All Her Children: The Real Life Story of America's Favorite Soap Opera

by Dan Wakefield

182 pages This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385110863
• ISBN13: 9780385110860
• Release Date: January 1976
• Publisher: Doubleday
• Length: 182 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.

Customer Reviews

All About Agnes!

I was disappointed but I shouldn't be surprised that this book is based on the life of soap opera creator, developer, writer, etc., Agnes Eckhardt Nixon who is responsible for "One Life to Live" and "All My Children." She is responsible for some of daytime's most interesting characters maybe ever. After all, she created characters like Erica Kane, Phoebe Wallingford, Myrtle Fargate, Adam Chandler, Jackson Montgomery, just to name a few on "All My Children." She also created Vikki Lord, the Buchanan family, and so many others on "One Life to Live." Her personal life is not that exciting or glamorous. She lived in suburban Philadelphia where she has set both shows. She was raised in Nashville, studied drama at Northwestern in Chicago, and earned her first big break by writing for the legendary Irna Phillips, the queen mother of daytime television and serials. In fact, I bought the book because I was misinformed that it was about Irna Phillips but I was wrong. Agnes loves and respects the actors and actresses who bring life to her creations and maybe that's why she is so endeared in the daytime community. Irna was different since she was headquartered in Chicago and communicated by telephone for hours at a time. Despite's Irna pioneering spirit, she could be adversarial and very critical of her players. Unlike Agnes, Irna was never married but did adopt two children in her forties. Agnes is a legend in this business which is getting smaller all the time. Irna, Agnes, and the late William J. Bell helped established daytime television dramas. While Agnes deserves the respect and honors, Irna is also credited for creating a business where it's largely run by women in all aspects. Agnes Nixon, I wished got the same recognition as some other visionaries like a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of the Arts, etc.