Today in Soap Opera History (May 5)

1965: As the World Turns spin-off Our Private World premiered.
1985: Days or our Lives' John rescued Marlena.
1992: Another World's Donna and John shared a kiss.
2004: The Young and the Restless' Kevin flatlined.

"History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent 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...

1948: On This is Nora Drake, Bob had disappeared from the hospital, and Nora knew that she was the cause of Bob's unhappiness. Peggy found him in the park, took him to his room and got him a prescription.

1948: On Claudia, Claudia (Patricia Ryan) and David (Richard Kollmar) waited for their new maid to arrive.

1965: Our Private World, a primetime spinoff of As the World Turns created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, premiered on CBS. Eileen Fulton's Lisa Hughes, one of lead characters in top-rated As the World Turns, left her home town of Oakdale and went to Chicago to forget all her sorrow and problems.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: Final episode of ATWT spinoff Our Private World aired.
1984: Syndicated soap opera Rituals premiered.
1999: All My Children's Mateo told Hayley he loved her.
2008: As the World Turns' Aaron and Alison married.

"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...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of As the World Turns primetime spin-off, Our Private World. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months while airing twice a week. The series, created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS-TV's answer to ABC's popular Peyton Place.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 5)

1965: As the World Turns spin-off Our Private World premiered.
1985: Days or our Lives' John rescued Marlena.
1992: Another World's Donna and John shared a kiss.
2004: The Young and the Restless' Kevin flatlined.

"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...

1948: On This is Nora Drake, Bob had disappeared from the hospital, and Nora knew that she was the cause of Bob's unhappiness. Peggy found him in the park, took him to his room and got him a prescription.

1948: On Claudia, Claudia (Patricia Ryan) and David (Richard Kollmar) waited for their new maid to arrive.

1965: Our Private World, a primetime spinoff of As the World Turns created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, premiered on CBS. Eileen Fulton's Lisa Hughes, one of lead characters in top-rated As the World Turns, left her home town of Oakdale and went to Chicago to forget all her sorrow and problems.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: Final episode of ATWT spinoff Our Private World aired.
1984: Syndicated soap opera Rituals premiered.
1999: All My Children's Mateo told Hayley he loved her.
2008: As the World Turns' Aaron and Alison married.

"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...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of As the World Turns primetime spin-off, Our Private World. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months airing twice a week. The series, created by rna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS-TV's answer to ABC's popular Peyton Place.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 5)

1965: As the World Turns spin-off Our Private World premiered.
1985: Days or our Lives' John rescued Marlena.
1992: Another World's Donna and John shared a kiss.
2004: The Young and the Restless' Kevin flatlined.

"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...

1948: On This is Nora Drake, Bob had disappeared from the hospital, and Nora knew that she was the cause of Bob's unhappiness. Peggy found him in the park, took him to his room and got him a prescription.

1948: On Claudia, Claudia (Patricia Ryan) and David (Richard Kollmar) waited for their new maid to arrive.

1965: Our Private World, a primetime spinoff of As the World Turns created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, premiered on CBS. Eileen Fulton's Lisa Hughes, one of lead characters in top-rated As the World Turns, left her home town of Oakdale and went to Chicago to forget all her sorrow and problems.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: Final episode of ATWT spinoff Our Private World aired.
1984: Syndicated soap opera Rituals premiered.
1999: All My Children's Mateo told Hayley he loved her.
2008: As the World Turns' Aaron and Alison married.

"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...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of As the World Turns primetime spin-off, Our Private World. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months airing twice a week. The series, created by rna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS-TV's answer to ABC's popular Peyton Place.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 5)

1965: As the World Turns spin-off Our Private World premiered.
1985: Days or our Lives' John rescued Marlena. 1992: Another
World's Donna and John shared a kiss. 2004: The Young
and the Restless' Kevin flatlined.

"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...

1948: On This is Nora Drake, Bob had disappeared from the hospital, and Nora knew that she was the cause of Bob's unhappiness. Peggy found him in the park, took him to his room and got him a prescription.

1948: On Claudia, Claudia (Patricia Ryan) and David (Richard Kollmar) waited for their new maid to arrive.

1965: Our Private World, a primetime spinoff of As the World Turns created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, premiered on CBS. Eileen Fulton's Lisa Hughes, one of lead characters in top-rated As the World Turns, left her home town of Oakdale and went to Chicago to forget all her sorrow and problems.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: Final episode of ATWT spinoff Our Private World aired.
1984: Syndicated soap opera Rituals premiered.
1999: All My Children's Mateo told Hayley he loved her.
2008: As the World Turns' Aaron and Alison married.

"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...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of As the World Turns primetime spin-off, Our Private World. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months airing twice a week. The series, created by rna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS-TV's answer to ABC's popular Peyton Place.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 5)

1965: As the World Turns spin-off Our Private World premiered.
1985: Days or our Lives' John rescued Marlena. 1992: Another
World's Donna and John shared a kiss. 2004: The Young
and the Restless' Kevin flatlined.

"Mankind are so much the same, in all times and places, that history informs us of nothing new or strange in this particular. Its chief use is only to discover the constant and universal principles of human nature."
― David Hume

"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...

1948: On This is Nora Drake, Bob had disappeared from the hospital, and Nora knew that she was the cause of Bob's unhappiness. Peggy found him in the park, took him to his room and got him a prescription.

1948: On Claudia, Claudia (Patricia Ryan) and David (Richard Kollmar) waited for their new maid to arrive.

1965: Our Private World, a primetime spinoff of As the World Turns created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, premiered on CBS. Eileen Fulton's Lisa Hughes, one of lead characters in top-rated As the World Turns, left her home town of Oakdale and went to Chicago to forget all her sorrow and problems.

Today in Soap Opera History (December 3)

1984: Days' Carrie decided where to live. 1985: The freedom
flag was raised in GH's Asian Quarter. 1998: GL's Danny and
Michelle shared their first kiss. 2001: ATWT's Barbara and
James plotted against Carly, Emily and Rose.

"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...

1946: On Life Can Be Beautiful, Stanley (Ralph Locke) tried to take charge of Chichi's (Alice Reinheart) affairs, but Chichi refused. She had her own ideas.

1964: On Peyton Place, Leslie (Paul Langton) became incensed when Betty (Barbara Parkins) insisted she was going to remain Mrs. Rodney Harrington. Leslie asked Betty's father, George Anderson (Henry Beckman), to talk some sense into her.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 5)

1965: As the World Turns spin-off Our Private World premiered.
1985: Days or our Lives' John rescued Marlena.  1992: Another
World's Donna and John shared a kiss.  2004: The Young
and the Restless' Kevin flatlined.

"The whole past is the procession of the present."
- Thomas Carlyle

"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...

1948: On This is Nora Drake, Bob had disappeared from the hospital, and Nora knew that she was the cause of Bob's unhappiness. Peggy found him in the park, took him to his room and got him a prescription.

1948: On Claudia, Claudia (Patricia Ryan) and David (Richard Kollmar) waited for their new maid to arrive.

1965: Our Private World, a primetime spinoff of As the World Turns created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, premiered on CBS. Eileen Fulton's Lisa Hughes, one of lead characters in top-rated As the World Turns, left her home town of Oakdale and went to Chicago to forget all her sorrow and problems.

Our Private World stars Geraldine Fitzgerald & Eileen Fulton are
in the foreground. Also pictured:  Robert Drivas, Julienne Marie,
Nicolas Coster, David O'Brien and Sam Groom.

The twice-a-week series was the first attempt by a competing network to capture some of the popularity of Peyton Place, a primetime soap opera on ABC which was itself an attempt to copy the success of another show, the UK's Coronation Street.

The premiere of Our Private World received a Nielsen rating of 15.1, a 25 share of the audience. The second episode, which aired two nights later, only drew an 11.9 rating and 21 share. For that week, As the World Turns had an 11.1 rating.

1982: On General Hospital, Alan (Stuart Damon) accused Monica (Leslie Charleson) of trying to make him jealous after she got dressed up for her dinner date with Phillipe.

Today in Soap Opera History (December 3)

1984: DAYS' Carrie decided where to live. 1985: The freedom
flag was raised in GH's Asian Quarter. 1998: GL's Danny and
Michelle shared their first kiss. 2001: ATWT's Barbara and
James plotted against Carly, Emily and Rose.

"That is the supreme value of history. The study of it is the best guarantee against repeating it."
- John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir

"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...

1946: On LIFE CAN BE BEAUTIFUL, Stanley (Ralph Locke) tried to take charge of Chichi's (Alice Reinheart) affairs, but Chichi refused. She had her own ideas.

1971: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, after reciting the presidential oath, Keith Whitney (Bruce Martin) fell to his death at his mother's feet in the tower on the Whitney Summer estate. Laurie Ann Karr (Emily Prager) was also there.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: The final episode of OUR PRIVATE WORLD aired on CBS.

"That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach."
― Aldous Huxley

"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...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of AS THE WORLD TURNS primetime spin-off, OUR PRIVATE WORLD. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months airing twice a week. The series, created by rna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS's answer to ABC's popular PEYTON PLACE.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 5)

On this date in...

1948: On radio soap opera CLAUDIA, Claudia and David got a new maid.

Geraldine Fitzgerald & Eileen Fulton are in the foreground. Also shown are
Robert Drivas, Julienne Marie, Nicolas Coster, David O'Brien and Sam Groom.

1965: OUR PRIVATE WORLD, the primetime AS THE WORLD TURNS spinoff, debuted on CBS. AS THE WORLD TURNS contributed one of its leading characters, Lisa Hughes (Eileen Fulton), as the nucleus of OUR PRIVATE WORLD. In overlapping story lines, Lisa left her home town of Oakdale, the setting of the daytime show, and went to Chicago, setting of the evening serial, to forget all her sorrow and problems. The twice-a-week series was the first attempt by a competing network to capture some of the popularity of PEYTON PLACE, a primetime soap opera on ABC which was itself an attempt to copy the success of another show, the UK's CORONATION STREET.

PHOTOS: The Women of Primetime Soaps

On International Women's Day, check out a few photos below of some of our favorite ladies of primetime soap operas. Can you name them all?


   PEYTON PLACE

Today in Soap Opera History (December 3)

On this date in...

1968: Susan Seaforth taped her first episode of DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Julie decided to leave San Francisco and return home to Salem in time for Christmas. The episode aired on Wednesday, December 11, 1968.

1979: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, Benny had a run in with Deborah.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 13)

On this date in...

1968: On ANOTHER WORLD, Ada encouraged Sam to look at Lahoma in a new light.

1969: Susan Lucci and Helmet Huber were married. They are celebrating their 43rd anniversary today.

1985: On GENERAL HOSPITAL, Robert (Tristan Rogers) learned he was Robin's father. Frisco (Jack Wagner) learned Josh Clayton (Jimmy McNichol) had died.

FLASHBACK: 'Our Private World' Is Going Off TV (1965)

C.B.S. SOAP OPERA IS GOING OFF TV; There'll Be No Sept. 11 for 'Our Private World'

By Val Adams
New York Times
August 3, 1965

Our Private World, the Columbia Broadcasting System's first evening television soap opera, will be discontinued Sept. 10. As ratings go, it failed to bring happiness to C.B.S. and the sponsor, the Procter Gamble Company.

The twice-a-week series was the first attempt by a competing network to capture some of the popularity of Peyton Place, an evening soap opera introduced last fall by the American Broadcasting Company. The commercial success of Peyton Place resulted in industry talk of more nighttime soaps, but the cancellation of Our Private World may curtail such plans.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

On this date in...

1965: The AS THE WORLD TURNS primetime spin-off, OUR PRIVATE WORLD, aired its final episode.  Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months.  Trivia: Can you name all the OUR PRIVATE WORLD actors in this photo?

1968: On ANOTHER WORLD, Alice told Missy she thought Rachel wasn't really upset about losing her baby.

1984: RITUALS, a syndicated soap opera from Lorimar, premiered.  Watch a promo for the show below that aired early on in its one year run.

Today in Soap Opera History (December 3)

On this date in...

1957: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, Winston agreed to Jack's request to help Jake.

2007: Chris Stack debuted as the new Michael McBain on ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

2007: On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, Reed Newman Hellstrom was born.