‘ANOTHER WORLD’ TURNS 30

It is party time at “Another World.” On Thursday, the show will mark its 30th anniversary by throwing a 1960s theme party to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the soap’s fictional Cory Publishing.

Terri Guarnieri, the show’s new executive producer, promises many romantic twists and turns on this episode: Amanda Cory and Grant Harrison (Christine Tucci and Mark Pinter) will make an announcement at the party, Donna Hudson and Matt Cory (Anna Stuart and Matt Crane) will be at their zany best, and big doings will be in store for Rachel Cory and Carl Hutchins (Victoria Wyndham and Charles Keating).

At the time of the party, Carl is missing. His archenemy, Jake McKinnon (Tom Eplin), has discovered Carl has invested millions in a pharmaceutical company. Could this have something to do with the missing “rain-forest drug”? It will surely give Rachel cause to worry about Carl’s feelings for her. Look for answers at the party.

Victoria Wyndham, the show’s longest-running regular, has been with the show for 22 years. She describes her stint as a “great gig,” and sees Rachel as “a character who has kept growing and has kept her edges.”

Wyndham would have been long gone had the character lost those edges. She feels Rachel has been a groundbreaking character.

“Rachel and Mac Cory (Douglass Watson) had the first May-December love story on soaps that came to fruition,” she says. “Procter & Gamble was scared to death of what public reaction would be, and they nixed it at first.

“Later, when Rachel discovered her artistic talent, I really had soap’s first women’s liberation story line. It almost broke up Rachel and Mac’s marriage.”

She also feels the show had great courage in not finding another “core” family after the sudden death of Watson. Rachel became not only family matriarch but head of her husband’s company--and stayed that way for five years. Wyndham asks: “Would ‘Dynasty’ have been as bold?”

Guarnieri has been entrusted with the show’s legacy since December, 1993. “Another World” has a loyal following but has trouble gaining new viewers. Guarnieri, a former vice president of daytime at ABC, was hired for her sound knowledge of what viewers want.

She wisely has made no massive changes. Instead, she wanted to “make a good show better--day to day. I feel wonderful about the show. We tell good stories and have a fabulous cast. Proper promotion and advertising should get the people to come to the party. It is our job to keep them there.”

Guarnieri gives us a sneak peek of what to expect:

* Rachel and Carl will build to a wedding. Will they or won’t they tie the knot?

* Cass (Stephen Schnetzer) will be diagnosed as a manic-depressive, and something from his past will send him over the edge with his child.

* Maggie (Robyn Griggs) will share first love with Tomas (Diego Serrano), but Tomas has a secret.

* Brett and Morgan (Colleen Dion and Grayson McCouch) will continue to interact, but Brett will develop an image problem. (The show will explore a woman feeling the pressures to be perfect.) Although Morgan does not pressure her, Brett will be thinking about cosmetic surgery.

* John (David Forsyth) will have to see if he can love Kate as Kate, not Sharlene (Anna Holbrook.)

* Felicia Gallant (Linda Dano) will be getting a new editor, and he will challenge her in many ways.

* Loretta (Sloane Shelton), Rachel’s friend from New York, will be coming to Bay City.

“Another World” airs weekdays at 1 p.m. on NBC.