My Exclusive Interview with LINDA ELIN HAMNER

 

 

 

It is a great pleasure for me introduce you this exclusive interview that Linda Hamner granted to the Santa Barbara Blog. Linda Hamner has been a writer her whole professional life: everything from a technical writer to a TV writer (SANTA BARBARA, GENERAL HOSPITAL, ANOTHER WORLD, AS THE WORLD TURNS, CAPITOL, TEXAS, RITUALS). In 1991 she won an Emmy for her work on the daytime serial SANTA BARBARA. She is also the co-author of LETTERS FROM CLEO AND TYRONE and the author of BOOBS OVER HOLLYWOOD. Enjoy her memories about our favourite show, characters, writers & co.

How do you came to the daytime show Santa Barbara?

I was on SB twice during the period you mentioned. I was hired initially by Bridget and Jerome Dobson in 1986. I left the show about a year later. In 1991-1992, I was re-hired by Executive Producer John Conboy. It was during this time, I won my Emmy for my work on Santa Barbara. Again, I stayed for about a year. During 1988 and 1991, I worked on other soaps, specifically GENERAL HOSPITAL. Sorry I can't be exactly sure of the dates, as all that paperwork is buried in boxes in my garage. I'm pretty sure those are the dates I worked on SANTA BARBARA

 

What can you told us about Bridget & Jerome Dobson (SB creators)?

Bridget & Jerome Dobson

Bridget and Jerome had a unique voice in soap operas. They brought a quirkiness and humor to their show. It was a pleasure working with them. When I first was hired by them, the outline writers met weekly in their lovely Bel Aire home. During those sessions, which included Bridget, Jerome, Chuck Pratt, Maura Penders, Frank Salisbury and myself, we would create outlines for each episode for a week of shows. These outlines defined the structure of each episode. These would be written as narrative descriptions of each scene. We would specify what set the scene was to play in, what characters were involved, the main thrust of the scene, and finally, the tag of the scene. Once these had been reviewed/revised by the Dobsons, they would be delivered to the scripters who would actually write the script, including the dialogue. I would have to say that it was certainly one of the most civilized writing experiences of my professional life.

We also worked out of the NBC Studios. If I remember correctly, we had meetings with the network there, but that part is fuzzy in my memory. I do remember very distinctly that Bridget and I shared the same taste in jewelry. I remember one time I was wearing a new necklace, and Bridget said, "I think I'd like to snatch that necklace off of Linda's neck." Which of course she didn't.

I was at the NBC Studios when the Dobsons were locked out. I remember police or security guards blocking the entrance to the studio. It was incomprehensible to me that the creators and the heart and soul of the show could be locked out of their own show. That was a very dark time.

Do you remember what caused the rupture between the Dobsons and the network?

I'm sorry but I'm unable to answer the questions about the lawsuit. I never knew the specifics. The person to ask would, of course, be the Dobsons. They're the only ones who really knew what they had to go through to get their show back. It was a difficult period for the writers, of course. We continued to work as we had contracts. I remember very little about the day the Dobsons were barred from the studio: I remember the policemen guarding the doors; I remember how horrified and stunned we all were with this event; I remember we had to get shows on the air. I was also there when they returned to the show. It was a very, very happy day for all of us who love "Santa Barbara."

Do you were in touch with the SB actors or it was forbidden?

I always kept my distance from the actors. In fact, we were encouraged to do that. Sure, we saw them in the studio, exchanged friendly greetings, etc. But if you got too close to an actor and that actor suddenly got a big storyline, other actors might think the new storyline was a result of the actor and the writer being friends. And that might or might not be true. In fact, on one soap that I wrote, there were colored lines painted on the floor. One color indicated where the actors could go; another color indicated where the writers could go, etc. I thought that was ridiculous. Just use common sense. Actors often had problems with storyline or dialogue and they either spoke to the producer or the headwriter. Those of us who wrote outlines or scripts were usually not involved in those conversations. I always thought the actors did a terrific job, and if they had complaints about scripts or storylines, they absolutely should speak up. After all, it is their faces on the screen, not the writers.

SB was accused of being almost totally focused on Cruz & Eden (mostly during Jill Farren Phelps tenure). Do you think that it was a deliberate and right choice?

Eden (Marcy Walker) & Cruz (A Martinez)

Cruz and Eden are indeed a super-couple. A. and Marcy were magic together. I had the pleasure of writing for them during both my stints at "Santa Barbara." I know Jill was very fond of A., so it doesn't surprise me that she wanted to focus on Cruz/Eden. For me, though, the balance was absolutely right when the show had Cruz/Eden, Mason/Julia and Keith/Gina. In each case, these were characters that we, the audience, wanted to be together. It became the responsibility of the writers to keep them apart so they didn't become complacent and boring. We loved Cruz and Eden because they were both such good people, who came from such different background: Cruz was a cop, and Eden was the Golden Girl who lived on the hill. There were bound to be problems and tensions as they came together. Mason and Julia were different. They were both professional people whose careers were important to them. They had an edge that fascinated us, but we knew, deep in our heart, that they belonged together. Often when I was writing them, I would say, "Poor Julia. Don't let your heart get broken again." And Keith and Gina... Crazy Keith and Gina... Both manipulative, up to all manner of mischief and skulduggery. What kept Gina from becoming a villain though was her absolute, unconditional love of her son, Brandon. Again, huge kudos to the Dobsons for creating unforgettable, unlikely couples. I swear I would have been happy writing those three couples for the rest of my life.

Did you found some differences between working on SB than on other soaps?

All the soaps I worked on (SANTA BARBARA, GENERAL HOSPITAL, ANOTHER WORLD, AS THE WORLD TURNS, CAPITOL) worked pretty much the same way.

The headwriters wrote long-term story and supervised all writing tasks. The breakdown/outline writers would meet weekly with the headwriters and plan the next week of shows. Typically. each breakdown writer was responsible for one episode. In a narrative format, they would structure the show, describe each scene (including the set, actions and time), and indicate the tag of the scene. This is a narrative outline for the episode. The headwriters and breakdown writers would meet with network executive and show producers. They would give notes (often quite extensive). The breakdown writers would then revise the breakdown and submit the headwriters. The headwriter would make any additional changes and then send them to the script writers, who would then actually write the script.

It's very much of a team effort. I enjoyed the structure of this process.

Did you ever have the chance to meet Robin Wright (Kelly Capwell) during your first stint on SB?

Kelly Capwell (Robin Wright)

Naturally I saw Robin frequently as her dressing room was next to the writers' room. She was always pleasant and professional. I remember she always brought her dog into work. I think he was three-legged. I immediately thought she was a person who cherished animals, as I do. Animals are my passion, too. I have a blind, deaf dog and we have a very close bond. What was outstanding about Robin was her stunning, natural beauty. She came into the studio every morning without an ounce of make-up and she looked flawless. I was thrilled to see the success she has had in film.

Minx Lockridge (Judith Anderson)

Patrick Mulcahey told me that Jerry Dobson told him that Dame Judith Anderson (Minx Lockridges) used forget her lines, so they put some signs on the set on which she could read her lines. But she could not see very well, so she could not read it. So when she forgot a line, Nic Coster tried to help her, for example saying: "Mother, you're trying to say that Augusta is acting like a dog in heat?"...

As writers we were instructed not to give her too much dialogue. I was rarely on the set, though, so I really don't know what went on there. Sorry I can't be of any help of this one. It doesn't surprise me that Nic Coster would help her out. He was always a favorite of everyone's! And, of course, the fans loved him. They were Nic's Chicks.