Today in Soap Opera History (August 23)

1960: Alan was unhappy with Susan on The Secret Storm.
1984: Jonathan had Nola Star Trek style fantasy on Guiding Light.
2000: Jensen Ackles made his last appearance on Days of our Lives.
2006: Jeffrey Carlson debuted as Zarf on All My Children.

"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...

1960: On The Secret Storm, Bryan Fuller (Carl King) was invited over for dinner with Susan (Mary Foskett) and Alan Dunbar (James Vickery), who was less than thrilled about it.

Find out more about The Secret Storm in Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm'.

Today in Soap Opera History (August 23)

1960: Alan was unhappy with Susan on The Secret Storm.
1984: Jonathan had Nola Star Trek style fantasy on Guiding Light.
2000: Jensen Ackles made his last appearance on Days of our Lives.
2006: Jeffrey Carlson debuted as Zarf on All My Children.

"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...

1960: On The Secret Storm, Bryan Fuller (Carl King) was invited over for dinner with Susan (Mary Foskett) and Alan Dunbar (James Vickery), who was less than thrilled about it.

Find out more about The Secret Storm in Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm'.

Today in Soap Opera History (August 23)

1960: Alan was unhappy with Susan on The Secret Storm.
1984: Jonathan had Nola Star Trek style fantasy on Guiding Light.
2000: Jensen Ackles made his last appearance on Days of our Lives.
2006: Jeffrey Carlson debuted as Zarf on All My Children.

"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...

1960: On The Secret Storm, Bryan Fuller (Carl King) was invited over for dinner with Susan (Mary Foskett) and Alan Dunbar (James Vickery), who was less than thrilled about it.

Find out more about The Secret Storm in Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm'.

Today in Soap Opera History (August 23)

1960: Alan was unhappy with Susan on The Secret Storm.
1984: Jonathan had Nola Star Trek style fantasy on Guiding Light.
2000: Jensen Ackles made his last appearance on Days of our Lives.
2006: Jeffrey Carlson debuted as Zarf on All My Children.

"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...

1960: On The Secret Storm, Bryan Fuller (Carl King) was invited over for dinner with Susan (Mary Foskett) and Alan Dunbar (James Vickery), who was less than thrilled about it.

Find out more about The Secret Storm in Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm'.

Today in Soap Opera History (August 23)

1960: Alan was unhappy with Susan on The Secret Storm.
1984: Jonathan had Nola Star Trek style fantasy on Guiding Light.
2000: Jensen Ackles made his last appearance on Days of our Lives.
2006: Jeffrey Carlson debuted as Zarf on All My Children.

"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...

1960: On The Secret Storm, Bryan Fuller (Carl King) was invited over for dinner with Susan (Mary Foskett) and Alan Dunbar (James Vickery), who was less than thrilled about it.

Find out more about The Secret Storm in Remembering Woodbridge: A History of the Late, Great 'Secret Storm'.

Frank Runyeon Visiting 'The Young and the Restless'

Frank Runyeon -- Photo Credit: Sean Smith/JPIstudios.com

Actor Frank Runyeon will appear on the The Young and the Restless in the May 28 and June 2 episodes, according to TV Insider. Runyeon will be playing an an angel named, appropriately enough, Angel.

"I'm L.A.-based and, apparently, they were looking for a guy who looks sort of Biblical and Chuck thought of me," Runyeon said. "I mean, who else is so stupid they'll walk around with a beard and long hair looking for a job in Hollywood? Me! [Laughs] I'm that stupid! And it's such an interesting thing to play an angel. I mean, how do you do that exactly? There are no rules, so I just sort of winged it. Hey, if Brian Frons could play God on Santa Barbara, I can certainly do this!"

Runyeon starred in As the World Turns as Steve Andropoulos from 1980-1986. His pairing with Meg Ryan's Betsy Stewart (later played by Lindsay Frost) was one of the most memorable in soap opera history coming in at #27 in our 2012 countdown.

Runyeon then moved to Santa Barbara where he played Father Michael Donnelly from 1988-1991, working with current Y&R executive producers Jill Farren Phelps and Chuck Pratt Jr. He guest-starred as a priest on Melrose Place in 1996 and guest-starred on All My Children in 2008-2009 as Forrest Williams, Reese's (Tamara Braun).

NEWS: Luis Avalos, William Roache, Frank Runyeon, Paul James, Robin Strasser, Lauralee Bell

ELECTRIC COMPANY Actor Luis Avalos Dies at 67
Luis Avalos, the Cuban-born character actor best known for his work on the PBS kids show The Electric Company, died Wednesday after suffering a recent heart attack. He was 67.

Avalos played Doctor Doolots -- a composite of Doctor Dolittle and Groucho Marx who used words to cure his patients -- and many other characters on the show. He came on board in 1972 during the second season and remained part of the cast until ELECTRIC COMPANY wrapped in 1977.

He also played Jose Melendez in RYAN'S HOPE in 1978.

CORONATION STREET's William Roache acquitted of one of seven abuse charges
Jurors at Preston Crown Court were directed to acquit Roache of the indecent assault charge because of insufficient evidence. Roache is still on trial over two rape and four indecent assault allegations. He denies the charges, which relate to incidents between 1965 and 1971.

Today in Soap Opera History (August 23)

1960: Alan was unhappy about Susan's dinner guest on THE
SECRET STORM. 1984: Jonathan fantasized about getting rid of
Nola STAR TREK style on GL. 2000: Jensen Ackles left DAYS.
2006: Jeffrey Carlson debuted as Zarf on AMC.

"Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times."
-Machiavelli

"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...

1960: On THE SECRET STORM, Bryan (Carl King) was invited over for dinner with Susan (Mary Foskett) and Alan (James Vickery), who was less than thrilled about it.

Today in Soap Opera History (August 23)

On this date in...

1966: On ANOTHER WORLD, Danny Fargo (Antony Ponzini) and Missy Palmer (Carol Roux) were married.

1974: Patty Weaver debuted as Trish Clayton on DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

1989: On GUIDING LIGHT, Sarah (Audrey Peters) warned Reva (Kim Zimmer) that adopted children sometimes look for their birth mothers.

50 Greatest Soap Couples: #27 Steve & Betsy From AS THE WORLD TURNS

COUPLE: Steve Andropoulos & Betsy Stewart
SHOW: AS THE WORLD TURNS
RANK: 27
PLAYED BY:
Steve: Frank Runyeon
Betsy: Meg Ryan, Lindsay Frost
YEARS: 1982-1986

STORY:
Betsy lived with her step-mother, Kim (Kathryn Hays), and Kim's new husband, Nick Andropoulos (Michael Forest).  Nick's younger brother, Steve, had a troubled past including an affairs with Nick's first wife, and had served time in jail for his part in James Stenbeck's drug smuggling ring.  After his release from prison, Betsy and Steve began to fall in love. She offered to give him money from her trust to help him start a business but he refused.  Nick suspected Steve was only after Betsy's money and angrily confronted him.  Nick had a heart attack and on his deathbed made Betsy agree to never see Steve again.

CLASSIC CLIP: Betsy's Tragic Car Crash on AS THE WORLD TURNS (1984)

Just after Steve and Betsy were married on AS THE WORLD TURNS in 1984, Betsy was injured in a serious car crash. Watch the clip below:

CLASSIC CLIP: Meg Ryan & Frank Runyeon on Game Shows

AS THE WORLD TURNS stars Meg Ryan and Frank Runyeon (Betsy & Steve) modeled the first item up for bid on THE PRICE IS RIGHT in 1984. Watch the clip below:

Today in Soap Opera History (August 23)

On this date in...

1989: On GUIDING LIGHT, Sarah warned Reva that adopted children sometimes look for their birth mothers.

CLASSIC CLIP: Steve & Betsy in AS THE WORLD TURNS

AS THE WORLD TURNS supercouple Steve & Betsy are fondly remembered by fans to this day. In the clip below, Steve tells Betsy that Diana McColl never meant anything to him.