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Obit: Paul Rauch (exec. producer, dramas/soaps), at 78

http://www.welovesoaps.net/2012/12/paul-rauch-obituary.html
http://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/legendary-soap-exec-producer-dies

Rauch was initially a VP of CBS daytime prior to sitting in the executive producer chair at several soaps (Another World, One Life to Live, Santa Barbara, Guiding Light, Young and the Restless). He also created Lovers and Friends, and co-created the Another World spinoff Texas.

Rauch had his fans--and his detractors--throughout his career. Forced departures of several longtime Another World actors on his watch were roundly criticized by many fans. Rauch's appearance at the end of the credits of Santa Barbara's finale while walking through the show's studio ended with him dropping a cigarette on the floor and stomping it out--a flashpoint for that show's fans. Even in later years, Rauch wasn't above controversy, as he traded barbs in the soap media (mostly in the now-defunct Soap Opera Weekly) with the late Jacqueline Courtney (one of the actor firings which took place in the mid-1970s from Another World); many AW fans came to Courtney's defense in the days that followed.

Rauch would spread his wings internationally as well, with production and development of soaps in Russia and Poland, as well as US children's programming for a time.

In his career, Paul Rauch won 2 Daytime Emmys (out of 8 nominations): during his time at Another World, the show won for Outstanding Daytime Drama; later he would take home another Daytime Emmy for Run With the Fields, a children's special.

Rauch passed away December 10 in New York from blood clot complications.
 
I would have to give Rauch partial blame for the demise of "Guiding Light."
Yeah, I know it wasn't attracting new, younger viewers, but he had trouble
keeping his core audience with storylines like Reva driving off a bridge in the
Florida Keys, developing amnesia, and ending up in an Amish community in
Pennsylvania (about as believable as the time Erica was working in a diner
on "All My Children"). I'm not sure if he was responsible for the San Cristobel
storyline, but I've never known a soap storyline set outside the U.S. to work
for long.

Then again, Rauch or no Rauch, I simply think "Guiding Light" had finally run
out of new story ideas by the time it was canceled. I was glad to see Ed and
Holly back together, as well as Fletcher and Alexandra, the last week of the
show, but what soap fan wants to see the characters live happily ever after?
 
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