FOURTH PART: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH FRANK SALISBURY (SB SCRIPTWRITER FROM 1984 TO 1990)

Today I’m presenting to you the fourth part of the interview that Frank Salisbury has granted exclusively to "Santa Barbara Blog". If you missed the previous parts, you can read it by clicking here (part one - part two - part three). We'll find out something more about the alchemy of the supercouple Eden & Cruz, the genesis of the earthquake that shook Santa Barbara in 1984, who had the idea of the magical Christmas in 1985, we will reflect on the current decline of the soap genre, we will consider how Santa Barbara faced Channing Jr’ homosexuality, also we will try to figure out how Robert Barr crept into the love story of Eden & Cruz, we will speak about the wonderful soundtrack of Santa Barbara and much more ... Have a nice Reading!

Eden & Cruz: the Super Couple! Their chemistry is unmatched. You've written for them? SB was accused of being almost totally focused on this pair (mostly during Jill Farren Phelps tenure). Was this a conscious choice or not? Do You think it was a right choice?

Eden and Cruz.  They were lovely people and I had a wonderful time writing for them.  I think the show was indeed focussed on them for a while,   but it had to be because they were so dynamic.  Funny, tender, loving, adventurous, all the things you could ask of a couple.  I certainly think it was the right choice.  And I think it was a wonderful pairing of two actors and two parts.  I think also that Gina and whoever, Sophia and C.C., Mason and Julia, and anybody and everybody on the show, for however long, were the best of daytime for the six years I was on it.

After about three months from the beginning of SB, the ratings were low and so the earthquake came. A real drama, but you also show the comic side: Minx is hidden in a sarcophagus and she is saved, Danny Andrade sleeps all the time and he did not notice anything. How  was the idea of the earthquake born?

The earthquake was a joint effort of the Dobsons and Chuck Pratt.  They worked together to make it the memorable experience that it was.   I often think how, in many ways, it presaged 9/11. The humor was an intrinsic part of it, as it was of everything they wrote.  Good and bad, light and dark, the sublime and the ridiculous in one throw of the dice.  Of course we burned up material at an alarming rate.

Over the years, many evil characters came to SB. I loved Peter Flint (The Carnation Killer), Kirk Cranston (the first husband of Eden), Elena Nikolas (CC and Pamela's hidden daughter who tried to kill all CC's children). Did you like them?

I'm sorry I don't remember specifics, but SB's villains were uniformly fun and fun to write.  I liked them all, some of course more than others.

Eden and Cruz broke up many times. But their love was never in doubt. Until the arrival of Robert Barr (Roscoe Born) in 1989. Fans protested against it. . Who had the idea? Did you like this story line?

I don't recall when or who had the idea.  It was impossible to tell because so much was being written by committee.  I think this was close to the time of the Dobsons' leaving and, if so, it was probably written by Anne Howard Bailey and Chuck Pratt...no, judging from the time frame I don't guess so.   I really don't remember anything about it, which gives you an idea of how memorable it was.  In fact, many of SB's storylines fall into this category, I'm sorry to say. 

Eden and Cruz tried to get married a million of times: the first time at Capwell hotel, but the marriage was interrupted by a fire and all were in danger of dying (you wrote this fantastic episode). Do You remember it?

I remember that the Capwell fire was a lot of fun to write. 

Another masterpiece came from you during Christmas Eve 1985... Mason as Scrooge! Can you share with us your memories about it?

Again, the retelling of the Scrooge story I recall as being Chuck Pratt's idea.  And I know that the episode I wrote was fun, but difficult to relate to.  It was like a break in the normal routine and story arc and we had to readjust our thinking.  At least, I did.  But, of course, the idea of Mason as Scrooge is a natural.

Another element that has always fascinated me on SB is the tunnel that connects the Capwell house with the Lockridges: it almost highlights that these two families are still linked by something deep, invisible, despite being rivals. You wrote the episode in which Marcello Armonti blew up the tunnel. What do you think?

My recollection of Armonti is that he was an Italian Count and that Sophia had a charming accent.  I remember that Marcello did  blow up the tunnel, but not why or how.  You ascribe such significance to the tunnel that I feel I should remember more, but I'll be darned if I can.  In any case, it was soon forgotten. 

Do you remember anything about Dominc Messinger (SB music composer)?

I never met Dominic Messenger but he was obviously a very talented man.  I think the theme for SB was sprightly and exactly suited to the show. When I wasn't writing breakdowns (which required me to go to the Dobsons' home once a week), I was working from my own home, so my contact was minimal,  Later we started having weekly meetings with the network producers.  My time at the studio, in any case, was narrowly circumscribed.   I visited the set one time, but mostly stayed upstairs where the offices were.  Courtney, Lynda and Patrick mercifully avoided all such meetings.  And Gary, too, come to think of it.  They were either in New York or San Francisco (Patrick) and thus immune.  I think Chuck and I were the only locally-based writers.  And, of course, the Dobsons and Anne Howard when she came in.

I am curious to know something about your poetry. What does it mean for you to write?

My poetry is the result of extensive reading and happening to remember.  But I also kept a library, which has  been reduced through moving, donating, etc.  I now have only poets I consider valuable, Eliot, Swinburne, Wallace Stevens, James Tate, John Peale Bishop, Alan Seeger, Cavafy...the list goes on.  I hadn't realized I'd kept so many.  But poetry seems to me the most durable form of writing.  It's one thing I keep going back go, time after time, and the thing I'm the most reluctant to part with.

What do you think about the current state of soaps and about their quality? Since January 2012, the survivor soaps are only four: Y&R, B&B, GH and DAYS…

I think that soaps are going the way of the dinosaur.  Eventually they'll be a dim relic.  I certainly don't see any way to save them.  I can remember when there were 13 soaps, all alive and kicking.  And a lot of talent coming from them.  And people had penthouse apartments and lived very well from the proceeds.  Gone now, all gone...

Are you in touch with someone from the cast & crew of SB?

Lane Davies (Mason) is the only one I've kept in touch with.  We send each other the occasional e-mail message.  Rarely.  I know he has his own theatre in Atlanta now and produces a yearly Shakespeare festival.  For a while, I was close with Louise Sorel (Augusta), but that seems to have died out with disuse.

Another masterpiece is the episode in which Mason tells to CC that Channing jr was not his son, but Lionel’s son. "Only the Name Came From you !"... Mason’s dialectic is excellent. Do You Want to comment it?

Looking on You Tube I can find the story thread, but nothing that suggests I had anything to do with it.  I suppose I wrote some of he connecting scripts, but they've vanished apparently.  Or been translated into Russian.  Or into silence. Sic transit gloria mundi.

One of my favorite episode happens in the summer of 1985, when Mason revealed to C.C. that Channing was gay by bringing his ex-lover to the house.  C.C. starts to register who this guy is, and Mason offers him a piece of fruit while saying, “Fruit? Have one, I mean.” The ability to convey so much subtext with the words. What made that scene and so many memorable is that Mason could be horrifying, cruel, even homophobic, yet we still enjoyed him, we still rooted for him.  You couldn’t help but be on his side.  That’s a delicate balance. Did you remember it?

Remember it?  I wrote it.  And I must say, I felt very proud of it.  There are any number of moments like this that I felt proud of, because they so exactly encapsulated what I wanted to say or do.  Do you happen to know if You Tube has this episode?

No, Frank, there is not. But I have that episode and I made a video for you...

Thanks for the video. I can not tell you how happy I am to watch it again. And not having to wait for my birthday. I am really indebted to you.

to be continued...