The Clear Horizon

Last updated
The Clear Horizon
Genre Soap Opera
Created byManya Starr
Written byCarol Warner Gluck
Directed by Hal Cooper
Joseph Behar
Starring Ed Kemmer
Phyllis Avery
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes254
Production
ProducerCharles Polachek
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseJuly 11, 1960 (1960-07-11) 
June 15, 1962 (1962-06-15)

The Clear Horizon is an American soap opera which ran on CBS Daytime from July 11, 1960, to March 10, 1961, and February 26 to June 15, 1962. [1] Manya Starr created the program and was its head writer. [2]

Contents

Premise

The Clear Horizon (titled The Army Wife in the pre-production phase) revolved around the problems of astronauts and their wives at Cape Canaveral, Florida. [3] In the show's first episode, Roy Selby (Ed Kemmer) was moved from his post in Alaska to The Pentagon, which gave him a new commission in Florida. Selby and his wife Anne (Phyllis Avery) tried adjusting to their new lives, with Anne feeling attraction to another man. Along with the show's unique theme, it was one of the first daytime dramas to be broadcast from California (CBS Television City in Los Angeles) and one of the first such programs to shoot location footage.

Cast

Kemmer and Avery were co-stars; the rest of the original cast were supporting players. [4]

Notable later cast members included Beau Bridges, Lee Meriwether, and Jan Shepard.

Production

The background shown over the title and closing sequences was the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean, accompanied by a piano theme by Kip Walton and a voiceover entailing future programs.

Ratings

The Clear Horizon, which was presented live in its initial run was cancelled in March 1961. It returned to the airwaves in February 1962, and was then taped instead of being presented live. This time, the show focused on Anne dealing with life on her own and Roy being trapped behind enemy lines. There was also more emphasis on the characters of Sgt. Harry Moseby and his wife Frances in the second season.

Veteran soap opera writer and creator Irving Vendig (radio's Perry Mason , Search for Tomorrow , The Edge of Night ) was a writer of the show following its return.

The Clear Horizon was never a big hit with the viewing audience as a whole, even in the 1960–1961 season. The low ratings of the show - its 1961-1962 ratings were 3.5, putting it at the bottom of the daytime ratings list - ensured its permanent cancellation in June 1962, at which point Anne and Roy would be reunited.

Related Research Articles

A soap opera, daytime drama, or soap for short, is typically a long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers. The term was preceded by "horse opera", a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns.

<i>The Edge of Night</i> American television crime drama and soap opera (1956–1984)

The Edge of Night is an American mystery crime drama television series and soap opera, created by Irving Vendig and produced by Procter & Gamble Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cynthia Watros</span> American actress

Cynthia Michele Watros is an American actress recognized for her roles in both daytime and primetime television. In 1994, she was cast in the regular role of Annie Dutton on Guiding Light, which earned her the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1998. In 2002, she was cast as Kellie on The Drew Carey Show and in 2005 joined the cast of Lost as Libby Smith. Since 2019, Watros has portrayed the role of Nina Reeves on ABC's General Hospital.

<i>Love of Life</i> American television soap opera (1951-1980)

Love of Life is an American soap opera televised on CBS from September 24, 1951, to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow premiered three weeks before Love of Life; he created The Secret Storm two and a half years later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denise Alexander</span> American actress

Denise Alexander is an American actress, best known for her role as Lesley Webber on General Hospital, a role she originally played from 1973 to 1984 (contract), 1996 to 2009, and a guest stint in 2013, in honor of the show's 50th anniversary. Alexander returned to General Hospital for two other guest appearances in December 2017 and April 2019, the latter to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the show. She then reappeared in early 2021.

<i>Texas</i> (TV series) American daytime soap opera

Texas is an American daytime soap opera, which aired on NBC from August 4, 1980, until December 31, 1982, sponsored and produced by Procter and Gamble Productions at NBC Studios in Brooklyn, New York City. It is a spin-off of Another World, co-created by head writers John William Corrington and Joyce Hooper Corrington, and executive producer of Another World at the time, Paul Rauch. Rauch held the title of executive producer for the parent series and its spin-off until 1981.

<i>Somerset</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Somerset is an American television soap opera which ran on NBC from March 30, 1970, until December 31, 1976. The show was a spin-off of another NBC serial, Another World. The show was created by Robert Cenedella and was produced by Lyle B Hill.

<i>Bright Promise</i> American soap opera

Bright Promise is an American daytime soap opera that ran on NBC from September 29, 1969 to March 31, 1972.

<i>The Brighter Day</i> American TV series or program

The Brighter Day is an American daytime soap opera which aired on CBS from January 4, 1954, to September 28, 1962. Originally created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948, the radio and television versions ran simultaneously from 1954–1956. Set in New Hope, Wisconsin, the series revolved around Reverend Richard Dennis and his four children, Althea, Patsy, Babby and Grayling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Stafford</span> American actress (born 1965)

Michelle Stafford is an American actress, screenwriter and producer. She currently plays Phyllis Summers on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, for which she has won two Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2013, Stafford created and starred in her own comedy web series, The Stafford Project. She also played Nina Reeves on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllis Summers</span> Soap opera character

Phyllis Summers is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless, an American soap opera on the CBS network. The character was created and introduced by William J. Bell, and debuted in the episode airing on October 18, 1994. Phyllis was originally and most notably portrayed by actress Michelle Stafford, until 1997, when Stafford was replaced by Sandra Nelson. Nelson continued in the role until 1999, when the character left; upon the character returning in 2000, head writer Kay Alden rehired Stafford. Stafford has been praised for her portrayal, for which she has won two Daytime Emmy Awards, but left the series after nearly sixteen years, with the character being written into a coma; Stafford last appeared on August 2, 2013. The role passed to Gina Tognoni, who debuted on August 11, 2014, and continued for nearly five years until she departed in June 2019, when Stafford re-claimed the role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marla Adams</span> American television actress

Marla Adams is an American television actress, best known for her roles as Belle Clemens on The Secret Storm, from 1968 to 1974, and as Dina Abbott Mergeron on The Young and the Restless, for which she received Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABC Daytime</span> Daytime programming block on ABC

ABC Daytime is a division responsible for the daytime television programming block on the ABC Network and syndicated programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows and talk shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Newman</span> Soap opera character

Summer Newman is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless, a US soap opera on the CBS network. Created by head writers Lynn Marie Latham and Kay Alden, the role is currently portrayed by Allison Lanier. The character was introduced during the episode airing on December 19, 2006, as the daughter of Phyllis Summers and Nicholas Newman, but for one year was believed to be the daughter of Jack Abbott because of Sharon Newman, Nick's former wife, tampering with the paternity test results.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Kemmer</span> American actor (1921–2004)

Ed Kemmer was an American motion picture and television actor.

<i>The Eleventh Hour</i> (1962 TV series) American TV medical drama series (1962–1964)

The Eleventh Hour is an American medical drama about psychiatry starring Wendell Corey, Jack Ging and Ralph Bellamy, which aired on NBC from October 3, 1962, to September 9, 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avery Bailey Clark</span> Fictional character

Avery Bailey Clark is a fictional character from the American CBS Daytime soap opera, The Young and the Restless, portrayed by actress Jessica Collins. She made her appearance as Avery on July 27, 2011, as a high-class attorney. Avery first came to Genoa City after being hired by Victor Newman to be Sharon Newman's lawyer during the character's murder case. She was later revealed to be the estranged sister of Phyllis Summers. Her storylines have predominantly included her legal work, feuding with Phyllis, a romance with Phyllis' ex-husband Nicholas Newman and a history with Dylan McAvoy. Collins left the series on July 21, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllis Avery</span> American actress

Phyllis Avery was an American actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty Lane</span> American actor

Rusty Lane, was a college professor who in his forties left academia to become a professional actor. He appeared in several Broadway productions during the 1940s and 1950s, including three years as an original cast member for Mister Roberts. He was in the original cast for another Tony award-winning play, The Desperate Hours. Lane also took up screen acting, performing in 21 films and making hundreds of televisions appearances from 1950 up through 1973, including as the star of the TV series Crime with Father, and as a regular cast member of the daytime serial The Clear Horizon.

References

  1. Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. pp. 100–101. ISBN   978-0823083152 . Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  2. Schemering, Christopher (1987). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Ballantine Books. pp. 53–54. ISBN   0-345-35344-7.
  3. Copeland, Mary Ann (1991). Soap Opera History. Publications International. p. 264. ISBN   0-88176-933-9.
  4. "Cast Completed For Its Debut Of Daytime Drama". Oklahoma City Advertiser. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. July 7, 1960. p. 11 via Newspapers.com.