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! Network
| CBS
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! Creator(s)
| William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell
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! Executive Producer(s)
| Bradley Bell
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! Head Writer
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! Senior cast member(s)
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! Distributor
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! Running time
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! Premiere date
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! Alternate titles
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| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [ The Bold and the Beautiful Offical Website]'''
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| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [IMDb profile]
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| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [TV.com summary]
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The Bold and the Beautiful is a Americantelevisionsoap opera, created by Lee Phillip Bell and William J. Bell. It debuted on March 23, 1987, and still screens in the United States on the CBS network, and in almost 100 countries around the world. With more than 300 million viewers around the globe (most notably in Italy, where it airs under the title Beautiful, and in the Francophone world, where it airs under the titles Top models and Amour, gloire & beauté).
It is also the only soap opera to simulcast in a Spanish language track for Hispanic viewers in the United States (under the title Belleza y poder). It is also the only soap currently airing on US television that runs for 30 minutes instead of the typical hour.
The series focuses upon the Forrester family and its Los Angeles fashion empire, called Forrester Creations. Spectra Couture (formally Spectra Fashions) was Forrester's main rival, headed by Sally Spectra.
At the helm of Forrester is patriarch Eric, who has also been helped by his sometime wife Stephanie and his two sons, Ridge and Thorne. Daughter Kristen is seen less often, while daughters Bridget and Felicia are currently integral parts of the show but have little to do with Forrester Creations. At Spectra, Sally was usually helped by her daughter Macy, and Sally's receptionist, Darla. Also seen often was fashion designer Clarke Garrison, who fathered C.J., Sally's son.
Sally, a larger-than-life character with outrageous clothes and a sizable red coiffure, helmed both comedic and dramatic storylines, with the help of ditzy receptionist Darla Einstein. Sally's competitions with Forrester Creations were both formidable (Sally successfully stole many Forrester family members to work for her), and laughable. Sally shares a relationship with Stephanie Forrester as a sometime friend and (more often) rival. Sally's daughter Macy (Bobbie Eakes), a singer, underwent many traumas, most notably becoming an alcoholic. Macy had an on-again-off-again marriage to Thorne Forrester, who was the true love of her life. She eventually lost Thorne to Brooke Logan, retriggering her alcoholism. With Brooke as her passenger, emotionally devastated Macy crashed her car into a large truck while the two women argued. Brooke was rescued but, Macy was unable to escape and was presumed dead for a two and a half years. It later came to light that she was saved by her father, Adam Alexander, and went into hiding with him abroad because Adam was wanted by the mob. After being discovered in Italy during a Forrester vs. Spectra "fashion showdown," Macy relocated back to Los Angeles where she reunited with Thorne Forrester. After a chain of events, Thorne and Macy divorced. Macy found interest in fellow recovering alcoholic and ex-husband of Bridget Forrester, Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan), and married him. Weeks later, Macy was gravely injured at a nightclub where she was headlining as a singer. Macy went into a coma and it was implied that her family pulled the plug off-camera.
In recent years, the Spectra family and friends have been supplanted by the introduction of the Marone family. Massimo Marone is a billionaire shipping magnate who was a childhood friend of Stephanie Forrester. Stephanie and Massimo had a one-night-stand in college shortly before Stephanie first slept with Eric. After forty-something years, a medical crisis revealed that Eric could not be Ridge's biological father. Shortly thereafter, Jackie Payne, a former lover of Massimo, arrived on scene and announced that her adult son, Dominic (Nick) Payne, was also fathered by Massimo. Unlike Ridge, Nick changed his surname to Marone. Massimo and Jackie have had an on-again-off-again marriage.
Another key plot element in the serial is the life of Brooke Logan. Brooke has been showcased as a key character during the entire history of the serial. Originally from a middle-class background, her love affair with Ridge Forrester set up much of the storyline beginning in the first season. Every so often, Ridge and Brooke reunite only to break up due to circumstances, and Ridge invariably finds comfort (in most cases, this would lead to marriage) with Dr. Taylor Hayes. Ridge's mother, Stephanie, preferred Taylor over Brooke, as Stephanie thought Brooke had loose morals. (Brooke has a history of needing a paternity test to know who fathered her various children, and has also had sexual relationships with Ridge, Eric, Thorne and one of Brooke's daughter, Bridget's, husbands, i.e., Deacon Sharpe.) Brooke became involved with Nick Payne after she stopped the wedding to Ridge upon learning that Bridget and Ridge were involved with each other. Nick and Brooke started seeing each other and Ridge became jealous and swooped in to snare Brooke once again. Ridge and the Forresters voted Brooke out of Forrester Creations when Brooke gave Deacon's son 2% to help Rick and Amber keep the little boy. The Forresters took advantage and bought out Deacon's 2% which gave them the controlling interest. Ridge then proceeded to take over Spectra Fashions renaming it Logan Designs. Ridge took Brooke to Puerta Vista where they had a jungle book marriage. Unbeknownst to everyone Sheila was on the loose and kidnapped Ridge. Nick and Mossimo arrived to save Ridge. There was a fight in the foundry where Sheila had Ridge stashed. Ridge fell into a hot burning furnace where everyone thought he was dead. Nick and Brooke were in such devastating grief. Brooke went to the foundry and thinking she saw Ridge in the flames proceeded to follow him into the flames. Nick saved her life and in their horrible grief sought comfort with each other. All were overjoyed to learn that Ridge didn't die but Nick and Brooke were in shock. Nick wanted Brooke to keep silent but Brooke chose to tell Ridge the truth. Brooke learned she was pregnant and didn't know who the father was. The first test said it was Nick and then another test was done when Brooke had the baby after Nick learned from his mother that Deacon had performed a peternity test and Ridge was the father. Bridget returned from Copanhagen still harboring strong feelings for Ridge. Nick befriended her and they became involved. Nick believing his feelings for Brooke were over and Brooke was happy with Ridge asked Bridget to marry him. Knowing that Nick was still in love with Brooke proceeded with her relationship with Nick. When Bridget woke up to the fact that Nick and Brooke still had strong feelings for each other decided to inform Nick that the baby she was carrying was aborted. Nick so angry and hurt decided to leave but, Brooke stopped him by admitting she was in love with him. Nick was overjoyed to hear Brooke admit her feelings for him and planned a life together but, Bridget then informed the dual that she lied. Brooke broke it off with Nick informing he had to be with Bridget. Bridget lost the baby and then devorced Nick so he could be with the woman he loved, Brooke. Brooke is the daughter of Beth Logan, Eric's former college girlfriend with whom he later had an affair while married to Stephanie. The fights between Stephanie and Brooke have played a key role in the drama since its inception. Following one of her break ups with Ridge, Eric married Brooke after first divorcing from Stephanie. Brooke gave birth to two of Eric's children but never resolved her feelings for Ridge. They divorced and Eric eventually reconciled with Stephanie and the two have since remarried, divorced again, and remarried again in January 2006. Likewise, Brooke and Ridge resumed their pattern of an on-again-off-again relationship in between Brooke's relationships with other men and Forrester family members and Ridge's multiple reunions with Taylor Hayes.
John McCook as Eric
One infamous incident of conflict between Ridge, Taylor and Brooke occurred in 1994. En route to a psychiatrists' conference in Egypt, Taylor's plane crashed in Morocco and she was presumed dead. Taylor was whisked away to Prince Omar's palace and since she had amnesia, she was led to believe that she was named Laila and was to marry the virgin prince so he could claim his right to the Moroccan throne. At home, Ridge grieved for Taylor but realizing Brooke was about to marry James Warwick (Ian Buchanan), he pursued Brooke and stopped her ceremony to James. Brooke and Ridge (called Bridge by their fans) held a surprise wedding on the beach attended by both of their families. Taylor regained her memory and escaped the compound in Morocco, but she was too late. Ridge was once again conflicted, as he loved Brooke but their marriage was now annulled due to Taylor's presence. This was but one instance in which Ridge married one woman only to leave her for the other.
In 2002, when Taylor supposedly died after having been shot by Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown), Ridge and Brooke married again but not before Ridge and Brooke's daughter by Eric, Bridget, became sexually attracted to each other after it was discovered that Ridge's biological father was not Eric, but Mossimo Marone (thus, Ridge and Bridget were not half-siblings after all). In 2005, we learned Taylor's death had been staged by the prince and she was, in fact, very much alive. The Taylor/Ridge/Brooke triangle was revived but after divorcing Taylor again, Ridge found himself alone since Brooke had fallen in love with Ridge's half-brother, Nick, who was married to Bridget. Bridget and Nick divorced and Brooke and Nick agreed to marry.
Theme song and title sequence
The Bold and the Beautiful title card used since the show's debut up until 2004.
The theme song of B&B, "High Upon This Love," was written by Jack Allocco and David Kurtz. A saxophone is played by well known saxophonist Eric Marienthal. From November 1998 to July 1999 in the United States, a vocal version of the theme song performed by Dionne Warwick was played during the end credits.
The title sequence for the first seventeen years featured still photos of the show's current cast members interspersed with photos from fashion shoots. The sequence ends with a spool of pink fabric unrolling while the title "The Bold and the Beautiful" in black Huxley Vertical font zooms out the white area revealed by the roll (with the letters being from in a disarranged to a rearranged order). The theme tune was tweaked slightly through the years, and the cast photos were replaced occasionally.
On July 2, 2004, the theme was revamped to go along with a completely revamped title sequence, featuring video headshots of the current cast members (accompanied by the character name and since 2005, the actor's name), and a "B&B" monogram logo above the show's title. Four versions are used, the full open with the cast video headshots, a shortened open with the cast video headshots, and two without the cast video headshots. Three out of the four title sequences open with a mock magazine cover which morphs into a photo shoot. The fourth open has been added recently and is the shortest opener currently on B&B.
Ratings history
When it debuted in 1987, Bold and the Beautiful replaced Capitol in CBS daytime lineup and also took its 8th place in the ratings. However, B&B aired at 1:30 p.m. EST follwing The Young and the Restless, while Capitol had aired an hour later at 2:30 pm. ET. Initially CBS' lowest-rated soap, its numbers were still respectable (reflecting the strength and consistency of CBS daytime lineup) and began to climb. By 1993, after a crossover with Young and the Restless, it had climbed to 3rd. Since then it has moved up to 2nd and has generally remained there.
In the early '90s, the rise in ratings for the show, led some CBS stations that had never aired The Bold and the Beautiful (mainly since they had dropped Capitol from the schedule in the mid-80s) to start running the show. CBS affiliates including WTVT in Tampa, FL, KIRO in Seattle, KOIN in Portland, OR, KKTV in Colorado Springs, and KMGH in Denver had pre-empted B&B since its 1987 premiere. Today, the only CBS affiliate not carrying B&B in daytime is KOTV in Tulsa, OK. The station chooses to air an hour of local news, airing B&B late at night.
During 2005, as soap viewership continued to erode, B&B was one of the very few soaps whose ratings remained stable remaining the #2 soap behind The Young and the Restless. Y&R and B&B continue to do crossovers with characters from time to time.
One interesting phenomenon that is observable in The Bold & the Beautiful (and indeed many other soaps) is the rapid aging of children relative to their parents, and the disporportionate youth of the parents to their adult children. In most soaps, pregnancy and the birth of children are integral to plotlines. After awhile, however, young children are of little dramatic interest and often disappear from viewers' screens until such time as they can be re-integrated into the plot. An example of this is Eric and Brooke's son, Rick Forrester, who was born in the early 1990s but in 2006 appearred to be approximately 25 years old. While ages of adults are rarely discussed by the characters, it is clear that the parents do not age at the same rate as children. Additionally, the actors protraying Jackie, and Brooke's father, Stephen Logan, are clearly not old enough to have children the ages of Nick, and Brooke (i.e., mid-40s or older). In real life, John McCook (Eric) is only 7 years older than Ronn Moss (Ridge).Another more bizarre example is that of Sheila Carter's (an antagonist) daughter, Erica Carter. Amber, Rick's wife, unsuccessfully attempted to stop Sheila from unlawfully abducting Erica, then a baby under the care of Stephanie Forrester. Later, Erica was seen to be about the same age of Amber (unchanged physically since the incident) and attempted to seduce and steal Rick (theoretically old enough to be her father) from her.
