Today in Soap Opera History (August 15)

1984: Guiding Light's Springfield celebrated Founders Day.
1985: GH's Anna & Robert plotted to get the Aztec jewels.
1986: Another World's Felicia spoke at Zane's funeral.
1991: Days of our Lives' "Roman" reunited with Marlena.

"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...

1977: On Guiding Light, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) was released from Cedars Hospital.

1979: On The Edge of Night, Elliott couldn't (Lee Godart) resist Raven (Sharon Gabet) even though he was aghast she left the baby alone.

Today in Soap Opera History (August 15)

1984: Guiding Light's Springfield celebrated Founders Day.
1985: GH's Anna & Robert plotted to get the Aztec jewels.
1986: Another World's Felicia spoke at Zane's funeral.
1991: Days of our Lives' "Roman" reunited with Marlena.

"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...

1977: On Guiding Light, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) was released from Cedars Hospital.

1979: On The Edge of Night, Elliott couldn't (Lee Godart) resist Raven (Sharon Gabet) even though he was aghast she left the baby alone.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 5)

1979: Ryan's Hope's Delia threated Johnny.
1980: Y&R's Leslie wanted to remember a secret from her past.
1991: As the World Turns' Ellen found out her husband had died.
1996: All My Children's Julia was visited by her Fairy Godmother.

"All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."
― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"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...

1950: On radio soap opera The Guiding Light, Ted White (James Monk) told his wife, Meta (Jone Allison), he didn't think she made an effort to understand his son, Chuckie. You can read the entire script for the episode here.

1964: On Another World, Alice Matthews (Jacqueline Courtney) decided to attend the Institute of Art.

1968: On The Doctors, Ed Stark's (Conrad Roberts) parents, Paul (P. Jay Sidney) and Hope (Clarice Taylor), told him that he had become a stranger to them.

1979: On Ryan's Hope, Delia Reid Ryan (Randall Edwards) threatened to tell her former mother-in-law, Maeve, the truth about her loan to save the bar if Maeve's husband, Johnny (Bernard Barrow), didn't fire Kevin MacGuinness (Malachy McCourt).

Today in Soap Opera History (August 15)

1984: Guiding Light's Springfield celebrated Founders Day.
1985: GH's Anna & Robert plotted to get the Aztec jewels.
1986: Another World's Felicia spoke at Zane's funeral.
1991: Days of our Lives' "Roman" reunited with Marlena.

"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...

1977: On Guiding Light, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) was released from Cedars Hospital. She would later go blind.

1979: On The Edge of Night, Elliott couldn't (Lee Godart) resist Raven (Sharon Gabet) even though he was aghast she left the baby alone.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 5)

1979: Ryan's Hope's Delia threated Johnny. 1980: The Young
and the Restless' Leslie wanted to remember a secret from her
past. 1991: As the World Turns' Ellen found out her husband
had died. 1996: All My Children's Julia was visited by
her Fairy Godmother.

"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...

1950: On radio soap opera The Guiding Light, Ted White (James Monk) told his wife, Meta (Jone Allison), he didn't think she made an effort to understand his son, Chuckie. You can read the entire script for the episode here.

1964: On Another World, Alice Matthews (Jacqueline Courtney) decided to attend the Institute of Art.

1968: On The Doctors, Ed Stark's (Conrad Roberts) parents, Paul (P. Jay Sidney) and Hope (Clarice Taylor), told him that he had become a stranger to them.

1979: On Ryan's Hope, Delia Reid Ryan (Randall Edwards) threatened to tell her former mother-in-law, Maeve, the truth about her loan to save the bar if Maeve's husband, Johnny (Bernard Barrow), didn't fire Kevin MacGuinness (Malachy McCourt).

Today in Soap Opera History (August 15)

1984: Guiding Light's Springfield celebrated Founders Day.
1985: General Hospital's Anna & Robert plotted to get the Aztec jewels.
1986: Another World's Felicia spoke at Zane's funeral.
1991: Days of our Lives' "Roman" reunited with Marlena.

"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...

1977: On Guiding Light, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) was released from Cedars Hospital. She would later go blind.

1979: On The Edge of Night, Elliott couldn't (Lee Godart) resist Raven (Sharon Gabet) even though he was aghast she left the baby alone.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 5)

1979: Ryan's Hope's Delia threated Johnny. 1980: The Young
and the Restless' Leslie wanted to remember a secret from her
past. 1991: As the World Turns' Ellen found out her husband
had died. 1996: All My Children's Julia was visited by
her Fairy Godmother.

"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...

1950: On radio soap opera The Guiding Light, Ted White (James Monk) told his wife, Meta (Jone Allison), he didn't think she made an effort to understand his son, Chuckie. You can read the entire script for the episode here.

1964: On Another World, Alice Matthews (Jacqueline Courtney) decided to attend the Institute of Art.

1968: On The Doctors, Ed Stark's (Conrad Roberts) parents, Paul (P. Jay Sidney) and Hope (Clarice Taylor), told him that he had become a stranger to them.

1979: On Ryan's Hope, Delia Reid Ryan (Randall Edwards) threatened to tell her former mother-in-law, Maeve, the truth about her loan to save the bar if Maeve's husband, Johnny (Bernard Barrow), didn't fire Kevin MacGuinness (Malachy McCourt).

Today in Soap Opera History (August 15)

1984: Guiding Light's Springfield celebrated Founders Day.
1985: General Hospital's Anna & Robert plotted to get the Aztec jewels.
1986: Another World's Felicia spoke at Zane's funeral.
1991: Days of our Lives' "Roman" reunited with Marlena.

"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...

1977: On Guiding Light, Eve (Janet Grey) was released from Cedars. She would later go blind.

1979: On The Edge of Night, Elliott couldn't (Lee Godart) resist Raven (Sharon Gabet) even though he was aghast she left the baby alone.

Today in Soap Opera History (June 5)

1979: Ryan's Hope's Delia threated Johnny. 1980: The Young
and the Restless' Leslie wanted to remember a secret from her
past. 1991: As the World Turns' Ellen found out her husband
had died. 1996: All My Children's Julia was visited by
her Fairy Godmother.

"History never looks like history when you are living through it."
― John W. Gardner

"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...

1950: On radio soap opera The Guiding Light, Ted (James Monk) told Meta (Jone Allison) he didn't think she made an effort to understand Chuckie. You can read the entire script for the episode here.

1964: On Another World, Alice (Jacqueline Courtney) decided to attend the Institute of Art.

1968: On The Doctors, Ed Stark's (Conrad Roberts) parents, Paul (P. Jay Sidney) and Hope (Clarice Taylor), told him that he had become a stranger to them.

1979: On Ryan's Hope, Delia (Randall Edwards) threatened to tell Maeve the truth about her loan to save the bar if Johnny (Bernard Barrow) didn't fire Kevin.

The Many Loves of... Cass Winthrop From ANOTHER WORLD

Some beloved characters just missed our 50 Greatest Soap Couples list.  Were critics and fans torn about who was really the love of someone's life, or the most interesting, or fun, or exciting, or relatable?  Whatever each person enjoyed most when watching a soap opera couple, there were years of memorable stories and couples that just missed our countdown. One of them was an ANOTHER WORLD favorite.  Below is a quick look at "The Many Loves of" Cass Winthrop, played for more than two decades by Stephen Schnetzer on three different soaps.

Who was the love of Cass's life?

THE CONTENDERS

50 Greatest Soap Couples: #44 Phil & Tara From ALL MY CHILDREN

COUPLE: Phil Brent & Tara Martin
SHOW: ALL MY CHILDREN
RANK: 44
PLAYED BY:
Phil: Richard Hatch, Nick Benedict, Jordan Charney
Tara: Karen Lynn Gorney, Stephanie Braxton, Nancy Frangione, Mary Lynn Blanks
YEARS: 1970-1979

STORY:
When ALL MY CHILDREN premiered in 1970, Tara was attending Pine Valley High along with Phil, Chuck Tyler and Erica Kane. Tara and Phil fell in love and started talking about marriage but a series of complications, including Phil's adoption (devious Erica spilled the beans), his adopted father Ted's death, and subsequent amnesia, tore them apart.  Tara ended up dating Phil's best friend, Chuck, instead.  When Phil returned to town he fell in love with Tara all over again.  They slept together (causing in a pregnancy the ultimately led to Little Philip aka Charlie Brent being born) but Phil left for Vietnam after being drafted.  When he returned (after being MIA) Tara and Chuck was married and Phil turned to Erica eventually marrying her.   In 1976 Phil and Tara finally married.