Today in Soap Opera History (July 12)

1982: Guiding Light's Justin deal with the Jackie's death.
1991: Days of our Lives' Frankie and Eve left Salem.
2007: One Life to Live's Jessica and Nash were married.
2010: On ABC.com's What If, Erica Kane met Sonny Corinthos.

"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...

1966: On The Guiding Light, Ed (Robert Gentry) found Bill (Ed Bryce) drunk at a bar.

1966: On Dark Shadows, Roger (Louis Edmonds) encountered Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) on Widows' Hill and told her the story of its legend and history. Meanwhile, Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) tried to learn what is troubling her father, Sam (David Ford).

Today in Soap Opera History (July 12)

1982: Guiding Light's Justin deal with the Jackie's death.
1991: Days of our Lives' Frankie and Eve left Salem.
2007: One Life to Live's Jessica and Nash were married.
2010: On ABC.com's What If, Erica Kane met Sonny Corinthos.

"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...

1966: On The Guiding Light, Ed (Robert Gentry) found Bill (Ed Bryce) drunk at a bar.

1966: On Dark Shadows, Roger (Louis Edmonds) encountered Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) on Widows' Hill and told her the story of its legend and history. Meanwhile, Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) tried to learn what is troubling her father, Sam (David Ford).

Today in Soap Opera History (July 12)

1982: Guiding Light's Justin deal with the death of his wife, Jackie.
1991: Days of our Lives' Frankie and Eve left Salem.
2007: One Life to Live's Jessica and Nash were married.
2010: On ABC.com's What If, Erica Kane met Sonny Corinthos.

"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...

1966: On The Guiding Light, Ed (Robert Gentry) found Bill (Ed Bryce) drunk at a bar.

1966: On Dark Shadows, Roger (Louis Edmonds) encountered Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) on Widows' Hill and told her the story of its legend and history. Meanwhile, Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) tried to learn what is troubling her father, Sam (David Ford).

Today in Soap Opera History (July 12)

1982: Guiding Light's Justin deal with the death of his wife, Carrie.
1991: Days of our Lives' Frankie and Eve left Salem.
2007: One Life to Live's Jessica and Nash were married.
2010: On ABC.com's What If, Erica Kane met Sonny Corinthos.

"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...

1966: On The Guiding Light, Ed (Robert Gentry) found Bill (Ed Bryce) drunk at a bar.

1966: On Dark Shadows, Roger (Louis Edmonds) encountered Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) on Widows' Hill and told her the story of its legend and history. Meanwhile, Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) tried to learn what is troubling her father, Sam (David Ford).

Today in Soap Opera History (July 12)

1982: Guiding Light's Justin deal with the death of his wife, Carrie.
1991: Days of our Lives' Frankie and Eve left Salem.
2007: One Life to Live's Jessica and Nash were married.
2010: On ABC.com's What If, Erica Kane met Sonny Corinthos.

"History never looks like history when you are living through it."
― John W. Gardner

"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...

1966: On The Guiding Light, Ed (Robert Gentry) found Bill (Ed Bryce) drunk at a bar.

1966: On Dark Shadows, Roger (Louis Edmonds) encountered Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) on Widows' Hill and told her the story of its legend and history. Meanwhile, Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) tried to learn what is troubling her father, Sam (David Ford).

Today in Soap Opera History (July 12)

On this date in...

1966: On THE GUIDING LIGHT, Ed (Robert Gentry) found Bill (Ed Bryce) drunk at a bar.

1966: On DARK SHADOWS, Roger (Louis Edmonds) bravely entered the drawing room after Carolyn (Nancy Barrett) told him Burke was there.

Today in Soap Opera History (July 12)

On this date in...

1966: On THE GUIDING LIGHT, Ed found Bill drunk at a bar.

1966: On DARK SHADOWS, Roger bravely entered the Drawing Room after Carolyn told him Burke was there. 

1984: On GUIDING LIGHT, Claire (Susan Pratt) refused to let Josh give up on his rehab.

Today in Soap Opera History (July 12)

On this date in...

1966: On THE GUIDING LIGHT, Ed found Bill drunk at a bar.

2007: GENERAL HOSPITAL: NIGHT SHIFT, a spin-off of the daytime soap, premiered on SOAPnet.

2009: Indie Soap Award-winning EMPIRE premiered its first episode. The show, which now stars former daytime favorites Tina Sloan, Orlagh Cassidy, Yvonne Perry and Ellen Dolan, is currently shooting the upcoming fourth season. Read our interview with creators Greg Turner and Brian Hewson conducted a month before the show premiered here. FYI: Talking to these two men inspired us to coin the term "indie soap" and we have used it ever since.

ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Sam McCall Meets John McBain

In the final installment of ABC Daytime's new series, WHAT IF, "Love in an Elevator," ONE LIVE TO LIVE's John McBain (Michael Easton) and GENERAL HOSPITAL's Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco) get trapped in an elevator in a burning building, where they get to know each other better than they ever thought they would. Easton and Monaco previously portrayed vampire Caleb and his human lover Olivia on the ABC Daytime drama PORT CHARLES from 1997-2003.

Watch it below.

ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Blair Cramer Meets Tad Martin

In the ninth installment of ABC Daytime’s new series, WHAT IF, ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Blair Cramer (Kassie DePaiva) and ALL MY CHILDREN's Tad Martin (Michael E. Knight) have a run in.

After comparing notes on their messy love lives, Tad and Blair realize they dance to the same tune, in the first WHAT IF musical number.

Watch it below.

ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Rex Balson Met Maxie Jones

In the eighth installment of ABC Daytime's new series, “What If,” “General Hospital's” Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) and “One Life to Live's” Rex Balsom (John- Paul Lavoisier) debate the pros and cons of young love, while suddenly faced with their own mortality. The episode is titled "Learning to Fly."

Watch it below.

ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Viki Lord Meets Luke Spencer

In the seventh installment of ABC Daytime's new series, WHAT IF, GENERAL HOSPITAL's Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) and ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Viki Banks (Erika Slezak) have a talk. Bonded by their respective heart problems, Viki and Luke commiserate over lost love. The episode is titled "Pain in My Heart."

Watch it below.

ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Dante Meets Tess

The ABC.com WHAT IF web series has launched. In the episode below, Tess Buchanan (Bree Williamson) and GENERAL HOSPITAL's Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) run into each other on a plane. When Dante and Tess realize they've met before, she tries to seduce him for old time's sake ("I Might Like You Better if We Slept Together").

Watch it below.

PREVIEW: ABC.com's WHAT IF... Dante Meets Tess

In the sixth installment of ABC Daytime's new series, WHAT IF, ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Tess Buchanan (Bree Williamson) and GENERAL HOSPITAL's Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) run into each other on a plane. When Dante and Tess realize they've met before, she tries to seduce him for old time's sake. The new episode airs the week of August 2nd on ABC Daytime, with cut-down-versions on ABC.com, with Soapnet.com.

Good News, And Fascinating Data, For Daytime Soaps

TVNewsCheck posted an article today with lots of interesting data on the current state of daytime television.

The soaps generate more ad revenue than network game shows and talk shows. The average soap pulled in $130 million between January 2009 and May 2010, compared to $100 million for the average talk show and $96 million for the average game show, according to ad-tracking firm Kantar Media.

Advertisers like the shows for their ability to zero in on female consumers, who account for 76% of soap viewers, according to Nielsen.

"Advertisers also prefer to be in quality scripted series," says media industry analyst Shari Anne Brill. "Another talk show or another game show isn't a suitable replacement for advertisers who want to have their products showcased in a program with a story."

Online viewership numbers are encouraging.

ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Angie & Jesse Meet Starr

The ABC.com WHAT IF web series has launched. In the episode below, ALL MY CHILDREN's supercouple Angie and Jesse Hubbard (Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams) and ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Starr Manning (Kristen Alderson) meet. When Angie and Jesse argue about a dry spell in the romance department, Starr reminds them what matters most in life ("Why Did I Get Married?").

Watch it below.

The Next WHAT IF - Angie/Jesse Meet Starr

In the fifth installment of ABC Daytime's new series, WHAT IF, ALL MY CHILDREN's supercouple Angie and Jesse Hubbard (Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams) and ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Starr Manning (Kristen Alderson) meet. When Angie and Jesse argue about a dry spell in the romance department, Starr reminds them what matters most in life. The new episode airs the week of July 26th on ABC.com, with cut-down-versions on ABC Daytime and SOAPnet.

'What If' Web Series: Greenlee Meets Jason

The ABC.com WHAT IF web series has launched. In the episode below, ALL MY CHILDREN's Greenlee Smythe (Rebecca Budig) and GENERAL HOSPITAL's Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) meet. A drunken Greenlee pours her heart out (and more) to a very sober Jason Morgan ("Blame It On The Alcohol").

Watch it below.

PREVIEW: What If - Greenlee Meets Jason

In the fourth installment of ABC Daytime's new series, “What If,” ALL MY CHILDREN's Greenlee Smythe (Rebecca Budig) and GENERAL HOSPITAL's Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) meet. A drunken Greenlee pours her heart out (and more) to a very sober Jason Morgan. The new episode airs the week of JULY 19th on ABC.com, with cut-down-versions on ABC Daytime and SOAPnet.

ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Todd Meets Spinelli

The ABC.com WHAT IF web series has launched. In the episode below, ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Todd Manning (Trevor St. John) and GENERAL HOSPITAL's Damian Spinelli (Bradford Anderson): Spinelli's fear of flying frustrates Todd to no end and unexpectedly changes their flight plan. (“Todd & Spinelli: Fear of Flying”).

Watch it below.