Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm' (Part 2)

Jean Mowry was the original Susan Ames on The Secret Storm.

Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm'

The Soap Box
Vol. III No. 13 December 1978
by John Genovese

(continued from Part 1)

The eldest child, Susan, showed signs of becoming another Pauline. She was bossy and dominating, forming an unhealthy attachment to her father. Young, impressionalbe Jerry Ames had it even worse, however. He fell in with a hoodlum, Spike Conklin, and together they tried to cause trouble for Ed Winslow, the man in the other car during the fatal accident. Jerry was sent to reform school, and Peter was brought up on charges of neglect. Jerry escaped from reform school and was in much emotional turmoil, but he soon returned to the fold.

Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm' (Part 1)

CBS soap opera The Secret Storm starred Peter Hobbs as Peter Ames
and Haila Stoddard as Pauline Harris.

Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm'

The Soap Box
Vol. III No. 13 December 1978
by John Genovese

It was almost five years ago--February 8, 1974, to be exact--that a twenty-year old daytime classic known as The Secret Storm breathed its last episode over the CBS airwaves. There were no long goodbyes; no touching farewell speeches on the part of its announcer, Ken Roberts. It was as if there was nothing especially noteworthy that this was the longest-running daytime television serial in history to meet the axe. The show simply wrapped up the insanity which had passed for plot, and made an unceremonious exit.

After twenty years.

I, like many disillusioned followers of The Secret Storm, had become too cynical to mourn its loss. Management had plenty of time to swing this show back to its original format of focusing on the outward events and inner yearnings of the Ames family. The opportunity was always there. But somebody, somewhere, had another answer: to cram as much controversy and innovativeness into the storyline and then pray to William S. Paley that it would be a runaway hit. And they were fine stories...before they were driven into the ground. Thus, by the time the executioner arrived in the beloved fictional locale of Woodbridge, New York, it was entirely possible for a viewer to watch this show during the entire final year of its run and not even know that the name of Ames ever existed on The Secret Storm.

It is for the benefit of those deprived souls, as well as for those who recall a "brighter day" for Secret Storm, that we will trace the history of what began as probably the finest television series ever to be labelled "soap opera."

1954-1963: The Early Winsor Years

SECRET STORM's Peter Hobbs Has Died At Age 92

According to the Los Angeles Times, Peter Hobbs passed away peacefully at his home in Santa Monica surrounded by family after a brief illness.

Born in Etretat, France, to Dr. Austin L. Hobbs and Mabel Foote Hobbs, Peter was raised in New York City, attended Solebury School in PA, and graduated in Drama from Bard College. In World War II he served in Europe as a Sergeant in Combat Engineering and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. Peter was especially proud of his role in safeguarding the lives of the men in his platoon. Peter enjoyed a 50-year career as an actor in theater, TV, and film. He played on Broadway (notably, "Teahouse of the August Moon" and "Billy Budd"); on TV (from his role as Peter Ames in THE SECRET STORM from 1954 to 1962, to PERRY MASON, THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, BONANZA, ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE ODD COUPLE, STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, HAPPY DAYS, BARNEY MILLER, LOU GRAN, M*A*S*H, KNOTS LANDING, L.A. LAW, and dozens more); and in film (Sleeper, The Man with Two Brains, 9 to 5, Any Which Way You Can, Andromeda Strain, In the Mood, and The Lady in Red). Peter was a devoted husband and loving father, a good and generous friend and neighbor, an amiable, passionate and good- humored man who loved life, all kinds of people, progressive politics, reading, acting, spirited conversation, laughter, and a cocktail or two now and then. He was a vibrant man who, whether you knew him on the screen or in life, put a smile on your face and joy in your heart. "Point of order!" as he liked to say: You gave them a good show, Peter!