On Thursday, November 3rd, 2016, I was fortunate enough to attend a table read of the show’s very first episode which aired on March 23, 1987. The reading and discussion took place at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills in honor of CBS Daytimes #1 for 30 celebration.
TV Guide’s Michael Logan executed his task as panel moderator beautifully. He led the cast in a very spirited discussion on topics such as love triangles and how fans have reacted to socially relevant storylines. He even inspired an amusing tale from Katherine Kelly Lang where she laughingly admitted to using the excessive yawing method so that she could tear up for a crying scene. It was quite funny especially when she got to the part where Bill Bell Sr. approached her out of concern after he observed her on one of the TV monitors. He wanted to know if she was alright but she dared not admit that she hadn’t quite yet mastered the trick of how to cry on demand. I think it’s safe to say Lang has grown exponentially as an actress and can now break any viewer’s heart with her on-screen tears.
The night began as Logan took turns introducing each member of the panel by name and role after a montage revisiting a few of the soap’s memorable moments cycled through the big screen behind the stage to the catchy beat of Justin Timberlake’s hit song ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’. One by one the audience whooped and hollered as Executive Producer/Head Writer, Bradley P. Bell, Jacqueline M. Wood (Steffy Forrester), Scott Clifton (Liam Spencer), John McCook (Eric Forrester), Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke Forrester), Heather Tom (Katie Logan), Don Diamont (Bill Spencer, Jr.), Darin Brooks (Wyatt Spencer), Alley Mills (Pam Douglas), Jacob Young (Rick Forrester) and Karla Mosley (Maya Avant) took the stage and prepared to read, for the first time ever the original script of The Bold and the Beautiful episode 1.
Table Read Highlights and Fun Facts:
- Bell-Phillip Television Productions received the green light to replace another 1980’s CBS soap named Capitol. It was assumed the show would enjoy an eight to ten year run but, 30 years later it is the most watched drama on television.
- Katherine Kelly Lang admitted that from shooting her first episode she felt like she was about to be part of something really big.
- Before the advent of social media writers and actors waited up to two weeks to gain reactions to storylines from fans– usually by snail mail!
- Bradley Bell has written for The Bold and the Beautiful since the show’s 7th episode. Currently there are more than 7,400 episodes.
- Current viewership is at 35 million per day in over 100 countries worldwide.
- Co-Creator Lee Phillip Bell was the host of her own self-named television talk show, The Lee Phillip Show. She was a forerunner in discussing important social issues like, rape, child abuse and homelessness. Citing his mother as his inspiration Bradley Bell tackled homelessness in a storyline involving Susan Flannery who later went on to win a daytime Emmy for her role.
- Alley Mills was asked to be on the show only ten days but eventually signed on to become a series regular.
