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A fascinating read for the dedicated soap fan!"—Michael Bruno, daytime talent manager
"A fitting tribute to the man who brought daytime's most memorable characters to life, with great insight into his passion for the genre and dedication to his family...THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE OF WILLIAM J. BELL honors the legacy of daytime's 'Drama King.'"—Angelica McDaniel, senior vice president, CBS, Daytime
"I cannot remember the last biography I enjoyed reading as much as THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE OF WILLIAM J.
BELL. Matt’s films uniquely explore the intersection of creativity and legacy, and we’re thrilled to work with him on an epic look at this significant but often overlooked cultural institution.”
Wolf’s previous films include the upcoming Pee-wee as Himself two-part documentary for HBO about actor Paul Reubens, who created and played the beloved character.
Together with Lee Phillip Bell, Michael Maloney has done a masterful job of weaving private family memories, never-before-told anecdotes, and an insider's knowledge of the soap industry together to create a tapestry as rich and colorful as Bill Bell himself. Two of its original cast members, Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) and John McCook (Eric), remain front and center today.
B&B is shown in over 100 countries.
A must-read for any soap opera fan!"—Roberta Caploe, former managing editor of Soap Opera Digest and author of MELROSE CONFIDENTIAL
"The carefully selected photographs alone are worth this beguiling trip down memory lane."—Lynette Rice, Entertainment Weekly
Millions of fans worldwide know his soap opera and his characters, but few know the story of the man who brought them to life.
It was created by daytime pioneers William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, who gave it the working title Rags. A writing legend whose career in television spans more than four decades, Bell has written for GUIDING LIGHT, AS THE WORLD TURNS, ANOTHER WORLD (another co-creation) and DAYS OF OUR LIVES (which he helped save from cancellation).
In 1992, CBS dedicated Studio 43 at CBS Television City in L.A.
to both Bell and Y&R, marking the first time in the history of the network that a studio had been dedicated to an individual and a series.
The multi-Emmy winning Bell is survived by his wife of 50 years, Lee Phillip Bell (who helped create Y&R and B&B with her husband), their three children Bill (the president of Bell Dramatic Serial Company and Bell-Phillip Television Productions, Inc.), Bradley (current Head Writer /executive producer of B&B) and Lauralee (Christine, Y&R), as well as grandchildren Liam, Sabrina, Chasen, Caroline, Charlotte and Oliver Bell, and Christian and Samantha Martin.
Bold and Beautiful
Bold and Beautiful premiered on CBS on March 23, 1987.
Over the years, has shot on location in many glamorous international locations, including Abu Dhabi, Monaco, Paris, Rome and Sydney and hosted guest stars such as Phyllis Diller, Bob Barker, and Betty White. It will focus on William J. Bell, creator of B&B and Young and Restless, along with his wife, Lee Phillip Bell and their family, which includes B&B’s current executive producer and head writer, Bradley Bell.
Inside Soaps
Variety broke the news and spoke with the production company’s CEO, Joe Lewis, who told the site, “Soaps have built universes that generations have escaped into, but the world behind the camera is just as fascinating as the drama onscreen.
Longtime daytime journalist Michael Maloney uses the same respect for the genre to reveal the man behind the legend. It's a great read."—Peter Bergman, three-time Emmy-winning actor on The Young and the Restless
"Michael Maloney has complied an impressive amount f details into an entertaining and fast-moving book. The director also produced HBO’s Emmy-nominated film The Stroll, which is about New York’s meatpacking industry and its history from the point of view of transgender sex workers.
In preparation for Soaps, Wolf visited B&B and told Variety he was “blown away by the Herculean effort that goes into bringing these stories to life.” Wolf also told the site how welcomed he felt by the show’s cast and crew, as well as the Bell family.
If the soap’s loyal fan base is wondering just what to expect, B&B Supervising Producer Casey Kasprzyk gave a hint about the project by teasing, “Stay tuned B&B fans… there’s an exciting documentary taking you inside The Bold and the Beautiful like never before!”
There is no word about when fans can expect to see the finished documentary, but stay tuned to Soap Opera Digest for updates.
The Young and Restless Life of William J.
Bell
: Creator of The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful
Praise for THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE OF WILLIAM J. BELL
"A beautiful dedication to Bill and the pioneering legacy of the Bell family. Their endless commitment, passion, and creativity have left an indelible mark on the genre."—Frank Valentini, executive producer of General Hospital and Emmy-winning director of One Life to Live
"Reading this book is like rolling in the arms of soap opera's greatest lover...Bill Bell!"—Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes, Emmy-nominated actors on Days of our Lives and authors of the novel TRUMPET
"An informed, insightful look at the inner workings of the Bell Empire—the most successful dynasty in daytime television history.
That documentary will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. William J. Bell, television's most prolific writer, reinvented the soap opera genre with his groundbreaking serial The Young and the Restless in 1973 and went on to co-create The Bold and the Beautiful with his wife and successful TV host Lee Phillip Bell, which debuted in 1987.
The Young and Restless Life of William J.
Bell tells the inside story of daytime's greatest storyteller, including his role as an advertising executive in the era of Mad Men, working for legendary serial creator Irna Phillips, and his move from Chicago to Los Angeles, which resulted in Y&R taking the top spot in the rating. B&B has won three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama and can be watched weekdays on CBS or streamed on CBS.com and Paramount+.
Soaps, A New Feature Documentary, To Explore Bell Family Dynasty
Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) on the B&B set with Executive Producer/Head Writer Bradley Bell.
Fans are going to get the opportunity to see inside Bold and Beautiful in a whole new way when award-winning director Matt Wolf helms a new feature film-length documentary, called Soaps, for Amplify Pictures.
Read this book if you want a fascinating insight into one of television's original show runners and the legacy he left behind."—Cady McClain, Emmy-winning actress, All My Children and As the World Turns
"One of the reasons for Bill Bell's legendary success in daytime drama was his immense respect for the genre and its audience.
For any fan of soap operas, this book is a must-read."—Dave Rupel, executive producer, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Emmy-winning writer for Guiding Light
"Nobody 'gets' daytime like Maloney! This book offers an unprecedented look into the life of the man who defined the soap genre and draws readers behind the scenes into the captivating world of the daytime soap they know and love.
An Obituary of William J.
Bell
William J. Bell, the co-creator of YOUNG AND RESTLESS (the No. 1 soap for more than 16 years) and BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL (the most watched serial in the world) died on April 29 in Los Angeles from complications of Alzheimer’s at the age of 78. Since its debut, B&B has become an international sensation, with millions of viewers around the world enthralled by the Los Angeles-set drama surrounding the Forrester family, their fashion design business, and their romances and rivalries with the Logans and the Spencers.