Days of Our Lives on NBC

Sad Days, Indeed: A Fond Farewell to John and Marlena

• Jan 23, 2009 10:15 AM ET
• by Matt Mitovich
• 101 Comments

Days of Our Lives' Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn

It's the end of an era, as daytime television says goodbye to Days of Our Lives' John Black and Dr. Marlena Evans on Friday, Jan. 23. Read more about their sad sendoff — and share your favorite memories of the iconic couple — after the jump. read more

Days of Our Lives Mega-Stars Fired

• Nov 19, 2008 03:33 PM ET
• by Erin Fox
• 122 Comments

Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn

Days of Our Lives' much-beloved romantic duo and longtime stars Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn have been cut from NBC's only soap as it deals with budget cuts, the show announced in a statement Wednesday.

The shocking layoffs of the highly-paid veteran soap actors who play Dr. Marlena Evans and John Black come after the show's producers cut spending earlier this month to keep Days on the air for at least another 18 months.

The good news, if any, for fans ... read more

Days of Our Lives Renewed for 18 Months

• Nov 12, 2008 12:56 PM ET
• by Erin Fox
• 78 Comments

Days of Our Lives

Sorry soap fans, you can't blame Days of Our Lives' short-term contract renewal on the evil Stefano DiMera!

NBC has inked a deal with Sony Pictures TV to extend its run of the long-running daytime favorite Days for just 18 months, Variety reports.

The soap, which is celebrating its 43rd year on the air, had previously signed a renewal pact between Sony and Corday Prods. for a five-year term.

However, it's understood that another year could be tagged on to the 18-month contract if certain parameters on the show are met. That would keep Days on the air through September of 2011.

This is most likely a sign of uncertain times for the daytime scripted dramas, especially at NBC. The network has axed most of its soaps, including... read more

Soaps Scribe James E. Reilly Dies at 60

• Oct 14, 2008 04:03 PM ET
• by Matt Mitovich
• 19 Comments

James E. Reilly, a sometimes controversial soap scribe who twice served as Days of Our Lives' headwriter and created the supernatural-themed Passions, passed away over the weekend, at age 60, Soap Opera Digest reports. Reilly was recovering in the hospital from cardiac surgery when he died.

Read more about Reilly's passing and his daytime legacy, after the jump. read more

Salem's New Mayor Plans to Shake Things Up

• Aug 29, 2008 04:36 PM ET
• by TV Guide News

Matthew Borlenghi by Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Years after Matthew Borlenghi concluded his role as Brian Bodine, he's returning to daytime. Starting September 18, the All My Children alum will join Days of Our Lives as the Mayor of Salem, where he promises that the new guy will be "shaking things up." Borlenghi gave TVGuide.com the scoop on what we can expect from a character he hopes viewers will "love to hate," who he'll be romancing and how long he'll be in office.TVGuide.com: As you get ready to arrive at Days of Our Lives, what can you tell us about your new character?Matthew Borlenghi: All that I can tell you without ending up in the principal's office is I'm playing a dicey mayor, Anthony Marino, who may be a bit unstable, and is coming and shaking things up in the Salem police department. The question is really to what end? What's his motivation? Whether he's doing things for the good of Salem, or for the good of Anthony Marino. TVGuide.com: In what ways will he be unstable?Borlenghi: Maybe a little bit psychologically... read more

AMC Alum to Take Office on Days

• Aug 26, 2008 11:23 PM ET
• by TV Guide News

Matthew Borlenghi by Todd Williamson/WireImage.com

Matt Borlenghi has just been voted in to Days of Our Lives as the mayor of Salem. Borlenghi was long known as Brian Bodine on All My Children , and later portrayed Ziggy Deadmarsh in The Bold and the Beautiful. During his six-year hiatus from the soap scene, the actor guested on shows including Dexter and Without a Trace.Borlenghi will make his return to the genre on Days starting this fall. Are you ready for him to take office? — Anna Dimond read more

Shakeup in Salem: Was Days' Boss Fired to Save Show?

• Aug 22, 2008 10:32 PM ET
• by TV Guide News

Ed Scott by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

It's been a year since Ed Scott took over as show-runner of Days of Our Lives, and the NBC serial is far better looking, much better acted and infinitely more involving than when he arrived. In fact, the last few weeks have been killer. So why is he out on his ass? Scott, who helmed the top-rated soap The Young and the Restless before coming to Days, was fired on Aug. 15 and replaced by former One Life to Live exec producer Gary Tomlin. Days owner/executive producer Ken Corday tells TV Guide he axed Scott because he clashed with head writer Dena Higley. "For me to deny there was friction between Dena and Ed would be a lie," Corday says. "There was friction and that's not a good thing for a network to perceive. It's not a good thing for the cast and crew, and it's not a good thing for the owner of the show to see." He adds that Scott's ouster "was important to the pick-up of the show." NBC has yet to renew Days after months of budget and licensing talks, but Corday says he now expect... read more

Days Taps Gary Tomlin to Replace Ed Scott

• Aug 19, 2008 03:04 PM ET
• by TV Guide News

Days of Our Lives

This just in from NBC: Corday Productions has announced that Gary Tomlin has joined Days of Our Lives as co-executive producer."I have decided that it's in the best interest of the show's future to make this change in order to improve Days both visually and emotionally," says exec producer Ken Corday. "We at Days are grateful to Ed Scott for all of his contributions and amazing energy over the past year. Gary Tomlin brings a long successful history of being an actor's producer and a writer's producer to our cast and crew and I know the viewers will see the immediate results of this change for the better." Says Tomlin, "I’m very happy to be back at Days, where I began behind the scenes in the early '80s. It’s wonderful to be given the opportunity to work with Ken Corday."Tomlin’s daytime career began in 1973, when he was cast on Search for Tomorrow as Bruce Carson. He collaborated with Corday for the first time as Days' co-headwriter in 1980-1981 and has since served... read more

Casting Quickies for Days, B&B and GL

• Jul 30, 2008 07:07 PM ET
• by TV Guide News

Tamara Braun by Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

Tune In Tamara: Say goodbye to Tamara Braun. The impossibly sublime actress will exit Days of Our Lives August 4 when it looks like her character, Ava, will stand trial for causing that pesky plane crash. But, before skipping town, she has one more sex romp with her brainwashed Robo-John.Storm Warning: The Bold and the Beautiful takes a dark turn August 5–6 when Storm Logan (William deVry), who killed himself last spring, returns in a fantasy sequence. His sister Katie, who is distraught over an unexpected pregnancy, will see him rise naked from the sea and urge her to join him in death. When she dives underwater after him, he morphs into a demon.Seeing the Light: Montel Williams steps into the role of Clayton Boudreau on Guiding Light for a two-day stint (August 1 and 5). Word is, the author-talk show host so impressed execs with his acting chops that they want him back. Now for the bad news: Clayton's return involves a heartbreaking tragedy, so have a hanky ready. — Mich... read more

VIDEO: Who Will Save Days' Marlena from Stefano?

• Jul 30, 2008 02:10 PM ET
• by TV Guide News

Days of Our Lives viewers have not seen the last of Stefano. In this video interview, Deidre Hall wonders who, with John still not himself, might help Marlena survive the indefatigable megalomaniac's latest reign of terror. Plus: Scoop on the dual role ahead for Hall! read more