Daytime Disappointments

No doubt that most or all of what Roscoe Born pointed out regarding the politics, the disappointments and bitterness in daytime serials is true (“Dirty Deeds of ‘Soap’ World Aren’t So Funny,” Counterpunch, June 24), but isn’t the same true about every facet of show business?

However, when an actor works three daytime serials in 4 1/2 years, he (or she) may have been inefficient in portraying the character or just a plain pain to the staff.

Of course, politics are involved. I and several other actors on “Days of Our Lives,” where I worked for eight years, were released about the same time because of a new director of NBC Daytime, a change of producers and a new head writer. Later, several of us were hired by “Young and Restless” and helped the show win the Emmy that year.

Most AFTRA contracts require a 30-day notice before an actor can be released. If an actor performs in one show after his contract expires, he is entitled to his weekly guarantee for the next 13 weeks. If he is released prior to expiration of his contract, he is entitled to his guarantee for the remainder of the cycle (usually 13 weeks).

MARK TAPSCOTT

Los Angeles