Another World TV Show

From LoveToKnow Soap-Operas

Another World TV show debuted in May of 1964 and aired on the NBC network for 35 years until it was canceled in June of 1999. The series, set in the fictional town of Bay City, was created by Irna Phillips (Guiding Light) and The Young and the Restlless creator William J. Bell. Another World broke a lot of taboos and firsts for television in general as well as daytime soap operas.

Before moving to 90210, Perry appeared on AW

Welcome to Another World TV Show

The town of Bay City played home to the Frames, the Matthews, the Corys, the Loves, the Hudsons and the McKinnons. The central families shifted over the 35 year history of the program, but Rachel Davis (then played by One Life to Live’s Robin Strasser and later by Victoria Wyndham) remained a central figure on the show and in many storylines. Her affair with Steve Frame produced son Jamie and her great love MacKenzie Cory (Douglas Watson) brought struggling Rachel to prominence and wealth. Although a blue-collar schemer in the early years, Rachel’s words closed the show in 1999 with an “All is well that ends well.”

Super Couples

AW’s super couples focused on issues, family and less on world-traveling adventures. In the 1980s, the show’s super couples included Mac and Rachel, Donna and Michael, and Marley and Jake. In the 90s, Felicia’s marriage to Mitch crumpled, but she found comfort with former lover Lucas and they discovered the child they shared in Lorna. Cass and Frankie were enormously popular until Frankie died in a brutal attack by a serial killer. Vicki, after many abortive attempts at love, found happiness with Ryan and after Marley and Jake divorced for the final time, he pursued Paulina.

When Douglas Watson passed away in 1989, the show mourned his loss as patriarch Mac Cory also passed away. Over the next ten years, Rachel’s love for Mac never waned and although she found happiness with an old enemy, Mac remained her true love. The show’s final episode closed on a framed picture of Mac that featured prominently in the Cory living room.

Another World Firsts

Another World was the first soap opera:

To discuss abortion. In 1964, the subject was a taboo and it was seven years before the Roe v. Wade decision made abortion legal for women.
To host a cross over when Guiding Light's Mike Bauer traveled from Springfield to Bay City. Crossovers of popular AW characters such as Cass and Jake would occur after the show was canceled with Jake McKinnon relocating to Oakdale (As the World Turns) and attorney Cass Winthrop taking cases in both Oakdale and Springfield.
To extend to the one hour format. At one point, AW extended to 90 minutes, but eventually returned to the one hour format where it remained until the show went off the air.
To spin off new shows. Long before Knots Landing spun off from Dallas, AW's Missy Matthews relocated to Somerset from 1970 until 1976. In the early 80s, Iris Cory moved to Houston and launched Texas, although the show only lasted two years, the storylines would impact Iris on the mother show AW for the next two decades.
To have the theme song break into the Billboard Charts. In 1987, Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris recorded "Take Me Away to Another World" for the show's new credits and the song climbed the charts. Both Gayle and Morris appeared on the show to sing the song.

Recognize These Names?

Another World launched many careers and featured many well known film and television stars including:

Christine Baranski
Charles Durning
Faith Ford
Morgan Freeman
Joanna Going
Kelsey Grammer
Jackee Harry
Anne Heche
Ray Liotta
Lindsay Lohan
Julian McMahon
Luke Perry
Brad Pitt
Ving Rhames
Eric Roberts
Kyra Sedgwick
Ted Shackelford
Susan Sullivan
Janine Turner

AW on YouTube

AW on SOAPnet

The SOAPnet network aired episodes (beginning with the 1980s shows) of Another World for a few years after its cancellation. Currently, AW is not aired by any network.

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