"Search for Tomorrow" (1951) TV series 1951-1986

Creators:

Agnes Nixon
Roy Winsor

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

3 September 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Soap

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 8 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

John Cunningham	...	Dr. Wade Collins (3 episodes, 1971-1977)
Val Dufour	...	John Wyatt (3 episodes, 1972-1979)
Mary Stuart	...	Joanne 'Jo' Gardner Barron Tate Reynolds Vincente Tourneur / ... (3 episodes, 1951-1977)
Deborah Cresswell	...	Linda Phillips (3 episodes, 1977)
Morgan Fairchild	...	Jennifer Pace #2 (2 episodes, 1973-1977)
Jane Krakowski	...	Rebecca 'T.R.' Kendall (2 episodes, 1984-1986)
Ron Husmann	...	Dr. Dan Walton (2 episodes, 1971-1972)

Also Known As:

Search for Happiness (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:15 min (1951-1968) | USA:30 min (1968-1986)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1951-1967) | Color (1967-1986)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

CBS Broadcast Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

When CBS moved the show from its longtime time slot of 12:30 PM Eastern to 2:30 PM Eastern so that "The Young and the Restless" (1973) started their afternoon line-up, Procter and Gamble Productions was unhappy with this. NBC offered them their old 12:30 time slot, so P&G moved the show there. Promos asking viewers to "Follow the Search" did not mention the show's new network by name; they simply said "another network." Ironically, the show got far worse ratings in its four (final) years on NBC than it did in the year it occupied the 2:30 time-slot on CBS.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Stu: What are you searching for Jo?
Jo: Tomorrow. And I can't wait.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The A-Team: There's Always a Catch (#2.9)" (1983)

Search for Tomorrow.

The daytime serial "Search For Tomorrow" could have been subtitled "The Joanne Gardner Barron Tate Vincente Tourneur Story",for that character,certainly Mary Stuart,the actress portraying her set the tone for the show's entire 35-year run,producing over 2,000 episodes. In many ways Joanne was much like a radio soap opera heroine,remaining strong and supporting her friends while enduring terrible suffering in her life. But she had time for lighter moments with her co-stars while dealing with the usual situations that when on with her longtime friend Stu Bergman,who was first seen in December in 1951 and stayed until the end of the run,and by the 1970's, a chance to break out in song occasionally. The combination worked for viewers for at least 30 years,as the show's top rated soap from 1952 to 1955,stayed near the top through the 1960's,and remained a serious contender until CBS-TV,in a dispute with sponsor Proctor and Gamble,canceled it 1982 after more than 31 years with the network. The series premiere on CBS-TV on September 3, 1951 and ended its astounding run on March 26,1982. Then,a week after it left CBS,the soap moved to NBC-TV on March 29,1982 and remained with the network until December 26,1986. When it was on CBS-TV during the early years,the series was seen in 15 to 20 minute installments and it remain that way until the late-1960's. On September 9,1968 the show was extended to a full half-hour.

The Black and White Episodes of "Search For Tomorrow" ran from 1951 until 1967. The Color Episodes ran from 1967 until 1986. The creation of this soap was from the brainchild of Agnes Nixon and Roy Winsor. Nixon,would go on to produced other soaps including being one of the head writers and other creations for "Another World",and later "All My Children". The series would be a stepping stone and a career launch for a number of up and coming actors who made their mark on this show. From Don Knotts(who made his television debut on this show) to Lee Grant,Nita Talbot,Martin E. Brooks,Philip Abbott,George Maharis,to Ken Kercheval,Jill Clayburgh,Robert Loggia,Joel Higgins,Michael Nouri, Morgan Fairchild,Tommy Norden,Natalie Schafer,Kevin Bacon,and Olympia Dukakis. Only Mary Stuart and Larry Haines were the only two cast members that stayed on throughout the show's 35-year run.