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The premise of Sherwood Schwartz's popular 1964 sitcom "Gilligan's Island" is handily explained in its theme song: five passengers check into a three-hour boat tour, run by the skipper and first mate of a tiny tourist boat called the S.S. Minnow. The ship hits some bad weather and is thrown miles off course, landing on an uncharted desert isle. The seven tourists become seven stranded castaways. No phones, no lights, no motorcars, not a single luxury. Like "Robinson Crusoe," it's as primitive as can be. The septet have to learn to live together, usually to comedic effect. 

Gilligan (Bob Denver) was the above-mentioned first mate, and his innocent cluelessness and tendency to bumble often thwarted the castaways' ability to escape. He shared the island with his Skipper (Alan Hale), a professor (Russell Johnson), a pair of married millionaires (Natalie Schafer and Jim Backus), a farmer (Dawn Wells), and a...

Sherwood Schwartz's "The Brady Bunch" was entering its Cousin Oliver death throes when the bankable television producer unveiled what he hoped would be his next sitcom smash in "Dusty's Trail." He had good reason to be upbeat. The zany Western series was a reunion with his "Gilligan's Island" star Bob Denver, who'd become a household name thanks to the syndication success of that critically derided, yet ridiculously watchable 1960s show. If couch potatoes were content to gorge on reruns of their previous collaboration, surely they'd have an appetite for Denver playing an equally inept coachman bumbling his way west to California.

There were, however, warning signs ahead of the series' September 1973 debut. For starters, Schwartz's efforts to revive "Gilligan's Island" based on the strength of its syndication popularity had proven fruitless. Meanwhile, the networks simply weren't interested in another go-round with Schwartz and Denver, which forced the producer...

Today is a very special day for the lovely, beautiful and talented Genie Francis. Born Eugenie Ann Francis on May 26, 1962, in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, she celebrates her 62nd birthday today. Francis was born to parents; Ivor Francis (father) and Rosemary Daley (mother). Genie’s siblings include; her older brother Ivor Jr., her younger brother Kenneth […]

The post Genie Francis Celebrates Her Birthday appeared first on Soap Opera News.

This month’s installment of Deep Cuts Rising features a variety of horror movies. Some selections reflect a specific day or event in April, and others were chosen at random.

Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.

This month’s offerings include an anthology, a creature-feature, some found footage, and two slashers.

The House of the Dead (1978)

Directed by Sharron Miller.

The House of the Dead — also known as Last Stop on 13 Street and Alien Zone — is an American stab at an Amicus-style anthology film. Shot in Oklahoma with students from Osu, this low-budget horror omnibus does a creditable job of capturing the macabre spirit of The House That Dripped Blood and The Vault of Horror.

This regional horror collection delivers four sub-stories as well as a wraparound about an adulterous husband (John Ericson...

1969: Bright Promise premiered on NBC.

1978: The final episode of For Richer, For Poorer aired on NBC.

1986: Another World's Marley and Jake were married.

1989: Terry Lester debuted as Mason Capwell on Santa Barbara."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

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

On this date in...

1947: Radio soap opera Claudia premiered. Due in large part to the success of the two Claudia movies, the D'Arcy advertising agency decided to bring the characters to radio in a five-a-week quarter-hour serial on behalf of its client, Coca-Cola. Kathryn Bard was cast as Claudia and Paul Crabtree as David, with Joe King announcing.

1969: Bright...