Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Drama
    Drama TV Shows - 1950s TV Shows - 1960s 3 Mins Read

    Brighter Day, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 5 4 – 1 9 6 2 (USA)
    1830 x 15/25 minute episodes

    “Our years are as the falling leaves. We live, we love, we dream, and then we go. But somehow, we keep hoping that our dreams come true on that brighter day.”

    This long-running CBS daytime serial (read soap opera) revolved around Reverend Richard Dennis (Blair Davies, except for a brief time in 1954 when the role was played by William Smith) – who lived and worked in the small Midwestern town of New Hope – and his sprawling family, including his five children – notably aspiring actress daughter Althea (Jayne Heller) and alcoholic son Grayling (Hal Holbrook) – and his sister, Emily (Mona Bruns).

    Many scenes showed Aunt Emily either leaving for the kitchen or bringing in something from the kitchen. But there was never a scene in the kitchen – because there wasn’t a kitchen set, which became a standing gag with Mona Bruns and other cast members.

    Althea’s husband, Bruce, died in the Korean War, and she found herself going insane. After being ineffectually treated by Dr Blake Hamilton, her psychiatrist brother-in-law, she left to pursue an acting career in New York City. By the late 1950s, Grayling had taken centre stage, with his business and romantic life getting a thorough airing.

    Several regular characters were written out of the show in July 1961 when production moved from New York to Hollywood.

    The dropping of these characters, some with no explanation on air, led to audience erosion, which only increased when the series went from the afternoon to the late morning in early 1962 (typically, soap operas perform poorly before noon).

    That year there was an influx of new characters and stories, including the introduction of Walter and Emily’s hapless brother Dennis and the return of Patsy following the death of her husband Dr Randy Hamilton.

    In August, the show’s producers announced hiring the first black regular on a soap opera, an actor named Rex Ingram, but he had little to do as the series vanished a month later, ending its eight-year run.

    Reverend Richard Dennis
    Blair Davies
    William Smith
    Aunt Emily Potter
    Mona Bruns
    Babby Dennis
    Mary Linn Beller
    Grayling Dennis
    Hal Holbrook
    Althea Dennis Bigby
    Jayne Heller
    Patsy Dennis
    June Dayton
    Sandra Talbot Dennis
    Gloria Hoye
    Ellen Dennis
    Patty Duke
    Vince Adams
    Forrest Compton
    Mrs Jarrett
    Abby Lewis
    Crystal Carpenter
    Vivian Dorsett
    Larry
    Del Hughes
    Randy
    Larry Ward

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Al Pearce Show, The
      Al Pearce Show, The
      1 9 5 2 (USA) Comic Al Pearce had been a moderate success on the radio from 1934 to 1946 on…
    • Fairmeadows, USA
      Fairmeadows, USA
      1 9 5 1 - 1 9 5 2 (USA) 30 minute episodes This short-lived NBC drama series was the only…
    • Hawkins Falls
      Hawkins Falls
      1 9 5 1 - 1 9 5 5 (USA) 15 minute episodes Airing live from Chicago, with outdoor scenes…
    • New Loretta Young Show, The
      New Loretta Young Show, The
      1 9 6 2 - 1 9 6 3 (USA) 26 x 30 minute episodes This CBS sitcom debuted on 24…
    • One Life To Live
      One Life To Live
      1 9 6 8 - 2 0 1 2 (USA) 11,136 x 30/60 minute episodes One Life To Live debuted on 15…
    • Love On A Rooftop
      Love On A Rooftop
      1 9 6 6 - 1 9 6 7 (USA) 26 x 30 minute episodes This sitcom from ABC/Columbia told the…
    • Seeking Heart, The
      Seeking Heart, The
      1 9 5 4 (USA) 15 minute episodes Debuting on 5 July 1954, this daytime drama serial from CBS starred Scott…
    • Executive Suite
      Executive Suite
      1 9 7 6 - 1 9 7 7 (USA) 18 x 60 minute episodes This American soap opera from CBS…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleWizbit
    Next Article Manhattans, The

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Legend of Custer, The
      1 9 6 7 (USA) 17 x 60 minute episodes In Kansas in 1867, Major […]
    • Bucky O’Hare
      1 9 9 1 – 1 9 9 2 (USA/Canada) In an alternative dimension […]
    • Terracotta Horse, The
      1 9 7 3 (UK) 6 x 25 minute episodes The Jackson family are […]
    • Maybe This Time
      1 9 9 5 – 1 9 9 6 (USA) 18 x 30 minute episodes Recently […]
    • Little Prince, The (1974)
      Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s delicate fable about the […]
    • Christian Death
      Goth‘s unlikely tendency to flourish in the world’s […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    edition.cnn.com/2023/01/30/entertainment/cindy-williams-dead/index.html

    More sad news 😢
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    'Laverne & Shirley' star Cindy Williams dead at 75 | CNN

    edition.cnn.com

    Cindy Williams, the dynamic actress known best for playing the bubbly Shirley Feeney on the beloved sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," has died, according to a statement from her family, provided to CNN by a...
    4 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64442824 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Television frontman Tom Verlaine dies at 73

    www.bbc.co.uk

    His band rose to fame in the 1970s New York punk scene, scoring UK hits including Marquee Moon.
    6 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64418847 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mr Blobby costume sells for more than £62,000 on eBay

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The character, made famous by BBC show Noel's House Party, had been in storage since the 1990s.
    7 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Put some beefiness into your mid-week menu with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the Radio Times on 30 September 1965.

    Put some "beefiness into your mid-week menu" with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the "Radio Times" on 30 September 1965. ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    They were awful. An overpowering savoury flavour that lingered in your mouth for hours. Heaven knows what unmentionable parts of a bull went into making them 😳

    More sad news 😪

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    US rock legend David Crosby dies aged 81

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Crosby, who co-founded both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash, had been ill for some time.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened? 

All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened?

    All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 54
    • Shares: 22
    • Comments: 7

    Comment on Facebook

    I thought we would have moving pavements by now when I was a kid 😂

    Totally agree!!!

    The new Tesla, 4.6 next century.

    We got transvestite story hour instead

    We appear to be going backwards

    There's actually a very good David Graeber essay on this very topic: thebaffler.com/salvos/of-flying-cars-and-the-declining-rate-of-profit

    The Jetsons strike again.

    View more comments

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

    nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    That is so sad to hear 😥 rest in peace 🙏 🕊 xx

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026
    ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    😍😍😍😍

    Vale Jeff Beck. Dead at 78. 😢

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Jeff Beck: British guitar legend dies aged 78

    www.bbc.co.uk

    One of rock's most influential guitarists, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Hi everyone. Were in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes.

    Hi everyone. We're in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes. ... See MoreSee Less

    4 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 5
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    Ironically, this post has jumped off the page at me. You'll probably get most traffic today because everyone will want to see what they might be missing!

    Martin Platt

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.