Today in Soap Opera History (January 2)

1962: Our Five Daughters premiered on NBC.
1968: Dark Shadows' Angelique dug her way of Jeremiah's grave.
1980: Barbara hid a big secret on As the World Turns.
2004: Rebecca and Julian were married on Passions.

"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...

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Bakcstage Wife, the story of Mary Noble, a girl from a small town in Iowa who came to New York seeking her future. The show was created by Frank and Anne Hummert and premiered August 5, 1935 on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Claire Niesen played the role of Mary from the early 1940s until the end of its run.

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Our Gale Sunday, the popular soap opera that had premiered on March 29, 1937. The show followed the life of Sunday, an orphan from Colorado who struggled to find happiness as the wife of "a wealthy and titled Englishman." Dorothy Lowell originated the role of Sunday. Vivian Smolen played the part for the final 13 years of the series. Frank and Anne Hummert adapted the show from the 1904 Broadway play, "Sunday," which starred Ethel Barrymore. This play was the source of the catchphrase, "That's all there is, there isn't any more."

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of This is Nora Drake, the story of a nurse (Charlotte Holland, Joan Tompkins and Mary Jane Higby as Nora) and later departmental supervisor on the staff of Page Memorial Hospital. The series premiered on October 27, 1947. During its run the cast included Mercedes McCambridge, Larry Haines, Dick York, Alan Hewitt, Ralph Bell and Lesley Woods.

This is Nora Drake was written by Milton Lewis, directed by Arthur Hanna, with Bill Cullen as the announcer.

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Road of Life, an Irna Phillips serial that had run on NBC and CBS radio stations since September 13, 1937. The show ran on both networks for several of its 22 years on the air. Road of Life was the first major soap opera to be set in the world of doctors and nurses.

According to "The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio," it departed significantly from the "common hero" so favored by Frank and Anne Hummert, and launched writer Irna Phillips to the top of daytime drama. The hero, Jim Brent, was first shown as a young intern at City Hospital; he was last heard two full decades later as a quiet, strong, and mature figure, at the top of his professional powers. Phillips took the title from a piece of personal philosophy--that the doctor's road is the Road of Life.

Although NBC was considered the home network during the best years, the CBS run often drew better ratings. The show's peak ratings year was 1940-1941 when the show drew a 9.2 on CBS and 7.3 on NBC.

1962: NBC daytime soap opera Our Five Daughters premiered. The show was written by Leonard Stadd and directed by Paul Lammers, and aired at 3:30 p.m. ET following Young Doctor Malone. Esther Ralston played Helen Lee, mother of five daughters, whose husband Jim (Michael Keene) was critically injured in an accident. He became an invalid and the abrupt change caused havoc for his wife and children. Other cast members included Jacqueline Courtney (pictured above) as Ann Lee, Patricia Allison as Barbara Lee, and Iris Joyce as Marjorie Lee. Our Five Daughters ran until September 28, 1962. Jacqueline Courtney went on to star in the original cast of NBC's Another World as Alice Matthews in 1964.

1962: On The Guiding Light, Bert (Charita Bauer) cooked breakfast for her son Mike (Paul Prokopf), who was back home from Venezuela, and told Mike she knew Bill had told him about her illness and need for surgery. Bert expressed her concern about Mike being in the same town as his ex-wife, Robin. Mike asked about Robin's marriage to Alex Bowden (Ernest Graves). At home, a suspicious Alex made phone calls to check on Robin's whereabouts and, unable to track her down, poured himself an early-morning whiskey. Attorney George Hayes (Philip Sterling) stopped by, and Alex told George his suspicions about Robin and Mike now that Mike was back. Alex's ulcer acted up, and George called Dr. Bruce Banning as Alex held his head in despair.

Note: Bert's uterine cancer surgery occurred soon after this episode. The impact of this story is one of the proud accomplishments writer Agnes Nixon speaks about often when discussing her career.

1968: On The Doctors, Dr. Nick Bellini (Gerald Gordon) told Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) they could get married now that "this Liz thing" was settled.

1968: On Dark Shadows, Ben (Thayer David) found Angelique (Lara Parker) after she clawed her way out of the grave. Angelique explained how she summoned Jeremiah (Timothy Gordon) and now his ghost remained to torment her.

1970: Augusta Dabney debuted as Barbara Norris on The Guiding Light.

1971: A ban on cigarette advertising on television went into full effect.  In 1969, Congress proposed a ban on all cigarette advertising on TV and radio. As expected, the tobacco companies were initially against it. However, they soon realized that a ban on TV commercials would free up funds for other types of advertising, and would also remove the anti-smoking PSA requirement. Rather than fight the inevitable, they decided to cooperate, and the proposal was signed into law by President Nixon in 1970.

The ban took effect on January 2, 1971, in order to give the cigarette companies one final chance to advertise during the New Year's Day bowl games on TV. The last televised cigarette ad ran at 11:50 p.m. during The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson on January 1, 1971.

1980: On As the World Turns, Melinda (Ariane Munker) tracked Barbara (Colleen Zenk) down at a hospital in Philadelphia fearing she was sick. Meanwhile, Joyce (Barbara Rodell) made her way back to Oakdale.



1980: Peter Brown aired for the final time as Greg Peters in Days of our Lives.

1980: On The Edge of Night, April (Terry Davis) told Draper (Tony Craig) that she heard their baby's name in a dream.



1981: Philece Sampler debuted as Renée DuMonde on Days of our Lives.

Thanks to Enrique for sending in the item above.

1984: The Young and the Restless added a brush stroke logo to its opening. The logo was designed by Sandy Dvore who had previously drawn the actor images in the opening. He also designed the opening titles for The Waltons (1973-1981) and Knots Landing (1987-1989).



1984: On Emerald Point, N.A.S., Admiral Mallory and Naval Intelligence discovered more about the breach of Adams Industries security system. Glenn Matthews rejected Jack Warren's offer to move for a new court martial. Meanwhile, Harlan Adams revealed that he knew Hilary's dark secret, while Leslie and Russian Lt. Alexi's love for one another deepened.



Thanks to Jennifer for sending in the clip above.

1986: On Santa Barbara, Mason Capwell (Lane Davies) woke up with a massive New Year's hangover. Meanwhile, Dr. Mark McCormick (Jon Lindstrom) found his long lost wife, Wendy (aka Janice Harrison), after seeing her on the cover of a magazine. She ran out on him two years earlier.

1989: On Ryan's Hope, Delia (Ilene Kristen) sing "Chica Chica Boom Chic" in a fantasy sequence. Karen Morris-Gowdy returned to the show as Faith Coleridge after a five-year absence.



Thanks to Jennifer for sending in the item above.

1990: Actor Robert Perault, who played the third Jeff Martin in All My Children, died at age 43. His Jeff returned to Pine Valley during Christmas in 1976 after Mary's death.

1990: All My Children's "Falling Pictures" opening debuted.



1991: Guiding Light's "Hold On To Love" theme debuted.



1995: German soap opera Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love) premiered. The show ended on June 26, 2015, after 4664 episodes.



1997: On Another World, Jake McKinnon (Tom Eplin) was being secretly watched.



2004: On Passions, Rebecca (Andrea Evans) and Julian (Ben Masters) were married.

2004: on One Life to Live, Kevin was upset to learn that Kelly faked a threatening note from the "Music Box Killer." Natalie accepted John's invitation to a party at Ultra Violet on New Year's Eve. Jen refused Rex's advances at the party. Nora was stunned to find Troy waiting for her in the ladies room at the Palace, and begged Troy to turn himself in. Troy refused, and took off. After another fight with Walker/Todd, Blair and Kevin made love. Gabrielle Medina (Fiona Hutchison) was the next victim of the Music Box Killer.

Thanks to Enrique for sending in the item above.

2005: Actor Stan Watt, who played Charles Lamont in Love of Life, died at age 74.

2006: Actor Raúl Dávila, who played Hector Santos in All My Children in the mid-1990s, died at age 74.

2007: Guiding Light's 2005-2007 opening aired for the final time.



Thanks to Enrique for sending in the item above.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
John Considine (ex-Reginald/Vic, Another World; ex-Grant, Santa Barbara; ex-Scooter, Knots Landing; ex-Phillip, The Young and the Restless; ex-Brian, Bright Promise) - 84
Ron Hale (ex-Mike, General Hospital; ex-Roger, Ryan's Hope; ex-Jim, Love is a Many Splendored Thing; ex-Walt, Search for Tomorrow) - 73
Wendy Phillips (ex-Lucille, Savannah; ex-Lauren, Falcon Crest) - 67
Gabrielle Carteris (ex-Andrea, Beverly Hills, 90210; ex-Tracy, Another World) - 58
Tia Carrere (ex-Jade, General Hospital) - 52
Nancy St. Alban (ex-Michelle, Guiding Light) - 49
Renee Goldsberry (ex-Evangeline, One Life to Live) - 48
Taye Diggs (ex-Sam, Private Practice; ex-Sugar, Guiding Light) - 48
Kiko Ellsworth (ex-Jamal, Port Charles; ex-Stan, General Hospital) - 46
Ronnie Marmo (ex-Ronnie, General Hospital)
Dax Shepard (ex-Crosby, Parenthood) - 44
Ryan Brown (ex-Billy, The Young and the Restless; ex-Bill, Guiding Light) - 44
Paz Vega (ex-Olga, Más que amigos; ex-Luz, Companeros) - 43
Erica Hubbard (ex-Cassie, Lincoln Heights; ex-Jenny, Undressed) - 40
Shelley Hennig (Malia, Teen Wolf; ex-Diana, The Secret Circle; ex-Stephanie, Days of our Lives) - 32
Danny Miller (ex-Aaron, Emmerdale; ex-Kyle, Grange Hill) - 28
Ben Hardy (Peter, EastEnders) - 28

Actress Anna Lee was born 106 years ago today. She was best known to soap fans for her longtime portrayal of Lila Quartermaine in General Hospital. She passed away in 2004.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to submit a soap history entry for this date or a future date, email editor@welovesoaps.com.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 28)

1962: Daytime soap operas The Brighter Day (CBS) and
Our Five Daughters (NBC) aired for the final time.
1981: General Hospital was featured on the cover of Newsweek.
1987: Delia had a courtoom fantasy on Ryan's Hope.

"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...

1962: CBS aired the final episode of daytime soap opera The Brighter Day. The show was created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948. The television version premiered on January 4, 1954, and the episodes ran on both TV and radio for 2 years. The Brighter Day was originally set in Three Rivers until a move to New Hope in 1953.

1962: NBC aired the final episode of Our Five Daughters, a daytime soap which starred silent film icon Esther Ralston as Helen Lee, the mother of five young women including Jacqueline Courtney's Ann (pictured, upper right).

Today in Soap Opera History (January 2)

1962: Our Five Daughters premiered on NBC.
1968: Dark Shadows' Angelique dug her way of Jeremiah's grave.
1980: ATWT's Barbara was keeping a big secret.
2004: Rebecca and Julian were married 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...

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Bakcstage Wife, the story of Mary Noble, a girl from a small town in Iowa who came to New York seeking her future. The show was created by Frank and Anne Hummert and premiered August 5, 1935 on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Claire Niesen played the role of Mary from the early 1940s until the end of its run.

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Our Gale Sunday, the popular soap opera that had premiered on March 29, 1937. The show followed the life of Sunday, an orphan from Colorado who struggled to find happiness as the wife of "a wealthy and titled Englishman." Dorothy Lowell originated the role of Sunday. Vivian Smolen played the part for the final 13 years of the series. Frank and Anne Hummert adapted the show from the 1904 Broadway play, "Sunday," which starred Ethel Barrymore. This play was the source of the catchphrase, "That's all there is, there isn't any more."

Today in Soap Opera History (September 28)

1962: Daytime soap operas The Brighter Day (CBS) and
Our Five Daughters (NBC) aired for the final time.
1981: General Hospital was featured on the cover of Newsweek.
1987: Delia had a courtoom fantasy on Ryan's Hope.

"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...

1962: CBS aired the final episode of daytime soap opera The Brighter Day. The show was created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948. The television version premiered on January 4, 1954, and the episodes ran on both TV and radio for 2 years. The Brighter Day was originally set in Three Rivers until a move to New Hope in 1953.

1962: NBC aired the final episode of Our Five Daughters, a daytime soap which starred silent film icon Esther Ralston as Helen Lee, the mother of five young women including Jacqueline Courtney's Ann (pictured, upper right).

Today in Soap Opera History (January 2)

1962: Our Five Daughters premiered with Jacqueline Courtney s
tarring as one of the daughters. 1968: Dark Shadows'
Angelique dug her way of Jeremiah's grave. 1980: ATWT's
Barbara was keeping a big secret. 2004: Rebecca and Julian were
married 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...

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Bakcstage Wife, the story of Mary Noble, a girl from a small town in Iowa who came to New York seeking her future. The show was created by Frank and Anne Hummert and premiered August 5, 1935 on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Claire Niesen played the role of Mary from the early 1940s until the end of its run.

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Our Gale Sunday, the popular soap opera that had premiered on March 29, 1937. The show followed the life of Sunday, an orphan from Colorado who struggled to find happiness as the wife of "a wealthy and titled Englishman." Dorothy Lowell originated the role of Sunday. Vivian Smolen played the part for the final 13 years of the series. Frank and Anne Hummert adapted the show from the 1904 Broadway play, "Sunday," which starred Ethel Barrymore. This play was the source of the catchphrase, "That's all there is, there isn't any more."

Today in Soap Opera History (September 28)

1962: Daytime soap operas The Brighter Day (CBS) and
Our Five Daughters (NBC) aired for the final time.  1981: General
Hospital was featured on the cover of Newsweek.
1987: Delia had a courtoom fantasy on Ryan's Hope.

"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...

1962: CBS aired the final episode of daytime soap opera The Brighter Day. The show was created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948. The television version premiered on January 4, 1954, and the episodes ran on both TV and radio for 2 years. The Brighter Day was originally set in Three Rivers until a move to New Hope in 1953.

1962: NBC aired the final episode of Our Five Daughters, a daytime soap which starred silent film icon Esther Ralston as Helen Lee, the mother of five young women including Jacqueline Courtney's Ann (pictured, upper right).

Today in Soap Opera History (January 2)

1962: Our Five Daughters premiered with Jacqueline Courtney s
tarring as one of the daughters. 1968: Dark Shadows'
Angelique dug her way of Jeremiah's grave. 1980: ATWT's
Barbara was keeping a big secret. 2004: Rebecca and Julian were
married on Passions.

"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...

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Bakcstage Wife, the story of Mary Noble, a girl from a small town in Iowa who came to New York seeking her future. The show was created by Frank and Anne Hummert and premiered August 5, 1935 on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Claire Niesen played the role of Mary from the early 1940s until the end of its run.

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Our Gale Sunday, the popular soap opera that had premiered on March 29, 1937. The show followed the life of Sunday, an orphan from Colorado who struggled to find happiness as the wife of "a wealthy and titled Englishman." Dorothy Lowell originated the role of Sunday. Vivian Smolen played the part for the final 13 years of the series. Frank and Anne Hummert adapted the show from the 1904 Broadway play, "Sunday," which starred Ethel Barrymore. This play was the source of the catchphrase, "That's all there is, there isn't any more."

Today in Soap Opera History (September 28)

1962: Daytime soap operas The Brighter Day (CBS) and
Our Five Daughters (NBC) aired for the final time.  1981: General
Hospital was featured on the cover of Newsweek.
1987: Delia had a courtoom fantasy on Ryan's Hope.

"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...

1962: CBS aired the final episode of daytime soap opera The Brighter Day. The show was created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948. The television version premiered on January 4, 1954, and the episodes ran on both TV and radio for 2 years. The Brighter Day was originally set in Three Rivers until a move to New Hope in 1953.

1962: NBC aired the final episode of Our Five Daughters, a daytime soap which starred silent film icon Esther Ralston as Helen Lee, the mother of five young women including Jacqueline Courtney's Ann (pictured, upper right).

FLASHBACK: A Complete, Concise Yearly History of TV Soap Operas - 1947 to 1977 (Part 4)

Patricia Allison and Jacqueline Courtney starred in Our Five Daughters
as Barbara and Ann Lee.

A Complete, Concise Yearly History of TV Soap Operas

The Soap Box
Vol. III No. 10 September 1978
by John Genovese

(continued from Part 3)

1959
Two anthology serials made their appearances this year. One was For Better or Worse, seen on CBS from June 29, 1959 to June 24, 1960, which presented one marital case a week from the files of the show's narrator, sociology professor James A. Peterson. Produced by John Guedel (Art Linkletter's House Party) and directed by Hal Cooper (Maude), it proved that anthology doesn't work in the daytime.

NBC attempted The House on High Street which was based on juvenile cases and starred Philip Abbott as probation officer John Collier. It began September 29, 1959 and ended February 5, 1960.

1960
Nobody had tried a daytime serial about a drifter until Full Circle, a CBS failure with Robert Fortier as traveler Gary Donovan who came to a Maryland town. Dyan (then Diane) Cannon, John McNamara, Jean Byron and Byron Foulger (the late father of General Hospital's Rachel Ames) were supporters. Born: June 27, 1960. Died: March 1, 1961.

Today in Soap Opera History (January 2)

1962: Our Five Daughters premiered with Jacqueline Courtney s
tarring as one of the daughters. 1968: Dark Shadows'
Angelique dug her way of Jeremiah's grave. 1980: ATWT's
Barbara was keeping a big secret. 2004: Rebecca and Julian were
married on Passions.

"A page of history is worth a pound of logic."
― Oliver Wendell Holmes

"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...

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Bakcstage Wife, the story of Mary Noble, a girl from a small town in Iowa who came to New York seeking her future. The show was created by Frank and Anne Hummert and premiered August 5, 1935 on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Claire Niesen played the role of Mary from the early 1940s until the end of its run.

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of Our Gale Sunday, the popular soap opera that had premiered on March 29, 1937. The show followed the life of Sunday, an orphan from Colorado who struggled to find happiness as the wife of "a wealthy and titled Englishman." Dorothy Lowell originated the role of Sunday. Vivian Smolen played the part for the final 13 years of the series. Frank and Anne Hummert adapted the show from the 1904 Broadway play, "Sunday," which starred Ethel Barrymore. This play was the source of the catchphrase, "That's all there is, there isn't any more."

Today in Soap Opera History (September 28)

1962: Daytime soap operas The Brighter Day (CBS) and
Our Five Daughters (NBC) aired for the final time.  1981: General
Hospital was featured on the cover of Newsweek.
1987: Delia had a courtoom fantasy on Ryan's Hope.

"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...

1962: CBS aired the final episode of daytime soap opera The Brighter Day. The show was created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948. The television version premiered on January 4, 1954, and the episodes ran on both TV and radio for 2 years. The Brighter Day was originally set in Three Rivers until a move to New Hope in 1953.

1962: NBC aired the final episode of Our Five Daughters, a daytime soap which starred silent film icon Esther Ralston as Helen Lee, the mother of five young women including Jacqueline Courtney's Ann (pictured, upper right).

Today in Soap Opera History (January 2)

1962: OUR FIVE DAUGHTERS premiered with Jacqueline
Courtney starring as one of the daughters. 1968: DARK
SHADOWS' Angelique dug her way of Jeremiah's grave.
1980: ATWT's Barbara was keeping a big secret.
2004: Rebecca and Julian were married on PASSIONS.

"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see."
- Winston Churchill

"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...

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of BACKSTAGE WIFE, the story of Mary Noble, a girl from a small town in Iowa who came to New York seeking her future. The show was created by Frank and Anne Hummert and premiered August 5, 1935 on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Claire Niesen played the role of Mary from the early 1940s until the end of its run.

1959: CBS Radio aired the final episode of OUR GAL SUNDAY, the popular soap opera that had premiered on March 29, 1937. The show followed the life of Sunday, an orphan from Colorado who struggled to find happiness as the wife of "a wealthy and titled Englishman." Dorothy Lowell originated the role of Sunday. Vivian Smolen played the part for the final 13 years of the series. Frank and Anne Hummert adapted the show from the 1904 Broadway play, "Sunday," which starred Ethel Barrymore. This play was the source of the catchphrase, "That's all there is, there isn't any more."

Today in Soap Opera History (September 28)

1962: The final episodes of daytime soap operas THE BRIGHTER
DAY and OUR FIVE DAUGHTERS aired.  1981: GH covered
Newsweek. 1987: Delia had a courtoom fantasy on RYAN'S HOPE.

"In history, a great volume is unrolled for our instruction, drawing the materials of future wisdom from the past errors and infirmities of mankind."
― Edmund Burke

"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...

1962: CBS aired the final episode of daytime soap opera THE BRIGHTER DAY. The show was created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948. It was originally set in Three Rivers until a move to New Hope in 1953.

1962: NBC aired the final episode of OUR FIVE DAUGHTERS, which starred silent film icon Esther Ralston as the mother of five young women, Helen Lee, including Jacqueline Courtney's Ann (pictured, upper right).

Today in Soap Opera History (September 28)

On this date in...

1962: THE BRIGHTER DAY aired its final episode. The show, set in New Hope, was originally created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948. The original setting of Three Rivers was moved to New Hope in 1953 before the move to television in 1954.

1962: NBC aired the final episode of OUR FIVE DAUGHTERS, which starred silent film icon Esther Ralston as the mother of five young women, including Jacqueline Courtney's Ann.

1979: On AS THE WORLD TURNS, Oakdale gathered to watch Ian McFarland (Peter Simon) conduct the Joffrey ballet. Ian's ex-wife Dana had just become engaged to Dr. Bob Hughes. Ian wouldn't make it till the end of the performance which was shot on location at the Ed Sullivan Theater (current home to LETTERMAN).

FLASHBACK: THE BRIGHTER DAY and OUR FIVE DAUGHTERS Canceled

In the summer of 1961, after seven years on the air on CBS-TV (it started as a radio soap), the network moved production of THE BRIGHTER DAY from New York City to Los Angeles to help save on production costs.

The move actually hurt the struggling show because some actors refused to relocate causing some stories to abruptly end.

Unfortunately the move didn't work out and the soap was canceled in 1962, last airing on September 28.

At the time, the Val Adams at the New York Times surmised that the cancellation of the soap, along with NBC's OUR FIVE DAUGHTERS, meant soaps were not going to work on television as well as they did on radio.

The cancellations are further indication that daytime serials do not stimulate interest on television as widely as they did on radio. While serials used to dominate daytime hours on all radio networks, the only real home they have found in television - a somewhat mortgaged on, at that - is on C.B. S.