Today in Soap Opera History (November 21)

1980: Dallas' Sue Ellen remembered Kristin shot J.R.
1988: Santa Barbra's Julia stopped her wedding to "Mason".
1989: Another World's Sharlene and John married.
1995: One Life to Live's Todd was shot in Ireland.

"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...

1938: Radio soap opera Central City premiered on NBC Blue. The Blackett-Sample-Hummert serial told the story of a blue-collar manufacturing hub of 50,000 denizens. Elspeth Eric starred as Emily Olson with Van Heflin as Bob Shellenberger. Heflin was eventually replaced by Myron McCormick.

1957: On The Edge of Night, Billy Harper (Pud Flanagan) accidentally overheard Mary's (Anne Sargeant) confession that he was not Roger's son.

1977: On Guiding Light, unwilling to burden Ben McFarren (Stephen Yates) with her impending blindness, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) postponed their Thanksgiving wedding.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 21)

1980: Dallas' Sue Ellen remembered Kristin shot J.R.
1988: Santa Barbra's Julia stopped her wedding to "Mason".
1989: Another World's Sharlene and John married.
1995: One Life to Live's Todd was shot in Ireland.

"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...

1938: Radio soap opera Central City premiered on NBC Blue. The Blackett-Sample-Hummert serial told the story of a blue-collar manufacturing hub of 50,000 denizens. Elspeth Eric starred as Emily Olson with Van Heflin as Bob Shellenberger. Heflin was eventually replaced by Myron McCormick.

1957: On The Edge of Night, Billy Harper (Pud Flanagan) accidentally overheard Mary's (Anne Sargeant) confession that he was not Roger's son.

1977: On Guiding Light, unwilling to burden Ben McFarren (Stephen Yates) with her impending blindness, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) postponed their Thanksgiving wedding.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 21)

1980: Dallas' Sue Ellen remembered Kristin shot J.R.
1988: Santa Barbra's Julia stopped her wedding to "Mason".
1989: Another World's Sharlene and John married.
1995: One Life to Live's Todd was shot in Ireland.

"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...

1938: Radio soap opera Central City premiered on NBC Blue. The Blackett-Sample-Hummert serial told the story of a blue-collar manufacturing hub of 50,000 denizens. Elspeth Eric starred as Emily Olson with Van Heflin as Bob Shellenberger. Heflin was eventually replaced by Myron McCormick.

1957: On The Edge of Night, Billy Harper (Pud Flanagan) accidentally overheard Mary's (Anne Sargeant) confession that he was not Roger's son.

1977: On Guiding Light, unwilling to burden Ben McFarren (Stephen Yates) with her impending blindness, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) postponed their Thanksgiving wedding.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 21)

1980: Dallas' Sue Ellen remembered Kristin shot J.R.
1988: Santa Barbra's Julia stopped her wedding to "Mason".
1989: Another World's Sharlene and John married.
1995: One Life to Live's Todd was shot in Ireland.

"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...

1938: Radio soap opera Central City premiered on NBC Blue. The Blackett-Sample-Hummert serial told the story of a blue-collar manufacturing hub of 50,000 denizens. Elspeth Eric starred as Emily Olson with Van Heflin as Bob Shellenberger. Heflin was eventually replaced by Myron McCormick.

1957: On The Edge of Night, Billy Harper (Pud Flanagan) accidentally overheard Mary's (Anne Sargeant) confession that he was not Roger's son.

1977: On Guiding Light, unwilling to burden Ben McFarren (Stephen Yates) with her impending blindness, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) postponed their Thanksgiving wedding.

Linda Gray Shares Her Story in "The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction" Out September 8

When Dallas icon Linda Gray was 20 years old, a magazine editor coldly rejected her as a model, writing that, perhaps one day, “you might shape into something.” Since then, Linda has been evolving and growing, and has shaped into a role model for women of every age in her grace, beauty, generosity, and wisdom. She’s been through more pain and tragedy than her longtime fans realize, having suffered paralyzing polio as a child, growing up with an alcoholic mother, landing in a emotionally abusive marriage at twenty-two and living by her husband’s rules for sixteen years before she openly rebelled against him to take an acting class. At thirty-eight, Linda got her big break, as Larry Hagman’s wife on Dallas. With fame came a bitter, public divorce, trouble at home with her two kids, and the loss of her beloved sister to breast cancer. Linda got through it all—the challenges of sexism in Hollywood and the pressures of being a single working mom—with a relentlessly positive attitude that kept her cruising, with a few speed bumps, to the place of serenity she thrives in now.

To celebrate her 75th birthday, Linda is opening up about her life for the first time. In her new book, "The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction," she tells deeply personal stories with wit, humor, and candor, and reveals how she’s learned to love every day as the blessing it is and to treat herself with the kindness she bestows on friends and strangers alike. Along with wisdom, Linda has accumulated a lot of practical tips about maintaining a healthy lifestyle—how to strengthen and detoxify your body, liberate your mind, and uplift your soul—and shares them as well. Her message to “give, love, and shine, baby, shine” will fill anyone with inspiration to live life to the fullest, and never stop pursuing honesty and joy.

Linda Gray is an award-winning actress, an accomplished director, a former United Nations Ambassador, and one of the world’s most recognized and admired stars. Her portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing, in the original TV series Dallas, brought her international fame and critical acclaim. The role also earned her an Emmy nomination for Best Actress, numerous international awards, and she was voted ‘Woman of the Year’ by The Hollywood Radio & Television Society. After eleven years as the #1 show on television, Dallas returned on TNT and ran for three seasons. She has appeared in numerous TV movies and series such as Melrose Place and The Bold and the Beautiful, as well as starring in theater productions on Broadway and in London's West End. On Monday she guest-starred on CW's Significant Mother. Last week, she appeared in the premiere of web drama Winterthorne.

"The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction" will be released on September 8, 2015. Gray will be appearing on Hallmark Channel's Home & Family on Thursday, September 10 to discuss the book.

In case you missed it, watch the Winterthorne series premiere below feature Linda Gray's fabulous guest appearance.

NEWS: Kristian Alfonso, Bradford Anderson, Krista Allen, Linda Gray, Daniel James O'Connor, Greg Rikaart

Kristian Alfonso. Photo Credit: Jim Wright

Days of our Lives star Kristian Alfonso on Bo and Hope: "There is no hope for Bo!"
"[Laughs] There is no hope for Bo! She feels so let down by him, so discarded. That’s why she filed for divorce. The last straw was his letter saying he was going undercover again—for a year! What about the wife who yearned for him? What about his daughter, who is growing up without a father? And then suddenly there’s Aiden, this handsome, debonair attorney, a guy Hope can lean on. They’re both single parents. They have similar struggles. He’s extremely feisty and a challenge—and Hope is always looking for a challenge."

General Hospital casting 9-11 year old girl
GH is seeking to fill a role described as "Caucasian, 9-11 years old. This is an ONGOING recurring Day Player. Very important role, looking for complex actress." It's possible this is a recast of Josslyn, whose current portrayer, Hannah Nordberg, has been unavailable to the show of late; she booked a role in NBC's upcoming Dolly Parton biopic, Coat of Many Colors.

Daniel James O'Connor leaves General Hospital writing team, remains at ABC
"Thank you to the amazing GH team & fans for a great 3yrs," O'Connor tweeted on Monday. "My last ep airs today. Hope it goes off without a hitch... Happy to still be part of ABC on a new project. Stay tuned."

The Young and the Restless star Greg Rikaart wraps guest stint at TNT's Major Crimes
Tweeted Rikaart: "Episode wrap for Bobby G. Monroe. Cannot overstate how lovely, talented & welcoming the @MajorCrimesTNT folks are. Such a great time."

Bradford Anderson set to make another return to General Hospital

Days of our Lives alum Krista Allen was thrilled Significant Mother cast Linda Gray as her mom
"First of all, when I found out that Linda Gray was going to play my Mom, I absolutely fangirled out so hard. I was so excited. I was also a huge fan of Dallas, a huge fan of Linda Gray. I’ve always thought she was fantastic and it was a real big deal. Linda Gray is playing my mother! It was amazing. When she first came to the set, I just gushed. I was so happy and welcomed her. We had such a great time shooting. She was wonderful. She was just wonderful. She’s such a great lady and so talented and so funny and so easy to work with and everyone loved her. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Linda Gray. She’s fantastic."

Gray guest stars on Monday night's episode of Significant Mother on The CW.

Watch the Premiere of Michael Caruso's 'Winterthorne'

Winterthorne stars Martha Madison as Miranda Winterthorne.

Micheal Caruso's long-awaited new drama series, Winterthorne, has premiered! The saga of Miranda Winterthorne and her rise to power to control the family’s multi-million dollar candy business stars Martha Madison in the lead role. Who knew that Madison, Belle on Days of our Lives, could play such a cold hard bitch? She does in Winterthorne! But what made Miranda this way?

The first episode of the four-part online event features a wonderful guest appearance by Dallas star Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing!) as Joanna, Miranda's mother.

"I failed you," Joanna tells Miranda. "I never raised you to question the world around you. I wanted to teach you power, but inadvertently I taught you complacency."

The cast includes Caruso (DeVanity), John-Paul Lavoisier (Days of our Lives, One Life to Live), Linda Gray (Dallas), Kathleen Gati (General Hospital), Kirsten Storms (General Hospital), Gordon Thomson (Dynasty, Santa Barbara), Kevin Spirtas (Days of our Lives), Ron Hanks (Golden California) and Josh Thrower (90210, The Young and The Restless).

Watch the premiere below:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Michael Caruso Previews His Highly-Anticipated Drama 'Winterthorne'

Michael Caruso created and co-stars in Winterthorne,
premiering Thursday, August 27 at 6 p.m. ET.

Michael Caruso graduated from Syracuse University with a B.F.A. in Drama. After leaving New York City he moved to Los Angeles and appeared in indie movies The Blackout and Mind the Gap. He went on to create and star in the Emmy nominated series DeVanity, which ran for four successful seasons. The Indie Series Award winner has written promo work for FOX's Empire, and became a series regular on Pretty, in addition to guest stints on Acting Dead, and Progress: Ask A Cam Harlot over the past year. We are now just three days away from the premiere of Caruso's highly-anticipated new drama series Winterthorne, which he created and co-stars in.

Winterthorne is the story of Miranda Winterthorne and her rise to power to control the family’s multi-million dollar candy business. Martha Madison leads the stellar cast, which also includes John-Paul Lavoisier (Days of our Lives, One Life to Live), Linda Gray (Dallas), Kathleen Gati (General Hospital), Kirsten Storms (General Hospital), Gordon Thomson (Dynasty, Santa Barbara), Kevin Spirtas (Days of our Lives), Ron Hanks (Golden California) and Josh Thrower (90210, The Young and The Restless).

We Love Soaps spoke with Caruso to get the scoop on what fans can expect from Winterthorne. Read our exclusive interview below.

WE LOVE SOAPS: What inspired you to write Winterthorne?
MICHAEL CARUSO: After DeVanity was finished, I really needed a break. We had basically not stopped in four years, and I took a little time off, though not as much as I was originally anticipating. I started getting cravings to work again, and much like how my grandmother had inspired me with DeVanity from her love of her super soaps of the '80s, my grandma loved candy. When I was a kid she use to get gum drops and cinnamon bears and all this fun stuff, and we would talk and eat candy together.  It was a really lovely memory. Nobody's done a show about candy before, and I thought it would be fun to take something very innocent and happy on the surface and add a very dark undercurrent to it, and kind of create a family that used something like this as a front for something much deeper and scarier. That's pretty much how Winterthorne was born.

'Winterthorne' Releases Sweet New Trailer

Kirsten Storms plays Selene Winterthorne, the younger sister of
Miranda (Martha Madison), who returns after being absent for many years
with an offer to change the candy company empire forever.

The trailer has been released for Michael Caruso's upcoming drama Winterthorne, starring Martha Madison (Days of Our Lives) in the story of Miranda Winterthorne and her complicated family's multi-million dollar candy business.

Caruso (DeVanity) will also star in the series, whose cast includes John-Paul Lavoisier (One Life to Live), Linda Gray (Dallas), Kathleen Gati (General Hospital), Kirsten Storms (General Hospital), Gordon Thomson (Dynasty, Santa Barbara), Kevin Spirtas (Days of our Lives), Ron Hanks (Golden California) and Josh Thrower (90210, The Young and The Restless).

The trailer includes great quotes such as "I always thought Candy was supposed to be fun" and "Winterthorne women never beg!" (courtesy of Gray, who plays family matriarch Joanna Winterthorne).

Watch below:

Watch a Deleted Scene From the Upcoming 'Dallas: The Complete Third and Final Season' DVD

Patrick Duffy as Bobby, Brenda Strong as Ann and Linda Gray as Sue Ellen.

"Dallas: The Complete Third and Final Season" will be released on DVD January 13, bringing Dallas back for more backstabbing, feuding and passion - and at the end of the season, a Ewing will die! This three-disc DVD collector's set features all 15 episodes from the third season, including deleted scenes.

In the deleted scene below, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) tells Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and Ann (Brenda Strong) about the plans John Ross is making to remodel Southfork.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 21)

1980: Dallas revealed who shot J.R. It was Sue Ellen's sister,
Kristin Shepard!

"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...

1938: Radio soap opera Central City premiered on NBC Blue. The Blackett-Sample-Hummert serial told the story of a blue-collar manufacturing hub of 50,000 denizens. Elspeth Eric starred as Emily Olson with Van Heflin as Bob Shellenberger. Heflin was eventually replaced by Myron McCormick.

1957: On The Edge of Night, Billy accidentally overheard Mary's confession that he was not Roger's son.

1977: On Guiding Light, unwilling to burden Ben (Stephen Yates) with her impending blindness, Eve (Janet Grey) postponed their Thanksgiving wedding.

Effort to Save 'Dallas' Officially Ends with Statement from Producers Cynthia Cidre and Michael Robin

An effort by fans and producers of the television show Dallas to save the canceled series have come to an end. The executive producers of the show announced Wednesday they are halting efforts to find a new home for the show.

"We have come to the end," said Cynthia Cidre and Michael Robin in a statement released today. "After a 6-week attempt to try and land our beloved Dallas at another network, we have to inform you that we have not succeeded. Warner Horizon has attempted, in a Herculean way, to try and find us a new home, but at the end of the day it did not work out."

After news of the cancellation hit the web, the #SaveDallas campaign launched with the full support of cast members including Linda Gray (Sue Ellen) and Patrick Duffy (Bobby). Fans sent approximately 1 million #SaveDallas tweets and added more than 84,000 signatures to an online petition calling for another network to pick up the show.

Cidre and Robin thanked the fans for their efforts, stating, "We so appreciate the outpouring of support by all of you, and the #SaveDallas campaign was a truly remarkable undertaking. We cannot fully express how much we loved making this show for you and with you. We had 3 wonderful years together, and we had the times of our lives bringing this iconic show back to television. Thank you for your support; thank you for your loyalty to our wonderful characters; and thank you for watching our show."

RELATED:
- 36 Years Ago Today, J.R. Slapped Pregnant Sue Ellen

A Ewing Will Die on Tonight's 'Dallas' Season Finale

A Ewing will die tonight! But which one? Dallas wraps up its third season on TNT with two new episodes on Monday, September 22, starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

"Endgame" – 9 p.m. ET/PT
While Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) races to find Elena (Jordana Brewster), Bobby (Patrick Duffy) is double-crossed by the cartel. No longer able to sit by, John Ross (Josh Henderson) puts his own life on the line to attempt a rescue. Meanwhile, Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) tries to prove himself to Elena by making a deal with the authorities that puts him on a collision course with John Ross' plan and places both their lives in jeopardy.

"Brave New World" – 10 p.m. ET/PT
The Ewings and the Rylands finally force the cartel to pay the piper as some lives are saved and others are lost. Bobby and Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) form a new alliance to protect the family, which pits them against John Ross, who is still trying to regain control of Ewing Global and fix his marriage to Pamela (Julie Gonzalo). Elena is pushed to the brink when she finds out the real depths of Nicolas' betrayal. As the season comes to an end, enemies are unmasked, new alliances are formed, and John Ross learns a shocking secret about J.R. that sends him halfway around the globe in search of a surprising new cohort.

Watch the season finale promo below:

'Dallas' Preview: Bobby Ewing To The Rescue

Antonio Jaramillo, Emma Bell and Brenda Strong. Photo Credit: Skip Bolen

In the wake of a devastating family kidnapping, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) puts everything on the line to save the lives of Ann (Brenda Strong) and Emma (Emma) on the next episode of Dallas, airing Monday, September 15 episode at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TNT.

Also in the episode, titled "Boxed In," John Ross (Josh Henderson) and Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) form a truce of sorts. Elena (Jordana Brewster), who's been in hiding with Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace), finally learns the truth about his connections to the cartel, which sends her spiraling. Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) desperately searches for Elena, fearing for her safety. And Bobby is forced to make a choice he never anticipated.

Check out a sneak peek video below:

Melinda Clarke Debuts as Tracey McKay on Tonight's Episode of 'Dallas'

Melinda Clarke (The O.C., Nikita, Days of our Lives) guest stars as Tracey McKay in tonight's episode of Dallas, airing at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TNT.

In "Victims of Love," as Ewing Global goes public, twists and turns abound while everyone scrambles to claim ownership. Pamela (Julie Gonzalo)struggles with what to do now that she knows Cliff (Ken Kercheval) didn't really kill J.R., and Bobby (Patrick Duffy) seeks the aide of an old flame Tracey McKay (guest star Melinda Clarke) to help get back control of the company. Meanwhile, Judith (Judith Light) and Harris (Mitch Pileggi) work to fix their own problems with the cartel, which ends up putting lives in the balance and aligning the Rylands and Ewings in a way no one ever expected.

Check out a sneak peek video below:

'Dallas' Preview: Dead Reckoning

Brenda Strong, Patrick Duffy and Marlene Forte.
Photo Credit: Skip Bolen

The third season TNT's Dallas continues with a new episode ("Dead Reckoning") on Monday, August 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The dark cloud over Southfork continues to grow with the news of a family death (Drew Ramos). Meanwhile, Christopher and Heather's relationship is put to the test as John Ross tries to redeem himself with Pamela, who begins to face the real reasons behind her overdose. Elsewhere, Elena makes a drastic move to get justice for her family, putting John Ross directly in her crosshairs.

Watch a sneak peek video below:

'Dallas' Mid-Season Premiere Preview: After the Fire, Southfork Still Burns

Brenda Strong, Jordana Brewster Jesse Metcalfe and Patrick Duffy in
the August 18 episode of Dallas on TNT.

The Ewing family searches for answers as to who set the fire at Southfork Ranch and who will survive, while John Ross and Emma struggle with their role in Pamela's overdose in the mid-season premiere of Dallas, Monday, August 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Dallas centers on the Ewing family, which has made a fortune in cattle ranching and oil. Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) is now the family patriarch following the death of his older brother, J.R. Ewing. The complicated and often bitter relationship between the two brothers can be seen reflected in the relationship between Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe), Bobby's adopted son, and John Ross III (Josh Henderson), the son of J.R. and former wife Sue Ellen Ewing (Linda Gray).

The summer run of TNT's Dallas opens in the aftermath of a devastating fire at Southfork Ranch and the unexpected overdose of John Ross' wife, Pamela Barnes Ewing (Julie Gonzalo). Each member of the family struggles to understand what's happened, including John Ross, whose two-timing behavior may have finally caught up with him after Pamela discovered him with another woman. To make matters worse, that other woman is Emma Ryland (Emma Bell), the daughter of Bobby's wife, Ann (Brenda Strong).

Christopher continues to reel after his engagement to Elena Ramos (Jordana Brewster) fell through, and the search for his mother ended with news that she died in 1989. He has found some comfort in a new relationship with Heather (AnnaLynne McCord), a 20-something ranch hand and single mother. But Heather's ex-husband has just returned, bringing turmoil back into her life and the life of her 5-year-old son.

DALLAS Spring Finale Preview: Southfork Will Never Be The Same

Photo Credit: Skip Bolen

The third season of TNT's DALLAS continues with the spring finale episode ("Where There's Smoke") on Monday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Relationships are jeopardized in the wake of a discovery about John Ross (Josh Henderson) and Emma (Emma Bell). Elsewhere, Bo takes drastic action, impacting Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) and Heather (AnnaLynne McCord); and Drew's (Kuno Becker) arrival in Dallas mars Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) and Elena's (Jordana Brewster) plans.

Watch a sneak peek video below:

DALLAS Preview: Bobby and Ann Work To Get Sue Ellen Released

Linda Gray. Photo Credit: Skip Bolen

The third season of TNT's DALLAS continues with a new episode ("Like a Bad Penny") on Monday, April 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and Ann (Brenda Strong) work to get Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) released; John Ross (Josh Henderson) enlists the help of one of J.R.'s last business partners; secrets come to light; Elena (Jordana Brewster) makes a decision; Drew (Kuno Becker) returns to Dallas.

Watch a sneak peek video below:

DALLAS Preview: Bobby and Sue Ellen Try To Stop John Ross

Steve Kanaly, Charlene Tilton, Linda Gray. Photo Credit: Skip Bolen

The third season of TNT's DALLAS continues with a new episode ("D.T.R.") on Monday, March 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The honeymoon is over for John Ross, as Bobby and Sue Ellen try to use the Governor (guest star Steven Weber) to stop John Ross from becoming just like his father, J.R.... a move that could divide the family forever. Meanwhile, Christopher discovers surprising details about Heather's (guest star AnnaLynne McCord) past; Cliff (guest star Ken Kercheval) persuades Elena to try a new tact in her quest for justice; and Judith (guest star Judith Light), Ryland and Ann try, with varying degrees of success, to get Emma under control.

Watch a sneak peek video below: