One of several daytime serial dramas created by Irna Phillips for American television, Another World debuted on 4 May 1964 and was the first soap opera to expand from a half-hour, five days a week, to a full hour five days a week.
It was also the first serial drama to engender a spin-off series, Somerset, in 1970, and a second series, Texas, in 1980.
During the 1970s, Another World (which was owned by the Procter & Gamble Company) was the second-highest rated daytime serial drama on television for most of the decade.
Set in the fictional town of Bay City, Michigan, the series’ original opening stated that Another World depicted “the world of events we live in and the world of feelings and dreams that we strive for”.
During the show’s early years the series centred on accountant Jim Matthews (Hugh Marlowe), his wife Mary (Virginia Dwyer) and their three children; their eldest daughter Pat, their son Dr Russ Matthews, and their youngest daughter, Alice.
The Matthews’ widowed sister-in-law Liz Matthews was played by Sara Cunningham, Audra Lindley, Nancy Wickwire and Irene Dailey.
Also in the cast in those early years were Joe Gallison as Liz’s son, lawyer Bill Matthews (who drowned in 1968); Lisa Chapman as Liz’s daughter Janet; and Fran Sharon, Roni Dengel, Lisa Cameron and Lynn Milgrim at various times as Liz’s daughter, Susan.
As in most soap operas, these characters gradually faded from view as others began to replace them as the central focus in the ever-changing storylines.
In the years that followed many other actors became audience favourites, including Constance Ford as Ada David Downs Hobson (Ford played the role from 1967 until shortly before her death in 1993), Ann Wedgeworth as Lohoma Vane, Victoria Wyndham as Ada’s daughter Rachel, George Reinholt (and then David Canary) as Stephen Frame, Victoria Thompson (and then Christine Jones) as the evil Janice Frame, Judith Barcroft (and then Susan Sullivan) as Lenore Moore Curtin, former film star Ann Sheridan as Catherine Corning, Donald Madden as Dr Kurt Landis, Charles Durning (and then Dolph Sweet) as Lieutenant Gil McGowen (who married Ada) and many many others.
For its entire 35-year run, Another World originated at NBC’s Brooklyn Studios facility.
Jim Matthews Hugh Marlowe Mary Matthews Virginia Dwyer Pat Matthews Susan Trustman (1)
Beverly Penberthy (2)
Dr Russ Matthews Joey Trent (1)
Sam Groom (2)
Bob Hover (3)
David Bailey (4)
Alice Matthews Jacquelyn Courtney (1)
Susan Harney (2)
Wesley Ann Pfenning (3)
Vana Tribbey (4)
Linda Borgeson (5)
Jacquelyn Courtney (6) Liz Matthews
Sara Cunningham (1)
Audra Lindley (2)
Nancy Wickwire (3)
Irene Dailey (4) Bill Matthews Joe Gallison Janet Matthews Lisa Chapman Susan Matthews Fran Sharon (1)
Roni Dengel (2)
Lisa Cameron (3)
Lynn Milgrim (4)
Set in the fictional town of Bay City, Michigan, the series’ original opening stated that Another World depicted “the world of events we live in and the world of feelings and dreams that we strive for”.
In the years that followed many other actors became audience favourites, including Constance Ford as Ada David Downs Hobson (Ford played the role from 1967 until shortly before her death in 1993), Ann Wedgeworth as Lohoma Vane, Victoria Wyndham as Ada’s daughter Rachel, George Reinholt (and then David Canary) as Stephen Frame, Victoria Thompson (and then Christine Jones) as the evil Janice Frame, Judith Barcroft (and then Susan Sullivan) as Lenore Moore Curtin, former film star Ann Sheridan as Catherine Corning, Donald Madden as Dr Kurt Landis, Charles Durning (and then Dolph Sweet) as Lieutenant Gil McGowen (who married Ada) and many many others.
