Today in 1984 — THE EDGE OF NIGHT ended its 28-year run.
TV's only #FilmNoir soap opera brought crime and murder mystery stories to daytime, courtesy of Emmy-winning head writer Henry Slesar.
Inexplicably not streaming, but 1,000+ episodes are on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAg2DUkk2Tt7xSqAB26RviX4PQXHT_57i&si=S105CHPj-Ou3jiwX #EdgeOfNight #SoapOpera
10pm and on. Finally. The wordless silence that starts and ends days. Dizzy, lightheaded and a bit out of touch with everything, knowing that too many close looks reveal things unsettling and disturbing. A heavy door falling shut, as travelers returned home. Lights on staircases, flashing bright, lasting for a few moments, fading again. Breaking news and phone calls and the infinity of worlds beyond horizons. At arms length: A city embraced by velvet darkness. Silent. Indifferent. (Have a soothing night wherever you are.)
11pm. Dizziness at the edge of sleep. Neighbours behind the wall left in disputes, reason same as unknown as likely outcome. Voices move to a different room, take most of the anger with it, leave behind a different, somewhat uncanny kind of silence. (File transfer, closed connections, a mind somehow already stuck in tomorrow. Re-learning the possibility of dreams, in between. Have a calm night wherever you are.)
#outerworld #concrete city #later that day later that night #edge of night
THE EDGE OF NIGHT star Ann Flood (1932-2022) would have been 92 today.
She played reporter Nancy Karr for 22 years (1962-84) on the Noir-ish soap — 13 of those opposite Forrest Compton (1925-2020) as her husband, attorney Mike Karr.
Daytime TV legends!
https://newcanaanite.com/ann-granath-89-6803991 #SoapOpera #EdgeOfNight
Unbestimmt später. Nachtstille. Mondlicht fahl glänzend in allem, aber Mond selbst verschwunden irgendwo hinter Dächern, Erkern, Schornsteinen. In der eng beparkten Kreuzung übt die Fahrschule mit einem Schwertransporter Rangieren und Wenden. Der Schüler beherrscht sein Gefährt offensichtlich gut genug, um wieder auf dem Weg stadtauswärts zu sein, bevor der Klangteppich aus schwerem Motor und Rückfahrwarner nervig, lästig werden konnte. Windstill kühlt die Luft über dem Viertel aus, duftet nach Nebel und Feldern und neuem Regen. Nach ein wenig Erinnerung. Und nach ein wenig Fernweh. (Have a calm night everyone, no matter where you are.)
#outerworld #concrete city #later that day later that night #edge of night
Sehr viel später. Mehr Worte als Bilder, ein halber Mond, der sich nur dem Auge darbietet und allen anderen Instrumenten entzieht. Noch einige Konturen vor dem Himmel, einige wenige Lichter in wenigen Fenstern, ansonsten floh der Abend fast völlig unbemerkt aus dem Viertel, ließ jede Menge neue, glatte Dunkelheit zurück. Eine Türklingel, ein abfahrendes Auto, eine halblaute Unterhaltung auf dem Eckbalkon. Die Katze starrt mit angelegten Ohren missmutig quer durch den Raum. Hinter der Wand klappern Flaschen, der Fernseher schimpft. (Versuche, den Tag abzustreifen, halbherzig und mäßig erfolgreich, vor dem Schlaf. Was zurückbleibt, wird mit durch die Träume getragen werden müssen.)
11pm, again. A day swiftly flying by. The flowers on the river banks lost their bright colours to the night, only the bridges span light across the dark waters here and there. At the edge of first sleep, all noises and chatters are unnaturally amplified, all neighborhood sounds much weirder, much more confusing than one is used to. (The challenges of achieving and keeping a state of calm in such random moments.)
Today in 1956 — THE EDGE OF NIGHT debuted on CBS.
The Emmy-winning soap brought crime stories to daytime, w/ genius mystery scribe Henry Slesar (1927-2002) as head writer for 16 years.
Not streaming, but you can watch 1,000+ shows on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAg2DUkk2Tt7xSqAB26RviX4PQXHT_57i&si=vnUFsnY9OIxqPAgv
11pm and on. Watching static shadows on a grayish ceiling. Feeling ones own weight while trying to let go of all tension, a challenge usually uncountered. Perceiving the world in between the houses, silent and careless. Everything else is the sound of water on roofs, stones, meadows.
Today in 1975 — THE EDGE OF NIGHT and AS THE WORLD TURNS aired *live* for the last time.
They became the last soaps to switch to videotape — after nearly 20 years of live broadcasts.
This week in 1960 — “40 Detectives Later” aired on ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS.
It was the TV writing debut of the prolific #HenrySlesar, future Emmy winner for THE EDGE OF NIGHT.
#ArthurHiller directed. #JamesFranciscus and #JackWeston star. A delightful piece of #FilmNoir w/ Slesar’s typical twist ending.
#AlfredHitchcockPresents #ClassicTV #1960sTV #1960s AlfredHitchcock #EdgeOfNight
Today in 1956 — THE EDGE OF NIGHT debuted.
Developed as the TV version of #PerryMason, it was retooled when creator #ErleStanleyGardner backed out. #JohnLarkin (radio's Perry Mason) starred as renamed attorney Mike Karr.
For 28 years, it brought murder mysteries to daytime.
#AnnFlood (1932-2022) would have been 90 today.
The #SoapOpera icon played Nancy Karr on #EdgeOfNight for 22 years.
She also appeared on #SearchForTomorrow, #AnotherWorld, #AllMyChildren, #OneLifeToLive and #AsTheWorldTurns in a 40-year career.
