Paul Rauch dead at 78: Memories from the Past

- SANTA BARBARA's Executive Producer from 1991 to 1993 -

Producer Paul Rauch passed away on Monday, Dec. 10, at the age of 78, according to multiple reports. Rauch broke into the business with his heart set on being an actor but went on to become a daytime icon of another kind instead. The producer was there in the 1960s when Guiding Light went from 15 to 30 minutes and then broke ground again in 1972 by taking Another World to an hour. He kept AW at the top of the game until 1984, while also creating his own show, Texas, in 1980, and then continued to shape daytime as head honcho at One Life to Live, Santa Barbara, Guiding Light and Young and the Restless.  Unfortunately SANTA BARBARA’s fans remember him especially for the questionable decision to conclude the final episode of the soap while he was putting out a cigarette under his foot. A choice which I have never understood the meaning. Definitely a legendary soap, as Santa Barbara was, deserved a better ending.

Rauch is survived by his wife, Israela Margalit; two children; two stepchildren; three granddaughters.

As has become the norm when icons pass, soapsters have taken to Facebook and Twitter to share their condolences:

Josh Griffith (ex-SB script writer 1988-91) via Facebook:  “The Soap World mourns the loss of one of our giants, Paul Rauch. R.I.P., my friend. Go produce the hell out of Heaven now.”

Michele Val Jean (ex-SB script writer/editor 1991-93) via Facebook: “So sorry to hear this. Worked with him on Santa Barbara. He was always very kind and generous to me. In fact, after the Dobsons got fired, he promoted me to full time editor on Santa Barbara (up till then, I'd been doing it part time, when Bridget & Jerry would go off on one of their many vacations). Always been grateful for that. RIP, Paul.”

I have decided to remember Paul Rauch through the words of those who worked with him. This is taken from my interviews with them:

Michael Brainard (Ted Capwell #2 on SB): “Paul is a serious man. I think back in '92 he once cracked a smile!! I remember he had a couple of original Frederick Remington paintings in his office. Remington is the quintessential artist of the American west. I have always been an admirer of American western artists, I am still to this day, and when I identified those paintings to him he was much impressed. I think it went a long way in establishing a good relationship with him. He wasn't one for small talk, if you started talking about the weather he would turn heal and leave, but if you could engage him on a loftier level, you could have an amazing conversation.”

Terri Garber (Suzanne Collier on SB): “I was asked to test for the part of Suzanne for Paul Rauch who was the producer. It was a very complex scene with many emotions and it was with Cruz. So A Martinez and I did it together. I remember we had to kiss and that was fun! I had very short hair at the time and Paul wanted long hair but he hired me anyway, thus the wig.”

Timothy Gibbs (Dashell Nichols on SB): “I enjoyed playng Dashell right up to the point where the then Executive Producer, Paul Rauch, decided it would be a good idea to try to redeem a rapist. At that point they lost me.”

Thom Racina (SB script writer 1991/93): “Paul Rauch has a memoir coming, which I’m helping him write, that will be published late next year, and in it he points to network interference as one of the main reasons the soaps lost their way.  It’s writing by committee, when, as Paul says, the network should simply be encouraging the writers, not dictating what stories to tell and how to tell them. […] It was a battle.  I mean, in a way it always is—the network hires you, I’ve always said, because you’re a great storyteller, then they never let you tell a story.  Paul Rauch, a wonderful producer stated, “The network is not there to tell the writers what to do.  The network is there to encourage the writers.”  The Dobsons had returned to save the show, and what the network should have done was let them have free reign, let them do anything they wanted to do—why not?  What did they have to lose?  We were heading toward cancellation anyway. […] Bridget. She decided one day, after they had returned to SB, that she wanted to be the story editor.  Paul tried to talk her out of it, too much time and effort, let the capable person who had that job continue with it, Bridget should just head write along with Jerry.  But she demanded it, that they fire the editor and let her take on the responsibility.  So New World did.”