Kay Alden

Knowledgeable about television from an early age, Kay Alden talked about writing her doctoral thesis on “daytime serials as a medium for social change” at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She described how she ended up as a writer on The Young and the Restless when she contacted creator William Bell to talk to him about her doctorate. Alden detailed her long tenure on the show (starting in 1973), which culminated in her being named head writer in 1998.  Alden described Y&R’s setting of Genoa City, discussed her writing process, and talked about several of the key characters and storylines from the show.  Alden also talked about working from Chicago (the series is shot in Los Angeles) and writing storylines with serious social themes, a hallmark of The Young and the Restless.  The interview was conducted by Karen Herman At Columbia College, Chicago on April 6, 2006.