The Bold and the Beautiful

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The Bold and the Beautiful
Theboldandthebeautifullogo2004.jpg
Genre Soap opera
Created by William J. Bell
Lee Philip Bell
Written by Bradley Bell
Michael Minnis
Kay Alden
Starring List of cast members
Theme music composer Jack Allocco
David Kurtz
Opening theme "High Upon This Love"
by Jack Allocco and David Kurtz
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
Spanish (SAP)
No. of seasons 26
No. of episodes 6,575 (as of May 20, 2013)
Production
Executive producer(s) Bradley Bell
Running time Approx. 20 minutes (1987–present)
Production company(s) Bell Phillip Television Productions Inc.
Broadcast
Original channel CBS
Picture format 480i SDTV (1987–2011)
1080i HDTV (2011–present)
Audio format Stereo
Original run March 23, 1987 (1987-03-23) – present
Chronology
Related shows The Young and the Restless
External links
Website

The Bold and the Beautiful (often referred to as B&B) is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987.

Set in Los Angeles, California, the show centers upon the Forrester family and their fashion house business Forrester Creations. The program features an ensemble cast, headed by its longest-serving actors John McCook as Eric Forrester, Katherine Kelly Lang as Brooke Logan and Hunter Tylo as Taylor Hayes. The Bold and the Beautiful is also a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera The Young and the Restless, as several characters from each of the two shows have crossed over to the other since the early 1990s, and its title derived from Y&R.

Since its premiere on March 23, 1987, the show has become the most-watched soap in the world, with an audience of an estimated 26.2 million viewers.[1] As of 2010, it continues to hold on to the second-placed position in weekly Nielsen Ratings for daytime dramas. The Bold and the Beautiful has also won 31 Daytime Emmy Awards, including one for Outstanding Drama Series in 2009 and again in 2010, as well as in 2011.

On September 7, 2011, the series switched to high definition, making it the second-to-last American soap to make the switch, at the time.[2][2] Due to the cancellation of ABC's One Life to Live, B&B was the last American soap opera to make the transition. It is the youngest airing daytime soap opera in the United States.

Contents

Premise [edit]

Set in Los Angeles, California, The Bold and the Beautiful centers around the Forrester family and their fashion house business Forrester Creations. Stephanie Douglas, a strong-willed woman, daughter to a rich family, met her husband-to-be Eric Forrester, who aspired to become a fashion designer, while they both studied at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. The young lovers hurried to get married after Stephanie became pregnant. They moved to Los Angeles, California, where they established Forrester Creations, designing and producing upscale men and women's fashion, based on Eric's designing talent and Stephanie's financial funding. While winning international recognition, fame, and wealth with their work, the couple managed to raise four children in a happy and caring environment, including elder son Ridge, brother Thorne and younger sisters Kristen and Felicia. It was discovered years later, when the children were all adults, that Stephanie's (Stephanie Forrester) elder son, Ridge, was actually the biological child of Massimo Marone.

Start and development of the series [edit]

The pilot episodes of the show focused on the preparations of the wedding of the Forrester's eldest son, Ridge, to Caroline Spencer, the daughter of the media mogul Bill Spencer. At this time Ridge has already become a fashion designer and vice president of Forrester Creations. Many media outlets throughout the world, from the big television networks to the most honorable newspapers, to the last gossip newspapers publicize their wedding, declaring it as "the wedding of the year in the fashion world." Thousands of women see the pictures of Ridge in the newspapers and speculate on the identity of the woman who has won the heart of the man who has, until recently, been a playboy, and who has refused to settle for one woman.

One of these women is a chemistry student named Brooke Logan, who comes from a working-class family and who lives with her single mother Beth, her siblings Storm, Donna and Katie in a typical American home in the San Fernando Valley in the city of Los Angeles. In an ironic twist of fate, Beth was Eric's college girlfriend before he married Stephanie. Brooke's life soon became a key element in the series. Originally from a middle-class background, her love affair with Ridge set up much of the storyline beginning in the first year. Every so often, Ridge and Brooke reunite only to break up due to circumstances, and Ridge invariably finds comfort (in most cases, this would lead to marriage) with another love of his life Dr. Taylor Hayes. In addition, the rivalry between Ridge's mother Stephanie and Brooke has played a key role in the drama since its inception. Following one of her breakups with Ridge, Brooke married his father Eric, who divorced Stephanie to do so. Brooke gave birth to two of Eric's children. They eventually divorced and Eric reconciled with Stephanie. Likewise, Brooke and Ridge resumed their pattern of an on-again-off-again relationship, in-between Brooke's relationships with other men and Forrester family members, and Ridge's multiple reunions with Taylor. Eric eventually married Donna Logan and legally adopted her son Marcus but they later divorced due to their family's bitter history. Felicia and Kristen have chosen to venture their own paths leaving the family company to be run by Ridge, Thorne, Rick, Marcus, and their families.

Subplotting [edit]

For many years, Spectra Fashions was Forrester's main rival, headed by Sally Spectra. Sally, a larger-than-life character with outrageous clothes and a sizable red coiffure, helmed both comedic and dramatic storylines, with the help of ditzy receptionist Darla Einstein, and fashion designer Clarke Garrison, who fathered CJ Garrison, Sally's son. Though, at first, Sally and Stephanie Forrester were bitter enemies, in later years, they developed a friendship; Sally even went to work at Forrester Creations after she finally made the decision to shut down her own company.

Sally's daughter Macy Alexander, a singer, underwent many traumas, most notably alcoholism. Having an on-again-off-again marriage to Thorne Forrester, whom she eventually lost to Brooke, Macy went abroad into hiding with her father, Adam. After being discovered in Italy, Macy relocated back to Los Angeles where she reunited with Thorne Forrester before developing an interest in fellow recovering alcoholic, Deacon Sharpe, whom she married. Weeks later, Macy was gravely injured at a nightclub where she was headlining as a singer. She went into a coma and it was implied that her family pulled the plug off-camera.

The Spectra family and friends were supplanted by the introduction of Massimo Marone and his entourage. Marone, a billionaire shipping magnate who was a childhood friend of Stephanie dated her in college. They slept together once just before Stephanie began dating Eric Forrester, and after forty-something years, a medical crisis revealed Massimo was Ridge's biological father. Shortly thereafter, Jacqueline Payne, a former lover of Massimo, arrived on scene and announced that her son, Dominick "Nick" Payne, a captain at Marone Industries, was also fathered by Massimo. Unlike Ridge, Nick wasn't a businessman and took the surname Marone.

In recent years, the Spencer family and their publishing media empire Spencer Publications have returned. Original character Bill Spencer's children Karen Spencer and Bill Spencer, Jr. along with Karen's daughter Caroline Spencer and Bill's sons Liam Spencer and Will Spencer make up the Spencer family.

Production [edit]

Development [edit]

In 1986, CBS was on the hunt to replace Capitol, and contacted several writers and producers for proposals. Paul Rauch created Grosse Pointe as a replacement. During her absence from Ryan's Hope, Michael Brockman, former President of CBS Daytime, asked Claire Labine to develop a new serial in 1986. Her proposal was entitled 'Celebration' but never made it to the air. Had it been greenlit, Jane Greenstein would have been Assistant to the Head Writer like she was on General Hospital. William J. Bell created The Bold and the Beautiful, which was originally titled Rags.[citation needed]

Filming [edit]

B&B has been shot at Stage 31 at CBS Television City in Los Angeles for its entire run so far.[3] The show typically uses the traditional soap opera look, featuring constructed sets such as the Forrester Mansion, the Shady Marlin, and the Forrester Creations offices. Like other soap operas, B&B is usually taped 3–4 weeks in advance. In recent times, the show has increased shooting on location, in the way fellow CBS soap Guiding Light did in its final two years. Many of the characters have taken trips to the fictional "Bikini Beach" which is actually a nearby California beach, and there have been scenes around the Forrester Creations building which appear to be shot somewhere on the lot or inside of CBS Television City.

Theme song and title sequence [edit]

Pre launch logo for The Bold and the Beautiful, used in promos.

"High Upon This Love," the theme song of The Bold and the Beautiful, was written by Jack Allocco and David Kurtz and features a prominent saxophone sample played by Eric Marienthal. From November 1998 to July 1999 in the United States, a vocal version of the theme song performed by Dionne Warwick was played during the end credits.

Cast and crew [edit]

Executive Producers and Head Writers [edit]

Executive Producers

Name Years
William J. Bell March 23, 1987 - 1988
William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell 1988–96
Bradley Bell 1996–present

Head Writers

Name Duration
William J. Bell March 27, 1987 – 1993
Bradley Bell 1993 – 2002
Bradley Bell and John F. Smith 2002
Bradley Bell 2002 - January 21, 2008
No Head Writer Listed January 22, 2008 - February 4, 2008
Kay Alden (WGA strike) February 5, 2008 - April 15, 2008
Kay Alden April 16, 2008 - 2008
Bradley Bell and Kay Alden 2008
Bradley Bell, Kay Alden, and Michael Minnis 2008–Present

Awards [edit]

The cast and crew of The Bold and the Beautiful at the 2010 Daytime Emmy Awards

Nominated for over two hundred prizes and accolades since its debut, the series has won several awards over the years, including the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series thrice, once in 2009 and again in the years of 2010 and 2011.[4] The writing team also won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series Writing in 2010.[4] Susan Flannery has personally won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series on three separate occasions.[4]

Ratings [edit]

Upon its debuted as the replacement of former soap opera Capitol in the CBS Daytime lineup, The Bold and the Beautiful ended eighth in the final year ratings. Initially CBS' lowest-rated soap, its numbers were still respectable and began to climb. By 1993, after a successful crossover involving villain Sheila Carter from The Young and the Restless, it had climbed to third. By the mid-to-late 1990s, following yet another crossover, it moved up to second and since has consistently remained there.[5] Throughout the 2000s (decade), The Bold and the Beautiful and all the other remaining network daytime dramas have witnessed a steady erosion of viewers, mainly due to vastly altered viewing habits induced by cable networks and alternative genres such as reality, court shows, and talk shows on minor network affiliates.[6]

Distribution [edit]

Broadcast [edit]

It is currently the only American soap opera since the cancellation of Port Charles with a running time of 30 minutes and was the last remaining American soap broadcasting in the 4:3 standard definition picture format, until the show upgraded to 16:9 HiDef definition in September 2011.

Country / Region Network(s) Date Aired as
 Albania TV Klan Beautiful
 Australia Network Ten November 1987
 Austria ATV, ORF Reich und Schön
 Belgium RTL-TVI, VT4 & VIJF Top Models (fr), Mooi & Meedogenloos (nl)
 Botswana BTV
 Bulgaria BNT 1, BNT 2 1993 Дързост и красота
 Canada CTV, TVA The Bold and the Beautiful, Top Modèles
 Czech Republic TV Prima Báječní a bohatí
 Denmark Canal 9From 03/2012-03/2012 cancelled[7] Glamour
 Egypt Dream 1, NT2
 Estonia TV3 Vaprad ja ilusad
 Fiji FBC TV Bold nd the Beautiful
 Finland MTV3 January 1992 Kauniit ja rohkeat
 France France 2 June 1989 "Amour, gloire et beauté"
 Germany 1988-89; 2012–present: Tele 5
2002-2011: ZDF
1989-2000: RTL
1988 Reich und Schön
 Greece ERT3 Τόλμη και Γοητεία (Boldness and Charm)
 Iceland Stöð 2 Glæstar vonir
 India Star World, Zee Trendz Jan 1991 The Bold and the Beautiful

Indonesia TVRI 1980/1990s

 Israel Yes Stars Base, HOT family May 1994 היפים והאמיצים
 Italy Canale 5 June 1990 Beautiful
 Jamaica TVJ The Bold and the Beautiful
 Kenya KBC
 Luxembourg RTL9 Top Models
Country / Region Network(s) Aired as
 Malaysia 8TV, Star World, TV2
 Morocco 2M TV Top Models
 Netherlands RTL4, SBS6, RTL 8
 New Zealand Prime, Sky1, TV One, TV2
 Norway 2012–present: Canal9
1993-2011: TVNorge
Glamour
 Pakistan Filmax
 Philippines STAR World
 Poland TVP1 Moda na sukces
 Portugal RTP1 Malha de Intrigas
 Romania Prima TV Dragoste si Putere
 Serbia Prva Srpska Televizija/Prva Одважни и лепи
 Sri Lanka ETV
 South Africa SABC1 The Bold and the Beautiful
 Sweden Sjuan Glamour
 Switzerland RTS Un Top Models
 Thailand Star World
 Turkey 1992-98: Star TV
1998-2002: Show TV
2004-05: Flash TV
2007-08: Kanal D
2009-2010: Kanaltürk
Cesur ve Güzel
 Trinidad and Tobago CCN TV6 The Bold and the Beautiful
 Tuvalu Television Tuvalu
 United Arab Emirates Dubai One
 Vietnam Vietnam 24H, VTV1
 Latvia LTV1 Hameleonu Rotaļas
 Lithuania TV8 Žavūs ir drasūs
 Iran Farsi1 The Bold and The Beautiful

DVD release [edit]

The earliest DVD releases of The Bold and the Beautiful came in 2008 and 2009 when "Fan Favourites Collection" and "Best of Weddings" were released in Europe and Australia.[8][9][10][11] These DVD sets contained a random selection of 21 and 25 episodes respectively from 1987 up until that point in time. These sets sold well and from 2010-2011, Beyond Home Entertainment in Australia released another 3 sets containing a random selection of 25 episodes each.[12][13][14] These sets however only contained episodes from 2003 onwards, frustrating some long-term fans, as a large proportion of the show was left out.[15] One of these sets entitled "Most Shocking Moments" was also released in the US on July 23, 2012 on the Amazon Instant Video service but only contained 15 episodes.[15]

The series was released from the very beginning in Germany (April 29, 2011),[16] Sweden (November 23, 2011), the United States (November 6, 2012)[17] and Australia (December 3, 2012).[18] All DVD sets contain 25 episodes with the exception of the US release only containing 16. The German releases have sold well, with distributor Fernsehjuwelen having released box 2 later in 2011 and boxes 3-7 throughout 2012. Boxes 8, 9 and 10 are set for release in mid-2013.[19]

DVD title Number of Episodes Release date
Region 2 Region 4 (AU) Region 1 (US)
Fan Favorites Collection 21 September 3, 2008[20] November 19, 2008[10] N/A
Best of Weddings 25 March 11, 2009[21] April 1, 2009[11] N/A
Most Shocking Moments 25 (AU) / 15 (US) N/A October 6, 2010[22] July 23, 2012[15]
Catfights and Brawls 25 N/A December 1, 2010[23] N/A
The Best of Brooke, Ridge & Taylor 25 N/A March 2, 2011[24] N/A
How It All Began [Box 1] 25 / 16 (US) April 29, 2011[25] December 3, 2012[26] November 6, 2012[17]
How It All Began [Box 2] 25 October 14, 2011[27] May 1, 2013 [28] TBA
How It All Began [Box 3] 25 February 17, 2012[27] TBA TBA
How It All Began [Box 4] 25 April 27, 2012[27] TBA TBA
How It All Began [Box 5] 25 August 3, 2012[27] TBA TBA
How It All Began [Box 6] 25 November 23, 2012[27] TBA TBA
How It All Began [Box 7] 25 November 23, 2012[27] TBA TBA
How It All Began [Box 8] 25 Mid 2013 [27] TBA TBA
How It All Began [Box 9] 25 Mid 2013 [27] TBA TBA
How It All Began [Box 10] 25 Mid 2013 [27] TBA TBA

Crossovers [edit]

There have been several crossovers between The Bold and the Beautiful and its sister show, The Young and the Restless:

There have also been crossovers with CBS Daytime game shows in the 21st century:

  • 2002
  • 2008
    • The Price Is Right: Bridget Forrester (Ashley Jones) makes an appearance during the Showcase to offer a contestant a spot as an extra for a segment. The contestant won the Showcase.
      • Immediately after the contestant won, she was whisked away to Studio 31 for hair, makeup, and wardrobe before taping her segment.
  • 2009
    • The Price Is Right: Dominick Marone (Jack Wagner) interrupts taping of Price (which is taped in the Bob Barker Studio; The Bold and the Beautiful is taped next door in Studio 31) on March 6. Wagner talks to Carey about soap appearances and "crashes" the taping. At the end of the show, a Marone-themed Showcase is presented.
    • The Bold and the Beautiful: Donna Logan (Jennifer Gareis) and Pam Douglas (Alley Mills) take a trip to The Price is Right in June, and to their surprise Donna becomes a contestant, ultimately winning both showcases.
    • The Price Is Right: Dominick Marone (Jack Wagner) and Bridget Forrester (Ashley Jones) appear together on June 19 to model wedding attire during a special "Ultimate Wedding Shower" edition of The Price is Right.
  • 2010
    • The Price Is Right and The Young and The Restless: Stephen Logan (Patrick Duffy) and Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) appear in a war of words in a One Bid, then each present their own themed Showcase at the end of the show.
  • 2011
    • The Price Is Right: A contestant on the March 2011 Ultimate Spring Break episode wins a walk-on role as an extra; that episode airs April 19.
    • The Price Is Right: Thomas Forrester (Adam Gregory) models wedding attire for the Ultimate Wedding Shower episode along with show model Rachel Reynolds. The wedding attire is a prize on this episode.
    • Let's Make a Deal
  • 2012
    • The Bold and the Beautiful: Tiffany Coyne meets the Forresters and Pam Douglas (Alley Mills), asking Pam and Nick to appear on Let's Make a Deal. Dominick Marone (as a lobster) and Pam Douglas (as a fisherman) appear in a deal.
    • Let's Make a Deal: Wagner appears to offer a contestant a walk-on role on the show, a common practice now with both CBS Daytime game shows with this show.

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Shea, Danny (June 17, 2008). "The World's Number One Show: CSI". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2008-06-17. 
  2. ^ a b The Bold and the Beautiful to go high-definition 
  3. ^ "Shows–CBS Television City". Retrieved 25 July 2011. 
  4. ^ a b c "Awards for The Bold and the Beautiful". IMDb. Retrieved 2011-06-11. 
  5. ^ Waggett, Gerard J. (November 1997). "Part VI: Soap Opera Nielsen Ratings". The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. HarperPaperbacks. pp. 625–642. ISBN 0-06-101157-6. 
  6. ^ "Soaps, Soap Operas, Dramas, Daytime, Primetime". Soapoperanetwork.com. Retrieved 2011-07-26. 
  7. ^ http://www.canal9.dk/glamour
  8. ^ http://video.fnac.com/a2441414/Amour-gloire-et-beaute-Coffret-3-DVD-Best-of-William-J-Bell-DVD-Zone-2
  9. ^ http://video.fnac.com/a2534133/Amour-gloire-et-beaute-Coffret-3-DVD-Best-of-Volume-2-Katherine-Kelly-Lang-DVD-Zone-2
  10. ^ a b http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/drama-romance/the-bold-the-beautiful-fan-favourites-collection-5-dvd-set/372718
  11. ^ a b http://www.madman.com.au/catalogue/view/12024/bold-and-the-beautiful-best-of-the-weddings
  12. ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/bold-and-the-beautiful-the-most-shocking-moments-5-disc-set/dp/815208
  13. ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/bold-and-the-beautiful-the-the-best-of-brooke-ridge-taylor-3-disc-set/dp/817868
  14. ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/bold-and-the-beautiful-the-catfights-brawls-4-disc-set-bonus-calendar/dp/816403
  15. ^ a b c http://www.amazon.com/Bold-Beautiful-Most-Shocking-Moments/dp/B007FFCA7Y
  16. ^ http://www.amazon.de/dp/B004GVYG7M
  17. ^ a b http://www.amazon.com/The-Bold-And-Beautiful-Began/dp/B009ZVPFUK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
  18. ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/bold-and-the-beautiful-the-how-it-all-began-collection-1/dp/6119763
  19. ^ http://www.fernsehjuwelen.de/neuankuendigungen.html
  20. ^ "Amour, gloire et beauté - Coffret 3 DVD- Best of - Katherine Kelly Lang - Ronn Moss : toutes les séries TV à la Fnac". Video.fnac.com. Retrieved 2011-07-26. 
  21. ^ "Amour, gloire et beauté - Coffret 3 DVD- Best of - Volume 2 - Katherine Kelly Lang - Ronn Moss : toutes les séries TV à la Fnac". Video.fnac.com. 2009-06-17. Retrieved 2011-07-26. 
  22. ^ http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/drama-romance/bold-the-beautiful-the-most-shocking-moments/539709
  23. ^ http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/drama-romance/bold-and-the-beautiful-the-cat-fight-brawls/577901
  24. ^ http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/drama-romance/bold-the-beautiful-the-the-best-of-brooke-ridge-taylor/632488
  25. ^ http://www.amazon.de/Reich-Sch%C3%B6n-begann-Folgen-Fernsehjuwelen/dp/B004GVYG7M
  26. ^ http://www.beyondhomeentertainment.com.au/index.php?option=com_jmovies&Itemid=9&task=detail&id=3631
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i http://www.fernsehjuwelen.com/dvd_reich_und_schoen_dvd_box1.html
  28. ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/bold-the-beautiful-how-it-all-began-collection-2/dp/6139918

External links [edit]