For much of its nineteen-year CBS run, EDGE was telecast live. Although most serials switched to videotape recording in the late 60's, EDGE (along with sister soap "As the World Turns") resisted the transition to pre-recording episodes. Executive producer Erwin Nicholson was largely responsible for EDGE remaining live, as Nicholson felt that a live telecast gave the show a certain energy and spontaneity that might not otherwise be there with advance taping.
Even during the days of live broadcasts, EDGE occasionally pre-recorded certain episodes:
* New York law prohibited children under the age of three from appearing on live television. Whenever small children were needed, EDGE pre-recorded those scenes and dropped them into the live broadcast.
* In order to maintain story continuity, EDGE allowed some actors to pre-tape scenes when vacations and other necessary absences could not be scheduled around the live show.
* Due to logistical problems, remote segments and particularly difficult stunts (such as fires and car crashes) were sometimes pre-taped.
* The most frequent reason for pre-recording occurred when EDGE was pre-empted for news coverage and other special events. Cast calls were issued roughly two weeks before actual performance dates, and union rules required that actors be paid for all scheduled performances, regardless of whether or not the actor actually appeared. For that reason, whenever EDGE was pre-empted, the show videotaped the scheduled episode on the day of the pre-emption and continued taping one day in advance until all of the scheduled cast calls were depleted. This prevented EDGE from being forced to pay actors double salaries.
* To accomodate the transition from CBS to ABC, EDGE ceased its live telecasts in October 1975. For weeks prior to the last show on CBS, EDGE pre-taped seven or eight shows per week in order to have at least two full weeks worth of episodes ready for the debut on ABC. EDGE taped its last episode at CBS on Friday, November 14, 1975. For the next two weeks, the show ceased production while sets and equipment were moved to the show's new Screen Gems studio.
* Unlike many soaps, EDGE generally taped its scenes sequentially, following the exact order of the script.
