1971: The final episode of A World Apart.
1990: General Hospital's P.K. Sinclair was really Cesar Faison.
1999: The final episode of Another World.
2010: The funeral of Alice Horton on Days of our Lives.
"History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1963: On Ben Jerrod, Judge Abbott (Addison Richards) was infuriated by a young man's rudeness,
Thanks to Jeff for sending in the item above.
1968: Humbert Allen Astredo debuted as Nicholas Blair in Dark Shadows.
1971: ABC aired the final epsiode of daytime soap opera A World Apart, starring Susan Sarandon. The show, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, ran for 15 months.
1970: A World Apart and The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. Another World spinoff Somerset premiered on NBC. Dark Shadows' Maggie found a mysterious note.
"History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1970: Daytime soap opera A World Apart premiered on ABC. The show was created by Katherine L. Phillips, Irna Phillips' daughter, and combined Irna's own life story with examples of the generation gap. Susan Sarandon and Matthew Cowles were siblings Patrice and Chris Kahlman, adopted children of soap opera writer Better Kahlman (played by Elizabeth Lawrence and later Augusta Dabney) who had never married. A well-written family drama in the World Turns vein, it also featured Susan Sullivan, James Noble, Kathleen Maguire, Stephen Elliott, Tom Ligon and William Price. Set in Chicago, and taped in New York, its directors included Tom Donovan and Walter Gorman. Donovan also produced. It was cancelled June 25, 1971.
1970: Daytime soap opera The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. James Lipton adapted it from the Rona Jaffe novel about the woes of working girls in New York, set mainly at Key Publishing Company. The main characters were Linda Warren (Patty McCormack), April Morrison (Julie Mannix), Kim Jordan (Katherine Glass) and Barbara Lamont (Rochelle Oliver). They were tormented by their ruthless editor, Amanda Key (Gale Sondergaard), and counseled by the warm and loving Violet Jordan (Geraldine Fitzgerald). The series lasted less than six months, with the finale airing on September 25, 1970.
1970: On Another World, Russ Matthews was upset when the expensive crib his wife, Rachel (Robin Strasser), ordered arrived. She tried to gain sympathy with tears but it didn't work.
1971: The final episode of A World Apart.
1990: General Hospital's P.K. Sinclair was really Cesar Faison.
1999: The final episode of Another World.
2010: The funeral of Alice Horton on Days of our Lives.
"All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."
― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1963: On Ben Jerrod, Judge Abbott (Addison Richards) was infuriated by a young man's rudeness,
Thanks to Jeff for sending in the item above.
1968: Humbert Allen Astredo debuted as Nicholas Blair in Dark Shadows.
1971: ABC aired the final epsiode of daytime soap opera A World Apart, starring Susan Sarandon. The show, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, ran for 15 months.
1970: A World Apart and The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. Another World spinoff Somerset premiered on NBC. Dark Shadows' Maggie found a mysterious note.
"All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."
― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1970: Daytime soap opera A World Apart premiered on ABC. The show was created by Katherine L. Phillips, Irna Phillips' daughter, and combined Irna's own life story with examples of the generation gap. Susan Sarandon and Matthew Cowles were siblings Patrice and Chris Kahlman, adopted children of soap opera writer Better Kahlman (played by Elizabeth Lawrence and later Augusta Dabney) who had never married. A well-written family drama in the World Turns vein, it also featured Susan Sullivan, James Noble, Kathleen Maguire, Stephen Elliott, Tom Ligon and William Price. Set in Chicago, and taped in New York, its directors included Tom Donovan and Walter Gorman. Donovan also produced. It was cancelled June 25, 1971.
1970: Daytime soap opera The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. James Lipton adapted it from the Rona Jaffe novel about the woes of working girls in New York, set mainly at Key Publishing Company. The main characters were Linda Warren (Patty McCormack), April Morrison (Julie Mannix), Kim Jordan (Katherine Glass) and Barbara Lamont (Rochelle Oliver). They were tormented by their ruthless editor, Amanda Key (Gale Sondergaard), and counseled by the warm and loving Violet Jordan (Geraldine Fitzgerald). The series lasted less than six months, with the finale airing on September 25, 1970.
1970: On Another World, Russ Matthews was upset when the expensive crib his wife, Rachel (Robin Strasser), ordered arrived. She tried to gain sympathy with tears but it didn't work.
1971: The final episode of A World Apart.
1990: General Hospital's P.K. Sinclair was really Cesar Faison.
1999: The final episode of Another World.
2010: The funeral of Alice Horton on Days of our Lives.
"History is a vast early warning system."
― Norman Cousins
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1963: On Ben Jerrod, Judge Abbott (Addison Richards) was infuriated by a young man's rudeness,
Thanks to Jeff for sending in the item above.
1968: Humbert Allen Astredo debuted as Nicholas Blair in Dark Shadows.
1971: ABC aired the final epsiode of daytime soap opera A World Apart, starring Susan Sarandon. The show, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, ran for 15 months.
1971: On The Doctors, the staff at Hope Memorial tried to keep Mike Powers alive.
1976: On Another World, Russ (David Bailey) and Sharlene (Laurie Heineman) assured Emma (Tresa Hughes) they would keep an eye on Molly. As Emma left she said, "I won't be that far away. If Willis starts anything, I'll come back and put a stop to it once and for all." This was Tresa Hughes last appearance as Emma, a character originally played by Beverlee McKinsey before she took on the role of Iris. The character of Emma returned in 1990 played by Elizabeth Ashley.
1990: On General Hospital, Robert told Frisco that P.K. Sinclair was actually Cesar Faison.
1993: On All My Children, Dixie (Cady McClain) dealt with Tad and Ted (Michael E.Knight) drama.
1999: NBC aired the final episode of Another World after 35 years on the air.
2001: On The Young and the Restless, Jill (Jess Walton) and Brittany decided J.T. was the best way to break up Mac and Billy.
2010: On Days of our Lives, family and friends said goodbye at the funeral of Alice Horton (Frances Reid).
Celebrating a birthday today are: June Lockhart (ex-Maria, General Hospital; ex-Celia, Beverly Hills, 90210) - 92 Mark Withers (ex-Ted, Dynasty; ex-Tom, General Hospital; ex-Evan, Santa Barbara) - 70 Steve Bassett (ex-Seth, As the World Turns; ex-Det. Scott, Guiding Light; ex-Minister, One Life to Live) - 65 Michael Sabatino (Alan, Venice; ex-JT, Passions; ex-Vince, Guiding Light; ex-Lawrence, Days of our Lives; ex-Jonathan, All My Children; ex-Anthony, The Bold and the Beautiful; ex-Phillip, Sunset Beach) - 62 Amy Ecklund (ex-Abby, Guiding Light) - 47 Jason Lewis (ex-Chad, Brothers & Sisters; ex-Rob, Beverly Hills, 90210) - 46 Brandi Lynn Burkhardt (ex-Siren, Passions) - 38 Busy Philipps (ex-Audrey, Dawson's Creek) - 38
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to submit a soap history entry for this date or a future date, email editor@welovesoaps.com.
1970: A World Apart and The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. Another World spinoff Somerset premiered on NBC. Dark Shadows' Maggie found a mysterious note.
"All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."
― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1970: Daytime soap opera A World Apart premiered on ABC. The show was created by Katherine L. Phillips, Irna Phillips' daughter, and combined Irna's own life story with examples of the generation gap. Susan Sarandon and Matthew Cowles were siblings Patrice and Chris Kahlman, adopted children of soap opera writer Better Kahlman (played by Elizabeth Lawrence and later Augusta Dabney) who had never married. A well-written family drama in the World Turns vein, it also featured Susan Sullivan, James Noble, Kathleen Maguire, Stephen Elliott, Tom Ligon and William Price. Set in Chicago, and taped in New York, its directors included Tom Donovan and Walter Gorman. Donovan also produced. It was cancelled June 25, 1971.
1970: Daytime soap opera The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. James Lipton adapted it from the Rona Jaffe novel about the woes of working girls in New York, set mainly at Key Publishing Company. The main characters were Linda Warren (Patty McCormack), April Morrison (Julie Mannix), Kim Jordan (Katherine Glass) and Barbara Lamont (Rochelle Oliver). They were tormented by their ruthless editor, Amanda Key (Gale Sondergaard), and counseled by the warm and loving Violet Jordan (Geraldine Fitzgerald). The series lasted less than six months, with the finale airing on September 25, 1970.
1970: On Another World, Russ Matthews was upset when the expensive crib his wife, Rachel (Robin Strasser), ordered arrived. She tried to gain sympathy with tears but it didn't work.
1971: The final episode of A World Apart.
1990: General Hospital's P.K. Sinclair was really Cesar Faison.
1999: The final episode of Another World.
2010: The funeral of Alice Horton on Days of our Lives.
"If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree."
― Michael Crichton
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1963: On Ben Jerrod, Judge Abbott (Addison Richards) was infuriated by a young man's rudeness,
Thanks to Jeff for sending in the item above.
1968: Humbert Allen Astredo debuted as Nicholas Blair in Dark Shadows.
1971: ABC aired the final epsiode of daytime soap opera A World Apart, starring Susan Sarandon. The show, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, ran for 15 months.
1970: A World Apart and The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. Another World spinoff Somerset premiered on NBC. Dark Shadows' Maggie found a mysterious note.
"The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect is already in the cause."
― Henri Louis Bergson
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1970: Daytime soap opera A World Apart premiered on ABC. The show was created by Katherine L. Phillips, Irna Phillips' daughter, and combined Irna's own life story with examples of the generation gap. Susan Sarandon and Matthew Cowles were siblings Patrice and Chris Kahlman, adopted children of soap opera writer Better Kahlman (played by Elizabeth Lawrence and later Augusta Dabney) who had never married. A well-written family drama in the World Turns vein, it also featured Susan Sullivan, James Noble, Kathleen Maguire, Stephen Elliott, Tom Ligon and William Price. Set in Chicago, and taped in New York, its directors included Tom Donovan and Walter Gorman. Donovan also produced. It was cancelled June 25, 1971.
1970: Daytime soap opera The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. James Lipton adapted it from the Rona Jaffe novel about the woes of working girls in New York, set mainly at Key Publishing Company. The main characters were Linda Warren (Patty McCormack), April Morrison (Julie Mannix), Kim Jordan (Katherine Glass) and Barbara Lamont (Rochelle Oliver). They were tormented by their ruthless editor, Amanda Key (Gale Sondergaard), and counseled by the warm and loving Violet Jordan (Geraldine Fitzgerald). The series lasted less than six months, with the finale airing on September 25, 1970.
1970: On Another World, Russ Matthews was upset when the expensive crib his wife, Rachel (Robin Strasser), ordered arrived. She tried to gain sympathy with tears but it didn't work.
TV, film and stage character actor James Noble, who starred in the ABC sitcom Benson, died Monday, March 28. He was 94.
The news was confirmed to the Associated Press by Noble's daughter, Jessica Katherine Noble Cowan. She said he died at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut after suffering a stroke.
Noble, whose career dated to the early 1950s, was best known for his role as Benson's Eugene Xavier Gatling, the scatterbrained governor of an unnamed state who is forever getting into scrapes only to be rescued by his sharp and sharp-tongued "director of household affairs," Benson DuBois, played by Robert Guillaume.
As the series progressed, Benson eventually becomes the governor's budget director, then his lieutenant governor and a candidate for the executive mansion himself. The show ran from 1979 to 1986.
1970
On January 5, an excited ABC launched the serial which became its number one daytime draw, and one of the most famous serials of all time. All My Children, created by Agnes Nixon and produced by Bud Kloss, began with Rosemary Prinz as an extra boost to the cast. The folksy blend of romance, fantasy and caricatured satire set in Pine Valley caught on almost immediately. A traditional family design involves the wealthy Tylers and the humble Martins, with premiere cast members Mary Fickett, Ray MacDonnell, Ruth Warrick, Hugh Franklin, Frances Heflin and Susan Lucci still in the series. A favorite among college students, it is the subject of a book by Dan Wakefield, entitled "All Her Children."
On March 30 of this year, ABC premiered two less successful serials and NBC brought forth a spin-off.
1971: The final episode of A World Apart. 1990: General Hospital's P.K. Sinclair was really Cesar Faison. 1999: The final episode of Another World. 2010: The funeral of Alice Horton on Days of our Lives.
"History never looks like history when you are living through it."
― John W. Gardner
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1968: Humbert Allen Astredo debuted as Nicholas Blair in Dark Shadows.
1971: ABC aired the final epsiode of daytime soap opera A World Apart, starring Susan Sarandon. The show, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, ran for 15 months.
1970: A World Apart and The Best of Everything premiered on ABC.
1970: Another World spinoff Somerset premiered on NBC.
1970: Dark Shadows' Maggie found a mysterious note.
"Mankind are so much the same, in all times and places, that history informs us of nothing new or strange in this particular. Its chief use is only to discover the constant and universal principles of human nature."
― David Hume
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1970: Daytime soap opera A World Apart, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, premiered on ABC. Susan Sarandon starred as Patrice Kahlman.
1999: The final episode of Another World aired after a 35 year
run on NBC.
"History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies."
- Alexis de Tocqueville
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1968: Humbert Allen Astredo debuted as Nicholas Blair in Dark Shadows.
1971: ABC aired the final epsiode of daytime soap opera A World Apart, starring Susan Sarandon. The show, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, ran for 15 months.
1968: Humbert Allen Astredo debuted as Nicholas Blair in DARK SHADOWS.
1971: ABC aired the final epsiode of daytime soap opera A WORLD APART, starring Susan Sarandon. The show, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, ran for 15 months.
Arthur Peterson, Mercedes McCambridge, Helen Behmiller and
Henrietta Ledro. Peterson was born 100 years ago today!
On this date in...
1912: Arthur Peterson Jr. was born. He would go on to play Reverend John Ruthledge when THE GUIDING LIGHT debuted on the radio in 1937. Ruthledge and his congregation at the Little Church of Five Points, Illinois were the main focus of the show. It's title referred to the oil lamp in his character's study window that served as a beacon toward help for anyone seeking comfort.
1933: THE ROMANCE OF HELEN TRENT debuted over CBS Radio. The show aired 7,222 episodes during its run until June 24, 1960. Created by the husband-and-wife team of Frank and Anne Hummert, Helen Trent was conceived as the epitome of virtue in a world where behavior was usually judged in black-and-white terms. Helen Trent never smoked, drank, or swore—even her thoughts were pure. Virginia Clark played Helen until 1944, when Julie Stevens assumed the role of "queen of the soaps." The show was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.
1964: On ANOTHER WORLD, Pat (Susan Trustman) learned her infection left her unable to have children.
1967: GENERAL HOSPITAL and LOVE OF LIFE moved from black and white broadcasts to color.
1912: Arthur Peterson Jr. was born. He would go on to play Reverend John Ruthledge when THE GUIDING LIGHT debuted on the radio in 1937. Ruthledge and his congregation at the Little Church of Five Points, Illinois were the main focus of the show. It's title referred to the oil lamp in his character's study window that served as a beacon toward help for anyone seeking comfort.
In April 1944, Peterson enlisted and served in the Third Army in Europe, under the command of General George Patton. To explain his absence from THE GUIDING LIGHT, the writers had his character Reverend Ruthledge serve in the US Army as a chaplain. Peterson returned from Europe in May 1945 to resume his role on the show.The show's writers "killed off" his character in 1946. Peterson had a recurring role on GH in the late '60s before playing "The Major" on ABC parody SOAP in the late '70s. He died of Alzheimer's disease in 1996.
On this date in...