Today in Soap Opera History (December 13)

1954: Radio soap The Road of Life made its TV debut.
1979: General Hospital's Monica gave birth to AJ.  1991: All 
My Children's Adam and Erica married for the second time.
2010: One Life to Live's Natalie accepted John's proposal.

"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...

1954: Procter & Gamble's popular radio soap opera The Road of Life, created by Irna Phillips in 1937, made its television debut on CBS in the 1:15-1:30 p.m. ET time slot.

Because many CBS affiliates chose to run local news and talk shows during this time, the program never achieved the popularity it might have and aired its last TV episode on July 1, 1955. The radio version of the show continued into the 1959 season when the golden age of the radio soap opera began to wind down.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 19)

1976: Search for Tomorrow's Eunice died after Jennifer shot her.
1978: Dallas' Sue Ellen told J.R. she was pregnant.
1981: Sid Fairgate died on Knots Landing.
2009: James Franco debuted on General Hospital.

"The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron

"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...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Mike Karr (John Larkin) Mike convinced DA Thompson to withhold the Harper's involvement with Clayton Pike, so that Mary and Roger Harper could make peace first.

1974: On Another World, Alice Matthews Frame (Jacqueline Courtney) agreed to see Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) after Rachel arrived at the Matthews' home insisting theythey talk.

1976: On Search for Tomorrow, Eunice Wyatt (Ann Williams) died from wounds inflicted when Jennifer Pace (Morgan Fairchild) shot her (see clip below).

Today in Soap Opera History (December 13)

1954: Radio soap The Road of Life made its TV debut.
1979: General Hospital's Monica gave birth to AJ.  1991: All 
My Children's Adam and Erica married for the second time.
2010: One Life to Live's Natalie accepted John's proposal.

"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...

1954: Procter & Gamble's popular radio soap opera The Road of Life, created by Irna Phillips in 1937, made its television debut on CBS in the 1:15-1:30 p.m. ET time slot.

Because many CBS affiliates chose to run local news and talk shows during this time, the program never achieved the popularity it might have and aired its last TV episode on July 1, 1955. The radio version of the show continued into the 1959 season when the golden age of the radio soap opera began to wind down.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 19)

1976: Search for Tomorrow's Eunice died after Jennifer shot her.
1978: Dallas' Sue Ellen told J.R. she was pregnant.
1981: Sid Fairgate died on Knots Landing.
2009: James Franco debuted on General Hospital.

"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...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Mike Karr (John Larkin) Mike convinced DA Thompson to withhold the Harper's involvement with Clayton Pike, so that Mary and Roger Harper could make peace first.

1974: On Another World, Alice Matthews Frame (Jacqueline Courtney) agreed to see Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) after Rachel arrived at the Matthews' home insisting theythey talk.

1976: On Search for Tomorrow, Eunice Wyatt (Ann Williams) died from wounds inflicted when Jennifer Pace (Morgan Fairchild) shot her (see clip below).

Today in Soap Opera History (December 13)

1954: Radio soap The Road of Life made its TV debut.
1979: General Hospital's Monica gave birth to AJ.  1991: All 
My Children's Adam and Erica married for the second time.
2010: One Life to Live's Natalie accepted John's proposal.

"More and more, I tend to read history. I often find it more up to date than the daily newspapers."
― Joe Murray

"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...

1954: Procter & Gamble's popular radio soap opera The Road of Life, created by Irna Phillips in 1937, made its television debut on CBS in the 1:15-1:30 p.m. ET time slot.

Because many CBS affiliates chose to run local news and talk shows during this time, the program never achieved the popularity it might have and aired its last TV episode on July 1, 1955. The radio version of the show continued into the 1959 season when the golden age of the radio soap opera began to wind down.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 19)

1976: Search for Tomorrow's Eunice died after Jennifer shot her.
1978: Dallas' Sue Ellen told J.R. she was pregnant.
1981: Sid Fairgate died on Knots Landing.
2009: James Franco debuted on General Hospital.

"More and more, I tend to read history. I often find it more up to date than the daily newspapers."
― Joe Murray

"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...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Mike Karr (John Larkin) Mike convinced DA Thompson to withhold the Harper's involvement with Clayton Pike, so that Mary and Roger Harper could make peace first.

1974: On Another World, Alice Matthews Frame (Jacqueline Courtney) agreed to see Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) after Rachel arrived at the Matthews' home insisting theythey talk.

1976: On Search for Tomorrow, Eunice Wyatt (Ann Williams) died from wounds inflicted when Jennifer Pace (Morgan Fairchild) shot her (see clip below).

Today in Soap Opera History (December 13)

1954: Radio soap The Road of Life made its TV debut.
1979: General Hospital's Monica gave birth to AJ.  1991: All 
My Children's Adam and Erica married for the second time.
2010: One Life to Live's Natalie accepted John's proposal.

"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...

1954: Procter & Gamble's popular radio soap opera The Road of Life, created by Irna Phillips in 1937, made its television debut on CBS in the 1:15-1:30 p.m. ET time slot.

Because many CBS affiliates chose to run local news and talk shows during this time, the program never achieved the popularity it might have and aired its last TV episode on July 1, 1955. The radio version of the show continued into the 1959 season when the golden age of the radio soap opera began to wind down.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 19)

1976: Search for Tomorrow's Eunice died after Jennifer shot her.
1978: Dallas' Sue Ellen told J.R. she was pregnant.
1981: Sid Fairgate died on Knots Landing.
2009: James Franco debuted on General Hospital.

"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...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Mike Karr (John Larkin) Mike convinced DA Thompson to withhold the Harper's involvement with Clayton Pike, so that Mary and Roger Harper could make peace first.

1974: On Another World, Alice Matthews Frame (Jacqueline Courtney) agreed to see Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) after Rachel arrived at the Matthews' home insisting theythey talk.

1976: On Search for Tomorrow, Eunice Wyatt (Ann Williams) died from wounds inflicted when Jennifer Pace (Morgan Fairchild) shot her (see clip below).

Today in Soap Opera History (December 13)

1954: Radio soap The Road of Life made its TV debut.
1979: General Hospital's Monica gave birth to AJ.  1991: All 
My Children's Adam and Erica married for the second time.
2010: One Life to Live's Natalie accepted John's proposal.

"Most of us spend too much time on the last twenty-four hours and too little on the last six thousand years."
― Will Durant

"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...

1954: Procter & Gamble's popular radio soap opera The Road of Life, created by Irna Phillips in 1937, made its television debut on CBS in the 1:15-1:30 p.m. ET time slot.

Because many CBS affiliates chose to run local news and talk shows during this time, the program never achieved the popularity it might have and aired its last TV episode on July 1, 1955. The radio version of the show continued into the 1959 season when the golden age of the radio soap opera began to wind down.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 19)

1976: SFT's Eunice died after Jennifer shot her.  1978: Dallas'
Sue Ellen told J.R. she was pregnant.  1981: Sid Fairgate
died on Knots Landing.  2009: James Franco debuted on GH.

"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...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Mike (John Larkin) tried to convince a distraught Roger to admire Mary for what she did.

1974: On Another World, Alice (Jacqueline Courtney) agreed to see Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) after Rachel insisted they talk.

1976: On Search for Tomorrow, Eunice Wyatt (Ann Williams) died from wounds inflicted when Jennifer Pace (Morgan Fairchild) shot her (see clip below).

Today in Soap Opera History (December 13)

1954: THE ROAD OF LIFE premiered. 1979: GH's Monica gave
birth to AJ.  1991: AMC's Adam and Erica married for the
second time. 2010: OLTL's Natalie accepted John's proposal.

"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see."
- Winston Churchill

"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...

1954: Procter & Gamble's popular radio soap opera THE ROAD OF LIFE, created by Irna Phillips in 1937, made its television debut on CBS in the 1:15-1:30 p.m. ET time slot.

Because many CBS affiliates chose to run local news and talk shows during this time, the program never achieved the popularity it might have and aired its last TV episode on July 1, 1955. The radio version of the show continued into the 1959 season when the golden age of the radio soap opera began to wind down.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 19)

1976: SFT's Jennifer shot Eunice. 1978: DALLAS' Sue Ellen
told J.R. she was pregnant. 1981: KNOTS LANDING's Sid
died. 1986: GL's Mindy and Reva escaped their captor.

"History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside."
- John F. Kennedy

"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...

1957: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, Mike (John Larkin) tried to convince a distraught Roger to admire Mary for what she did.

1974: On ANOTHER WORLD, Alice (Jacqueline Courtney) agreed to see Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) after she insisted they talk.

1976: On SEARCH FOR TOMORROW, Eunice (Ann Williams) died after shot by Jennifer (Morgan Fairchild). Jennifer had shot Eunice the week before (see clip below).

Today in Soap Opera History (December 13)

Don MacLaughlin & Virgina Dwyer starred in THE ROAD OF LIFE
on both television and radio.

On this date in...

1954: Procter & Gamble's popular radio soap THE ROAD OF LIFE, created by Irna Phillips in 1937, made its television debut on CBS in the 1:15-1:30 p.m. ET time slot.

Because many CBS affiliates chose to run local news and talk shows during this time, the program never achieved the popularity it might have and aired its last TV episode on July 1, 1955. The radio version of the show continued into the 1959 season when the golden age of the radio soap opera began to wind down.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 19)

On this date in...

1957: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, Mike (John Larkin) tried to convince a distraught Roger to admire Mary for what she did.

1974: On ANOTHER WORLD, Alice (Jacqueline Courtney) agreed to see Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) after she insisted they talk.

1976: On SEARCH FOR TOMORROW, Eunice (Ann Williams) died after shot by Jennifer (Morgan Fairchild). Jennifer had shot Eunice the week before (see clip below).

Today in Soap Opera History (December 13)

On this date in...

1954: Procter & Gamble's popular radio soap THE ROAD OF LIFE, created by Irna Phillips in 1937, made its television debut on CBS in the 1:15-1:30 time slot.

Because many CBS affiliates chose to run local news and talk shows during this time, the program never achieved the popularity it might have and aired its last TV episode on July 1, 1955. The radio version of the show continued into the 1959 season when the golden age of the radio soap opera began to wind down.