The initial stories were written by Katherine Phillips (adopted daughter of
Irna Phillips, who created
Guiding Light,
As the World Turns and
Another World). The story concerned a soap opera writer who adopted two children, a fictionalized version of Irna Phillips' life. Soap opera writer Betty Kahlman (
Elizabeth Lawrence,
Augusta Dabney) raised her adopted children without a husband. Her sounding board and friend was fellow soap opera writer Meg Johns, played by actress Anna Minot. Betty married Russell Barry (
William Prince) and the early focus was on generational conflicts between a newly married middle-aged couple and their confused children. People tried to understand each other, but were ultimately "a world apart", echoing the title. Eventually, the show-within-a-show element was scaled back, and writer Katherine Phillips was replaced by Richard Holland and Suzanne Holland. At that point, Betty and Russell settled into a tranquil marriage. Other storylines centered on the Sims family, who were mired in less turmoil than the Kahlmans, but still had their problems, as Dr. Ed Sims (
James Noble) and his extremely conservative wife Adrian (
Kathleen Maguire) struggled with their rebellious daughter Becky (Erin Connor). == Cast ==