Today in Soap Opera History (March 28)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Maeve tried to reason with her son-in-law.
1983: Guiding Light's Silas held Quint at gunpoint.
1997: The final episode of ABC daytime soap opera The City.
2008: Guiding Light's Gus crashed his motorcycle.

"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...

1955: On Hawkins Falls, reporter Mitch Fredericks (Jim Bannon) and Millie Flagle (Ros Twohey) persuaded the biggest donor to the town's fair, Andy Anderson, that he had psychic powers. Once Andy was convinced of his abilities, Mitch got him to predict that Hawkins Falls would become a booming industrial city, with the intention of printing a story quoting Andy's predictions. Mitch believed he could fulfill the prophecy by publishing it, thus bringing interest and future success to Hawkins Falls.

Today in Soap Opera History (March 28)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Maeve tried to reason with her son-in-law.
1983: Guiding Light's Silas held Quint at gunpoint.
1997: The final episode of ABC daytime soap opera The City.
2008: Guiding Light's Gus crashed his motorcycle.

"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...

1955: On Hawkins Falls, reporter Mitch Fredericks (Jim Bannon) and Millie Flagle (Ros Twohey) persuaded the biggest donor to the town's fair, Andy Anderson, that he had psychic powers. Once Andy was convinced of his abilities, Mitch got him to predict that Hawkins Falls would become a booming industrial city, with the intention of printing a story quoting Andy's predictions. Mitch believed he could fulfill the prophecy by publishing it, thus bringing interest and future success to Hawkins Falls.

Today in Soap Opera History (March 28)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Maeve tried to reason with her son-in-law.
1983: Guiding Light's Silas held Quint at gunpoint.
1997: The final episode of ABC daytime soap opera The City.
2008: Guiding Light's Gus crashed his motorcycle.

"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...

1955: On Hawkins Falls, reporter Mitch Fredericks (Jim Bannon) and Millie Flagle (Ros Twohey) persuaded the biggest donor to the town's fair, Andy Anderson, that he had psychic powers. Once Andy was convinced of his abilities, Mitch got him to predict that Hawkins Falls would become a booming industrial city, with the intention of printing a story quoting Andy's predictions. Mitch believed he could fulfill the prophecy by publishing it, thus bringing interest and future success to Hawkins Falls.

Today in Soap Opera History (March 28)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Maeve tried to reason with her son-in-law.
1983: Guiding Light's Silas held Quint at gunpoint.
1997: The final episode of ABC daytime soap opera The City.
2008: Guiding Light's Gus crashed his motorcycle.

"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...

1955: On Hawkins Falls, reporter Mitch Fredericks (Jim Bannon) and Millie Flagle (Ros Twohey) persuaded the biggest donor to the town's fair, Andy Anderson, that he had psychic powers. Once Andy was convinced of his abilities, Mitch got him to predict that Hawkins Falls would become a booming industrial city, with the intention of printing a story quoting Andy's predictions. Mitch believed he could fulfill the prophecy by publishing it, thus bringing interest and future success to Hawkins Falls.

Today in Soap Opera History (March 28)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Maeve tried to reason with her son-in-law.
1983: Guiding Light's Silas held Quint at gunpoint.
1997: The final episode of ABC daytime soap opera The City.
2008: Guiding Light's Gus crashed his motorcycle.

"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...

1955: On Hawkins Falls, reporter Mitch Fredericks (Jim Bannon) and Millie Flagle (Ros Twohey) persuaded the biggest donor to the town's fair, Andy Anderson, that he had psychic powers. Once Andy was convinced of his abilities, Mitch got him to predict that Hawkins Falls would become a booming industrial city, with the intention of printing a story quoting Andy's predictions. Mitch believed he could fulfill the prophecy by publishing it, thus bringing interest and future success to Hawkins Falls.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Elvera Roussel, Anita Gillette, Denise Pence & Victoria Mallory

With THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS celebrating its 40th anniversary this month, many fans have been remembering Victoria Mallory and her portrayal of Leslie Brooks, and asking what she's up to now. Last Wednesday, she performed at a staged reading of "Good Girls Only," a Rehearsal Club Musical produced by GUIDING LIGHT alum Denise Pence.

Also in attendance that night were two other soap alums: Elvera Roussel, who starred as Hope Bauer Spaulding in GUIDING LIGHT, and Anita Gillette, who played roles in THE EDGE OF NIGHT and SEARCH FOR TOMORROW.

Photo: Sue Coflin/Max Photos

CLASSIC GL PHOTOS OF THE DAY: Alan Spaulding

The We Love Soaps classic photo tribute to GUIDING LIGHT continues with a look at the original Alan Spaulding, played by the late Christopher Bernau who died in 1989. Bernau debuted on GUIDING LIGHT in 1977 and instantly became the center of many stories, the impact of which is still be played out today (with Ron Raines in the role). When Bernau became too ill to work in the late 1980s, Daniel Pilon subbed until he could return. After Bernau's death, Pilon continued in the role. In the photo above, Bernau is pictured with Elvera Roussel who played Hope Bauer Spaulding.