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William Joseph Bell, the co-creator of "The Young and the Restless" as well as co-creator of "The Bold and the Beautiful," died on April 29, 2005 from complications of Alzheimer's at the age of 78 in Los Angeles. He was born on March 6, 1927 in Chicago, Ill.
Truly a legend in the television industry, his writing and producing contributions span more than 15,000 episodes of daytime drama airing consecutively since 1956. Bell created two of the nine serial dramas that currently constitute the daytime drama lineup and was a writer or head writer for three others. For more than four decades, Bell remained the medium's fiercest advocate and its most enthusiastic champion. His stories, plots and characters epitomized the rich diversity and complex ingenuity that American daytime dramas represent and his numerous awards and honors serve as witness to his illustrious career.
In 1987, Bell and his wife, Lee Phillip Bell, co-created the CBS daytime drama, "The Bold and the Beautiful." The series, set in Los Angeles in the glamorous world of fashion, remains the most popular daytime drama to premiere since the debut of "The Young and the Restless."
In 1973, while Bell was still the head writer on the popular daytime drama series, "Days of Our Lives," he and his wife created "The Young and the Restless." The series has been the Number One daytime program week after week for more than 16 years and has received numerous Emmy Awards, including six for Outstanding Drama Series, most recently in 2004.
Bell's 25-year tenure as head writer of "The Young and the Restless," the longest in television history, has been highlighted by sensitive and acclaimed treatments of controversial and important social subjects. "The Young and the Restless" was also NAACP's most-honored drama series, cited for its truthful portrayal of the African-American experience in today's world.
In 1964, Bell co-created "Our Private World" with his mentor Irna Phillips, prime time television's first continuing serial drama. He and Phillips also collaborated in 1965 when they created the daytime drama, "Another World." Bell was a writer on the serial "As the World Turns" from 1957-1966. He began his career in television as a writer on "Guiding Light" in 1956.
Bell's career shifted into high gear when he joined the staff of "Days of Our Lives" as head writer in 1966. "Days of Our Lives" had been on the air for 26 weeks and was headed for cancellation after a final 13 weeks. Bell immediately made some stunning moves regarding cast, producers, story, writers and it was the turning point for "Days of Our Lives." Within four years it was one of the highest rated shows in daytime.
Bell has received nine Emmy Awards, three as a writer for "The Young and the Restless," five as the show's producer and one as a writer for "Days of Our Lives." Bell received the Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS).
More recently, Bell's two current shows have popularized the American soap opera format to audiences in more than 100 countries, introducing a vast and appreciative new audience to the phenomenon of the American daytime drama.
In 1992, CBS dedicated Studio 43 at CBS Television City in Los Angeles to both William J. Bell and to "The Young and the Restless." The dedication, in conjunction with the 5,000th episode, marked the first time in the history of CBS that a studio had been dedicated to an individual and a series.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Lee Phillip Bell, who was his colleague, co-collaborator and co-creator of both CBS soaps. Lee's pioneering work as an investigative reporter for the CBS Chicago station provided Bill with many of the contemporary social issues which became the trademark of the two dramas which the couple co-created.
He is also survived by his three children: son Bill, the president of Bell Dramatic Serial Company and Bell-Phillip Television Productions, Inc., son Bradley, head writer and executive producer of "The Bold and the Beautiful" and daughter Lauralee, one of the leading actresses on "The Young and the Restless," as well as his grandchildren Liam, Sabrina, Chasen, Caroline, Charlotte and Oliver Bell, and Christian and Samantha Martin.
- The Insider
Posted May 2, 2005 9:51 AM
Comments
Daytime has truly lost a legend with the passing of Bill Bell. He has left behind a wonderful legacy of characters (Katherine Chancellor, Jill Foster, Victor Newman). I can't even IMAGINE daytime without these characters. His intricately-woven storylines set a NEW standard for daytime drama that others soaps have tried but failed to copy.
God Bless Bill Bell for all of his years of hard work and dedication to this genre. My heart goes out to his family, who I know will carry on the wonderful legacy that he started.
I hope that (at some point) producers will consider forgoing a new epside of the show one day and instead treat us to an hour-long clip show of some of Y&Rs greatest moments, to honor Bill Bell's memory. I went to the Y&R Fan Event in the summer of 2003 and to mark the 30th Anniversary of the show, they showed us a film/clip reel of classic Y&R clips that probably ran nearly 20 minutes. It was GREAT and I think you could just expand on it and add some material to it to last the 38 minutes Y&R usually runs each day. I hope you will consider doing this--it would be a real treat for longtime viewers, and a wonderful way to remember Bill Bell.
R.I.P. William J Bell.
LisaJ
Washington, DC
Posted by: LisaJ at May 2, 2005 10:38 AM
I am so sorry for William Bell's passing! He is a legend and his loss will be felt. May Mr. Bell rest in peace.
My heartfelt condolasences go out to his family and to all who knew him, to those whose lives he touched. May they get the privacy they need to mourn his loss.
Thanks to Mr. Bell, I have enjoyed many hours of YR. I even switched my classes around in university so I would miss YR. His writing was phenomenal. He was a creative genius in the daytime medium.
My prayers are with his family at this trying time.
Posted by: canadalovesyr at May 2, 2005 1:59 PM
My heartfelt condolences to the Bell Family and their extended Y&R and B&B families.
I have been a fan of Y&R since its birth. Bill and Lee have given me so much joy and pleasure in their wonderful talents of being #1 storytellers of all time. A truly brilliant man, bill will be missed by his legions of fans and legacy will go on with his children and grandchildren and the characters that he created.
Like LisaJ suggested, I too would love to see a tribute in his memory. His own story should be told.
Posted by: Soapgranny at May 2, 2005 2:10 PM
What a sad day.
I also thought a Bill Bell tribute on air would be good...most delightfully, one that started a little bit before the end of Y&R, and bled into B&B. That would really reflect the power of this man.
Shows sometimes change your life. For me, Y&R has been a major source of continuity as I've lived many places and moved in and out of touch with family and friends. Genoa City was also a beacon of stability. And Bill Bell's sensibility--heart, humor, suspense, and sometimes even a little salaciousness--was great to come home to.
Condolences to the family--thank you for sharing him.
Posted by: MarkH at May 2, 2005 2:55 PM
I am so sad at the passing of William J. Bell. His characters and stories have enriched my life since I was a toddler. My babysitter was a huge fan of Days of Our Lives during the show's heyday in the late 60s and early 70s when Mr. Bell was headwriter, and she would let all us kids watch with her. We became hooked! Eventually, I also became a huge fan of Y&R (since 1975) and B&B (since its inception). It was always my dream to work as a producer or writer on a Bell soap, but my life took me in a different direction -- that of television news producer. The daytime community and its fans, as well as the entertainment industry as a whole, have lost a tremendous force. My sympathy goes out to the Bell family, the Y&R family, and the B&B family. The world has suffered a great loss with the passing of Bill Bell!
Posted by: Peggy Brooks at May 2, 2005 6:19 PM
I was very upset to learn for William Bell. He wrote great storylines for YR but not only for the characters like Kay, Victor or Jill like said one person.
For me, the best storyline he wrote is the Sheila/Lauren storyline. I'm a Lauren's favorite and M. Bell wrote great storylines for the Lauren's character like he made for other characters too, but not only for the major characters. He knew to see the talents of all this actors/actresses and his storylines still made sense, what it's not still the case today with the new writers.
Posted by: Marie-Claire at May 2, 2005 11:36 PM
My Condolences to the Bell Family & Extended families.....Mr. Bell touched many lives and he will be remembered always...May Bill Bell rest in peace....
Posted by: Patti at May 3, 2005 6:51 AM
I would like to send my condolences to the Bell Family.Mr. Bell added joy to the lives of many!
Posted by: CC at May 3, 2005 10:59 AM
My alltime favorite storyline that Mr Bell created was Sheila Carter's reign of terror on Genoa City.
I remember sitting there as she confessed her crimes to her nemesis Lauren and thinking "this is incredible writing and whoever thought of this storyline and these characters deserves the highest creative accolades."
Mr Bell's characters are thrilling, rich, three dimensional and show the full scope of the human condition. His storylines absolutely absorbing, SO many to list. SO MANY I cherish.
Victor Newman could only have sprung from the mind of a genius. This man is STILL as intriguing as he was when he first came on the scene and wooed Lori Brooks. He is a dynamic and fierce force of nature in Genoa City, his dark side and his tortured past have generated cavalcades of story in the hands of Mr Bell.
Jill Foster and Brooke Logan, two working class girls who had dreams of striking gold, and by their own mertis worked their way up (and into families LOL) to get there. These are the unique 'heroines' Mr Bell gave us... reviled by so many characters on their shows, but not apologising for anything. Beautiful and fascinating survivors.
All those golden characters he created and I'll tell you it takes a special, unique soul to create a thousand.
Writers like Mr Bill Bell and Douglas Marland are few and far between, the daytime world is a shadow of its former self without them.
Thank you Mr Bell, for everything. You've made me and so many millions across the world so very happy and fulfilled with your wonderful tales.
More than anything, you have inspired me creatively and made me appreciate soap opera as a true artform. Your writing was in a single word - brilliant.
All our love forever XXX
Posted by: MarlandRulez at May 3, 2005 2:05 PM
I was really saddened to hear that Mr. Bell had passed away.
I have watched Y&R for as long as I can remember. It is the only daytime soap I watch. In fact, I got my sister hooked on it a couple years ago. We enjoy discussing what happens with the show pratically on a daily basis.
My condolences go out to the Bell family. My father too has Alzheimer's and is in the last stages of it. This is a heartbreaking disease and I know how hard it is for the family. I'm sure you have many, many good memories to last a life time.
God bless you through this difficult time.
Posted by: Mischelle at May 4, 2005 8:04 AM
Even though I live in Paris, France, I have ben watching the Young and the Restless since March 1993. In French not English of course. I must admit that all the soaps in the US are great, and William Bell was simply a genius. These soaps which I watch, thanks to people like him, make my evenings more attractive, life in this world is so bad and Y&R and BB give sunshine to my heart. Mr Bell left a widow, 3 children and 8 grandchildren who can be very proud of and I will in my prayers (only learnt of his death today) think of those he left behind. God bless them all. He achieved many things in his life, all successful to me.
Thanks for listening to me from across the Atlantic.
Jacqueline, 23 May 2005
Posted by: Jacqueline Lamoine at May 23, 2005 5:51 AM
William J. Bell Rocks!!!
He is Definitely the best writer ever!!!
He will never be forgotten!!!
Posted by: Robin at May 23, 2005 1:00 PM
I am truly saddened by the passing of the greatest writer that has passed this earth. The story lines have kept me glued to the TV at lunchtime. I love the Bell family and send my condolences.
Posted by: daphne at September 5, 2005 1:40 PM