The Edge of Night Opening titles 1956-1984

[debfan74]

I would have loved to have seen this when it was on ABC...since I used to be an ABC Soap fan

[chas1065b]

correction the 1956-73 openings were the same musically (but different graphics before the show went to color in late 1967)

[chas1065b]

the 1967-77 theme was remixed in 1973 to change its closing theme from piano organ to a big band/piano sound, and its opening last notes were changed from an organ riff to a string quartet riff. technically the 1967-73 and 1973-77 versions are musically different.

[adelgado75]

If they revived this show with attention to good acting this show could be a powerhouse. Imagine if they hired writers who really know how to craft good stories with interesting characters like EDGE in its heyday. General Hospital has done quite well with its mob stories. Air the new version with the C&B theme and you could wipe away much of the lame competition.

[Sheri451]

I liked the later openings without the creepy haunted house music. That baby in the one opening was sooooooo adorable and precious! I just love that horn playing in the openings and the cello too

[publicitypunk]

GREG MAY of Orlando, FL says: "I once wrote LOIS KIBBEE a letter to compliment her on her portrayal of 'Geraldine' and her contributions as co-writer to EON. And damn if the grand dame didn't answer it! It was like getting a letter from a family member!"

[Golbez1991]

1976's opening looks and sounds like a horror movie. I like it :D My favorite logo would be the one from 1983-84, although it doesn't mix well with those 80s laser/image effects. Very nice compilation!

[publicitypunk]

GREG MAY of Orlando, FL says: "I remember watching an episode of "The Edge of Night" in the early 70's and they goofed up during half-time break and broadcast the orignal opening title with the dark 'edge' halfway across the screen. The director quickly corrected it with the revised graphic. That's because EON was still being aired live by the 70's when the other soaps went to tape. This 'graphic goof'' may have ocurred during the production personnel strike at CBS. "

[sneezyize]

@publicitypunk I still wish we could find the one opening from the early 1970's (when it was still live) when announcer Harry Kramer announced the show as, 'The Urge of Night", instead of "The Edge of Night". That was supposedly one of the most funny of screw-ups in announcing that many people remember from that time (I have vague recollection of my mom laughing about that one), as well as one that it was surprising the censors didn't bleep, but of course it was live so they didn't catch it.

[mthivier]

@publicitypunk there were definitely some fun mishaps when soaps were still broadcast live. My all-time favourite near-miss involved ATWT, when Lisa was supposed to be pregnant, and the organist screwed up and played the "fade-to-commercial" music by mistake, and Eileen Fulton, assuming they were off the air, almost pulled the pillow out from under her blouse, right on-camera.

[TheWhistler3]

This was the last soap to be presented live.

[dtw1958]

Ok dumb question here. Is the Empire State Bldg in the middle of the 50s-70s opening? Any twin towers pictured in any of these?? Charlie Grant was a really cool and nice guy, I had the pleasure of working with him in 1990s.

[publicitypunk]

GREG MAY of Orlando, FL says: "Wow! Thank you William James for creating that video of the EON opens through the years. When I was a kid I used to run home from school to watch EON. I still remember the original opening with the dark 'edge' moving across the screen. Writer Henry Slesar created the best storylines like the crook hiding under the Marceau's house, Nicole's stalker and the classic Whitney saga.,

[lavellknight]

i loved all of eons openings it was so spooky best soap ever

[christheone8773]

I LOVED the unique names of the characters - Draper Scott, Wynter Austin, Raven - this show was one of the best soaps around!

[christheone8773]

This show was so unique, it was inspired by the Perry Mason show, and they focused mainly on different mysteries going on in and around Monticello - Monticello was supposedly a suburb of Chicago, even though in the earlier opening credits, they show the city of Cleveland-

[CarlD2]

What a terrible last theme for a show. It's so dated, it's tinny, it's shallow. I wish they had kept to the 82-83 one, even if I don't like that weird blue fadeout. I like that that one had Raven as the last, and most vital, character.

Larkin Malloy was so gorgeous...

[Mr1964jan]

@CarlD2 nope it was cincinati

[dpodsful]

@CarlD2 Haha, I actually like the '84, though it definitely shows its age! Reminds me of some educational health show we watched in elementary school! Wish I could watch episodes of this show.

[dtw1958]

Ahhh the love of my 20's Joel Crothers rest in piece my buddy

[en9nui]

The '77-'80 opening--with its haunting E. Lawrence score and "the edge" descending as "of night" ascends from below at dusk--is especially stylish. Dropping "the" from the title and emphasizing "edge" instead, the '84 opener departed from tradition with a different, edgier (?) twist, but somehow it just doesn't seem like EON without a skyline or cityscape in the background.

[dtw1958]

The best storyline to me was "Who Killed Stephanie Martin", a great who done-it, with a surprise murderess, Pamela Martin, none other than Irene Dailey. Oh how I wish some of these episodes existed, but being late 69, early 70, not likely.

[squeapler]

This was my mom's favorite soap in the 60's and 70's and I have such memories of the old intro with the skyline and spooky piano music. Not a fan of the newer titles for this particular soap.

[RadioFreeSpike]

Is that guy with the mustache Tom Selleck? If not, it must be his twin brother...

I was just 4 or 5 when I saw some of these when my mom watched. I don't remember much, except that Raven was always the bad character. I may have only been five, but I knew a fine face when I saw hers!

[joemontco]

@RadioFreeSpike Close resemblance, but the actor is Joel Crothers, who starred in several New York based soaps, including "Dark Shadows". He passed away from complications due to AIDS about a year or so after "Edge" was cancelled.

[SoapsGoldenAge]

you do such excptional work! PS-- i see Raven and I start to cry. BEST character ever!!!

[SoapsGoldenAge]

you do such excptional work!

[TheBabyboomkidof53]

as a three or four year old in 56 and 57 this music use to spook me and mezmerize me at the same time. I recall they even worked in a storyline early on about a dasterdly villian who played the tune on a grand piano,and mike carr private eye was out to get him.

[adelgado75]

I love that they played the slow version of the C&B theme during the final credit crawl on the final episode.

[m7a7b725]

Damn! That takes me way back!! Thank you!!

[wesinalabama]

I read somewhere that YES, E. S. Garner was involved in the beginning, but there were disagreements about the direction of the show and he departed. (The powers that be did not want a daytime Perry Mason-style show). I also read that this was the first soap to start in a 30-minute format, the older ones were still being in a 15-minute format, the same as their radio format before moving to TV.

[TimsDale4ever]

@wesinalabama Almost but not quite. AS THE WORLD TURNS and EON debuted on the same day with WORLD running first -- so actually WORLD TURNS was the first 30 minute soap.

[WSenator1]

I've been told that this soap used to be on radio - as "Perry Mason"! When Erle Stanley Garner decided to move it to television, he split the shows: Raymond Burr's classic, and this show, with the names of the show and the characters changed.

[tomk773]

This show was the launching pad for many great actors we know today!

[softwater88]

alphauktelepictures . . . thanks for posting this. I sooo loved The Edge Of Night. Major fan, even after it left my local affiliate when it changed networks from CBS to ABC in 1975. I just love the title "The Edge Of Night." Too bad that soaps aren't like this anymore.

[WSenator1]

I remember this show coming on about 4:30, when, from late fall to early spring, it was begin to get dark outside - thus the title of the show.

[soap1919jt]

@WSenator1 That was the main reason for the title. The orginal 'working' title was called "The Edge of Darkness."

[WSenator1]

@soap1919jt - Very interesting. All I know is when I'd be home after school, and this came on, it scared the whatsits out of me, and I turned back to the cartoons! Thanks for the info, and enjoy the holidays.

[TimsDale4ever]

Who was the older, gray women that is always pictured in their openings? She looks like she was on the show for it's entire 28 year history. A very interesting looking character who looks like she didn't take any crap from anyone. I never watched this show but after today's mess, I would now.

[mthivier]

That was Geraldine Whitney (and later Saxon), played by the late, great Lois Kibbie. She was AWESOME, and definitely DIDN'T take any sh*t from anyone. A very similar character to Kay Chancellor on Y&R in many ways.

[MikeKrysta1]

@TimsDale4ever Lois Kibbee

[TimsDale4ever]

I remember the one at :28. Beautiful and very unique theme. Miss those days when all the shows had their own unique look and sound -- not that disco looking s__t today.

[soap1919jt]

Again, very good work. The second (Elliot Lawrence) theme was also used with the original color opening visuals for roughly the first year after Edge moved to ABC.

[DJRakow]

I'm a fan of the second opening title sequence for The Edge Of Night especially when "Presented Live" and before that "Now In Color" were being narrated at the opening of the Show.