Always Young and Restless: My Life On and Off America's #1 Daytime Drama

by Melody Thomas Scott

“You were on my story!” they screeched when I arrived at the motel. (There were no hotels in St. George.) I had never heard it put that way. A story.

Wherever I have lived, the women call the soaps “my story “.

A couple of weeks later, we shot an episode (not an official Y and R episode) that was a compilation of our individual tributes to Kristoff; a few days later, we shot Neil’s funeral and funeral reception.

I am very pleased to read this. At least twenty years ago I wrote a letter to the producers of Y and R suggesting that they should consider having a funeral when a main character dies, giving the viewers a chance to grieve with the other characters. I received a positive response from the Bells ( and later a Christmas card). I am pleased that the suggestion bore fruit.