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 Phyllis
Star Williams— It's a name she had to grow into and now loves.
"It seemed too pretentious to me when I was kid," says Phyllis.
"Plus, I had to deal with the "twinkle, twinkle little star"
jabs from my then schoolmates. Little did I know that one day
this name would fit me so well." Phyllis began her career in
magazines in 1984 as an assistant to the editor in chief of TV
Soap World through the now-defunct publisher, Liberty
Communications. She very quickly started writing for their new
book, Prime Time TV. "Up until then I had written business
letters and memos at Citibank on Wall Street. It never occurred
to me that I would ever be in this environment. Watching soap
operas was a joy for me and still is. I never imagined I could
make a career out of writing about what I loved, but I have." In
1989 Soap Opera Weekly had already begun putting their very
first issue together and they still did not have a News Editor.
Phyllis filled that slot and worked for them until 1991. That
year the National Examiner was looking for someone to be their
New York Bureau Chief for their new 10-page section, All About
Soaps. And, while currently no longer with The Examiner, she
still occasionally contributes to them and other magazines, as
well as to UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate. Her last article
for UPBEAT was a review for 'The West Wing." She muses, "Isn't
it interesting that in the very beginning of my writing career I
wrote for Prime Time TV and my latest submission to Upbeat
Entertainment News Syndicate was a review of the prime time
show, The West Wing, even though everything I've written in
between has been about daytime? It seems to me that life is
truly cyclical. The truth is— I love TV, whether it's daytime,
nighttime, in the morning or over night. And aren't I lucky to
be able to watch what I love, interview the actors I respect and
admire, and then write all about it— and get paid, too?"
Watch for Phyllis Star Williams to be a part of UPBEAT
Entertainment News Syndicate for a long time to come. And look
for her new column— coming soon. As for the photo of actress
Sophia Loren? Well, Phyllis and Sophia were separated at birth
although we aren't certain if they were actually in the same
room at the time.
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The Soap Beat 