Today in Soap Opera History (February 6)

1976: Days of our Lives' Laura gave birth to Jennifer.
1985: Santa Barbara's Kelly received white carnations.
1995: One Life to Live's Joey wanted answers from his mother.
1996: Another World's Grant took Vicky hostage.

"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...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin on Days of our Lives.

1976: On Days of our Lives, Laura Horton (Susan Oliver) gave birth to a baby girl, Jennifer Rose. "A daughter—almost as pretty as you," said the proud father, Bill (Edward Mallory). The character of Jennifer is played today by Melissa Reeves.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 6)

1976: Days of our Lives' Laura gave birth to Jennifer.
1985: Santa Barbara's Kelly received white carnations.
1995: One Life to Live's Joey wanted answers from his mother.
1996: Another World's Grant took Vicky hostage.

"Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli

"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...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin on Days of our Lives.

1976: On Days of our Lives, Laura Horton (Susan Oliver) gave birth to a baby girl, Jennifer Rose. "A daughter—almost as pretty as you," said the proud father, Bill (Edward Mallory). The character of Jennifer is played today by Melissa Reeves.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 6)

1976: Days of our Lives' Laura gave birth to Jennifer.
1985: Santa Barbara's Kelly received white carnations.
1995: One Life to Live's Joey wanted answers from his mother.
1996: Another World's Grant took Vicky hostage.

"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...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin on Days of our Lives.

1976: On Days of our Lives, Laura Horton (Susan Oliver) gave birth to a baby girl, Jennifer Rose. "A daughter—almost as pretty as you," said the proud father, Bill (Edward Mallory). The character of Jennifer is played today by Melissa Reeves.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 6)

1976: Days of our Lives' Laura gave birth to Jennifer.
1985: Santa Barbara's Kelly received white carnations.
1995: One Life to Live's Joey wanted answers from his mother.
1996: Another World's Grant took Vicky hostage.

"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...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin on Days of our Lives.

1976: On Days of our Lives, Laura Horton (Susan Oliver) gave birth to a baby girl, Jennifer Rose. "A daughter—almost as pretty as you," said the proud father, Bill (Edward Mallory). The character of Jennifer is played today by Melissa Reeves.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 6)

"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...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin in Days of our Lives.

1976: On Days of our Lives, Jennifer Rose Horton was born. The character is played today by Melissa Reeves.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 6)

"Maybe if people started to listen, history would stop repeating itself."
- Lily Tomlin

"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...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin in DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

1976: On DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Jennifer Rose Horton was born. The character is played today by Melissa Reeves.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 6)

On this date in...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin in DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

1976: On DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Jennifer Rose Horton was born. The character is played today by Melissa Reeves.

1979: On ANOTHER WORLD, Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) was intrigued by Buzz's idea that she pay off Blaine. Buzz encouraged Blaine to bleed Rachel dry.

1992: On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, a hospitalized Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) finally woke up.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 6)

On this date in...

1973: On ANOTHER WORLD, Jim and Mary had dinner with Pat and John.

1992: On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, in the hospital Nikki finally woke up.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Zsa Zsa Gabor (ex-Lydia, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 94
Mike Farrell (ex-Milton, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES) - 72
Michael Tucker (ex-Harry, RYAN'S HOPE) - 66
Ben Lawson (ex-Liam, THE DEEP END; ex-Frazer, NEIGHBOURS) - 31

PREVIEW: Tonight's ABC Soapy Lineup

ABC has a soap lineup in primetime on Thursday nights including THE DEEP END, GREY'S ANATOMY and PRIVATE PRACTICE each airing new episodes tonight. Here's a preview.

"Nothing Personal" -- When a promising female tennis star loses her scholarship, Susan gives Beth and Dylan the challenging pro-bono case -- which questions the player's personal identity -- while Liam and Malcolm are pitted against each other, on THE DEEP END, tonight (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Michael Tucker (ex-Harry, RYAN'S HOPE) - 65
Ben Lawson (Liam, THE DEEP END; ex-Frazer, NEIGHBOURS) - 30

THE DEEP END Premieres Tonight

ABC's newest drama, THE DEEP END, premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Fresh out of law school, THE DEEP END, starring Billy Zane, follows five new law associates as they learn that there’s more to law, love, and money than they ever could have imagined. Thrown into the deep end of the pool, these newbies will either sink or swim.