Santa Barbara Creator Bridget Dobson Dead At 85

Bridget Dobson, one-half of the Daytime Emmy Award-winning husband-and-wife team who created, executive produced, and wrote the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara, and penned numerous other daytime dramas, has died at the age of 85. Her last known address was in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bridget Dobson Remembered

“Jerome Dobson told me that his beloved wife Bridget passed away three days ago,” wrote Pierpaolo Dongiovanni on his Facebook page. “She gave me friendship, love, fun, hope, and was pure inspiration to me, even when I was sick a couple of years ago.”

Dobson was born on August 31, 1938, to parents Frank and Doris Hursley, who created the ABC soap opera General Hospital, which debuted on April 1, 1963. “I was born in Wisconsin, where my mother was an attorney and my father was a professor of English,” Dobson told Dongiovanni (read part one of his four-part interview with Dobson here.) “They entered, as a lark, a Wrigley’s chewing gum contest to write a show which Wrigley would sponsor.” The Hursley family moved to Los Angeles when Dobson was 7 years old. She studied English at Stanford University as an undergraduate and then attended Harvard Business School.

However, writing was Dobson’s passion. She successfully badgered her parents into helping her become a professional writer — even going so far as to use them visiting her children as a bargaining chip. The negotiations paid off when Dobson became an associate writer on GH.

She and her husband Jerry became head writers of GH, Guiding Light (where they wrote Roger’s marital rape trial of Holly — a story taken from the headlines), and As the World Turns (creating the character of James Stenbeck, and pairing Tom Hughes and Margo Montgomery). The Dobsons dabbled in prime time, writing two episodes of the nighttime serial Emerald Point, N.A.S., but their hearts belonged to daytime.

After successfully making their mark on numerous soap operas, the couple brought something very unique to daytime, which took the soap opera world by storm. On July 30, 1984, Santa Barbara, created by Bridget and Jerome Dobson, premiered on NBC. The serial had all the makings of a great soap opera — great characters, historical conflicts, warring families, lavish sets, and more. Plus, it offered something not always successfully done in daytime — comedy.

Santa Barbara became an industry darling, luring many famous faces to the serial including Marcy Walker (Eden; ex-Liza, All My Children), Robin Mattson (Gina; ex-Heather, GH), and Jed Allan (C.C.; ex-Don, Days of our Lives). Walker and A Martinez (Cruz) emerged as the show’s supercouple. The show also launched the career of Robin Wright (Kelly), who left the show for a brief time to film The Princess Bride. One of the show’s most memorable moments was when poor Mary Duvall (Harley Jane Kozak) was killed off after a giant “C” from the Capwell Hotel fell and landed on her head. Santa Barbara won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series for three consecutive years starting in 1988.

However, the Dobsons’ life became like a real-life soap opera after becoming engulfed in a war with New World Television, the show’s distributor, over creative control of the series. New World wanted writer Anne Howard Bailey (GH), who had assumed writing chores for the show and who later won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, to remain in place. At one point, the Dobsons had been banned from the NBC lot in Burbank where Santa Barbara taped.

When the show won its first Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series at a ceremony in New York City, Bridget got to the podium first and gave an acceptance speech that became legendary as she spilled all the tea.

“I speak for all of us, when I say it’s been a long road and we are thrilled and proud to be here,” Bridget enthused. “And I speak personally, when I say that though New World Television locked me out of the studio, they couldn’t lock me out of the Emmys. I have to say that all of us share this with a fantastic cast and crew and staff, associate writers all work together to win this award today. I thank you.

“I want to thank particularly the man who is the creative genius behind the concept and the original characters and stories — my husband Jerry Dobson,” Bridget continued. “I want to thank the associate writers and particularly the story editors who have done so much to make the show what it is and how and how good it is. And I want to thank some kids, Mary and Andy Dobson [Andy passed away in 30s], participants, supporters, the best. Thank you all. Thank the Academy.”

Eventually, the Dobsons were reinstated as the show’s writers before departing again, this time for good. Santa Barbara aired its last episode on January 15, 1993.

Later that year, Bridget had another creative endeavor produced. She wrote the book and shared lyricist credits in the musical Slings and Eros, based on the historical fact that writer Samuel Clemens (AKA Mark Twain) was jealous of critics who lavished praise on William Shakespeare. It opened at the Globe Playhouse in West Hollywood.

Next, the Dobsons moved to Atlanta for a chance at a life away from the Hollywood spotlight. Bridget became a painter, which brought her much joy. She also began designing plates. Bridget and Jerry returned to Los Angeles at least on one occasion when they presented the Daytime Writing Award at the Writers Guild Awards when the ceremony was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Upon learning of Dobson’s passing, The Bold and the Beautiful writer Michele Val Jean, who wrote for Santa Barbara, posted on social media, “I’m devastated to hear this. I loved Bridget so much. She was instrumental in my career development, a great mentor and friend. I’m so glad I got to see her in Atlanta when I was working on Ambitions. A soap icon and a wonderful effervescent person. I don’t have words. My heart is [broken] Bridget, I will always be your Princess.”

Soap Hub sends sincere condolences to Jerry Dobson, her husband since 1961, their daughter Mary, and the rest of her family, friends, and fans on her loss.