Today in Soap Opera History (December 18)

1975: Delia took action to save her marriage on Ryan's Hope.
1979: Deer hunters shot at Deborah on The Edge of Night.
1985: Santa Barbara's Lionel (Don Stewart) apologized to Brick.
2006: One Life to Live's Blair worried about her baby.

"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...

1946: DuMont Television Network aired the final episode of the first network TV soap opera, Faraway Hill. The show, created by David P. Lewis, premiered two and a half months earlier on October 2nd.

1967: On The Doctors, when Dr. Matt Powers (James Pritchett) told Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) that she had violated the "morals clause" in her contract by becoming pregnant, Althea railed against a system that didn't hold the father of the baby equally accountable.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 2)

1946: TV's first network soap opera premiered on DuMont.
1963: Hope Bauer was born on The Guiding Light.
1987: Chase Gioberti was presumed dead on Falcon Crest.
2009: Crystal Chappell returned to Days of our Lives as Carly.

"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...

1944: Procter & Gamble soap opera Rosemary premiered on NBC Radio. The show was created by Elaine Carrington and ran until July 1, 1955, switched from NBC to CBS on March 26, 1945.

1946: David P. Lewis' Faraway Hill premiered on the DuMont Network as the very first television soap opera broadcast on a network. The show lasted until December 18. The plot revolved around a widowed New Yorker, Karen St. John (played by Flora Campbell), who moved to a small town to be near relatives. NBC and DuMont were the only two networks in operation at that point.

Today in Soap Opera History (December 18)

1975: Delia took action to save her marriage on Ryan's Hope.
1979: Deer hunters shot at Deborah on The Edge of Night.
1985: Santa Barbara's Lionel (Don Stewart) apologized to Brick.
2006: One Life to Live's Blair worried about her baby.

"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...

1946: DuMont Television Network aired the final episode of the first network TV soap opera, Faraway Hill. The show, created by David P. Lewis, premiered two and a half months earlier on October 2nd.

1967: On The Doctors, when Dr. Matt Powers (James Pritchett) told Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) that she had violated the "morals clause" in her contract by becoming pregnant, Althea railed against a system that didn't hold the father of the baby equally accountable.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 2)

1946: TV's first network soap opera premiered on DuMont.
1963: Hope Bauer was born on The Guiding Light.
1987: Chase Gioberti was presumed dead on Falcon Crest.
2009: Crystal Chappell returned to Days of our Lives as Carly.

"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...

1944: Procter & Gamble soap opera Rosemary premiered on NBC Radio. The show was created by Elaine Carrington and ran until July 1, 1955, switched from NBC to CBS on March 26, 1945.

1946: David P. Lewis' Faraway Hill premiered on the DuMont Network as the very first television soap opera broadcast on a network. The show lasted until December 18. The plot revolved around a widowed New Yorker, Karen St. John (played by Flora Campbell), who moved to a small town to be near relatives. NBC and DuMont were the only two networks in operation at that point.

Today in Soap Opera History (December 18)

1975: Delia took action to save her marriage on Ryan's Hope.
1979: Deer hunters shot at Deborah on The Edge of Night.
1985: Santa Barbara's Lionel (Don Stewart) apologized to Brick.
2006: One Life to Live's Blair worried about her baby.

"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...

1946: DuMont Television Network aired the final episode of the first network TV soap opera, Faraway Hill. The show, created by David P. Lewis, premiered two and a half months earlier on October 2nd.

1967: On The Doctors, when Dr. Matt Powers (James Pritchett) told Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) that she had violated the "morals clause" in her contract by becoming pregnant, Althea railed against a system that didn't hold the father of the baby equally accountable.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 2)

1946: TV's first network soap opera premiered on DuMont.
1963: Hope Bauer was born on The Guiding Light.
1987: Chase Gioberti was presumed dead on Falcon Crest.
2009: Crystal Chappell returned to Days of our Lives as Carly.

"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...

1944: Procter & Gamble soap opera Rosemary premiered on NBC Radio. The show was created by Elaine Carrington and ran until July 1, 1955, switched from NBC to CBS on March 26, 1945.

1946: David P. Lewis' Faraway Hill premiered on the DuMont Network as the very first television soap opera broadcast on a network. The show lasted until December 18. The plot revolved around a widowed New Yorker, Karen St. John (played by Flora Campbell), who moved to a small town to be near relatives. NBC and DuMont were the only two networks in operation at that point.

Today in Soap Opera History (December 18)

1975: Delia took action to save her marriage on Ryan's Hope.
1979: Deer hunters shot at Deborah on The Edge of Night.
1985: Santa Barbara's Lionel (Don Stewart) apologized to Brick.
2006: One Life to Live's Blair worried about her baby.

"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...

1946: DuMont Television Network aired the final episode of the first network TV soap opera, Faraway Hill. The show, created by David P. Lewis, premiered two and a half months earlier on October 2nd.

1975: On Ryan's Hope, Delia (Ilene Kristen) interrupted Frank's (Michael Hawkins) meeting with the district leaders and announced she was to blame for their issues. As the group debated what to do, Charley spoke out in support of Frank. Frank confronted Delia about her actions and just as he was about to inform her that their marriage was over, Charley walked in to tell them Delia saved the day for Frank, which made Frank realize he was trapped in his marriage with Delia.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 2)

1946: TV's first network soap opera premiered on DuMont.
1963: Hope Bauer was born on The Guiding Light.
1987: Chase Gioberti was presumed dead on Falcon Crest.
2009: Crystal Chappell returned to Days of our Lives as Carly.

"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."
― Maya Angelou

"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...

1944: Procter & Gamble soap opera Rosemary premiered on NBC Radio. The show was created by Elaine Carrington and ran until July 1, 1955, switched from NBC to CBS on March 26, 1945.

1946: David P. Lewis' Faraway Hill premiered on the DuMont Network as the very first television soap opera broadcast on a network. The show lasted until December 18. The plot revolved around a widowed New Yorker, Karen St. John (played by Flora Campbell), who moved to a small town to be near relatives. NBC and DuMont were the only two networks in operation at that point.

Today in Soap Opera History (December 18)

1975: Delia took action to save her marriage on Ryan's Hope.
1979: Deer hunters shot at Deborah on The Edge of Night.
1985: Santa Barbara's Lionel apologized to Brick.
2006: One Life to Live's Blair worried about her baby.

"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...

1946: DuMont Television Network aired the final episode of the first network TV soap opera, Faraway Hill. The show, created by David P. Lewis, premiered two and a half months earlier on October 2nd.

1975: On Ryan's Hope, Delia (Ilene Kristen) interrupted Frank's (Michael Hawkins) meeting with the district leaders and announced she was to blame for their issues. As the group debated what to do, Charley spoke out in support of Frank. Frank confronted Delia about her actions and just as he was about to inform her that their marriage was over, Charley walked in to tell them Delia saved the day for Frank, which made Frank realize he was trapped in his marriage with Delia.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 2)

1946: TV's first network soap opera premiered. 1981: GH's Robert
left the WSB. 1987: Chase Gioberti died on Falcon Crest.
2009: Crystal Chappell returned to Days of our Lives.

"History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future."
― Robert Penn Warren

"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...

1944: Procter & Gamble soap opera Rosemary premiered on NBC Radio. The show was created by Elaine Carrington and ran until July 1, 1955, switched from NBC to CBS on March 26, 1945.

1946: David P. Lewis' Faraway Hill premiered on the DuMont Network as the very first television soap opera broadcast on a network. The show lasted until December 18. The plot revolved around a widowed New Yorker, Karen St. John (played by Flora Campbell), who moved to a small town to be near relatives. NBC and DuMont were the only two networks in operation at that point.

Today in Soap Opera History (December 18)

1979: Deer hunters shot at Deborah on EON. 1987: RH's
Dakota had news for Johnny. 1987: AMC's Jesse shared
his fear about AIDS. 2006: OLTL's Blair worried about her
baby.

"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...

1946: DuMont Television Network aired the final episode of the first network TV soap opera, FARAWAY HILL, created by David P. Lewis. The show had premiered two and a half months earlier on October 2nd.

1979: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, two hunters shot at Deborah (Frances Fisher) in the woods thinking she was a deer.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 2)

1946: TV's first network soap opera premiered. 1981: GH's Robert
left the WSB. 1987: Chase Gioberti died on FALCON CREST.
2009: Crystal Chappell returned to DAYS.

"We should always be aware that what now lies in the past once lay in the future."
― F.W. Maitland

"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...

1944: Procter & Gamble soap opera ROSEMARY premiered on NBC Radio. The show was created by Elaine Carrington and ran until July 1, 1955, switched from NBC to CBS on March 26, 1945.

1946: FARAWAY HILL, from David P. Lewis, premiered on the DuMont Network as the very first television soap opera broadcast on a network. The show lasted until December 18. The plot revolved around a widowed New Yorker, Karen St. John (played by Flora Campbell), who moved to a small town to be near relatives. NBC and DuMont were the only two networks in operation at that point.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 2)

On this date in...

1944: Procter & Gamble's ROSEMARY premiered on NBC Radio.  The show was created by Elaine Carrington.

1946: FARAWAY HILL, from David P. Lewis, debuted on the DuMont Network. It was the very first television soap opera broadcast on a network. The show lasted until December 18. The plot revolved around a widowed New Yorker, Karen St. John (played by Flora Campbell), who moved to a small town to be near relatives. NBC and DuMont were the only two networks in operation at that point.

WAR BRIDE is considered to be the first television soap overall, debuting a few months earlier on WRGB, a General Electric Station in Schenectady, New York.  The show was the 13-part story of a returning GI and his new wife.

1985: On DYNASTY, the Carrington Clan returned to Denver for Luke Fuller's funeral.

1986: On SANTA BARBARA, Keith (Justin Deas) shared his feeling about his sister with Gina (Robin Mattson).