor tell her. Hansen expressed surprise, saying that most men discuss these things with their wives. Dorian told him that her husband was a good deal older than herself and had a heart problem. She said that she knew Victor to be a generous man and that he loved her and would take care of her. They arranged to have the will read in the library at Llanfair.
Cathy Lord had received a call from her agent notifying her he had received an offer from the Fiction Club to feature her book in its fall collection. She agreed to leave for New York immediately. Tony expressed surprise that she got a call and suddenly went running. When she asked if he wanted her to ask him to come to New York with her, he said yes, but that was not the only thing that was disturbing him. He added he was caught up in the way he felt things should be, with Cathy bringing him his pipe and slippers. Cathy decided to drive to New York and when Tony offered to drive her, she told him it was really not necessary. When she told Tony that she didn't mean to cut him out and that she felt miserable, Tony replied "not miserable enough to keep you from packing."
Tony got a call from Mr. Hansen saying that he was one of the principals in his father's will and that he would like and expect Tony to be there. When Tony speculated with Joe on the reading of the will saying that Dorian just might end up having quite a little field day, Joe asked him if, then that his father was gone, could there be any chance of Tony and Dorian making up their differences. Tony replied he believed that Dorian tortured Victor, hounded him, and literally turned him into a prisoner in his own home.
Viki, Joe and Larry Wolek discussed the fact that Tony wasn't too sure that his father changed his mind about him at the end and Larry commented that they might indeed be in for a few surprises when the will was read because Victor was never one to do the expected thing. After hearing from the nurse that she was unable to find Viki in time for her father to tell her what he was trying so desperately to say, because Dorian had sent her to the wrong place, Viki confronted Dorian on the matter and was told that Dorian was sure she'd heard Viki say that she would be in Jim's office. Dorian went on to say she would never have deliberately tried to keep Viki from seeing her father at such a time. Impressed with Dorian's distress, Viki accepted what she said and when Chapin arrived at her house bringing a letter from Victor, written some months before, extolling Dorian's virtues as a wife and telling his daughter that he hoped she would try to be friends with her, Viki was determined to put her suspicions of Dorian behind her.
At Llanfair, the day the will was to be read, Larry asked Dorian about a rumor that Dorian had some plans for the new wing involving the Free Clinic. Dorian acknowledged that she had been thinking about the wing and the Free Clinic but any plans would have to wait. When Dorian registered surprise at Tony's having been included in the reading and was told that she surely would have expected Tony, as Victor's son, to have been provided for, she replied that she had never considered biology as something necessary for human relations and maintained that she did not know that Tony and his father's differences were settled at the end; only that Victor died of a stroke that could have been prevented.
After Tony’s arrival, Mr. Hansen read a letter from Victor which began by advising his family that the will that was about to be read was final and conclusive and there would be no "later, capricious additions for you to worry about..."
Peter Janssen told Jenny Wolek, when she remarked she found it odd to be sitting on a couch with him in a comfortable living room eating cookies after all the things they had been through, that he enjoyed it and thought perhaps he really liked the good life - Jenny Wolek was a former nun who left her order before taking her final vows to go ahead with her plans to marry Tim Siegel, who died of injuries resulting from a fall. They were married in Llanview hospital only a matter of hours before his death. Peter Janssen saved Jenny's life after the hospital in Peter's native coutry, it which Jenny was helping care for refugees in a political uprising, was bombed. - Jenny said that it was hard to believe she was living in a world that no longer had a Tim Siegel in it. She told Peter there were moments when she didn’t even think of him, but then she remembered. Peter told her that they had laughed together that day and would laugh again.
JULY 1976
Pat Kendall was disturbed upon learning that her son was still having difficulty accepting the fact of Paul Kendall's death. He had told Pat that he dreamt of his father being alive and that they never really knew for sure that he was dead because the police could never positively identify the bodies burned in a police siege during a shoot-out with the revolutionary group of which Paul was a part. He told his mother that he heard a noise once and felt that a man was looking in his window — that he thought "it was him”. Pat assured her son that she too dreamt of Paul: that it was natural for them to do so, but she was determined not to let Brian know that Tony Lord wass his real father, because the boy needed stability in his life and he was having trouble accepting his "friend” Tony’s marriage to Cathy Craig Lord as it was.
Cathy resented the time Tony spent with Brian both out of her own insecurity and because she knew that they were father and son. She remarked to Wanda Wolek that Brian followed Tony around like a puppy dog and wondered to herself about how deep Tony's unconscious feelings were for Brian, thinking it was odd that he spent so much time running around with a ten year old boy.
Pat Kendall learned from an old friend who was Cathy's literary agent, that Cathy had practically grilled him about details of Pat's marriage to Paul Kendall and the date of Brian's birth and even the hospital he was born in. He remarked that Cathy had been behaving oddly lately, not answering calls from her publisher, and, on the occasion of her last visit to his office, was not so much interested in discussing her writing as she was in Pat. He said that Cathy acted like she was collecting material for a story. As he went on speaking Pat, shocked, told herself: “My God, she knows —that must have been why she changed her mind and married him – Tony - so quickly”.
At dinner, Cathy asked Tony not to ask Pat to their table but Pat was already on her way over and insisted, in Tony's presence, that she needed to see Cathy alone. After trying unsuccessfully to stall, Cathy agreed to see Pat at her apartment later in the day and was on her way out to avoid the visit when she discovered Pat on her threshhold.
Pat told Cathy she believed that when Cathy found out about Brian, the only way she could hang on to Tony was to marry him fast before Pat told him about his son. Cathy insisted that she did not know and did not believe it and accused Pat of trying a cheap, vicious, little trick to ruin her marriage. Pat, taken aback at Cathy's counter accusation at first, finally said that then both she and Cathy knew the truth and she would discuss it with her when Cathy was ready to deal with it, and left.
Tony came in to ask Cathy if she was ready to attend her father's birthday party and, referring to Pat's visit, asked what was the big deal. Cathy told him that Pat came to ask her advice and that she thought Pat's "sort of involved with a guy."
Jenny Wolek had asked Cathy how she managed to cope with Megan's death as Jenny was still having a very hard time accepting the death of her husband, Tim Siegel. Cathy replied bitterly that it was not quite as easy as it seemed to be, but told Jenny that she was just going through a bad period. Later, at a departrnent store, Cathy asked to see a child's dress giving the saleswoman the impression that it WAS for her – live - daughter. Anna saw her and noted her distracted air but did not know that Cathy was waiting for a saleslady to return, and took her off to help select some shoes. When Anna returned home, Jenny told her that she was concerned about Cathy's remark that she couldn't even help herself.- Anna told Jenny that Cathy, then newly married, surely meant that remark in the past tense but Jenny told her — “I don't think so.”-
Dorian set up a meeting with Peter Janssen and some board members with an eye to recommending Peter for the position of head of the Meredith Lord Wolek wing of Llanview hospital. She told Peter she believed he was the most qualified person for the job: that Larry Wolek, who was in line for the position had no special qualifications for it and she believed that a question of possible implications of nepotism might arise if Larry were to get it.
Peter told a very disturbed Jenny that he cared very much how she felt about his taking the position Dorian was trying to maneuver him into, and that he did not want to do anything to displease her or hurt Larry. Jenny told him that Dorian was using him to get back at Larry and he was letting her do so because he wanted the job.
Viki, when she learned of the machinations, confronted Dorian who insisted that she was only giving the board members a chance to evaluate Peter's ability, if not for this appointment then for a future one. Viki told Dorian that, because it was her late father's wish, she had tried to forget the past, but if Dorian couldn’t keep from interfering, then she was going to stop trying.
Larry himself told Dorian that, as of that moment, he was going to go after the job and that if she tried to get in his way, she was in for one hell of a time.
Dorian called Viki, Jim and Larry to a meeting at Llanfair and told them that when the board met, she intended to absent herself and gave Jim a note authorizing him to vote in her stead. When they left, Dorian told Matt McAllister it was the most humiliating experience in her entire life but she was prepared to lose a battle in order to win a war. Matt advised her to quit while she was ahead.
Dorian called on Joe Riley at his office. He said he had heard about the proxy and believed she had done the right thing. Dorian said she wondered if it was enough; that she was worried about Viki "at a time like this." When Joe asked her what she meant, she said she just assumed he knew and for his own sake he should forget this conversation. When Joe insisted on knowing what she was talking about, she told him about Megan's congenital heart defect saying that she happened to overhear some doctors discussing it after the baby's second operation - Megan was Cathy Craig and Joe Riley's illegitimate daughter who died in an automobile accident as Viki was rushing her to the hospital. Due to the nature of her deformity she would not have survived past adolescence. - When Joe learned that the condition was hereditary, passed on through the father, he was stunned. Viki was then pregnant with Joe's child. He called the Craig house where a party for Jim was in progress, and Cathy answered and was surprised at his tone when he asked to speak to Victoria. When she answered, he told her to leave the party and meet him at home in 20 minutes.
On Monday, July, 26th 1976, OLTL expanded to 45 minutes, airing from 2:30pm to 3:15pm
Jenny’s sister, Karen arrived for a visit, pretending that she had flown into Llanview on a private plane belonging to a fellow jet-setter, when she had, in fact, spent just about her last dollar for the bus trip and declining to call a cab, started to walk from the bus station. She made remarkably good time getting to the Craig house probably having hitched a ride - and a few minutes after her arrival was feeling faint.
When Joe walked in on a puzzled Viki, he asked if she knew about Megan. He accused her of lying to him every minute and asked what kind of love was it that could live a lie. He found out that Jim and Larry knew but that Cathy, Megan's mother, didn't.
When Viki learned that Joe was told by Dorian, she said that Dorian planned to tell him in order to hurt her. Joe started toward the door and Viki begged him not to go; they had always talked out their differences before. Joe told her that she should have thought about that when she first heard about Megan: that they could have worked it out.
Joe Riley returned home after a night spent at a bar drinking only ginger ale and staring into space and remembering the past months. Viki cried that she was afraid that Joe had left her but he replied whatever happened they would go through it together because that was what happened when people loved and respected each other. He went up to shower and changed and Viki answered a call from Joe's secretary learning Dorian had been trying to get in touch with Joe and told her it was most urgent. Viki left a note telling Joe she was going out and went to Llanfair.
She brushed aside the story Dorian tried to get her to accept and refused to hear any more of Dorian's explanations. She told her to just stay out of her life from then on.
Jenny tried to get Karen to go to the hospital with her to start looking for a job and Karen asked her to drive slowly as she didn't want another ride like that taxi from the airport. As Karen was dressing, Jenny answered the door to find a man, Frank, who was looking for Karen to return an address book she left when she hitched a ride with him from the bus terminal. Frank commented that Karen was very friendly. Jenny got rid of him and told Karen they had to sit down and have a talk. At first Karen accused Jenny of always sitting in judgement of her, but then admitted that she had not been to Europe rather she knocked around the States trying unsuccessfully to make a living singing, an ambiguous reference to "gambling" and told Jenny she lived for some time in a commune.
Joe went to see Larry and meets Cathy who had come to see Dr. Will Vernon as she had finally admitted she couldn't handle her problems relating to Megan's death. She had given Tony her word that she would consult a psychiatrist. As Cathy talked to Joe, she told him she had been fantasizing about Megan's 16th birthday, saying that such things as Sweet Sixteen parties were coming back, and Megan was wearing a red and white dress and white gloves, and Joe was on hand to help celebrate the occasion. Joe cried out to Cathy to stop that it wouldn't have been that way at all. Cathy demanded to know what he was talking about and, though Joe had been told that Jim was planning to tell Cathy about Megan that night, he told her that "they" had been lying to both of them. Cathy demanded to know if it was her father who kept it from her.
As Carla was about to lock up, she saw Cathy back in Jim's office, staring into the gloom. When Carla told her that Jim was going home and not returning to the office, she demanded that Carla call Jim, saying: "I want my father to come here. This is where the lie began and this is where I want it to end."
General Hospital
Written by: Robert & Eileen Mason Pollock
Produced by: Tom Donovan
June 1976
When Lesley Williams gave birth to her daughter thirteen years ago, she was told that her daughter was stillborn, and the baby was presented to Barbara Vining who with her husband Jason, raised Laura from infancy, with only the knowledge that Laura was their natural child. Recently, Lesley came to find out that Laura was alive and was the child she gave birth to. Lesley pursued Laura's custody, and for two months Laura lived with Lesley and Cameron Faulkner. At the end of the two months, Laura herself was to make the decision which parents she would continue to be raised by. She went to the Vinings, but still intertwined in Lesley and Cam's life, much to Lesley's delight, and Cam's distaste. Determined to eliminate Laura from their lives, Cameron Faulkner had devised a no-fault scheme with the influence of his wealth. He had located a nurse named Barbara Clifford in Detroit and offered her $10,000 to come to Port Charles and tell the story that her friend Doris Roach had lied on her deathbed when she confessed that Lesley was Laura's natural mother. - Doris was the nurse bribed to switch Laura, Lesley's daughter, with the stillborn child of Barbara Vining. Guilt ridden by this lie, she wanted to reveal the truth to Lesley. Also, Cam had paid $1,000 to a man named Russ Waverly. He was to lie that Barbara Vining had an affair with him and that Laura was his child, when in fact, he was a casual date of Barbara's and she stopped dating him when she became pregnant with Jason's child.
Further planting grounds for his scheme, Cam told Dr. Steve Hardy that Barbara Clifford had contacted him and he wanted Lesley's calls at the hospital screened to prevent Barbara from getting this news through to Lesley. Also, he went to Peter Taylor and asked him to make an evaluation of Barbara Clifford, hoping to win Peter over to his side, as Lesley trusted Peter and his opinions explicitly.
Barbara Clifford began earning her "fee" with a phone call to Steve. Steve believed he had diverted her from Lesley by asking her to talk to him first when in fact, this arrangement was exactly planned by Cam and executed by Barbara. She agreed, and also ratified his request that she be interviewed by Peter and examined for her heart condition - to test the authenticity of her story by Dr. Rick Webber. Both Peter and Rick passed positive judgement Barbara had a severe heart condition and had to be sincere in her tale that she was confessing to Lesley to clear her own conscience.
Lesley’s suspicions that all three men were hiding something from her were confirmed when Cam informed her of Barbara Clifford just in time to greet her at their door. Cam led her to believe Barbara was a fake and lied to her that he only allowed her to face Lesley in person because of his hopes "she would crack under the pressure of seeing Laura's real mother." Lesley was appalled by Barbara's claim and told her so. She swore this woman was after the Faulkner fortune, but Barbara replied "money cannot buy peace of mind." Lesley accused her of lying and had Cam bodily remove her from their apartment.
Cam’s plan was threatened when Lesley expressed her theory that if Laura truly was another man's child from an affair with Barbara Vining - blood tests proved Barbara's husband Jason could not father Laura, providing the courts with evidence that Lesley's lover could have been the father along with Doris Roach's testimony of the switch, concreting Lesley's case -, and she knew this in her heart, then she would've testified this in court in order to keep Laura. Lesley wanted this question cleared immediately and tried to call Barbara Vining but was forced to wait until her return from a country visit for forty-eight hours. Cam used this time to counteract Barbara's response and unknown to Lesley had Barbara return the following day for a meeting in his office.
Barbara, totally disgusted at Cam's insistence that she see him immediately, was further belittled when Cam threatened her that if she, Jason and Laura were not permanently moved out of town by noon the following day, he would expose to Jason the fact that Barbara had an affair with Russ Waverly and he was the natural father of Laura. Barbara was adamant in her denial of this untruth, but backed down when Waverly walked in on cue to back Cam's charges with his paid statement that he was Laura's father. Barbara lost control of her fight for denial when Cameron paid her $25,000 and told her Jason had a job waiting for him at a college in Haberly, Canada. They had to be gone the following day!
At home, Cam endeared Lesley to himself by offering to go to the Vinings with her the following evening to pick up Laura for her summer vacation with them. Lesley decided it would be just too unfair to Barbara to confront her with questions of an affair and decided for herself Barbara Clifford was the deceitful party. Cam made this offer to Lesley knowing well the house would be vacant.
Lesley was stunned to find the house available for rent and emptied of all contents. Cam gave her an explanation that perhaps Barbara Vining was confronted by Barbara Clifford and couldn't pay her price to keep silence, and if there was another man, Barbara Vining had to get Jason out of town before he found out. Lesley began believing this until she saw Laura had left behind her favorite doll. She declared that something was terribly wrong, and leaving this doll behind was Laura's way of letting Lesley know. She was on the verge of hysteria when she began to theorize that Laura was kidnapped, so Cam promised to hire a team of investigators to track the Vinings down.
In the meantime, Cam ordered Barbara Clifford to return to Port Charles to perform one more deceitful deed. This time she had to tell Lesley that she, Barbara Clifford, did indeed go to see Barbara Vining after Lesley refused to believe her. She found Jason alone, he was shocked by her story and called Barbara immediately to return from her mother's in the country. When Barbara came back that same day, she could not deny that Laura was another man's child by her and as a result of this shameful event, the Vinings hastily left town. Cam, on the other hand, prepared Steve Hardy with this possibility and the fact that Barbara Clifford was returning to verify the Vining's departure when a phone call arrived for Steve. On Cam's private plane, Barbara Clifford suffered a heart attack and was unable to speak coherently at this time. - The extreme strain Cam had put on Barbara Clifford had caused her additional pain, and the final attack came as she remembered how difficult a task it was to convince Lesley she was telling her a true story.
Cam was banned from Barbara's hospital room and couldn’t get a picture of Barbara Vining to her. He breathed easy assuming Lesley would also be refused entry. Steve then called him with approval to see Barbara, but not until Lesley, who was with her then, had finished talking to her.
Since Dr. Rick Webber had returned from ten months as prisoner in Africa, he had had to cope with many new adjustments. His brother Jeff had married Rick's former lover, Monica, and unknown to all, Rick was still in love with Monica. - When in Africa, Rick wrote to Monica telling her he did not love her and she was to find herself another man. Fearing she would lose the close family ties Rick's sister Terri and his brother Jeff gave Monica, she told them the letter read that Rick had proposed to her. Four months later, she married Jeff. As Rick was alive, Monica feared he would reveal the truth in his letter. She met Rick's plane from Africa in New York, giving the hospital staff the excuse she was visiting a close friend in St. Louis. Rick agreed to keep her secret, but reluctantly as he hated to deceive his younger brother. Unfortunately, Jeff found out Monica was in New York to meet Rick's plane and instead of accusing Monica for the deception, he took it out on Rick, refusing to listen to any explanation he might have. Rick was sickened by how Jeff had been hurt, but couldn’t bring himself to confess about Monica's lie.
Diana Taylor had taken the advice of her good friend Audrey Hobart and resolved her differences with husband Dr. Peter Taylor by promising to trust him from now on, and not draw conclusions from false sources of information. Because of their difficulties, Peter had volunteered to be the psychiatric consul for the clinic, binding more of his time from Diana. Part of Diana's problem was the constant harrassment her sister was giving her since her jilted love affair. Beth was embittered to all men and did not hesitate to pass her comments and accusations on to her sister.
Peter had an emergency psychiatric case at the clinic and as a result he forgot Diana's daughter's birthday party. He was out on the ledge of the seventh floor, trying to save the life of a patient determined to jump, because of guilt due to the death of his family in a car accident. When Peter, completely drained physically and mentally returned home, Diana threw at him that if Martha were his natural daughter he wouldn't have missed the party. After he told her his reason why he was not there, it was too late for Diana to apologize, as far as Peter was concerned, they had hit rock bottom with their relationship; he couldn't cope with Diana's mistrust any longer and stormed out of the apartment, leaving a very sorrowful Diana in tears.
Diana relaid this to Audrey and tearfully confesses her fear that she was compulsive towards self-destruction, that she was unable to control herself. Audrey suggested Diana see a psychiatrist. At first Diana refused, but later showed her sincerity to Peter and asked him to help her. He made her an appointment with a psychiatrist unknown to them both. Together they hoped to keep the marriage they both highly valued together.
Peter at first refused an interview to reporter Kimberly Hughes who worked for "Men and Women" magazine. He told Lesley he feared a personal look at his life would push Diana past the breaking point, but Lesley - with Steve's backing because Kim promised no probes - convinced Peter that the publicity would be good for the clinic. He reluctantly agrees, blind to the fact that Kim was after gossip to sell her story and would print what she wanted to get it.
Kim got to Diana first, and started her probe into the personal life of Dr. Peter Taylor. Diana was shaken when Kim almost repeated word for word what Beth, Diana's sister had thrown at her earlier that day. She told her she had remarkable stamina to withstand being married to a doctor, as doctors looked upon nurses as "second-class citizens." When interviewing Peter later and telling him what she had said to Diana, Peter became infuriated with her breech of promise about delving into his personal life and made her leave immediately. Diana had already been upset with Beth's accusations of Peter's almighty Doctor attitude which she continually tormented Diana with. Beth quit nursing to accept a job modelling for the designer of Pendleton's and when Diana told her she was entering into a shallow and superficial life, Beth retorted that at least she'd meet a man who treated her as an equal and one she could trust, not one like Peter Taylor!
July 1976
Lesley Williams had given birth illegitimately thirteen years ago. Her father bribed a nurse, Doris Roach, to tell Lesley her daughter was stillborn and then presented Lesley's child to Barbara and Jason Vining. Recently, Doris confessed this on her deathbed and Lesley found her daughter. For two months she and the Vinings fought for Laura's custody. The result was to allow Laura to live with the parents she knew, but to be allowed to intertwine in Lesley and Cam Faulkner's lives. This arrangement pleased Lesley, and unknown to her, revolted Cam. Cam’s desire to possess Lesley completely had become so extreme that he had used the influence of his great wealth to maneuver people into a scheme overwrought with lies to remove Laura from his and Lesley's life. A retired nurse and former friend of Doris Roach, Miss Clifford was paid $10,000 to fly from Detroit just to tell Lesley Doris' confession was a lie. Due to the stress of the situation, Miss Clifford's already weakened heart had failed. She was admitted to General Hospital with a coronary seizure. While recuperating, Lesley confronted Miss Clifford. She continued her story - previously prompted by Cam -, with the details of her visit to the Vinings where Barbara Vining did admit she had a lover. She described Barbara Vining as "sarcastic and abusive" which led Lesley to doubt Miss Clifford's authenticity, since Lesley knew Barbara Vining well enough to be sure she was not sarcastic. This near disclosure frightened Miss Clifford. Worse yet, was her mistake under pressure that Laura's bedroom was behind a wooden door, this slip completely reassured Lesley, she knew Laura's bedroom had glass doors.
Dr. Peter Taylor visited Miss Clifford to test Lesley's instincts about her and he too felt she was extremely nervous due to the covering up she was doing about the real truth. When Cam put the pressure on and arranged complete transportation for Miss Clifford to leave the hospital, Peter became suspicious as to Cam's motive behind her speedy departure.
Feeling trapped for the first time in his life, Cam became desperate to save his plot against Laura. He felt his best weapon was the elimination of Peter's influence. Taking advantage of an emergency at the hospital, Cam withheld a message to Diana that Peter and Lesley were delayed for dinner at Tern's Place because of a clinic crisis. Instead, he ordered her a bottle of champagne, and when he was sure she had had plenty to drink, he filled Diana's confused head with accusations that he and Diana shared the same problem. He told her Peter was becoming involved with Lesley, he broke dates with his own wife to be with her. He went on nourishing Diana's anger stating Peter had a physical need to feed his ego with women. With this message added to the encounter Diana had previously with Peter's former psychiatric patient Pat Lambert - she had once tried to break up the Taylor's marriage, but failed -, Diana left the restaurant in a rage of jealousy. Cam remained, smiling at his success with Diana's gullibility. Opening the door to Peter's office, Diana witnessed Peter massaging Lesley's neck, after a tedious confrontation with a patient. Assuming Cam's accusations true then, Diana again threw unfaithfulness at Peter, leading Lesley to believe that Cam was behind this. Diana admitted he gave her no message of Peter's emergency delay. To Audrey, Lesley confessed there was a side to her husband she didn't know existed. She didn't know why he had turned against her.
Cam furthered his attack by tracking down Russ Waverly, the man he hired to come to Port Charles to pose as Laura's father. Finding Lesley had another detective tracing Laura, he sent Mac to make sure the Vinings couldn't be traced. Cam left to fetch Waverly without telling Lesley his whereabouts, causing her to feel she was failing Cam.
Meanwhile, Diana had one session with psychiatrist Dr. Langley, and came out of it fearing the worst, Peter really did think she was beneath him. She did an about turn in personality and promised herself she would fight for the man she loved. She asked Lesley to cancel Peter's post as the clinic psychiatrist, she wanted her husband home with her where he belonged. Peter was appalled by this request, and refused to quit. When Peter questioned her sessions with Dr. Langley, she finally was forced to admit she cancelled all future sessions, as "there is no hangup to solve, it's a waste of time and money to cure it." Peter claimed there was a hangup, perhaps not only other women in his life as she believed, but that she had total mistrust for him. He warned her that this alone would destroy their marriage. She threw back at him what had haunted her all along, that Peter thought she had no breeding, being an ex-waitress wife.
Diana confided to Audrey she was not up to Peter's level while Lesley, being with Peter so much, was "too equal" to compete with. She admitted her fear their professional closeness would not be the only way they were drawn together.
Peter finally told Diana his work was separate from his family and no one could tell him how to run it. The clinic project was on, it was one sacrifice he would not make! Diana began to realize what the work meant to him.
Cameron returned presenting Waverly to Lesley as "the truth." Waverly told Lesley the then Barbara Jackson became pregnant by him and he wasn't interested so she wrote her sailor-boyfriend Vining a "dear Daddy" letter which he bought hook, line and sinker. After telling Lesley he came forward so she wouldn't "go on eating her heart out for my kid," Waverly left. Lesley, in shock, was horrified when Cam coolly told her then she could wipe her hands of it all. She cried, "Yes, yes, I finally believe Laura's not my daughter. Are you happy now, Cam?" When she accused him of possessing her rather than protecting her, and eliminating anything that interfered with his possession, Cam angrily swept a row of crystal glasses to the floor, a violent gesture Lesley realized was actually directed at her. Feeling she couldn’t stay there, Lesley went to Terri's club and told her the story concluding that Cam gave her everything money could buy but tonight she found she didn't know him at all.
Meanwhile, Peter and Diana had gone to Terri's for dinner and dancing celebrating Diana's new understanding of his dedication as a doctor. But the intimate mood was shattered when Peter saw Lesley there and peremptorily announced they were asking her to join them. Diana basked under Peter's praise but when an emergency call for Peter came in and Lesley insisted on going with him “it's OUR patient”, Diana recalled Cam's warning and went to his penthouse.
Diana told Cam he was right, togetherness fed the attraction between Lesley and Peter, and it frightened her. Cam brilliantly performed the innocent, wronged husband in pain as he told Diana all this was emotional infidelity, as bad as the other kind. He cryptically added if he was found gone over the balcony it wouldn't have been suicide, Lesley would have pushed him, or, on second thought, she would have been less obvious in the method.
After a long night in Emergency, Peter and Lesley's patient survived but the cause of the suicide attempt, the loss of a baby, was too close for Lesley and she broke down in empathy and her own pain. Assuming no answer at home meant Diana was sleeping, Peter took Lesley for a nightcap at Tern's and offered her a shoulder to cry on.
Cam got on the phone and instantly arranged for an offer to be made to Peter the following day. He would be asked to take over as psychiatric consultant in a major associate company of Cam's, in Los Angeles, at a fantastic salary. When Diana insisted Peter wouldn’t give up his current work for ten times the money, Cam replied he doubted that but, in any case, it was up to Diana to have the guts to fight for what was hers, and made sure he did.
Peter tried to convince Lesley to return home with him rather than confront Cam in her emotionally drained condition but she was adamant that she tell Cam it was over that night and then move to a hotel. Cam listened to her statement that hatred of Laura's presence, not protection of his wife, guided his actions and that he was glad it turned out this way; then he quietly told her she was being unfair not listening to his side. Taken aback, Lesley listened to Cam's quiet assurances that he found Waverly not to hurt her but because he loved her, and then she allowed him to convince her that rather than a hotel she should stay in their bedroom, he would sleep in the den. Cam was relieved, he then had time to get rid of Peter and make Lesley see what she stood to lose.
In the morning, when Cam tried to convince Lesley his every action was prompted by concern for her, Lesley retorted she never really knew Cam before, his anger was out of proportion to the situation and everything had to be his way or he walked out. When Cam asked if that was her evaluation or Peter's, Lesley had to admit Peter did point it out. Diana, meanwhile, was dismayed at Peter's encompassing preoccupation with Lesley and his certainty her marriage was over.
Peter and Lesley had made the cover of “MEN AND WOMAN magazine, "A Unique Medical Team." Cam and Diana commiserated over the article, Cam snapped "it makes them sound like they're married!"
On Monday, July, 26th 1976, GH expanded to 45 minutes, airing from 3:15 to 4:00
Heather, a young girl who went on a weekend cruise to meet a wealthy man was shocked to find Derek, who monopolized her weekend, was an orderly not an intern as he claimed. While waiting for him to loan her $100 which she wangled into a gift, she recognized Lesley and Peter from the magazine and overheard Peter tell Lesley her pattern with men was to make excuses for them, a tendency to "please Daddy." Realizing it was Peter Taylor's wife whose babysitter had just quit, Heather decided she'd like to work for Peter Taylor.
Dr. Rick Webber left his lover Monica Bard for a medical expedition in Africa. He then wrote Monica a letter denying his love. Rick was imprisoned but presumed dead by authorities. Monica had told Rick's brother Jeff and sister Terri the letter was a proposal, to stay close to them. Monica subsequently married Jeff. When Rick was released and returned Monica prevailed upon Rick to keep her secret. - Rick was constantly trying to make amends with Jeff but to no avail. Since Jeff found out Monica was in New York to meet Rick's plane and not in St. Louis where she had told him she would be, Jeff had ridged a jealous barrier against his brother. Monica finally broke through this barrier and Jeff agreed to "bury the hatchet." Though he knew he and Rick would never be as close as they once were, he wouldn’t hold a grudge against him any longer. He told Rick that he was the lucky one, after all, he had Monica who loved him and he loved her.
Monica was so impressed after standing in on emergency surgery performed by Rick on one of her patients at the clinic, she had decided to go into surgery, and asked Rick if she could be under his service. He was reluctant because of Jeff's response, she told him she had to abide by Lesley Faulkner's philosophy, "a doctor first, woman second."
Jeff’s reaction when he found out that Steve Hardy had accepted her request for surgery service, was hurt more than angry. He again took out his emotional injuries on Rick, accusing him of wanting to shine for Monica and show up Jeff, who had proven unsuccessful as a surgeon candidate. To prove he was still the "winner," Jeff outwardly and frequently showed affection to Monica when in Rick's presence. Monica was embarrassed by this display and told Rick so. He claimed it meant nothing to him, but inwardly he reminisced when it used to be himself giving Monica the kisses.
When Monica’s young patient, Joey Galvin died instantly while she was in his hospital room, Monica broke down and cried her heart out in Rick's arms. Pressured by his hidden love for Monica and having her in his arms, he kissed her passionately. Then out in the open, Rick told Monica that she was the only hope he had for staying alive while in prison. She confessed tearfully to him that she fell in love with Jeff, but never stopped loving him, Rick. Rick having the strength to try to overlook their emotions for his brother's sake, said that they couldn’t live the "ifs" of the past and hurt the man they both loved. Upon hearing from Terri that Rick planned to move out of the house, Jeff went to Rick and asked if they could once again be as close as they were. Rick was elated that his brother still wanted the closeness they shared—Monica on the other hand was tormented by her love and desire for both men.
Monica was shocked to learn Rick was planning to move out and confronted him at the hospital. He painfully made it clear he couldn’t sleep twenty feet from the bedroom she shared with his brother. She reminded him the pain was the same for her but he made it clear he couldn’t stay under the same roof with her, there was no other choice, "The only way we could be happy is to destroy my brother, and neither of us could do that."
Audrey Hobart had recuperated from her recent marriage breakup and resulting suicide attempt remarkably. However, she was weakened slightly when her son Tommy preferred to stay home from camp to be with she and Steve Hardy, Steve had been the only father Tommy loved even though he had been divorced from Audrey for many years. He seemed to be the strength Tommy needed after his mother's three failures at marriage.
Urged on by her friends, Audrey decided to reach out for happiness. She walked into Steve's office and told him she loved him. Her courage was well rewarded when Steve replied "I've always loved you and never more than at this moment. And this time we're going to live happily ever after."
A few moments later, Steve, on his way to Radiology, found the elevator broken and took the stairs. Later, learning he never arrived, Audrey traced his steps and was horrified to find him lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairwell, bleeding from a head injury. Rick and Audrey rushed him to Emergency; he had an occipital skull fracture and less severe internal injuries. After treatment Audrey sat at his beside holding his hand recalling in her mind all the hurt she had caused him over the years, years when she still loved him but just didn't realize it. Rick gave Audrey an optimistic prognosis but confided to Monica that Steve, who had been like a father to him, might have serious side effects when he woke up, if he woke up.
The horror of Steve's accident had re-cemented the relationship between the Webber brothers and suddenly Monica felt that Rick's closeness with Jeff was pushing her out of the family. Desperate to maintain the status-quo, she told Terri Rick's moving out was tearing Jeff apart and asked Terri to convince Rick to stay. But Terri assured her that night had brought the brothers so close, Rick's leaving couldn’t hurt Jeff, and it was best for Rick.
Unable to convince Jeff to stop Rick from leaving, Monica appealed to Rick claiming Jeff was suffering over this. But Rick coldly informed Monica he was not a masochist and wouldn’t go on suffering for anybody's sake.
Steve regained consciousness after 24 hours and he and Audrey made plans for their future to begin right after his release. But during routine neurological examination Steve discovered he couldn’t move his legs.
No comments:
Post a Comment