Today in Soap Opera History (November 2)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Jack and Mary were locked in a storeroom.
1979: As the World Turns' Lisa wanted Hester to be fired.
1990: Guiding Light's Holly revisited the past with Roger.
2009: One Live to Live's Kyle called off his wedding to Nick.

"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...

1931: Myrt and Marge premiered as a primetime soap opera that followed the lives and escapades of two chorus girls. Creator Myrtle Vail (Damerel) pitched the idea to the Wrigley chewing gum makers, naming her lead characters Myrtle Spear and Marge Minter. Myrt and Marge became the first radio series Wrigley sponsored. The show moved to daytime in January 1937 (a few weeks before The Guiding Light premiered) and ran until 1942. Vail revived Myrt and Marge as a syndicated series from 1946-1947.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 2)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Jack and Mary were locked in a storeroom.
1979: As the World Turns' Lisa wanted Hester to be fired.
1990: Guiding Light's Holly revisited the past with Roger.
2009: One Live to Live's Kyle called off his wedding to Nick.

"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...

1931: Myrt and Marge premiered as a primetime soap opera that followed the lives and escapades of two chorus girls. Creator Myrtle Vail (Damerel) pitched the idea to the Wrigley chewing gum makers, naming her lead characters Myrtle Spear and Marge Minter. Myrt and Marge became the first radio series Wrigley sponsored. The show moved to daytime in January 1937 (a few weeks before The Guiding Light premiered) and ran until 1942. Vail revived Myrt and Marge as a syndicated series from 1946-1947. You can listen to the very first 1931 episode here.

1964: British soap Crossroads premiered on ITV.  Set in a fictional motel near Birmingham, England, the show was originally broadcast between 1964 and 1988. The series was revived by Carlton Television in 2001, but was again axed in 2003.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 2)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Jack and Mary were locked in a storeroom.
1979: As the World Turns' Lisa wanted Hester to be fired.
1990: Guiding Light's Holly revisited the past with Roger.
2009: One Live to Live's Kyle called off his wedding to Nick.

"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...

1931: Myrt and Marge premiered as a primetime soap opera that followed the lives and escapades of two chorus girls. Creator Myrtle Vail (Damerel) pitched the idea to the Wrigley chewing gum makers, naming her lead characters Myrtle Spear and Marge Minter. Myrt and Marge became the first radio series Wrigley sponsored. The show moved to daytime in January 1937 (a few weeks before The Guiding Light premiered) and ran until 1942. Vail revived Myrt and Marge as a syndicated series from 1946-1947. You can listen to the very first 1931 episode here.

1964: British soap Crossroads premiered on ITV.  Set in a fictional motel near Birmingham, England, the show was originally broadcast between 1964 and 1988. The series was revived by Carlton Television in 2001, but was again axed in 2003.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 2)

1977: Ryan's Hope's Jack and Mary were locked in a storeroom.
1979: As the World Turns' Lisa wanted Hester to be fired.
1990: Guiding Light's Holly revisited the past with Roger.
2009: One Live to Live's Kyle called off his wedding to Nick.

"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...

1931: Myrt and Marge premiered as a primetime soap opera that followed the lives and escapades of two chorus girls. Creator Myrtle Vail (Damerel) pitched the idea to the Wrigley chewing gum makers, naming her lead characters Myrtle Spear and Marge Minter. Myrt and Marge became the first radio series Wrigley sponsored. The show moved to daytime in January 1937 (a few weeks before The Guiding Light premiered) and ran until 1942. Vail revived Myrt and Marge as a syndicated series from 1946-1947. You can listen to the very first 1931 episode here.

1964: British soap Crossroads premiered on ITV.  Set in a fictional motel near Birmingham, England, the show was originally broadcast between 1964 and 1988. The series was revived by Carlton Television in 2001, but was again axed in 2003.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 2)

1979: ATWT's Lisa wanted Hester fired. 1979: Lucille continued
to obsess over Amanda's life on GL. 2000: Peggy publicly
shamed her husband on EastEnders. 2009: OLTL's Dorian
arranged a mass same-sex wedding event.

"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...

1931: Myrt and Marge premiered as a primetime soap opera that followed the lives and escapades of two chorus girls. Creator Myrtle Vail (Damerel) pitched the idea to the Wrigley chewing gum makers, naming her lead characters Myrtle Spear and Marge Minter. Myrt and Marge became the first radio series Wrigley sponsored. The show moved to daytime in January 1937 (a few weeks before The Guiding Light premiered) and ran until 1942. Vail revived Myrt and Marge as a syndicated series from 1946-1947. You can listen to the very first 1931 episode here.

1964: British soap Crossroads premiered on ITV.  Set in a fictional motel near Birmingham, England, the show was originally broadcast between 1964 and 1988. The series was revived by Carlton Television in 2001, but was again axed in 2003.

Today in Soap Opera History (November 2)

1979: ATWT's Lisa wanted Hester fired. 1979: Lucille continued
to obsess over Amanda's life on GL. 2000: Peggy publicly
shamed her husband on EASTENDERS. 2009: OLTL's Dorian
arranged a mass same-sex wedding event.

"History is a vast early warning system."
― J. 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...

1931: MYRT AND MARGE premiered as a primetime soap opera that followed the lives and escapades of two chorus girls. Creator Myrtle Vail (Damerel) pitched the idea to the Wrigley chewing gum makers, naming her lead characters Myrtle Spear and Marge Minter. MYRT AND MARGE became the first radio series Wrigley sponsored. The show moved to daytime in January 1937 (a few weeks before THE GUIDING LIGHT premiered) and ran until 1942. Vail revived MYRT AND MARGE as a syndicated series from 1946-1947. You can listen to the very first 1931 episode here.

1964: British soap CROSSROADS premiered on ITV.  Set in a fictional motel near Birmingham, England, the show was originally broadcast between 1964 and 1988. The series was revived by Carlton Television in 2001, but was again axed in 2003.