Lovers and Friends
Encyclopedia
Lovers and Friends (later called For Richer, For Poorer) is a short-lived American
soap opera
that premiered on NBC
on January 3, 1977 and ended on September 29, 1978. The show was created by Harding Lemay
and Paul Rauch
, both of whom were also working for the daytime drama Another World
. Lovers and Friends was considered to be an indirect spin-off
of the former series, and took the place of a direct spin-off (Somerset
) on the NBC schedule upon its premiere.
suburb of Point Clair, Illinois, and focused on the trials and tribulations of two neighboring families, the wealthy Cushings and the more middle class Saxtons. Point Clair was a highly wealthy suburb, allegedly modeled after the real life community of Lake Forest, Illinois
, the wealthiest of the North Shore
suburbs in the Chicago
Metropolitan area.
The Cushings were Richard Cushing (Ron Randell
), a successful stockbroker, who also had an affair with his secretary, Karen; his proper and high society wife, Edith (Nancy Marchand
, Laurinda Barrett), who stayed in the marriage, even though she knew about and tended to tolerate Richard's infidelity; their college aged son, Austin (Rod Arrants) who was an alcoholic; and their daughter, Megan (Patricia Estrin; Darlene Parks) who was unhappily engaged to wealthy and stuffy Desmond Hamilton (David Knapp). She was engaged to him, because she felt that was what was prudent for her upbringing.
Also living with and offering some sage, down-to-earth advice and also a touch of humor to the often stuffy Cushing home was Edith's mother, Sophia Slocum (Margaret Barker). It was Sophia, who wasn't constrained by wealth or societal pretentions, who counseled Megan to look into her heart and to marry for love, and not for money or societal propriety, the way she and Edith had. These words of advice from Sophia helped Megan to break off her unhappy engagement.
The Cushing's neighbors were the Saxtons, who were newcomers to Point Clair. The father, Lester (John Heffernan; Albert Stratton) was a former factory worker and alcoholic, who had recently acquired a higher paying job as a warehouse supervisor, thanks to the help of his daughter, Eleanor Kimball (Flora Plumb) and her husband, wealthy attorney, George Kimball (Stephen Joyce), which also allowed them to purchase the house next door to the Cushings in Point Clair.
He was married to the compassionate Josie (Patricia Englund) and was the father of four other children, besides Eleanor, the oldest. Rhett (Bob Purvey, David Ramsey, Tom Happer), a photographer who had been engaged to Connie Ferguson (Susan Foster, Cynthia Bostick) until he fell in love with and eventually married his neighbor Megan Cushing; Jason (Richard Backus) who was somewhat conniving and scheming, always wanting to get ahead, but meant well; youngest brother, Bentley (David Abbott) and youngest sister, Tessa (Vicky Dawson; Breon Gorman). Both Bentley and Tessa, who were in high school, felt out of place in wealthy Point Clair, and longed to return to their former neighborhood in Chicago.
Also living with the Saxtons was their cousin Amy Gifford (Christine Jones
). (Christine Jones brought the Amy Gifford character from Another World, hence the ties to Lovers and Friends.)
Austin gained the support and help of next-door neighbor, Lester, who had been through the alcoholic road before, and with his support and help, stayed off the booze and faced his problems in Point Clair. Richard had wanted him to go into a wealthy sanitarium to dry out, but Austin stunned his father by taking responsibility for his actions and remained in town to deal with his troubles, being helped along by Lester, who became his support system.
) and her daughter, Laurie (Julia MacKenzie). Despite his marriage to Megan, Bill's former fiancee, Connie Ferguson, announced that she was pregnant; the father was never revealed, but it was rumored to be Bill's.
Despite the story changes, the show didn't last and was cancelled in 1978.
, Patricia Barry, Christine Jones
, Margaret Barker, Nancy Snyder, John Heffernan, and Patricia Englund.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
that premiered on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
on January 3, 1977 and ended on September 29, 1978. The show was created by Harding Lemay
Harding Lemay
Harding Lemay is an American screenwriter and playwright. Born near the Mohawk Indian reservation, where his mother grew up, he ran away to New York City at age 17, where he has lived ever since.-Career:...
and Paul Rauch
Paul Rauch
- Another World :Rauch is best known for his work on Another World, which he produced from 1971 to 1984. For much of that time, he worked in conjunction with Head Writer Harding Lemay, and the team garnered the show critical acclaim and strong ratings....
, both of whom were also working for the daytime drama Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
. Lovers and Friends was considered to be an indirect spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of the former series, and took the place of a direct spin-off (Somerset
Somerset (TV series)
Somerset is an American television soap opera which ran on NBC from March 30, 1970 until December 31, 1976. The show was a spinoff of another NBC serial, Another World.-Overview :...
) on the NBC schedule upon its premiere.
Lovers and Friends
The show was set in the fictional ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
suburb of Point Clair, Illinois, and focused on the trials and tribulations of two neighboring families, the wealthy Cushings and the more middle class Saxtons. Point Clair was a highly wealthy suburb, allegedly modeled after the real life community of Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
, the wealthiest of the North Shore
North Shore (Chicago)
The North Shore is a term that refers to the generally affluent suburbs north of Chicago, Illinois bordering the shore of Lake Michigan.- History :Europeans settled the area sparsely after an 1833 treaty with local Native Americans...
suburbs in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
Metropolitan area.
The Cushings were Richard Cushing (Ron Randell
Ron Randell
Ronald Egan "Ron" Randell was an Australian-born American film and stage actor.-Biography:Randell was born in Sydney. He started his career as a stage and radio performer in his teens. He soon established himself as a leading male juvenile for radio, acting for 2KY Players, George Edwards, BAP...
), a successful stockbroker, who also had an affair with his secretary, Karen; his proper and high society wife, Edith (Nancy Marchand
Nancy Marchand
Nancy Marchand was an American actress, whose career encompassed both stage and screen. She appeared in various theatre productions throughout the early 1950s, before being offered roles on film and television....
, Laurinda Barrett), who stayed in the marriage, even though she knew about and tended to tolerate Richard's infidelity; their college aged son, Austin (Rod Arrants) who was an alcoholic; and their daughter, Megan (Patricia Estrin; Darlene Parks) who was unhappily engaged to wealthy and stuffy Desmond Hamilton (David Knapp). She was engaged to him, because she felt that was what was prudent for her upbringing.
Also living with and offering some sage, down-to-earth advice and also a touch of humor to the often stuffy Cushing home was Edith's mother, Sophia Slocum (Margaret Barker). It was Sophia, who wasn't constrained by wealth or societal pretentions, who counseled Megan to look into her heart and to marry for love, and not for money or societal propriety, the way she and Edith had. These words of advice from Sophia helped Megan to break off her unhappy engagement.
The Cushing's neighbors were the Saxtons, who were newcomers to Point Clair. The father, Lester (John Heffernan; Albert Stratton) was a former factory worker and alcoholic, who had recently acquired a higher paying job as a warehouse supervisor, thanks to the help of his daughter, Eleanor Kimball (Flora Plumb) and her husband, wealthy attorney, George Kimball (Stephen Joyce), which also allowed them to purchase the house next door to the Cushings in Point Clair.
He was married to the compassionate Josie (Patricia Englund) and was the father of four other children, besides Eleanor, the oldest. Rhett (Bob Purvey, David Ramsey, Tom Happer), a photographer who had been engaged to Connie Ferguson (Susan Foster, Cynthia Bostick) until he fell in love with and eventually married his neighbor Megan Cushing; Jason (Richard Backus) who was somewhat conniving and scheming, always wanting to get ahead, but meant well; youngest brother, Bentley (David Abbott) and youngest sister, Tessa (Vicky Dawson; Breon Gorman). Both Bentley and Tessa, who were in high school, felt out of place in wealthy Point Clair, and longed to return to their former neighborhood in Chicago.
Also living with the Saxtons was their cousin Amy Gifford (Christine Jones
Christine Jones (actress)
Christine Jones is an American actress.Jones is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Janice Frame on the NBC soap opera Another World from 1978–1980 and again in 1989, but had also appeared as Amy Gifford on the series in 1977...
). (Christine Jones brought the Amy Gifford character from Another World, hence the ties to Lovers and Friends.)
Austin gained the support and help of next-door neighbor, Lester, who had been through the alcoholic road before, and with his support and help, stayed off the booze and faced his problems in Point Clair. Richard had wanted him to go into a wealthy sanitarium to dry out, but Austin stunned his father by taking responsibility for his actions and remained in town to deal with his troubles, being helped along by Lester, who became his support system.
Retooling as For Richer, For Poorer
When the show was retooled into For Richer, For Poorer, several major changes had occurred. The show's setting was still Point Clair; Rhett's name was changed to Bill and he married Megan; Edith Cushing's husband Richard died, leaving her a widow; the Cushings and Saxtons, although they were now related due to Bill and Megan's marriage, were no longer neighbors; and Amy Gifford married Austin Cushing. Also in the story, in both versions of the show, was the Brewster family, mother Viola (Patricia BarryPatricia Barry
Patricia Barry is an American actor.-References:...
) and her daughter, Laurie (Julia MacKenzie). Despite his marriage to Megan, Bill's former fiancee, Connie Ferguson, announced that she was pregnant; the father was never revealed, but it was rumored to be Bill's.
Despite the story changes, the show didn't last and was cancelled in 1978.
Famous alumni
Notable stars from the series who went on to greater fame in either daytime or primetime series, were Rod Arrants (who married his co-star, Patricia Estrin), Nancy MarchandNancy Marchand
Nancy Marchand was an American actress, whose career encompassed both stage and screen. She appeared in various theatre productions throughout the early 1950s, before being offered roles on film and television....
, Patricia Barry, Christine Jones
Christine Jones (actress)
Christine Jones is an American actress.Jones is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Janice Frame on the NBC soap opera Another World from 1978–1980 and again in 1989, but had also appeared as Amy Gifford on the series in 1977...
, Margaret Barker, Nancy Snyder, John Heffernan, and Patricia Englund.