Like sands through an hourglass, it’s taken a long time for the backstage scandals at NBC’s Days of our Lives to be exposed.
Yesterday, Deadline.com reported that Executive Producer Albert Alarr is being investigated for creating a toxic culture at the 59 year old soap opera, and for misconduct leading to constant overturning of the younger members of the cast.
“Albert has a habit of belittling people, especially people he wants to put down,” a source told Deadline. There were also allegations against Alarr of groping, and using the F word with actors in sex scenes.
“Days” has a whole front line of stars over 50 who’ve been with the show for decades. Later this summer they will give a final send off to actor John Aniston, whose character, Victor Kirakis, will get a funeral. Aniston died in real life last November at 89.
But there’s also a large number of younger cast members who come and go from the show erratically. A few months ago a raft of them were let go, or moved from regular status to recurring. Some of them, like Lindsay Arnold, who’d taken off like a rocket with the audience, simply said thanks, no and just exited.
Recently, 13 year veteran Camila Banus announced she was leaving. A Twitter account announced the show was casting for what seemed to be her replacement. The wording sounded like something for a porn film not a respectable TV show:
“Mid to late 30’s dark haired female, Latina preferred.
Actress should be willing to show off body in scenes. Professional actress only. Heavy dialog in first scenes.”
Some of the comings and goings at the soap could be attributed to budget or storylines, but so many is unusual. Corday Productions and Sony TV say they’ve been conducting a deep investigation into Alarr, but it’s been going on since March. It’s not like they’re new to these kinds of revelations. A similar situation existed at their CBS show, “The Young and the Restless,” last year, resulting in the dismissal of its EP, Anthony Morina, who responded by suing the company.
