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Another World: The Drama Behind Daytime TV’s Only 90-Minute Soap
Another World was one of daytime television’s longest-running and most innovative soap operas, airing on NBC for thirty-five years (1964–1999). But its boldest experiment—a shift from sixty to ninety minutes—sparked one of the most turbulent periods in its history.
Another The Drama Behind Daytime TV’s Only 90-Minute Soap explores the pivotal years 1978–1982, revealing what led to the expansion—and its eventual reversal. At the center of the story are the failed companion soaps Lovers and Friends and For Richer, For Poorer, whose struggles helped shape this unprecedented decision.
Through candid interviews from cast and crew from all three soaps, this book offers a revealing, behind-the-scenes look at the creative clashes, challenges, and triumphs of daytime television—along with an unfiltered portrait of influential producer Paul Rauch. Interviewees include director Barnet Kellman; actors Richard Backus, Richard Bekins, Vicky Dawson, Maeve Kinkead, Dorothy Lyman, Janice Lynde, Laura Malone, Christopher Marcantel, Petronia Paley, Juli Philips, Tracy Brooks Swope, Paul Tinder and others,
Featuring rare photos and insider accounts, this is a compelling look at a unique and dramatic time in TV history.
Tom Lisanti is an award-winning author of An Oral History of Daytime TV’s Answer to Dallas and eleven other books on film and television.
Another The Drama Behind Daytime TV’s Only 90-Minute Soap explores the pivotal years 1978–1982, revealing what led to the expansion—and its eventual reversal. At the center of the story are the failed companion soaps Lovers and Friends and For Richer, For Poorer, whose struggles helped shape this unprecedented decision.
Through candid interviews from cast and crew from all three soaps, this book offers a revealing, behind-the-scenes look at the creative clashes, challenges, and triumphs of daytime television—along with an unfiltered portrait of influential producer Paul Rauch. Interviewees include director Barnet Kellman; actors Richard Backus, Richard Bekins, Vicky Dawson, Maeve Kinkead, Dorothy Lyman, Janice Lynde, Laura Malone, Christopher Marcantel, Petronia Paley, Juli Philips, Tracy Brooks Swope, Paul Tinder and others,
Featuring rare photos and insider accounts, this is a compelling look at a unique and dramatic time in TV history.
Tom Lisanti is an award-winning author of An Oral History of Daytime TV’s Answer to Dallas and eleven other books on film and television.
380 pages, Hardcover
Published September 24, 2026
About the author
Tom Lisanti
18 books20 followersTom Lisanti is an award-winning author/film historian specializing in1960s/1970s film and television. He began writing professionally in 1998. His latest books are Texas: An Oral History of Daytime TV's Answer to Dallas from BearManor Media; Dueling Harlows: The Race to Bring the Actress's Life to the Silver Screen from McFarland & Company; and Ryan's Hope: An Oral History of Daytime's Groundbreaking Soap from Citadel Press/Kensington Books.
In 2010, Tom co-wrote with former actress Gail Gerber her memoir Trippin' with Terry Southern: What I Think I Remember, which won the Independent Publisher Book Award Silver Medal for Best Memoir of 2010. He recently made appearances on the NYC cable access talk show, The Diana Montford Show; PBS's Steve Beverly's TV Classics; The Playboy Murders; and co-hosted with Ben Mankiewicz a week of 1960s beach movies on TCM. Tom is also featured in the documentary The Green Girl. He has been interviewed on a number of YouTube Programs (The Locher Room, The Jim Masters Show, The Michael Fairman Channel, Soaps dot com, The Avrum Rosensweig Show); radio shows (TV Confidential, Nutmeg Chatter. The Online Movie Show with Phil Hall, WNYC's SoundCheck); and podcasts (Forgotten Hollywood, The San Francisco Experience, Forgotten Films; Junot Files; NitrateVille; Ticklish Films) talking about his books.
Tom also has written for such magazines as Cinema Retro, Cinema of the '70s, Films of the Golden Age; and Scary Monsters.
Follow Tom on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, and Threads. He resides in New York.
In 2010, Tom co-wrote with former actress Gail Gerber her memoir Trippin' with Terry Southern: What I Think I Remember, which won the Independent Publisher Book Award Silver Medal for Best Memoir of 2010. He recently made appearances on the NYC cable access talk show, The Diana Montford Show; PBS's Steve Beverly's TV Classics; The Playboy Murders; and co-hosted with Ben Mankiewicz a week of 1960s beach movies on TCM. Tom is also featured in the documentary The Green Girl. He has been interviewed on a number of YouTube Programs (The Locher Room, The Jim Masters Show, The Michael Fairman Channel, Soaps dot com, The Avrum Rosensweig Show); radio shows (TV Confidential, Nutmeg Chatter. The Online Movie Show with Phil Hall, WNYC's SoundCheck); and podcasts (Forgotten Hollywood, The San Francisco Experience, Forgotten Films; Junot Files; NitrateVille; Ticklish Films) talking about his books.
Tom also has written for such magazines as Cinema Retro, Cinema of the '70s, Films of the Golden Age; and Scary Monsters.
Follow Tom on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, and Threads. He resides in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 8, 2026
How does the number one soap opera tumble so much in the ratings that it is near cancellation? Tom Lisanti offers us another wonderful deep dive into television history. Lisanti’s investigative skills are top notch as he talks to dozens of cast and crew to find out what went wrong and why.
The author takes us through the evolution of the Another World spin offs “Lovers & Friends” soon to be revamped as “For Richer, For Poorer.” Once that comes toll be cancelled, we see the driving forces behind the expansion of “Another World” to an unprecedented 90 minute a day show. This would soon be short-lived, and yet another spin off, “Texas”, would premiere. Lisanti has another book devoted to that all-to-brief, but beloved daytime drama available as well.
In truth, the drama behind the scenes is just as interesting as what showed up on screen, often more so. Execs with limited self control, backstage affairs, drugs, alcohol, petty jealousies, failed ideas and desperation tactics weave in and out of the backdrop as skilled performers, writers, directors, and backstage personnel try to fix the mounting problems. Hiring and firings became the norm as the powers-that-be seek a way out of the mess that was created.
Each page of this makes you want to get to the next to see what’s happened- just like on soaps! It is gripping drama to be sure.
If you were a fan of “Another World”, you will love this book. If you were a soap opera fan in general, or a student of tv history, you will love this book.
The author takes us through the evolution of the Another World spin offs “Lovers & Friends” soon to be revamped as “For Richer, For Poorer.” Once that comes toll be cancelled, we see the driving forces behind the expansion of “Another World” to an unprecedented 90 minute a day show. This would soon be short-lived, and yet another spin off, “Texas”, would premiere. Lisanti has another book devoted to that all-to-brief, but beloved daytime drama available as well.
In truth, the drama behind the scenes is just as interesting as what showed up on screen, often more so. Execs with limited self control, backstage affairs, drugs, alcohol, petty jealousies, failed ideas and desperation tactics weave in and out of the backdrop as skilled performers, writers, directors, and backstage personnel try to fix the mounting problems. Hiring and firings became the norm as the powers-that-be seek a way out of the mess that was created.
Each page of this makes you want to get to the next to see what’s happened- just like on soaps! It is gripping drama to be sure.
If you were a fan of “Another World”, you will love this book. If you were a soap opera fan in general, or a student of tv history, you will love this book.
October 2, 2026
The first review of what I expect will be many more to come. I absolutely devoured this book, putting everything else on the back burner until I finished.
As a lifelong soap fan and soap history buff, I remember checking Harding LeMay’s "Eight Years in Another World" out of the library as a teenager and being completely drawn into what was arguably the pinnacle of Another World’s 35-year run. I’ve always been fascinated by how a series of bad decisions, on so many levels, ultimately broke something that simply did not need to be fixed.
Tom Lisanti’s latest book delves into the behind-the-scenes goings-on that ultimately took this critically acclaimed soap from number one in the ratings to scraping the bottom. For soap fans -- and television fans in general -- it’s a fascinating read, as cast and crew share stories that bring to life what it was really like to be part of the show.
Lisanti does a masterful job of weaving the interviews into a strong narrative that takes us through the show’s major plot points, creative changes, and backstage shakeups. And, as the author is quick to note, several key figures declined to be interviewed for the book -- including Victoria Wyndham, whose presence as an enigmatic diva nevertheless looms throughout its pages.
Highly recommended!
As a lifelong soap fan and soap history buff, I remember checking Harding LeMay’s "Eight Years in Another World" out of the library as a teenager and being completely drawn into what was arguably the pinnacle of Another World’s 35-year run. I’ve always been fascinated by how a series of bad decisions, on so many levels, ultimately broke something that simply did not need to be fixed.
Tom Lisanti’s latest book delves into the behind-the-scenes goings-on that ultimately took this critically acclaimed soap from number one in the ratings to scraping the bottom. For soap fans -- and television fans in general -- it’s a fascinating read, as cast and crew share stories that bring to life what it was really like to be part of the show.
Lisanti does a masterful job of weaving the interviews into a strong narrative that takes us through the show’s major plot points, creative changes, and backstage shakeups. And, as the author is quick to note, several key figures declined to be interviewed for the book -- including Victoria Wyndham, whose presence as an enigmatic diva nevertheless looms throughout its pages.
Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews