Today in Soap Opera History (October 10)

1975: One Live to Live's Tony and Pat got reacquainted.
1984: Guiding Light's Lillian and Phillip mourned Beth.
1995: Y&R's Victor vowed to prove Nick didn't shoot Matt.
2003: "Death" came for Sheridan Crane on Passions.

"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...

1932: General Mills-sponsored Betty and Bob debuted on NBC Blue radio. It was the first daytime show to be produced by Frank Hummert and Anne Ashenhurst. Married in 1935, the Hummerts became known as the "King & Queen of Soaps". Betty and Bob was the first true network soap opera on the air, using melodrama at its core.

1972: Victoria Thompson debuted as Janice Frame on Another World.

1975: On One Life to Live, Tony Lord (George Reinholt) got reacquainted with his ex-girlfriend and new editor of The Banner, as Pat Ashley. Pat was played by Jacqueline Courtney, who had departed Another World in July after playing Alice Matthews for 11 years. Reinholt played Steve Frame on Another World for seven years, and his pairing with Courtney as Steve and Alice was one of the most popular in soap opera history.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 10)

1975: One Live to Live's Tony and Pat got reacquainted.
1984: Guiding Light's Lillian and Phillip mourned Beth.
1995: Y&R's Victor vowed to prove Nick didn't shoot Matt.
2003: "Death" came for Sheridan Crane on Passions.

"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...

1932: General Mills-sponsored Betty and Bob debuted on NBC Blue radio. It was the first daytime show to be produced by Frank Hummert and Anne Ashenhurst. Married in 1935, the Hummerts became known as the "King & Queen of Soaps". Betty and Bob was the first true network soap opera on the air, using melodrama at its core.

1972: Victoria Thompson debuted as Janice Frame on Another World.

1975: On One Life to Live, Tony Lord (George Reinholt) got reacquainted with his ex-girlfriend and new editor of The Banner, as Pat Ashley. Pat was played by Jacqueline Courtney, who had departed Another World in July after playing Alice Matthews for 11 years. Reinholt played Steve Frame on Another World for seven years, and his pairing with Courtney as Steve and Alice was one of the most popular in soap opera history.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 10)

1975: One Live to Live's Tony and Pat got reacquainted.
1984: Guiding Light's Lillian and Phillip mourned Beth.
1995: Y&R's Victor vowed to prove Nick didn't shoot Matt.
2003: "Death" came for Sheridan Crane on Passions.

"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...

1932: General Mills-sponsored Betty and Bob debuted on NBC Blue radio. It was the first daytime show to be produced by Frank Hummert and Anne Ashenhurst. Married in 1935, the Hummerts became known as the "King & Queen of Soaps". Betty and Bob was the first true network soap opera on the air, using melodrama at its core.

1972: Victoria Thompson debuted as Janice Frame on Another World.

1975: On One Life to Live, Tony Lord (George Reinholt) got reacquainted with his ex-girlfriend and new editor of The Banner, as Pat Ashley. Pat was played by Jacqueline Courtney, who had departed Another World in July after playing Alice Matthews for 11 years. Reinholt played Steve Frame on Another World for seven years, and his pairing with Courtney as Steve and Alice was one of the most popular in soap opera history.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 10)

1975: One Live to Live's Tony and Pat got reacquainted.
1984: Guiding Light's Lillian and Phillip mourned Beth.
1995: Y&R's Victor vowed to prove Nick didn't shoot Matt.
2003: "Death" came for Sheridan Crane on Passions.

"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...

1932: General Mills-sponsored Betty and Bob debuted on NBC Blue radio. It was the first daytime show to be produced by Frank Hummert and Anne Ashenhurst. Married in 1935, the Hummerts became known as the "King & Queen of Soaps". Betty and Bob was the first true network soap opera on the air, using melodrama at its core.

1972: Victoria Thompson debuted as Janice Frame on Another World.

1975: On One Life to Live, Tony Lord (George Reinholt) got reacquainted with his ex-girlfriend and new editor of The Banner, as Pat Ashley. Pat was played by Jacqueline Courtney, who had departed Another World in July after playing Alice Matthews for 11 years. Reinholt played Steve Frame on Another World for seven years, and his pairing with Courtney as Steve and Alice was one of the most popular in soap opera history.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 10)

1975: OLTL's Tony and Pat got reacquainted. 1984: Springfield
mourned Beth Raines. 1995: Y&R's Victor Newman vowed to
prove his son's innocence. 2003: On PASSIONS, Death came
for Sheridan Crane.

"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...

1932: General Mills-sponsored BETTY AND BOB debuted on NBC Blue radio. It was the first daytime show to be produced by Frank Hummert and Anne Ashenhurst. Married in 1935, the Hummerts became known as the "King & Queen of Soaps". BETTY AND BOB was the first true network soap opera on the air, using melodrama at its core.

1972: Victoria Thompson debuted as Janice Frame on ANOTHER WORLD.

1975: On ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Tony Lord (George Reinholt) got reacquainted with his ex-girlfriend and new editor of The Banner, as Pat Ashley. Pat was played by Jacqueline Courtney, who had departed ANOTHER WORLD in July after playing Alice Matthews for 11 years. Reinholt played Steve Frame on ANOTHER WORLD for seven years, and his pairing with Courtney as Steve and Alice was one of the most popular in soap opera history.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 10)

On this date in...

1913: Longtime ONE LIFE TO LIVE director David Pressman was born. He died at age 97 on August 29, 2011. Watch his Actor's Studio interview here.

1926: Walter Mathews (ex-Gerald, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Clyde, GENERAL HOSPITAL) was born.  He was on our birthday list last year, but died earlier in 2012 on April 28 at age 85.

1932: General Mills-sponsored BETTY AND BOB debuted on NBC Blue radio.  It was the first show to be produced by Frank Hummert and Anne Ashenhurst.  They married in 1935 to become the "King & Queen of Soaps". BETTY AND BOB contained classic soap themes in a tale of "poor-but-pure" Betty Drake and her once "wealthy-but-now-disinherited" husband Bob.

1972: The character of Janice Frame debuted on ANOTHER WORLD, played by Victoria Thompson.

1975: Susan Oliver debuted as Laura Horton in DAYS OF OUR LIVES replacing Susan Flannery.

1991: On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, Lauren (Tracey E. Bregman) and Paul (Doug Davidson) had Sheila and Scott over for dinner.