Paul Rauch has Died

Yesterday (Monday, December 10, 2012) it came out that Paul Rauch, the former executive producer of many of our daytime soap operas passed away. To read Variety's take on his death, click here.

As a soap viewer, my feelings about the man's work aren't fully positive or negative. (I'm not going to touch all of questionable actions over the years when it came to treatment of certain on screen performers. Most of the substantiated stories, while from reliable sources like the actors themselves, were before I kept up with soaps. For that reason, I don't feel like I can expertly discuss this matter especially since I don't have resource material like Ellen Holly's book where she takes him to task.)

I wasn't around for his glory days at Another World, though I wish I could see it. What I did see of 70s characters Mac and Rachel in the 80s I really appreciated, and they were one of "his couples" so to speak as they were created on Rauch's watch. I never saw the spinoffs from that program that he had a hand in creating.  One of his claims to fame is how he took theatre performers and used them at his NY-based soaps, and as a viewer I appreciated that decision.

My first exposure to Paul Rauch was when he was the executive producer of One Life to Live. I became an avid fan for a time and couldn't wait to view it when possible. (As it aired while I was at school, I couldn't see it every day.) When Rauch was out as the EXP, I actually lost interest in the program as it wasn't the show that had sparked my interest. Rauch's OLTL had a humor that I didn't see later, and I enjoyed that sense of fun along with the drama.

My next exposure to Paul Rauch's work was at Santa Barbara. I loved that show until about 1990, when it just started to lack in content. My issues with SB are a whole other post. When Rauch came in, SB was far from what it had been, and I recall how his era was called Guiding Light West, (due to Kim Zimmer being in the cast among other things), and Guiding Light was called Santa Barbara East. Rauch's Santa Barbara wasn't "my SB", but it was more watchable then it had been. The whole snuffing the cigar incident at the end upset many people, though my reaction was confusion as I couldn't believe what I was seeing on screen.

In late 1997, Rauch landed at Guiding Light. Considering the show he inherited, there was a lot of work to do, but my issues with GL from 1996 are not important to this thread. My feelings for Rauch's GL were mixed though I appreciated how he visually improved the program, and had the occasional umbrella story involving numerous cast members. At times, it felt like GL's Reva and Josh inherited some of the same sort of storytelling OLTL's Viki and Clint received. When Rauch was out at GL, I was actually really enjoying the show, and was disappointed at that change. The last few months he was at GL, sadly was the last time I really enjoyed numerous stories for a consistent basis.

When it comes to what he did after GL, I can't really comment on it. I never saw the soap opera he was involved in for Russia. While I have been watching The Young & The Restless, I really didn't see Paul Rauch's touch in the program very often. The only example that comes to mind is when Cane faked his death, those scenes in front of the church with the classic music reminded me of something he would do.

Regardless of the opinion people may have on Paul Rauch, as an executive producer, he put a huge mark on the daytime soap opera industry. My thoughts go out to his friends and family as I feel sorry for their loss.