October 20, 1930: The Soap Opera Was Born

Originally published on October 20, 2010.

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Painted Dreams premiered October 20, 1930.

80 YEARS AGO TODAY: THE SOAP OPERA WAS BORN
By Rob Wargo

On October 20, 1930, the soap opera was born, with the debut of the first episode of Irna Phillips’ Painted Dreams. Although the series had a relatively brief network run, compared to Ms. Phillips’ other triumphs, it is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the first very soap opera.

One day in 1930, schoolteacher Irna Phillips visited Chicago’s WGN looking for work. Although initially hired as an actress, her interests soon turned to writing, and she created the series Sue and Irene in which she and Ireene Wicker (best known as radio’s “Singing Lady”) provided all of the voices, with Irna playing “Sue” and Ireene playing “Irene.” Scheduled during the daytime, Sue and Irene was sponsored by Lever Brothers’ detergent “Super Suds.” The dialogue was conversational in tone, rather than full-out acting, similar to another early serialized entry Clara, Lu and Em.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 20)

1930: Irna Phillips' soap opera Painted Dreams premiered.
1987: General Hospital's Duke and Anna were married.
1994: All My Children's Edmund faced the press.
1998: The Young and the Restless' Sharon was hit by a car.

"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...

1930: The soap opera was born! Irna Phillips’ radio soap Painted Dreams premiered on WGN Radio in Chicago. The show is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the very first soap opera. The show ran on WGN and later CBS Radio until July 1943.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 20)

1930: Irna Phillips' soap opera Painted Dreams premiered.
1987: General Hospital's Duke and Anna were married.
1994: All My Children's Edmund faced the press.
1998: The Young and the Restless' Sharon was hit by a car.

"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...

1930: The soap opera was born! Irna Phillips’ radio soap Painted Dreams premiered on WGN Radio in Chicago. The show is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the very first soap opera. The show ran on WGN and later CBS Radio until July 1943.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 20)

1930: Irna Phillips' soap opera Painted Dreams premiered.
1987: General Hospital's Duke and Anna were married.
1994: All My Children's Edmund faced the press.
1998: The Young and the Restless' Sharon was hit by a car.

"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...

1930: The soap opera was born! Irna Phillips’ radio soap Painted Dreams premiered on WGN Radio in Chicago. The show is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the very first soap opera. The show ran on WGN and later CBS Radio until July 1943.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 20)

1930: Irna Phillips' soap opera Painted Dreams premiered.
1987: General Hospital's Duke and Anna were married.
1994: All My Children's Edmund faced the press.
1998: The Young and the Restless' Sharon was hit by a car.

"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...

1930: The soap opera was born! Irna Phillips’ radio soap Painted Dreams premiered on WGN Radio in Chicago. The show is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the very first soap opera. The show ran on WGN and later CBS Radio until July 1943.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 20)

1930: Painted Dreams premiered. 1987: GH's Duke &Anna
were married. 1994: AMC's Edmund faced tough questions from
the press. 1998: Y&R's Sharon was hit by a car.

"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...

1930: The soap opera was born! Irna Phillips’ radio soap Painted Dreams premiered on WGN Radio in Chicago. The show is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the very first soap opera. The show ran on WGN and later CBS Radio until July 1943.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 20)

1930:  PAINTED DREAMS premiered. 1987: GH's Duke &Anna
were married. 1994: AMC's Edmund faced tough questions from
the press. 1998: Y&R's Sharon was hit by a car.

"The man for whom history is bunk is almost invariably as obtuse to the future as he is blind to the past."
― J. Frank Dobie

"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...

1930: The soap opera was born! Irna Phillips’ radio soap PAINTED DREAMS premiered on WGN Radio in Chicago. The show is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the very first soap opera. The show ran on WGN and later CBS Radio until July 1943.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 20)

On this date in...

1930: The soap opera was born, with the debut of the first episode of Irna Phillips’ PAINTED DREAMS on WGN Radio in Chicago. The show is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the very first soap opera. The show ran on WGN and later CBS Radio until July 1943.

Click here to read Rob Wargo's in-depth feature from the 80th anniversary of the show in 2010.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 20)

On this date in...

1930: The soap opera was born, with the debut of the first episode of Irna Phillips’ PAINTED DREAMS. Although the series had a relatively brief network run, compared to Ms. Phillips’ other triumphs, it is widely recognized by broadcast historians as the first very soap opera. Click here to read Rob Wargo's feature on the anniversary from last year.

60 Years Ago Today - The First Daytime TV Soap

These Are My Children debuted on NBC on January 31, 1949. The show was broadcast live from Chicago, Illinois. It aired fifteen minutes a day, five days a week, at 5 p.m. ET.

The show told stories of the Henehan family in post war Chicago, where the family owned a boarding house, ruled over by Mrs. Henehan. Other characters included son John and his wife Jean as well as one of the chief boarders Katherine.

Created by Irna Phillips, These Are My Children is said to be the first network daytime soap. It was cancelled a month after it debuted because AT&T could no longer supply the cable required to transmit the show. The soap was based in large part on Phillips's early radio serials Today's Children and Painted Dreams.

News Brief

CBS soaps up for 2nd "InTurn".

The creation of "Painted Dreams" is one of the 50 Greatest Chicago moments.

"El cor de la ciutat" is telling a gay love story.