Texas (TV Series) - Production

Production

Critics complained that Iris (who was known on Another World as being a villainess) had become too tame, and that other roles were poorly cast or suffered from paper-thin writing. In early 1981, the Corringtons were replaced as head writers. Other casting moves were made with little gain, such as hiring away General Hospital star Kin Shriner at great expense, only to give him almost nothing to do until he finally left. To contribute to the show's music characters' storyline, real-life country artists such as Johnny Paycheck, Tom T. Hall and Ray Stevens made appearances as themselves. In addition, Oklahoma Governor George Nigh and his wife Donna appeared in walk-on roles (playing themselves as Governor and First Lady of Oklahoma) during the show's first month on the air; cast member Lisby Larson (Paige Marshall) serenaded the couple with a rendition of "Oklahoma!". Also, while he never appeared on the actual series, Texas Lieutenant Governor William P. Hobby, Jr. took a tour of the program's Brooklyn studio, and praised the show's realistic visual feel.

In November 1981, McKinsey left the show and the secondary characters seen in the first year were given more story. Texas lost one million viewers upon McKinsey's departure. While Another World, which also lost a million viewers upon her 1980 departure, could afford the drop in ratings, Texas could not, and its days were numbered. To try to appeal to the younger audience, the show rechristened itself Texas: The New Generation. In the daytime ratings for 1980 - 1981 season, Texas achieved a 3.8, tied with The Doctors at the 12th position. Its contenders Guiding Light had an 8.2 ratings, 4th position, as opposed to General Hospital's 11.4, the highest rated soap opera, respectively. In its second season it fell to a 3.6 rating. At the end of its broadcast season it ended with a 2.7, 12th out of 14 daytime serials. The total viewers for the first two seasons was at 2.8 million followed by a dropped to 2.2 million in the final season. Texas aired on the CTV network in Canada at 3:pm EST time slot following Another World. The series, with Another World, was more popular in Canada, topping the daytime ratings charts for many weeks.

In 1982, Gail Kobe became executive producer and Pam Long (who appeared on the show as Ashley Linden Marshall) became Head Writer. The show began to improve in quality, but the ratings remained in the basement.

The last episodes featured a Christmas miracle (snow fell in Houston as Long's character Ashley and her unborn baby, who had been presumed dead after a flash flood, returned home to loving husband Justin) and a New Year's series finale where the local TV station was bought out and all the major characters were fired. The Doctors also aired its last episode on this day. The final scene was a bittersweet final toast, "to Texas!" Executive producer Kobe and writer Long would go on to make their mark on Guiding Light for much of the 1980s.

Production staff on Texas included Tim Cagney, Carolyn Culliton, Charles Edwards, Richard Gullieth, Pamela Hammer, John Knutz, Michele Poteet, Dorothy Purser, Samuel D. Radcliffe, Paul Rader, Eric Rubinton, Gary Tomlin, Joyce Corrington, William Corrington, Paul Rauch, Gail Kobe, Bud Kloss, Judy Lewis, Robert Calhoun, Mary S. Bonner, John P. Whitesell, Kevin Kelly, John Pasquin, Bruce M. Minnix, and Andrew D. Weyman.