Today in Soap Opera History (February 23)

1965: Peyton Place's Elliot learned he was a grandfather.
1971: Dark Shadows' Gabriel stabbed Kendrick.
1989: Another World's original Donna Love returned.
2004: All My Children's Bianca remembered killing Michael.

"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...

1962: On The Edge of Night, Louise (Mary K. Wells) learned about Phil's (Ray MacDonnell) car crash, unaware that he had been replaced by a double, John Lambert (Ray MacDonnell).

1965: On As the World Turns, Chris (Don MacLaughlin) told Pa (Santos Ortega) about a rare disease that Dan had contracted, for which the prognosis did not look good. Chris explained that he felt Ellen (Patricia Bruder) should be told the truth about Dan, given what may happen to her son. When the news was revealed to Ellen, she was very upset and asked to go the hospital to see Dan. She found that he was in the same room in which she gave birth to him. While waiting to see Dan, Ellen thought back to the time at which he was known as "Jimmy." She found that Dan had been mumbling the word "mom" over and over again in his sleep, and she believed that this might be a good sign. She decided to keep vigil by his bed.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 23)

1965: Peyton Place's Elliot learned he was a grandfather.
1971: Dark Shadows' Gabriel stabbed Kendrick.
1989: Another World's original Donna Love returned.
2004: All My Children's Bianca remembered killing Michael.

"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...

1962: On The Edge of Night, Louise (Mary K. Wells) learned about Phil's (Ray MacDonnell) car crash, unaware that he had been replaced by a double, John Lambert (Ray MacDonnell).

1965: On As the World Turns, Chris (Don MacLaughlin) told Pa (Santos Ortega) about a rare disease that Dan had contracted, for which the prognosis did not look good. Chris explained that he felt Ellen (Patricia Bruder) should be told the truth about Dan, given what may happen to her son. When the news was revealed to Ellen, she was very upset and asked to go the hospital to see Dan. She found that he was in the same room in which she gave birth to him. While waiting to see Dan, Ellen thought back to the time at which he was known as "Jimmy." She found that Dan had been mumbling the word "mom" over and over again in his sleep, and she believed that this might be a good sign. She decided to keep vigil by his bed.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 23)

1965: Peyton Place's Elliot learned he was a grandfather.
1971: Dark Shadows' Gabriel stabbed Kendrick.
1989: Another World's original Donna Love returned.
2004: All My Children's Bianca remembered killing Michael.

"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...

1962: On The Edge of Night, Louise (Mary K. Wells) learned about Phil's (Ray MacDonnell) car crash, unaware that he had been replaced by a double, John Lambert (Ray MacDonnell).

1965: On As the World Turns, Chris (Don MacLaughlin) told Pa (Santos Ortega) about a rare disease that Dan had contracted, for which the prognosis did not look good. Chris explained that he felt Ellen (Patricia Bruder) should be told the truth about Dan, given what may happen to her son. When the news was revealed to Ellen, she was very upset and asked to go the hospital to see Dan. She found that he was in the same room in which she gave birth to him. While waiting to see Dan, Ellen thought back to the time at which he was known as "Jimmy." She found that Dan had been mumbling the word "mom" over and over again in his sleep, and she believed that this might be a good sign. She decided to keep vigil by his bed.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 23)

1965: Peyton Place's Elliot learned he was a grandfather.
1971: Dark Shadows' Gabriel stabbed Kendrick.
1989: Another World's original Donna Love returned.
2004: All My Children's Bianca remembered killing Michael.

"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...

1962: On The Edge of Night, Louise (Mary K. Wells) learned about Phil's (Ray MacDonnell) car crash, unaware that he had been replaced by a double, John Lambert (Ray MacDonnell).

1965: On As the World Turns, Chris (Don MacLaughlin) told Pa (Santos Ortega) about a rare disease that Dan had contracted, for which the prognosis did not look good. Chris explained that he felt Ellen (Patricia Bruder) should be told the truth about Dan, given what may happen to her son. When the news was revealed to Ellen, she was very upset and asked to go the hospital to see Dan. She found that he was in the same room in which she gave birth to him. While waiting to see Dan, Ellen thought back to the time at which he was known as "Jimmy." She found that Dan had been mumbling the word "mom" over and over again in his sleep, and she believed that this might be a good sign. She decided to keep vigil by his bed.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 23)

1965: Peyton Place's Elliot learned he was a grandfather.
1971: Dark Shadows' Gabriel stabbed Kendrick.
1989: Another World's original Donna Love returned.
2004: All My Children's Bianca remembered killing Michael.

"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...

1962: On The Edge of Night, Louise (Mary K. Wells) learned about Phil's (Ray MacDonnell) car crash, unaware that he had been replaced by a double, John Lambert (Ray MacDonnell).

1965: On As the World Turns, Chris (Don MacLaughlin) told Pa (Santos Ortega) about a rare disease that Dan had contracted, for which the prognosis did not look good. Chris explained that he felt Ellen (Patricia Bruder) should be told the truth about Dan, given what may happen to her son. When the news was revealed to Ellen, she was very upset and asked to go the hospital to see Dan. She found that he was in the same room in which she gave birth to him. While waiting to see Dan, Ellen thought back to the time at which he was known as "Jimmy." She found that Dan had been mumbling the word "mom" over and over again in his sleep, and she believed that this might be a good sign. She decided to keep vigil by his bed.

Today in Soap Opera History (February 23)

1971: DARK SHADOWS' Gabriel stabbed Kendrick.

"There is no present or future, only the past happening over and over again - now."
- Eugene O'Neill

"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: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, Louise (Mary K. Wells) learned about Phil's (Ray MacDonnell) car crash, unaware that he had been replaced by a double, John Lambert (Ray MacDonnell).

1965: On AS THE WORLD TURNS, Chris (Don MacLaughlin) told Pa (Santos Ortega) about a rare disease that Dan had contracted, for which the prognosis did not look good. Chris explained that he felt Ellen  (Patricia Bruder) should be told the truth about Dan, given what may happen to her son. When the news was revealed to Ellen, she was very upset and asked to go the hospital to see Dan. She found that he was in the same room in which she gave birth to him. While waiting to see Dan, Ellen thought back to the time at which he was known as "Jimmy." She found that Dan had been mumbling the word "mom" over and over again in his sleep, and she believed that this might be a good sign. She decided to keep vigil by his bed.