Today in Soap Opera History (June 28)

1974: The Doctors' Toni learned she had a son.
1991: General Hospital's Anna and Robert were shocked by Faison.
1996: Stephen Nichols made his GH debut as Stefan.
2010: Salem said goodbye to Alice Horton on Days.

"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, as the trial was reaching the conclusion, Ben's (Michael Ryan) strategy was on the verge of collapse.

Thanks to Jeff for sending in the item above.

1966: On the second episode of Dark Shadows, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) watched as Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) collapsed, then went back back upstairs unseen.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 29)

1966: Dark Shadows' Victoria noticed her letter had moved.
1987: As the World Turns' Margo and Hal shared a kiss.
1994: Days of our Lives' Salem said goodbye to Dr. Tom Horton.
2012: The Young and the Restless' Paul shot his son, Ricky.

"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...

1915: Future soap opera legend Ruth Warrick was born. Her daytime roles included Phoebe on All My Children, ex-Hannah in Peyton Place, Janet on The Guiding Light and Edie in As the World Turns).

1943: Radio soap opera Lonely Women, created by Irna Phillips, debuted on NBC Radio.

1952: CBS aired the final episode of Procter & Gamble soap opera The First Hundred Years, a tale of married life against the backdrop of New York City. James Lydon and Anne Sargent starred as newlyweds Chris and Connie Thayer. Read more here in the Complete, Concise Yearly History of TV Soap Operas.

1956: The Guiding Light aired for the final time on CBS Radio. The show first premiered on the radio (on NBC) in 1937. In 1952, Guiding Light began airing on television, in addition to the radio broadcasts. The series remained on CBS-TV until September 2009.

1956: On the final episode of long-running radio soap opera Young Widder Brown, Dr. Anthony Loring (Ned Weaver) stopped Ellen Brown (Wendy Drew) just before she left Simpsonville for Chicago. He proposed marriage and she accepted.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 28)

1974: The Doctors' Toni learned she had a son.
1991: General Hospital's Anna and Robert were shocked by Faison.
1996: Stephen Nichols made his GH debut as Stefan.
2010: Salem said goodbye to Alice Horton on Days.

"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, as the trial was reaching the conclusion, Ben's (Michael Ryan) strategy was on the verge of collapse.

Thanks to Jeff for sending in the item above.

1966: On the second episode of Dark Shadows, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) watched as Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) collapsed, then went back back upstairs unseen.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 29)

1966: Dark Shadows' Victoria noticed her letter had moved.
1987: As the World Turns' Margo and Hal shared a kiss.
1994: Days of our Lives' Salem said goodbye to Dr. Tom Horton.
2012: The Young and the Restless' Paul shot his son, Ricky.

"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...

1915: Future soap opera legend Ruth Warrick was born. Her daytime roles included Phoebe on All My Children, ex-Hannah in Peyton Place, Janet on The Guiding Light and Edie in As the World Turns).

1943: Radio soap opera Lonely Women, created by Irna Phillips, debuted on NBC Radio.

1952: CBS aired the final episode of Procter & Gamble soap opera The First Hundred Years, a tale of married life against the backdrop of New York City. James Lydon and Anne Sargent starred as newlyweds Chris and Connie Thayer. Read more here in the Complete, Concise Yearly History of TV Soap Operas.

1956: The Guiding Light aired for the final time on CBS Radio. The show first premiered on the radio (on NBC) in 1937. In 1952, Guiding Light began airing on television, in addition to the radio broadcasts. The series remained on CBS-TV until September 2009.

1956: On the final episode of long-running radio soap opera Young Widder Brown, Dr. Anthony Loring (Ned Weaver) stopped Ellen Brown (Wendy Drew) just before she left Simpsonville for Chicago. He proposed marriage and she accepted.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 28)

1971: The Doctors' Toni confessed to Maggie.
1991: General Hospital's Anna and Robert were shocked by Faison.
1996: Stephen Nichols made his GH debut as Stefan.
2010: Salem said goodbye to Alice Horton on Days.

"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, as the trial was reaching the conclusion, Ben's (Michael Ryan) strategy was on the verge of collapse.

Thanks to Jeff for sending in the item above.

1966: On the second episode of Dark Shadows, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) watched as Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) collapsed, then went back back upstairs unseen.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 29)

1966: Dark Shadows' Victoria noticed her letter had moved.
1987: As the World Turns' Margo and Hal shared a kiss.
1994: Days of our Lives' Salem said goodbye to Dr. Tom Horton.
2012: The Young and the Restless' Paul shot his son, Ricky.

"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...

1915: Future soap opera legend Ruth Warrick was born. Her daytime roles included Phoebe on All My Children, ex-Hannah in Peyton Place, Janet on The Guiding Light and Edie in As the World Turns).

1943: Radio soap opera Lonely Women, created by Irna Phillips, debuted on NBC Radio.

1956: The Guiding Light aired for the final time on CBS Radio. The show first premiered on the radio (on NBC) in 1937. In 1952, Guiding Light began airing on television, in addition to the radio broadcasts. The series remained on CBS-TV until September 2009.

1956: On the final episode of long-running radio soap opera Young Widder Brown, Dr. Anthony Loring (Ned Weaver) stopped Ellen Brown (Wendy Drew) just before she left Simpsonville for Chicago. He proposed marriage and she accepted.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 28)

1971: The Doctors' Toni confessed to Maggie.
1991: General Hospital's Anna and Robert were shocked by Faison.
1996: Stephen Nichols made his GH debut as Stefan.
2010: Salem said goodbye to Alice Horton on Days.

"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, as the trial was reaching the conclusion, Ben's (Michael Ryan) strategy was on the verge of collapse.

Thanks to Jeff for sending in the item above.

1966: On the second episode of Dark Shadows, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) watched as Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) collapsed, then went back back upstairs unseen.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 29)

1966: Dark Shadows' Victoria noticed her letter had moved.
1987: As the World Turns' Margo and Hal shared a kiss.
1994: Days of our Lives' Salem said goodbye to Dr. Tom Horton.
2012: The Young and the Restless' Paul shot his son, Ricky.

"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...

1915: Future soap opera legend Ruth Warrick was born. Her daytime roles included Phoebe on All My Children, ex-Hannah in Peyton Place, Janet on The Guiding Light and Edie in As the World Turns).

1943: Radio soap opera Lonely Women, created by Irna Phillips, debuted on NBC Radio.

1956: The Guiding Light aired for the final time on CBS Radio. The show first premiered on the radio (on NBC) in 1937. In 1952, Guiding Light began airing on television, in addition to the radio broadcasts. The series remained on CBS-TV until September 2009.

1956: On the final episode of long-running radio soap opera Young Widder Brown, Dr. Anthony Loring (Ned Weaver) stopped Ellen Brown (Wendy Drew) just before she left Simpsonville for Chicago. He proposed marriage and she accepted.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 28)

1991: General Hospital villain Faison showed up
just before Anna and Robert were to be married.

"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...

1966: On the second episode of Dark Shadows, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) watched as Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) collapsed, then went back back upstairs unseen.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 28)

1991: General Hospital villain Faison showed up
just before Anna and Robert were to be married.

"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...

1966: On the second episode of Dark Shadows, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) watched as Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) collapsed, then went back back upstairs unseen.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: John Barrowman on His Recent Marriage, TV Roles, Upcoming Projects, Comic Con, Sci-Fi Fans & More!

John Barrowman has been entertaining fans with his singing, dancing, acting and hosting skills for years. Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1967, he moved to Illinois and later studied Musical Theatre at International University in San Diego. In 1989, while in the UK to study Shakespeare, he landed his first professional role, starring as Billy Crocker (opposite Elaine Paige) in the Cole Porter musical "Anything Goes." Since then he has entertained theater audiences in the West End, on Broadway and even in his native Scotland.

On the big screen, Barrowman has appeared as the Lead Tenor in The Producers, as Jack in the Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely, and as he star of cult classic Megalodon: Shark Attack 3. He had a supporting role in the Oscar-winning film Zero Dark Thirty, and appeared in Vertigo Films' All Stars this year.

His most famous television role is of course Captain Jack Harkness, whose first appearance in the revamped DOCTOR WHO created such an impact that he was given his own spin off series, TORCHWOOD.

On TV, he's hosted TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT and KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, and appeared in CENTRAL PARK WEST, TITANS, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, SCANDAL and the sexy new ARROW.

We Love Soaps (just barely) caught up with Barrowman as he and his husband, Scott Gill, were en route from In-and-Out Burger to San Diego Comic Con.

"The years I was doing TORCHWOOD and DOCTOR WHO it was a Captain Jack thing," he explained about his annual journey to Comic Con. "This time I'll be going as myself but also under the ARROW auspice. This year, with the books my sister (Carole E. Barrowman) and I have written, 'Hollow Earth' and 'Bone Quill,' we're doing stuff for that. I go as myself and whichever companies want to utilize me I open myself up for it and say, 'I'm ready.'"

Aren't sci-fi fans some of the most passionate, loyal, lifelong fans?

"Yes, and I can say myself because I'm one of those fans," Barrowman says. "I'm a fan of other sci-fi shows just as people are fans of mine from sci-fi stuff. They are the most passionate, and that's great for us as the actors. It means we've made an impact with the characters we've played, and the stories that the show has been bringing forward. It's a great thing."

Today in Soap Opera History (June 29)

On this date in...

1915: Future soap opera legend Ruth Warrick (ex-Phoebe, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Hannah, PEYTON PLACE; ex-Janet, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Edie, AS THE WORLD TURNS) was born.

1943: Radio soap opera LONELY WOMEN, created by Irna Phillips, debuted on NBC Radio.

1956: THE GUIDING LIGHT aired for the final time on CBS Radio. The show remained on CBS-TV until September 2009.

1956: On the final episode of long-running radio soap opera YOUNG WIDDER BROWN, Dr. Anthony Loring (Ned Weaver) stopped Ellen Brown (Wendy Drew) just before she left Simpsonville for Chicago. He proposed marriage and she accepted.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 28)

On this date in...

1966: On the second episode of DARK SHADOWS, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) watched as Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) collapsed, then went back back upstairs unseen.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 22)

On this date in...

1958: Soap star and writer Ann Flood married TV executive Herbert A. Granath. She was working as an NBC tour guide at Radio City Music Hall when they met.

1963: President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The clip below features Walter Cronkite breaking into the live broadcast of AS THE WORLD TURNS at 1:40 p.m. to deliver the news shots had been fired at President Kennedy's motorcade in Dallas and that first reports indicated the president was seriously wounded.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 29)

On this date in...

1915: Future soap opera legend Ruth Warrick (ex-Phoebe, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Hannah, PEYTON PLACE; ex-Janet, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Edie, AS THE WORLD TURNS) was born.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 28)

On this date in...

1966: On the second episode of DARK SHADOWS, Vicki watched as Liz collapsed, then went back back upstairs unseen.

1971: On ANOTHER WORLD, Russ (Sam Groom) and Cindy admitted they loved each other.   Groom left the show two weeks later.  When Russ and Cindy married in September 1972, Robert Hover was playing Russ.

1974: Actor Frank Sutton died at age 50.  Best known for his role as Sgt. Carter on GOMER PYLE, Sutton also played Sgt. Fitzsimmons on THE EDGE OF NIGHT and Joe Sullivan on THE SECRET STORM.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 22)

On this date in...

1958: Soap star and writer Ann Flood married TV executive Herbert A. Granath. She was working as an NBC tour guide at Radio City Music Hall when they met.

1963: President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The clip below features Walter Cronkite breaking into the live broadcast of AS THE WORLD TURNS at 1:40 p.m. to deliver the news shots had been fired at President Kennedy's motorcade in Dallas and that first reports indicated the president was seriously wounded.

Today in Soap Opera History

On this date in...

1915: Future soap opera legend Ruth Warrick (ex-Phoebe, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Hannah, PEYTON PLACE; ex-Janet, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Edie, AS THE WORLD TURNS) was born.

1943: Radio soap opera LONELY WOMEN, created by Irna Phillips, debuted on NBC Radio.

1956: THE GUIDING LIGHT aired its final radio episode on CBS Radio.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Debbie Lytton (ex-Melissa, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 44
Clementine Ford (Mackenzie, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Molly, THE L WORD) - 31

Today in Soap Opera History

On this date in...

1996: Stephen Nichols debuted as Stefan Cassadine on GENERAL HOSPITAL.

1996: CBS-TV's short-lived primetime soap CENTRAL PARK WEST aired its final episode.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Nancy Reardon (ex-Kathleen, RYAN'S HOPE) - 69
Tichina Arnold (ex-Zena, RYAN'S HOPE; ex-Sharla, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 42
Steve Burton (Jason, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 41

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Mariel Hemingway (ex-Stephanie, CENTRAL PARK WEST) - 49
Winsor Harmon (Thorne, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Del, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 47

TRIVIA: Harmon was born on the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.