became contrived, and some became very convoluted for many audience members. The first two head writers brought in, Pat Falken Smith and L. Virginia Browne tried to bring to a close to many of the storylines started late in Marland's term as head writer. A replacement headwriter was found in Pam Long (who originally started writing in fall 1983 with Richard Culliton). Long was an actress who had appeared on the then-recently canceled Procter & Gamble soap opera Texas and, in an unusual move, was given the head writer reins of that show during its last months. At Guiding Light, she eventually clashed with CBS and Procter & Gamble executives who resisted her idea of introducing a Jewish family, the Weisses, to Springfield. With the rejection by Procter & Gamble and CBS of her idea for this new core family, Long left the show in early 1991. The only Weiss to ever be introduced to the canvas was Matt Weiss—and he only appeared for a couple of months in early 1991. During the 1980s, a number of new families were introduced, including the Lewises, who would eventually become one of the central families on GL, the working class Reardons and, toward the end of the decade, the Coopers. A number of longtime cast members departed, including Millette Alexander (Sara McIntyre) and Robert Milli (Adam Thorpe), and their characters were phased out. Vixen/heroine Rita Bauer was written out when Lenore Kasdorf left the show in July 1981; Kasdorf had been so popular in the part that producers decided against recasting the role and left the door open for a possible return by hinting that Rita left pregnant with soon-to-be ex-husband Ed Bauer's or ex-lover Alan Spaulding's baby. Charita Bauer, who'd played Bauer family matriarch Bert Bauer since the show's radio days, died in 1985. On August 22, 1983, the disco opening was jettisoned in favor of a slower, more romantic Rob Mounsey-composed "My Guiding Light", originally in a full-orchestrated arrangement, to visuals of the characters in various clips from the show. The "My Guiding Light" tune was used for the remainder of the 1980s, the orchestrated version was eventually replaced by a faster-paced version featuring synthesizer. Executive Producers Major characters The Bauers Bert Bauer (Charita Bauer, until her death in 1985), character died in March 1986. Hillary Bauer (Marsha Clark), Bill Bauer and Simone Kincaid's daughter. Half-sister to both Paul Kincaid