The Politics of Capitol (1982)


The Politics of Capitol (1982) By Spiros Sofianos

"Capitol," CBS's newest soap opera which takes place in the political mecca of the world - Washington, D.C. - is the story of two feuding families: the "evil" Cleggs, a politically powerful and extremely wealthy clan, and the "good" McCandlesses, whose political aspirations, after being destroyed by the Cleggs some 30 years ago, are once again within their grasp. In the battle between the wicked and the saintly, Myma Clegg, matriarch of the family, has taken it upon herself to ruin the McCandlesses. With her husband's untold millions and her Congressman son's willing help, Myrna is diligently going about the business of wiping out her adversaries. The McCandlesses, a representation of middle-class America, are a family whose moral fiber has been cultivated on goodness. Clarssa McCandless, widowed for many years, has supported her five children by working in her father's law office. She is a woman of principle and love and thus is perplexed as to why Myrna Clegg, once her best friend, harbors so much hatred against herself and her family. The plot may seem well-worn until the entrance of one Senator Mark Denning. Motivated by love and admiration, Denning, professed to be one of the most powerful men on the Hill, has taken it upon himself to watch war the McCandess clan. In the Senator we have the element which promises to make "Capitol" more than just another soap. Politics! Perhaps the proper treatment of politics could infuse primetime intrigue and sophistication into daytime television and attract new viewing audiences. Through "Capitol" we may have the opportunity to go beyond the myth of soap opera fantasy into a brave new medium of daytime drama Evidently, CBS thought "Capitol" had a great deal to offer. The network took an untried idea and not only invested a tremendous amount of money, but also released the longest running soap on television, "Search for Tomorrow," to NBC. In addition, the network gave "Capitol" (a John Conboy Production) a big buildup by airing it in a primetime slot in March after the ever popular "Dallas." It was the first daytime drama to premiere before a nighttime audience.





John Conboy, winner of eight Emmy Awards for his work on "The Young and the Restless," s credited with bringing the beautiful people" to soaps. True, "Capitol" has its share of the beautiful and the sexy, but beneath this visual veneer is a list of the most impressive veteran actors on daytime television. Their acting experience totals more than 150 years! Rory Calhoun, Carolyn Jones, Ed Nelson, Constance Towers and Richard Egan (the newest member of the cast) are the veterans who help make "Capitol" so impressive. At the time this article was written, it had been on the air a mere five months. The show's ratings had soared for seven consecutive weeks and was number five in the soap ratings. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Carolyn Jones, Constance Towers, Ed Nelson and John Conboy. I found Miss Jones, who is cast as the malevolent Myrna Clegg, bundled under some blankets in her dressing room. Laughing, She told me she believed her room was "possessed by michevious poltergeists because it's always so cold." In contrast to the frosty character she portrays, Miss Jones is quite warm She is also blond - the red hair you see on TV is a wig. Jones is probably best known for her role as Morticia on "The Addams Family." When asked why an actress of her caliber would take a role on a daytime soap, Carolyn said, acting is the one and only thing she does and "I do it damn well." In Myrna's role, Jones saw an opportunity to use her craft on a steady basis as well as develop a memorable character. "It was the interaction between Myrna and her stepson Trey which brought much of the fire and energy to the primetime special ... conflict makes for interesting story. And I have fought tooth and nail to bring that conflict to my character," she said. Lately, however, Jones has been unhappy with the producer's treatment of Myrna. When she talks about the direction her role has taken, she sounds upset - even angry. Myrna's power is slowly being taken from her and Jones sees it being given to Trey. Now, with Sam Clegg, Myrna's husband, being introduced into the cast, she suspects that Myrna will be cast aside. But when asked about this Mr. Conboy assured me that Myrna will remain as controversial and evil as she has been "We must remember that even evil people have some goodness and love in them. Myrna is a mother with motherly instincts of love and protection." He feels this side of Myrna's personality must be allowed to surface now and then in order to make the character believable. "In anything that is being created one must first lay the foundation. 'Capitol' has laid its foundation and now has begun to build. With a half-hour show there is simply not enough time to concentrate on any one character on a daily basis," Conboy said.







Where there is evil there must be good ... enter Clarissa McCandless, played by Constance Towers. Miss Towers, whose credits include mostly theatre, worked on the now-defunct soap opera "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing." The deciding factor in her return to the soaps, she said, was her respect for John Conboy. She had worked with him on "Splendored Thing" and trusted him to produce a fine product. Miss Towers also saw "Capitol" as an opportunity to enhance her craft. She had never worked with a three camera set-up before (film uses one camera) and wanted to experience a new dimension in her art form. Towers added, "I like Clarissa as a person. I believe she has a great deal to offer to the multitude of single working mothers." Clarissa McCandless is a contemporary woman. She's a widow who has had to raise a family of five, pamper a head-strong father and work in order to make ends meet. The McCandless' were by no means wealthy. Survival was difficult but Clarissa persevered and never once compromised her social or moral values. Are we talking about a goody-two-shoes? "Perhaps in the formative months of 'Capitol' Clarissa may have been depicted as a sort of all-too-perfect character. But she is no longer that person," said Miss Towers. Constance Towers has worked very hard with the producers and writers to make Clarissa a strong and decisive woman and would like the viewers to see Clarissa as a personification of themselves. Towers wants to give "hope and encouragement to thousands of women who many times see nothing but seemingly unconquerable obstacles before them." I asked Mr. Conboy to give his thoughts on Clarissa. He told me she, more than any of his characters, must be handled with a great deal of finesse. Because she is not a woman of means, as are so many characters on soaps, it is very easy for the working woman to identify with her plight. She has always put her family above all else. Overcoming many of the obstacles her family has had to face as her children grew older now allows her the patience and experience to concentrate on redirecting the course her new life should take. Can we then expect Clarissa to marry and embark on a career of her own? Mr. Conboy cleverly answered by saying he has made it his policy never to give away storylines. What this writer is wondering is if Mr. Conboy believes that even evil people have some goodness and love in them (in this case Myrna Clegg) then does the opposite hold true? Can we, the viewers, expect the good and righteous Clarssa McCandless to harbor hate and evil within her, and will we see it explode? Only time will tell!



The political punch of .'Capitol" is spearheaded by Mark Denning, the senior senator from Virginia, portrayed by Ed Nelson. Silver-haired and tanned, Nelson looks like the distinguished character he plays. He is a 30-year veteran of screen and television, best known as Dr. Rossi on 'Peyton Place." I asked him what led an actor accustomed to guest-star billing on primetime shows to take a role on a daytime soap. "Simple," he said "Money." Many stars make upwards of $100.000 for a prime-time show, but guest stars make embarrassingly less. The going rate has gone from $4,500 a couple of years ago to about $ 2,500” he says angrily. ”So I decided to do Capitol. The money isn’t great but it’s steady work. He also saw great potential in a daily drama which promised to incorporate politics in its storyline. But, he feels the producers have chosen to treat the political aspect of "Capitol" Superficially. "Senator Denning is a man with a great deal of power." But thus far, Nelson thinks, "the senator has not been depicted as the powerful lawmaker he is purported to be " He feels Denning's time is occupied wooing Clarissa, keeping a spoiled daughter under control and, every now and then, letting the viewers know he has a "peculiar" wife who chooses to lock herself up in her room. Mr. Nelson believes a more concentrated effort on politics, not necessarily on specific issues, but how politics work in Washington, could possibly attract a wider cross-section of viewers and perhaps make "Capitol" the number-one soap on the air. "But then again," he added, "I'm only an actor. I deliver the lines. I don’t make the decisions." What about the political aspect of the show? When asked to enlighten readers as to how politically involved "Capitol" will become, John Conboy said, "Television is saturated with news and politics. I believe viewers want entertainment and that's what I'm giving them." He feels "Capitol" is a story about people who live in and around Washington, D. C., and not about politicians. Politics will play its part only when it involves the characters' careers. "Capitol" will not be used as a political forum for issues. Stephen & Elinor Karpf, "Capitol's" creators, agree with John Corboy about the balance between politics and entertainment in the show's plots. "It's basically a story about people with a background in Washington - that's the arena," says Elinor Karpt "The major developments in the characters' lives don't revolve around politics," adds Stephen. "The show emphasizes the rivalries between the two families." What it all boils down to is that, "Entertainment comes first," according to Elinor. And while Ed Nelson may think that his character, Senator Denning concentrates too much on his private life, Stephen Karpf are many things that he (Denning) has to put together in his personal life because of his political career," says Stephen. "Soap opera is like a glacier, it moves slowly.... We've shown Denning aligning allies. We are showing the evolution of politics. There are very few things that just happen," he says. "We are showing what happens behind the scenes." Recently, William and Joyce Corrington were hired as "Capitol's" new head writing team But the change in writers does not mean a new direction for the storyline, at this time. The Corringtons were hired not to alter the plot but to add even more energy and sophistication to the writing, according to Conboy What of "Capitol's" future? Can we expect to see "Capitol" as an hour telecast? "That is a network decision," John Conboy says with a boyish look in his eyes, "but 'Capitol' does have the potential for never-ending story." Soaps are no longer the pacifier for the bored stay-at-home They have become a medium that reaches out to a widely divergent cross-section of daytime viewers. The combination of "Capitol's" fine veteran actors, its beautiful and promising neophytes and its treatment of political intrigue are perhaps the ingredients necessary to propel “Capitol" from just another soap opera into a new standard for daytime broadcasting. SOD - December 7, 1982