William J. Bell

William Joseph Bell (March 6 1927 – April 29 2005) was the creator and Executive Producer of the extremely successful soap operas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.

He started out as a comedy writer at WBBM in Chicago, and one day he made a call to Irna Phillips' secretary, Rose Cooperman, asking her "Does Irna have an opening?" Cooperman told him that Phillips did have an opening. By the time he got there it turned out the guy who was leaving decided to stay.

About two years later, W. J. Bell was in advertising business and he ran into Irna's niece. She mentioned him to Irna and Ms. Phillips remembered who he was; she also knew his wife, who was a celebrity in Chicago at that time. He started out at $75 a week and ended up living in what once was Howard Hawkes' villa. His mother regularly listened to radio soap operas: Life Can Be Beautiful, The Romance of Helen Trent, Our Gal Sunday and (The) Guiding Light.

He started his writing career on (The) Guiding Light and then moved over to As the World Turns, working under the legendary "Queen of Soaps," Irna Phillips; Phillips' other protegee at the time was Agnes Nixon. In 1964 Bell, along with Phillips, created the popular soap opera Another World for NBC. In 1965 he co-created the primetime ATWT spinoff Our Private World.

In 1966, he was hired as head writer of the then-struggling soap Days of Our Lives. Bell was credited with the show's initial surge of popularity. He stayed as head writer until 1975. He intended to leave several years earlier but the show sued him and he agreed to write long-term story projections for them.

In 1973, he co-created The Young and the Restless. Y&R was credited for reviving the daytime serial, with its brightness, humor and cutting-edge storylines. Bell guided Y&R as Head Writer from 1973 until stepping down in 1998, the longest tenure of any head writer in soap opera history. Y&R has been the highest-rated soap on the air since the 1988-1989 TV season. In 1998, he became Executive Storyline Consultant, and chose longtime Y&R scribe Kay Alden to be Y&R's new head writer. Bell remained the senior executive producer of the serial until his death.

In 1987, he co-created The Bold and the Beautiful, which was known for its glamorous look as it was set in the fashion industry. Bell executive produced and acted as head writer for the serial until 1994 when he passed on both titles to his son, Bradley Bell.

Bell was married to former talk show host Lee Phillip Bell, who co-created Y&R and B&B with him. Their three children, Bill Jr., Bradley, and Lauralee, are all involved in their parents' soaps in some capacity.

On April 29, 2005 Bell died from complications of Alzheimer's disease, aged 78.

TV career

Another World

• Co-Creator; Co-Head Writer (May 4, 1964 - March 1965)

As The World Turns

• Writer (1957 - 1966)

The Bold and the Beautiful

• Co-Creator; Executive Producer (March 23, 1987 - 1996); Head Writer (March 23, 1987-1994)

Days of Our Lives

• Head Writer (1966 - 1975); Story Editor (1975 - 1976)

The Guiding Light

• Writer (1956)

Our Private World

• Co-Creator (1965); Co-Head Writer (1965)

The Young And The Restless

• Co-Creator (March 26, 1973); Executive Producer (March 26, 1973-Late 80s); Senior Executive Producer (Late 80s -2005); Head Writer (March 26, 1973 - 1998); Executive Storyline Consultant (2000 - 2003)

Awards

• Daytime Emmy NOMINATIONS (1975-1976, 1979, 1986-1987, 1990-1995, 1997-2001, 2003; Best Writing; The Young and the Restless)
• Daytime Emmy WIN (1992, 1997, 2000; Best Writing; Young and the Restless)
• Daytime Emmy WIN (1976; Best Writing; Days of Our Lives)
• Daytime Emmy NOMINATION (1975-1978; Best Writing; Days of Our Lives)

• WGA Award-NOMINATION (For 1999 Season; The Young and the Restless)