Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Daniel Avery" data-source="post: 252359" data-attributes="member: 27"><p>Bill Bell dug in his heels for years, openly resisting CBS's pleas to expand Y&R to an hour.  He spoke often of how the half-hour format was ideal for soaps.  They eventually wore him down, obviously (the show expanded to an hour in 1980), but I believe that if CBS had not been so adamant about the expansion, he would have stuck with the half-hour format.  He made sure B&B debuted as a half-hour soap and never even entertained the idea of expanding it; after he stepped back and eventually died) his family kept it that length out of respect for his wishes.</p></blockquote><p></p>