NEWS: Hillary B. Smith, Amazon CEO Watched DAYS

INTERVIEW: OLTL's Hillary B. Smith (Nora)
"I was a big soap viewer before I was on them. I always dreamed about being on a soap. I did not watch the younger story lines. I was more interested in what was going on with my parents’ generation. There was more at stake. The young kids get their hearts broken and move on. The older couples were much more serious, much more deep and interesting. I always migrate that way. It’s great to have younger storylines – we have some great kids on the show. The generations are very intermingled."

Will EASTENDERS star be fired due to behavior?‎
According to the Daily Star, 17-year-old Melissa Suffield, who plays Lucy Beale in the soap, was recently issued with a final warning from producers after attending a London nightclub while underage. Melissa has been hauled before bosses on a number of occasions for her behaviour and attitude outside work. In the end they made the decision to let her go."

We Love Soaps Weekend In Pictures, Part 2

For those asking for more photos from "We Love Soaps Weekend," we have them for you below.

RESULTS: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Daytime Soap of the Week" poll for the week of May 24-28, 2010. DAYS OF OUR LIVES returned to the top spot. Check back on Friday when this week's polling begins.

RANK (Last Week/Weeks in Top 3)
1. DAYS OF OUR LIVES (4/33)
2. ALL MY CHILDREN (1/7)
3. AS THE WORLD TURNS (2/40)
4. ONE LIFE TO LIVE (3/40)
5. THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (6/14)
6. GENERAL HOSPITAL (5/3)
7. THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (7/0)

NEWS: Mobile TV, Melissa Leo, Choudhry, ABC's Fate

Mobile TV's Last Frontier: U.S. and Europe
While South Koreans are the world leaders in mobile TV viewing, the technology is also catching on in China, southeast Asia, India, Africa and Latin America, where 80 million people now have cellphones that can receive free, live TV broadcasts.

After cutting her teeth on soaps, Oscar nominee Melissa Leo is cleaning up
Leo is proud of her sudsy roots, playing Linda Warner, the troubled sister of straitlaced Dr. Cliff Warner (Peter Bergman) on ALL MY CHILDREN in the mid-'80s.

"I loved that part," she said. "When all is said and done, I can say I was a part of the great American soap opera."

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Maeve Kinkead (Dinah, GOTHAM; ex-Vanessa, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Angie, ANOTHER WORLD) - 64
Nick Scotti (ex-Tony, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 44
Ara Celi (ex-Raquel, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 36
Matt Cavenaugh (ex-Adam, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Mark ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 32
Meredith Hagner (ex-Liberty, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 23

Lilly Melgar & Danica Stewart Join Cast of REALITY BYTES

Two more actresses have joined the cast of the upcoming indie soap REALITY BYTES. Lilly Melgar, who already has a role on THE BAY, will be playing Rachel Bennett. Danica Stewart has been cast in the role of Kimberly McMillan. They join Tristan Rogers, Tonja Walker, Drake Hogestyn and many others in the star-studded cast.

Burnett & Deidrick Tape Guest Spot On EMPIRE

While in New York City today, DAYS OF OUR LIVES stars Molly Burnett (Melanie) and Casey Deidrick (Chad) taped a guest appearance on indie soap EMPIRE, which will air in Season Three. The always fabulous Tina Sloan (Theodora) was part of the scene as was Chris J. Hanley (Lance). Check out a photo here. EMPIRE is currently in the middle of Season Two. Catch up at empiretheseries.com.

WLS Interview Archive: Anna Stuart

I had the delightful opportunity recently to catch up with the gorgeous and phenomenally talented Anna Stuart.  I learned a lot about her 17 years on ANOTHER WORLD, as well as the passion and devotion she infuses into her work.  If you haven't seen them, please enjoy this series of interviews.

In Part One Ms. Stuart recalls anecdotes from her early years on soaps, her reluctance to do daytime, and pressures of temporarily replacing Maeve Kinkead on GUIDING LIGHT.  

In Part Two she reflects upon starting on ANOTHER WORLD, and how her own integrity, strength, and independence lent itself to bringing Donna Love to life.  

In Part Three we review her years at ANOTHER WORLD, including leaving and coming back, and working with three of the Marley/Vickys.

In Part Four we discuss more about the downfall of ANOTHER WORLD, and how she coped with change and challenges following it's cancellation.

In Part Five Anna discusses her experiences working on ALL MY CHILDREN, GOTHAM, thoughts about the future of soaps on the internet.

The Week in Review: Most Popular Posts

In case you missed them, here are the 15 most popular topics over the past week at We Love Soaps:

1.   NEWS: SOAPnet, Vanessa Ray, Jon Lindstrom, Kylie
2.   Dishing With Dylan - The WLS Interview, Part One
3.   50 Greatest Soap Opera Actresses: The Complete List
4.   We Love Soaps Celebrates The Arrival Of "Magtor"!
5.   SOAPnet Being Replaced With Disney Junior
6.   50 Greatest Soap Opera Actors: Honorable Mention
7.   Larry Bryggman Back on ATWT Before The End
8.   NEWS: OLTL in Jersey, HDTV, Delusions, Peter Bergman
9.   What Did You Think Of The LOST Series Finale?
10. We Love Soaps Weekend In Pictures, Part 1
11. NEWS: New CORRIE Opening, INBETWEENERS, GH
12. NEWS: FNL, Google TV, SAG, Hasselhoff, Soapdish
13. NEWS: GLEE Gets 3rd Season, Cable TV, Critchlow, LOST
14. REVIEW: Ken Corday's Untold History Of "Days"
15. CBS Daytime Putting Faces Behind Potential New Shows

If you missed any of the latest episodes of WE LOVE SOAPS TV you can watch them below.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Scott Holmes (Tom, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Dave, RYAN'S HOPE) - 58
Ted McGinley (ex-Clay, DYNASTY) - 52
Tonya Pinkins (ex-Livia, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Heather, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 48

Dishing With Dylan - The WLS Interview, Part Two

In Part One of our interview, Emmy nominated actor Dylan Patton shared memories of starting on DAYS, adjusting to workload, and lessons learned from his TV mom Alison Sweeney.  In the second part below, he discusses being fired from DAYS, and then getting nominated for an Emmy!

We Love Soaps: Fast forwarding to the event where we met, it was the first time fans had flooded you with that level of attention.  What was that like?
Dylan Patton: I don’t even know how to explain it.  It was overwhelming.  That’s part of the whole experience, I guess.  I’m comfortable with it, but it’s easy for people to make you feel uncomfortable.

We Love Soaps: How did that happen?
Dylan Patton: [Pause] Fans can be really aggressive.  Forward.  Because they see you everyday on their TV, they feel they know you.  But you don’t know any of them.  It’s a little nerve-wracking.  But it’s cool at the same time, all these people are coming out to see you.  So you can look at it from both angles. 

We Love Soaps: Coming up ahead, there are some very exciting events.  Congratulations on your Emmy nomination!  What scenes did you submit for that?

VOTE: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

Which indie soap was your favorite this week? Vote in the weekly We Love Soaps poll and check back on Tueday morning for the results. Only the shows that aired one or more new episodes from May 23-29, 2010 are listed. Based on release schedules, the shows in the poll will change weekly.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Watch/listen to this week's indie soaps:
- ANYONE BUT ME
- COLLEGE
- EMPIRE
- IN THE MOMENT
- THE CAVANAUGHS
- WEBSERIES THE WEBSERIES

NEWS: Crystal Hunt, Disney Telenovelas, Source, BBC 1

Disney embraces tween telenovelas
A tween telenovela titled Patito Feo purportedly has Disney's internationally minded president and CEO Robert Iger agog, knocking the company's franchises like Hannah Montana off the top of local ratings and soundtrack charts across southern Europe. The $4 million-a-season serial, which ran 155 episodes during its first season in 2007 and 145 the second season in Argentina, centers on an awkward 13-year-old -- nicknamed Patito, which means duckling -- who is a natural at singing. Her dream is to meet her father and become a famous singer.

In the U.S., Televisa's localized Mexican version is running on Univision, and MTV Networks has picked up the option for an English-language remake.

Crystal Hunt's fairy tale love has a soap opera ending (via Blackberry)
Hunt, a Clearwater native who played troublemaker Stacy Morasco on ABC's ONE LIFE TO LIVE, called off her engagement to Dr. Philippe Spiess in June 2009. Spiess now wants her to return the ring he says is worth $96,000. He wants her to compensate him for $43,000 in furniture, appliances and household items he says he bought. A lawsuit he has filed against Hunt also claims she dumped him via BlackBerry message.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Anthony Geary (Luke, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-George, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-David, BRIGHT PROMISE) - 63
Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Lauren, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Donna, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 47
Mark Hapka (Nathan, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 24
Kristen Alderson (Starr, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 19

Soap Opera TV Ratings May 17-23, 2010

Compiled from a list of several sources, here are the Nielsen ratings for the week of May 17-23, 2010 for all the daytime and primetime television soap operas.

GREY'S ANATOMY (16.1 million, 10.2/17) - season finale 10 p.m.
GREY'S ANATOMY (13.9 million, 9.0/15) - season finale 9 p.m.
LOST (13.1 million, 7.2/12) - series finale Sunday 10 p.m.
LOST (13.0 million, 7.2/11) - series finale Sunday 9 p.m.
THE GOOD WIFE (12.2 million, 7.9/14)
GLEE (11.6 million, 6.9/11)
LOST: THE FINAL JOURNEY (10.5 million, 5.9/10) - Sunday 8 p.m.
LOST (10.4 million, 6.1/9) - regular Tuesday timeslot
LOST: THE FINAL JOURNEY (9.1 million, 5.2/10) - Sunday 7 p.m.
PARENTHOOD (6.2 million, 4.0/7)
V (5.9 million, 3.8/6)
FLASHFORWARD (5.3 million, 3.5/6)
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (5.1 million, 3.7/13) - daytime airing only
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (3.9 million, 2.6/5)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (3.25 million, 2.4/8)
DAYS OF OUR LIVES (2.55 million, 1.9/7) - daytime airing only
GENERAL HOSPITAL (2.5 million, 1.9/6) - daytime airing only
ALL MY CHILDREN (2.46 million, 1.9/7) - daytime airing only
ONE LIFE TO LIVE (2.34 million, 1.8/6) - daytime airing only
AS THE WORLD TURNS (2.23 million, 1.7/6)

ONE LIFE TO LIVE Q&A: The Wedding of Bo & Nora

Hillary B. Smith and Robert S. Woods answer questions about Bo and Nora as the duo prepares to get married on ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Watch it below.

VOTE: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

Which daytime soap was your favorite the week of May 24-28, 2010? Vote in the weekly We Love Soaps poll and check back on Monday morning for the results.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

NEWS: New CORRIE Opening, INBETWEENERS, GH

Analysis: Disney Junior a Promising New Kid on the Block
SOAPnet averaged 319,000 primetime viewers for first quarter 2010. The network had modest success with original series Being Erica, a Canadian production that was recently picked up for a third season by Canadian broadcaster CBC and SOAPnet. But its overall programming strategy has been to rely on re-runs of daytime soaps. Disney Junior is targeted to launch in 2012 in SOAPnet's 75 million homes. But the company will have to get multichannel operators to re-sign those license agreements.

We Love Soaps Mourns Gary Coleman

We Love Soaps has tragically learned of the death of Mr. Gary Coleman.  Although he only had one soap appearance (he played a hit-and-run victim in Dr. Miles Cavanaugh's clinic on THE EDGE OF NIGHT), his role as Arnold Drummond on NBC's DIFF'RENT STROKES touched an entire generation and gave young people like myself a role model of an "outsider" who managed to live and love successfully.  Seeing Arnold struggle and manage to fit into a world unfamiliar to him was similar to the plights of many daytime characters.  We rooted for him, cried with him, and celebrated in his triumphs.

Throughout his adult life, Mr. Coleman was plagued with medical problems, relationship difficulties, and public outbursts, all which were documented ruthlessly by several media outlets.  Yet Mr. Coleman managed to rise above negative publicity, and even condoned a satire/tribute of his persona in Broadway's "Avenue Q." His humor, resiliency, and battle with inner struggles will continue to inspire millions across the world, and future generations to come.

Please share your memories, thoughts, feelings in our comment section below.

Dishing With Dylan - The WLS Interview, Part One

We Love Soaps recently had the opportunity to talk to Dylan Patton, the Emmy nominated actor who portrayed Will Horton on DAYS OF OUR LIVES between 2009-2010.  What was it like to land a soap, and then to lose it?  And how have lessons from Alison Sweeney helped him along the way? Read on and find out.

We Love Soaps: It’s so cool to speak with you again.  I haven’t seen you since last year’s Day Of  DAYS event.  One of your early jobs at age thirteen was a very steamy scene on COLD CASE with Donna Mills.
Dylan Patton: [Laughs] That was really fun to shoot, that whole episode.  That show was ridiculous, they spent so much money on pointless things.  That episode was shot in a huge mansion up in Beverly Hills.  That whole pool was indoors.  Donna Mills was great.  She was humble, great to talk to.  The whole scene was weird.  I like to get into what I’m doing.  I could tell the director knew it was weird for me.  He came to me and talked to me, and tried to basically explain the idea of an older woman coming on to me.  It was weird to be at that age and having all that in front of me. 

We Love Soaps: How did DAYS come about?

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Sally Stark (ex-Sharon, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Trish, GUIDING LIGHT) - 72
Alicia Minshew (Kendall, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 36
Emily O'Brien (Jana, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 25
Joseph Cross (ex-Casey, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 24

CBS Daytime Putting Faces Behind Potential New Shows

CBS has hired Andy Richter to host the pilot for a revamped version of PYRAMID, which the network is considering to replace the soon-to-stop-turning AS THE WORLD TURNS in September.

Meanwhile, the CBS version of THE VIEW, also a potential ATWT replacement, has lined up Sharon Osbourne for a pilot along with Sara Gilbert, Julie Chen and Holly Robinson Peete.

Dick Clark/BANDSTAND To Be Honored at Daytime Emmys

"AMERICAN BANDSTAND" AND DICK CLARK TO BE HONORED AT "THE 37TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARDS," TO AIR LIVE, SUNDAY, JUNE 27 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Cher, Barry Manilow, Garth Brooks, and Marie Osmond among stars participating in Tribute

A tribute to AMERICAN BANDSTAND and Dick Clark will be one of the many captivating segments featured on THE 37TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARDS, to air live from the Las Vegas Hilton Sunday, June 27 (9:00-11:00 p.m., live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Cher, Barry Manilow, Garth Brooks, Marie Osmond, Ann-Margret, Frankie Avalon, The Spinners, Jay Leno and Simon Cowell are among the stars who will be saluting the iconic show and legendary television personality.

"Since this is the first time the Daytime Emmys will be based outside New York or L.A., we’re putting together a special that will tap into the energy and excitement of Las Vegas, " stated David McKenzie, executive producer of the telecast. "This will be an entertainment driven awards presentation that viewers will embrace."

Hosted by Regis Philbin, the Daytime Emmy Awards will feature outstanding performers from all fields of daytime television.

We Love Soaps Weekend In Pictures, Part 1

How to describe the We Love Soaps Weekend? In a few words it was mesmerizing, fascinating, compelling, and enlightening.  Of course I had watched and loved all eight of these talents on their respective soaps.  I had seen many of them sing and perform on New York stages in recent months.  But never before had I been witness to the depth of their talent, the range of their capabilities, and abundance of their skills even when plans changed (which they did a few times!).  From the perspective of an organizer, I gained a new respect and appreciation for each actor's resilience, courage, flexibility, and can-do attitude. 

So next time Ilene Kristen, Robert Newman, Kathy Brier, Colleen Zenk Pinter, Michael O' Leary, BethAnn Bonner, Bree Williamson, or Evan Alex Cole are playing in a venue near you, I strongly encourage you to treat yourself and come see them.  Believe me you will not be disappointed.

[Special thank you to Sarah Bliss for these wonderful pictures!]

THE CAVANAUGHS S1 E2: "Woman in White"

The second episode of last week's "Indie Soap of the Week" winner, THE CAVANAUGHS, is now online. And the story continues. The identity of the guy in the picture is revealed. A return to "The Cavanaughs" is tossed around. On the eve of her wedding, Charley has a heart to heart with Maddie.

Watch it below.

NEWS: SOAPnet, Vanessa Ray, Jon Lindstrom, Kylie

What does the end of SOAPnet mean for the ABC soaps?
Brian Frons: "We want the fans to know that we remain committed to ALL MY CHILDREN, ONE LIFE TO LIVE and GENERLA HOSPITAL and that this in no way impacts their future. These soaps were on the air 30 to 40 years before SOAPnet came along and they will continue long after SOAPnet ends. This is not about SOAPnet doing badly. It’s about a bigger opportunity for the Disney Company.

"I think [all three ABC soaps] all doing a good job of making themselves contemporary and relevant. GH is in a terrific place right now. I love the youthful vitality of OLTL as we drive into the summer. And AMC is getting back to where it’s supposed to be, thanks to [new head writers] Donna Swajeski and Dave Kreizman and [executive producer] Julie Carruthers. I feel good about the future. AMC’s move to L.A. saved 20 percent on the budget and it looks better than ever. It’s not money that came off the screen. If we can continue to be that smart every day on all three soaps then there’s no reason they won’t survive far into the future."

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Lee Meriwether (Ruth, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 75
Mark Collier (ex-Mike, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-David, SUNSET BEACH) - 40
Marissa Tait (ex-Becky, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) - 31
Darin Brooks (ex-Max, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 26
Chris Colfer (Kurt, GLEE) - 20

SOAPnet Being Replaced With Disney Junior

The press release announcing that SOAPnet is going away isn't a surprise. It is somewhat surprising though that the channel is being completely replaced with Disney Junior. It seemed like becoming another Lifetime or WE was the direction the company has been going the past few years.

Perhaps if SOAPnet had maintained its original vision, it could have been a real destination for current and classic daytime soaps, and even originals. Soaps continue to thrive in primetime, cable, internationally and on the web. Being at the forefront of the next revolution in continuing drama could have been a good position to be in but Disney/ABC was obviously not interested in that. (a 30-minute indie show featuring the best 3-5 indie soaps of the week would have been a great start). It opens the door for someone else to step up to the plate and help fill that void. SOAPnet will be around about 18 more months.

DISNEY/ABC TELEVISION GROUP ANNOUNCES DISNEY JUNIOR, A NEW24-HOUR CHANNEL FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Disney/ABC Television Group will launch Disney Junior, a new multiplatform brand and 24-hour basic cable/satellite channel and online site devoted to preschool-age children. Scheduled to debut in the U.S. in 2012, Disney Junior will invite mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, both classic and new, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7.

VIDEO: Ken Corday & Kristian Alfonso on TODAY

Ken Corday and Kristian Alfonso appeared on NBC's TODAY on Wednesday morning. Corday spoke about his parents and new book, and Alfsonso praised DAYS as a family.

Watch their appearance below.

We Love Soaps Celebrates The Arrival Of "Magtor"! (aka "Viggie)

They have arrived!  After much discussion in recent interviews and features, the writers of DAYS OF OUR LIVES are finally beginning to write the epic love story of “Magtor” (ie, Maggie + Victor), the coupling that long-term viewers like myself have wanted for the past 25 years! 

Okay, most lifelong DAYS fans could hardly imagine Maggie Horton with anyone except Mickey.  And it would be hard to swallow Victor in a mature, rational, and healthy relationship with anyone.  But this is why I argue that the pairing of Maggie and Victor makes perfect sense. 

What they have going for them:

-They both have a mutual commitment to family.  Maggie may not have her daughters around, but she is fiercely committed to her “surrogate” daughter Melanie, and back in the day was a loving protective mother to Melissa, Sara, and Janice.  Victor too does everything in his power to love and look after his sons Bo and Philip, as well as his “surrogate” son Daniel.  They may differ on the means to accomplish protecting their loved ones, but their end goals are the same.

NEWS: OLTL in Jersey, HDTV, Delusions, Peter Bergman

ONE LIFE TO LIVE films quarry story in Hopewell, New Jersey
Yesterday’s action took place at the beautiful Quarry Swimming Club, Today’s taping begins at Palmer Square in Princeton, then moves to a roadside in Pennington for a few car stunts. And a little bit of fighting between characters.

SPOILER ALERT: Danielle (Kelley Missal, 16, of New Jersey, in real life) has broken up with Matthew — errr, you viewers won’t know this until the June 7 show on ABC, so don’t let on that we told you. And at the quarry this day (May 25), it is revealed that Danielle and Nate “have feelings for each other,” said publicist Lauri Hogan. "We’re introducing a new family this summer. This story line (Kelley and Nate) has a bit of mystery involved. ‘Cause he’s not just cheering her up at the quarry. There’s going to be a lot of mystery surrounding James from the first minute you meet him."

A Closer Look at HDTV - Daytime Perfoms Poorly
According to the Nielsen Company, high-definition households watch about 3 percent more prime-time programming than their standard-definition counterparts. Different genres over-index quite significantly when Nielsen compares the ratings in HD homes to those in non-HD homes. Award ceremonies and variety shows also over-index. The index’s average is 100, and the “instruction, advice” category comes in at 120, just a bit behind sports.

Which types of shows perform more poorly when HD is added to the equation? Daytime soap operas under-index at 92, and “quiz give away” shows like THE PRICE IS RIGHT do the same, at 83.

EVENT: So Long Springfield Cruise Sets Sail July 31

The So Long Springfield events have been hugely successful, even beyond most people's expectations. The demand to see the stars of GUIDING LIGHT shows the impact those actors and characters made on the lives of fans for decades. On July 31, So Long Springfield returns with a twist, this time a cruise. Thirteen stars from the 72 year old soap will spend five glorious days up close and personal with their fans aboard the So Long Springfield Cruise on Carnival's Glory.

Below are all the details of this once in a lifetime event.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Margaret Colin (Eleanor, GOSSIP GIRL; ex-Margo, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 52
Doug Hutchison (ex-Sebastian, GUIDING LIGHT) - 50
Genie Francis (ex-Laura, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Ceara, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Diana, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 48
Tamara Clatterbuck (ex-Barb, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Alice, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 47

RESULTS: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Indie Soap of the Week" poll for the week of May 16-22, 2010. THE CAVANAUGHS took the top spot after debuting on Thursday. Indie soaps that aired one or more episodes last week were eligible. Check back on Saturday when this week's polling begins.


Watch/listen to last week's indie soaps:
- COLLEGE
- EMPIRE
- LOVERS & FRIENDS SHOW
- THE CAVANAUGHS
- THE PARAGON
- THE STEPS

NEWS: FNL, Google TV, SAG, Hasselhoff, Soapdish

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS reruns coming to ABC Family
The new home for soaps, ABC Family, is now going to be home to the syndicated reruns of critically-acclaimed FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS starting this fall.

"We're thrilled to add NBC's critically-acclaimed series Friday Night Lights to the mix of our defining original and quality acquired series," said Tom Zappala, executive VP, program acquisitions and scheduling, for the ABC Cable Networks Group, in a statement. "The series is beloved by critics and viewers, and fits in perfectly with ABC Family's blend of optimistic, heartfelt programming."

Paramount remaking Soapdish
Paramount Pictures is remaking the 1991 ensemble comedy, Soapdish, which starred Kevin Kline, Sally Field, Robert Downey, Jr., and Whoopi Goldberg, among many others. Despite an impressive cast, the original — directed by Michael Hoffman — didn’t do outstandingly at the box office, racking up $36 million, but it was popular with critics. Writer/producer/director Rob Reiner is producing the remake.

The Best and Worst Of Upfront Week - What hit and what tanked onstage in New York
Broadcasting & Cable takes a look at the best and worst of the Upfronts.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.29 All God's Creatures

On Episode 1.29 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb welcomes the cast and crew of the new indie film, All God's Creatures, including producer/writer/star Josh Folan, producer/star Matt Jared, star Jessica Kaye and director/editor Ryan Charles.

Folan and Jared both have played bartenders on the New York soaps (among other roles) and Kaye played Rebecca Lewis on ONE LIFE TO LIVE last year, the sister of Brett Claywell's Kyle. Folan also starred on the radio soap opera SCRIPTS & SCRUPLES.

All God's Creatures is a romantic thriller. Jon Smith (Folan), a creature of habit, spends his days working as a barista at a local mom and pop coffee shop on the upper west side of Manhattan. When night falls he is a creature of a different breed, succumbing to his urge to savagely kill the "filthy" young women of the good city of New York. When Jon meets Delia (Kaye), a good natured but troubled young woman on the run from her past, he is forced to confront something far more terrifying than anything he has ever before encountered in all the dark affairs of his life - himself. Brought to question his routine by the company of this mysterious and beautiful creature, Jon will examine the true nature of what it means to be a monster and ultimately discover that love is not only for a chosen few, but for all God's creatures.



If you want to watch WE LOVE SOAPS TV on iTunes, you can find it here.

If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at [email protected] and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- All God's Creatures - Official Website
- All God's Creatures - Twitter
- All God's Creatures - Facebook
- Josh Folan

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

ANYONE BUT ME S2 E9: "Private Rooms & Public Spaces"

Four-time Indie Soap Award winner ANYONE BUT ME has released a new episode, "Private Rooms and Public Spaces," with Liza Weil returning as Aster's therapist who sees both Aster and Vivian.

Watch the episode below.

REVIEW: Ken Corday's Untold History Of "Days"

It’s not easy being Ken Corday.  On one hand you have the pride and burden of carrying a family legacy for over two decades.  On the other, you are constantly living in fear of a cancellation ax being wielded upon said legacy, as well as the knowledge that you sacrificed your own artistic hopes and dreams in order to make your parents’ creation thrive. 

These are just some of the challenges shared in the new book “The Days Of Our Lives: The True Story Of One Family’s Dream And The Untold History of Days Of Our Lives”.  This is an illuminating and powerful must-read for anyone who has ever watched DAYS, or for that matter, anyone who has ever put a family business in front of their own aspirations.  Say what you will about Ken Corday (as dozens of critics have).  But after reading this book one cannot deny the integrity, determination, and strength demanded of him to keep DAYS on the air, and keep network interference to a minimum.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.28 We Love Soaps Weekend

"We Love Soaps Weekend" at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, New York, was held May 21-23. Ilene Kristen, Colleen Zenk Pinter, Robert Newman, Kathy Brier, Michael O'Leary, Bree Williamson, BethAnn Bonner and Evan Alex Cole performed. The talent presented on stage could play anywhere. It was top notch. Kathy Brier has a once in a lifetime voice. Colleen Zenk proved why she belongs on the cabaret stage and in musical theater. Bree and BethAnn brought the house to tears. Michael O'Leary was a huge hit with his stand-up comedy. Robert Newman showed his versatility and range. Evan Alex Cole shared his new "World Turns" single. And, of course, Ilene Kristen always rocks and her band was as tight as ever.

During Saturday's show, Kathy Brier previewed her role as Sophie Tucker in the new HBO series, BOARDWALK EMPIRE.

The video below shows a snippet of some of the performances from both Friday and Saturday nights.



Special thanks to the following: All the performances who took part in "We Love Soaps Weekend" - first class artists and people, the Villa Roma, Mala Bhattacharjee, Sarah Bliss, Denise M. Tavormina, and the man who really brought this all together, the infinitely talented Damon L. Jacobs.

If you want to watch WE LOVE SOAPS TV on iTunes, you can find it here.

If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at [email protected] and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

EMPIRE S2 E5: Watch It Now!

EMPIRE has released the fifth episode of the new season. Orlagh Cassidy's Colleen continues to be a piece of work. She also reunites with Tina Sloan's Theodora.

Watch the episode below.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Patti D'Arbanville (ex-Selena, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Christy, ANOTHER WORLD) - 59
Hillary B. Smith (Nora, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Margo, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Kit, THE DOCTORS) - 53

RESULTS: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Daytime Soap of the Week" poll for the week of May 17-21, 2010. ALL MY CHILDREN moved up two places to return to the top spot. Check back on Friday when this week's polling begins.

NEWS: GLEE Gets 3rd Season, Cable TV, Critchlow, LOST

GLEE already renewed for a third season
Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said, “Everything about GLEE – from the concept to the characters to the marketing – has been innovative and risky, but with [series creator] Ryan Murphy tapping into the zeitgeist, the risk has paid off with this truly remarkable series. GLEE has one of the most active, devoted fan bases I’ve ever seen, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to give Gleeks a third season of their favorite show.”

INTERVIEW: DAYS actor Roark Critchlow (Mike)
"A soap opera is like the stage. There are three cameras and scenes shoot all the way through. You speak, the light goes on you. Another actor speaks, the light goes on them. You have to do a scene all the way through, even if you make a mistake. You do these five minutes plays all day long and it forces you to be a good actor."

Sean Kanan Cast In Two Movies, Another in Cannes

Sean Kanan, known for his soap roles on THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS and GENERAL HOSPITAL has joined the cast for both of Writer Brian Pickard’s projects, Watch Island and SLAYERS!

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Steve Carlson (ex-Jeffrey, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Josh, A NEW DAY IN EDEN; ex-Gary, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Mark, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Sean, SANTA BARBARA) - 67
Priscilla Presley (ex-Jenna, DALLAS) - 65

What Did You Think Of The LOST Series Finale?

I won't give away too much here, but you can weigh in on the LOST series finale in the comments. Did you love it or hate it or were you somewhere in between?

Here is a round-up of LOST finale stories:
- Was LOST ruined by its own fans?
- Told you so!: Purgatory camp was right all along
- An enormously entertaining finale

VOTE: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

Which indie soap was your favorite this week? Vote in the weekly We Love Soaps poll and check back on Tueday morning for the results. Only the shows that aired one or more new episodes from May 16-22, 2010 are listed. Based on release schedules, the shows in the poll will change weekly.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Watch/listen to this week's indie soaps:
- COLLEGE
- EMPIRE
- LOVERS & FRIENDS SHOW
- THE CAVANAUGHS
- THE PARAGON
- THE STEPS

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Mary Fickett (ex-Ruth, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Katherine, THE EDGE OF NIGHT) - 78
Mark Arnold (Robert, SCRIPTS & SCRUPLES; ex-Rob, ONE LIFE TO LIFE; ex-Joe, SANTA BARBARA; ex-Steve, RITUALS; ex-Gavin, EDGE OF NIGHT; ex-Buck, GUIDING LIGHT) - 53
Kelly Monaco (Sam, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Livvie, PORT CHARLES) - 34
Tom Baran (Casey, SCRIPTS & SCRUPLES; ex-Tony, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 27

Soap Opera TV Ratings May 10-16, 2010

Compiled from a list of several sources, here are the Nielsen ratings for the week of May 10-16, 2010 for all the daytime and primetime television soap operas.

THE GOOD WIFE (12.9 million, 8.3/14)
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (12.6 million, 7.8/12) - season finale
GLEE (11.7 million, 6.8/11)
GREY'S ANATOMY (10.9 million, 7.2/12)
LOST (10.25 million, 6.3/10)
BROTHERS & SISTERS (10.0 million, 6.6/11) - season finale
PRIVATE PRACTICE (9.3 million, 6.3/11) - season finale
V (6.0 million, 3.8/6)
PARENTHOOD (5.9 million, 3.9/7)
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (5.1 million, 3.7/13) - daytime airing only
FLASHFORWARD (4.8 million, 3.2/6)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (4.0 million, 2.6/5)
HAPPY TOWN (3.2 million, 2.2/4)
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (3.5 million, 2.1/4) - season finale
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (3.1 million, 2.3/8)
SUPERNATURAL (2.8 million, 1.8/3) - season finale
GENERAL HOSPITAL (2.7 million, 1.9/6) - daytime airing only
SMALLVILLE (2.5 million, 1.6/3)
ALL MY CHILDREN (2.5 million, 1.9/7) - daytime airing only
DAYS OF OUR LIVES (2.44 million, 1.8/6) - daytime airing only
ONE LIFE TO LIVE (2.42 million, 1.8/6) - daytime airing only
AS THE WORLD TURNS (2.24 million, 1.7/6)
ONE TREE HILL (2.1 million, 1.4/2)
GOSSIP GIRL (1.8 million, 1.2/2)
90210 (1.5 million, 1.0/2)
LIFE UNEXPECTED (0.81 million, 0.5/1) - repeat

RATINGS NOTES:
- DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and BROTHERS & SISTERS both saw a ratings bump with their season finales.

- ALL MY CHILDREN hit a 9-week high in Women 18-34 (0.7 rating/251,000 - tie), Women 18-49 (1.0 rating/651,000 - tie) and Women 25-54 (1.3 rating/845,000 - tie) - since week of 3/8/10.

- For the 2nd consecutive week, GENERAL HOSPITAL ranked as Daytime's No. 1 program in Women 18-34 (1.0 rating/324,000 - tie), posting its best numbers in nearly 3 months - since week of 2/22/10.

VOTE: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

Which daytime soap was your favorite the week of May 17-21, 2010? Vote in the weekly We Love Soaps poll and check back on Monday morning for the results.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Victoria Wyndham (ex-Rachel, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Charlotte, GUIDING LIGHT) - 65
Beau Kazer (ex-Brock, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Bunny, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 59
Ed Fry (ex-Larry, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Adam, ANOTHER WORLD) - 51
Nazanin Boniadi (ex-Leyla, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 30

UPDATED: Larry Bryggman Back on ATWT Before The End

Emmy Award-winning soap legend Larry Bryggman will be reprising his role as John Dixon on AS THE WORLD TURNS for multiple episodes (around 10) before the show goes off the air in September.

Brygmann started on ATWT in 1969 and played the role of John for 35 years before the character unceremoniously disappeared. John's rivalry with Bob, his marriage to Kim (which included a controversial marital rape), and the infamous hot tub scene with Lucinda are just a few of the many highlights during his run. Those three relationships and many more will hopefully be touched upon as John makes his way back to Oakdale.

Also returning before the end are Cady McClain, Mary Beth Evans, Sarah Glendening, Jennifer Landon and Jesse Lee Soffer (both back July 9), Kristina Romero, Anthony Herrera and Terri Garber. Hopefully others will be announced soon.

RELATED:
- ATWT: The Good, The Bad and The Ending
- WLS Review: "Top Secret: Battle For The Pentagon Papers"

We Love Soaps Weekend is Here!

We're heading off soon to catch the new Coach USA busline from Manhattan to Sullivan County, New York, which is launching today in conjunction with We Love Soaps Weekend. If you haven't bought tickets yet, you can still attend the entire weekend or individual shows. For more information, click here. For those who are attending, see you there!

NEWS: GREY'S, Rhimes, Upfronts, SKINS, Donovan

Analysis: 2010 upfronts - Improved Outlook
"We've seen a very strong scatter market, and the economic news, while still a little bit mixed, is generally pretty good," Fox president of sales Jon Nesvig said. "We know there's going to be more money in the upfront."

Looking at the big picture, advertisers seemed relieved to find the networks -- especially NBC -- throwing so much spaghetti at the wall. On a less positive note, advertisers seemed to feel that much of what was on offer didn't look especially fresh or tempting.

Upfronts 2010: MTV Picks Up SKINS
MTV's scripted initiative continues with green lights for two new series: a spin-off of the cult film TEEN WOLF and an adaptation of the British series SKINS (13 episodes). The network announced the pickups May 20. Both series will begin production this summer. The US version will be produced by the same creative team, Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain. It will feature an unknown ensemble cast and will enlist real teens to help craft the storylines.

PHOTOS: THE BAY's First Photo Shoot

Dylan Bruce, Kristos Andrews, Mary Beth Evans and Martha Madison were among those on hand Thursday afternoon as the cast of THE BAY got together to shoot the show's opening and take official cast photos.

Check out more photos from the cast below.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Richard Hatch (ex-Steven, SANTA BARBARA; ex-Dean, DYNASTY; ex-Harmon, MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN; ex-Phil, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 65
Carol Potter (ex-Joan, SUNSET BEACH; ex-Cindy, BEVERLY HILLS, 90210; ex-Beverly, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Betsy, THE DOCTORS) - 62
Marnie Schulenburg (Alison, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 26

INDIE SOAP BEAT: May 20, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature we reveal the latest happenings from around the world of independent soap opera and web series production. Click the show logos to visit the official websites.

Casting for the upcoming first season THE BAY is now complete. In addition to the previously announced Mary Beth Evans, Tristan Rogers, Martha Madison, John Callahan, Taylor Stanley, Sandra Robinson and Lilly Melgar, others in the cast are Derrell Whitt, Monti Sharp, Tanisha Lynn, Camden Toy, Kristos Andrews, Jade Harlow and Dylan Bruce. Bruce was last seen as Chris Hughes on AS THE WORLD TURNS. The show shot an opening sequence on Thursday in Pacific Palisades.

The second season of EMPIRE is well underway and the improvements in the look and feel of the show have not gone unnoticed by fans. If you've missed any of our recent features with the cast of EMPIRE, you can find them all on the We Love Soaps EMPIRE page. Video interviews with Christian Barber, Tina Sloan, Orlagh Cassidy and Kate Forsatz are included as well as an entire episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV dedicated to the show.

THE CAVANAUGHS, from creator Adrian Morales, premiered on Thursday. The show is about a group of friends that reunite for the screening of an unsold sitcom pilot entitled 'The Cavanaughs', and the seed to return to the project is planted. THE CAVANAUGHS has filmed six episodes to date and will resume production in three weeks. New episodes will be released every Thursday.

The latest actor to join the cast of REALITY BYTES is Bryce Vine, son of Tracey Ross. Vine will be playing Xavier Armstrong while Tracey is playing Alex Armstrong on the upcoming series. On a recent episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, producer Tristan Rogers teased that a "huge announcement" about the show would be coming out in the near future. Stay tuned!

NEWS: Scott Clifton, Univision, Jon Lindstrom Film, Kanin

Scott Clifton joins THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL as Liam Cooper
Clifton starts at B&B on July 19. He was written out of ONE LIFE TO LIVE earlier this year.

Build a Habitate for Humanity house with THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
Stars (including Sarah Brown, Katherine Kelly Lang and Hunter Tylo) and crew from B&B have taken up the challenge and will be building a house on Sunday, May 23.

INTERVIEW: Y&R's Kanin Howell (Frank)
"They actually wanted me to come in and read for a contract role a month prior, and I was too busy doing other stuff. So they called me back in for this, and it was good -- it was one of those bad guy roles, but it has something else going on. I really like the role. I went in and read for Matt Kane, and the rest is history. I'm shooting another episode tomorrow, and then next week I have another one.

SURVIVOR's James Clement Will Guest On Y&R

SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS contestant James Clement will make his daytime television debut on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, Friday, June 4 on the CBS Television Network. Clement, a longtime fan of the show, will play a police officer in scenes with Greg Rikaart, Peter Bergman, Eric Braeden and Joshua Morrow.

Clement also appeared on SURVIVOR: CHINA and SURVIVOR MICRONESIA: FANS vs. FAVORITES, where fans voted for him to win the "Sprint Player of the Season Award" two seasons in a row.

ABC: 11 Week High for GH, 2 Month High for AMC

From the ABC Daytime ratings release:

* ABC ranked as the week's No. 1 network in Daytime with Women 18-34 (0.8 rating/274,000 - tie), Women 18-49 (1.2 rating/784,000) and Women 25-54 (1.5 rating/955,000).

* For the 2nd consecutive week, GENERAL HOSPITAL ranked as Daytime's No. 1 program in Women 18-34 (1.0 rating/324,000 - tie), posting its best numbers in nearly 3 months - since week of 2/22/10.

* ALL MY CHILDREN hit a 9-week high in Women 18-34 (0.7 rating/251,000 - tie), Women 18-49 (1.0 rating/651,000 - tie) and Women 25-54 (1.3 rating/845,000 - tie) - since week of 3/8/10.

* In Women 18-49, GENERAL HOSPITAL (No. 2 - 1.4 rating/924,000), THE VIEW (No. 3 - 1.3 rating/836,000) and ONE LIFE TO LIVE (No. 4T - 1.1 rating/724,000) placed among Daytime's Top 4 programs.

* In Women 25-54, GENERAL HOSPITAL (No. 2 - 1.7 rating/1.1 million), THE VIEW (No. 3 - 1.6 rating/1.0 million) and ONE LIFE TO LIVE (No. 4T - 1.4 rating/886,000) ranked among Daytime's Top 4 programs.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.27 Christian Barber

On Episode 1.27 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb welcomes up and coming young actor, Christian Barber. Barber is currently starring in Season Two of EMPIRE as Rodney. He also plays Robert on radio soap THE LIKE US SHOW and has another web series in the works (SIX OF ONE). Get to know this rising star in this special one on one interview.



If you want to watch WE LOVE SOAPS TV on iTunes, you can find it here.

If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at [email protected] and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- EMPIRE
- THE LIKE US SHOW
- SIX OF ONE

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

Google TV Unveiled - The Future of Television?

At their developer conference today, Google announced their long-awaited Google TV service, which promises to merge the web with TV more smoothly and seamlessly than ever before. With some interesting Android integration thrown in for good measure.

Google TV is not a specific device, but a software and hardware spec that can be baked into all manner of gadgets, from standalone set-top boxes to TVs themselves. It works with your existing cable or satellite box.

INTRODUCING: New Indie Soap THE CAVANAUGHS

In the premiere episode of new indie soap THE CAVANAUGHS, a group of friends reunite for the screening of an unsold sitcom pilot entitled 'The Cavanaughs', and the seed to return to the project is planted. Produced by Adrian Morales, THE CAVANAUGHS stars Ginger Snappz, Amanda Broadwell, Cwennen Corral, Grant Landry, Deborah Estelle Philips, Daniel Rhyder and Morales.



For more on THE CAVANAUGHS, visit www.the-cavanaughs.com.

NEWS: Univision, McClain, ARCHERS, 90210, CW

ITV2 announces new 'soap' PROJECT ESSEX
PROJECT ESSEX, produced by Lime Pictures, will be a crossover between a drama, an observational documentary and a reality show.

"PROJECT ESSEX is an exciting and unique proposition. We are filming as we go so the drama will unfurl as the series progresses. This really is a living soap, which will leave our viewers on the edge of their seats," said Zai Bennett, ITV's director of digital channels and acquisitions. "This hybrid genre between drama and reality is really exciting - it's all the fun of a soap opera only this time not even the producers know how the stories end."

Univision To Unveil 20 Shows including 5 Telenovelas
Univision Communications will pull the curtain back on 20 new shows at its upfront presentation at Lincoln Center in Manhattan the afternoon of May 20. The Spanish-language network's newbies include five telenovelas, a pair of weekly series, two reality programs, two variety shows, and specials celebrating Mexico's bicentennial and the "biggest and brightest" female entertainers.

THE ARCHERS made be made available sooner on digital channel
Listeners of the popular Radio 4 show have previously been forced to wait 24 hours between each episode. Almost 5 million listeners are thought to tune in each weeknight at 7 p.m. to the program – and its omnibus edition on Sunday – for what is the world’s longest running soap opera. But now BBC executives are understood to be considering plans for fans to be able to immediately hear the next episode, simply by switching over to a new digital channel.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Constance Towers (Helena, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Julianna, SUNSET BEACH; Clarissa, CAPITOL) - 77
Paolo Seganti (ex-Damian, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 45

FLASHBACK: Joel Crothers Passes Away 1985

JOEL CROTHERS, 44, VETERAN TV ACTOR

United Press International
November 10, 1985

Actor Joel Crothers, 44, a 20-year veteran of daytime soap operas who most recently had a featured role on SANTA BARBARA, has died of cancer.

A family friend said the actor had been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with the disease since Oct. 22, having first learned he had lymphoma in August. Mr. Crothers died Wednesday.

50 Greatest Soap Opera Actors: Honorable Mention

Now that the countdown of the 50 Greatest Soap Opera Actors has concluded, We Love Soaps would like to pay tribute to another set of wonderful actors. These men received multiple votes from our panel and just missed the countdown. For us, it's more about honoring their work that has touched so many lives more than a specific ranking. Join us in paying tribute to these fine talents and share your memories/videos/photos in the comments section. Comments from our panel are included where applicable.

FORMER SOAP ACTORS

NAME: George Reinholt
SOAP ROLES: Steve Frame, ANOTHER WORLD (1968-1975, 1989); Tony Lord, ONE LIFE TO LIVE (1975-1977); Erik Fulda, THE SECRET STORM (1967-1968)

Alan Carter: Unconventional to say the least, Reinholt still became a sex symbol cause what Steve and later Tony on OLTL exuded on screen was confidence and romance. In lesser hands it might have come off....cheesy? But even the fact he made the rather one note Jacquie Courtney (sorry Jacquie) alive on screen says something about ...chemistry making no sense on paper.

Connie Passalacqua Hayman (Marlena De Lacroix): Hammy and handsome to the max, his uber posturing Steve Frame was one half of daytime's great supercouples with simpy Alice Matthews (Jacqie Courtney.) on early ANOTHER WORLD. A bad boy who came to have a rather sad later life, he once sent a thoughtful poem to me, Marlena De Lacroix.

NAME: Joel Crothers
SOAP ROLES: J. Stanfield Lee, SANTA BARBARA (1985); Miles Cavanaugh, THE EDGE OF NIGHT (1977-1984); Julian Cannell, SOMERSET (1972-1976); Ken Stevens, THE SECRET STORM (1969-1971); Joe Haskell/Nathan Forbes, DARK SHADOWS (1966-1969); THE DOCTORS

Alan Carter: He looked a little too much like Tom Selleck for anyone to think he was a good actor, but take away the mustache (rare for a soap good guy) and at the heart was a smart and always edgy performance on simmer, if not pre boil.

NAME: David Lewis
SOAP ROLES: Edward Quartermaine, GENERAL HOSPITAL (1978-1989, 1991-1993); Henry Pierce, BRIGHT PROMISE (1969-1972)

Connie Passalacqua Hayman (Marlena De Lacroix): As the original Edward Quartermaine, he made the character the ultimate in sarcastic and entertaining. No one did a throwaway line better. Just incomparable in scenes battling with Edward's daughter Tracy (deliciously played by Jane Elliot).

Patrick Erwin: Original recipe Edward Quartermaine – in a brilliant, blazingly sarcastic performance.

NAME: Jed Allan
SOAP ROLES: Edward Quartermaine, GENERAL HOSPITAL (2004-2006); Ed Grant, PORT CHARLES (2002-2003); Rush Sanders, BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 (1994-1999); C.C. Capwell, SANTA BARBARA (1986-1993); Don Craig, DAYS OF OUR LIVES (1971-1985); Paul Britton, THE SECRET STORM (1964-1965); Ace Hubbard, LOVE OF LIFE (1964)

Roger Newcomb: His Don Craig would be a great patriarch on DAYS right now.

NAME: Henderson Forsythe
SOAP ROLES: David Stewart, AS THE WORLD TURNS (1960-1990); David Stewart, OUR PRIVATE WORLD (1965); Jim Benson, FROM THESE ROOTS (1958-1960); Martin Sprode, THE EDGE OF NIGHT (1958)

Roger Newcomb: David and Ellen were such a huge part of AS THE WORLD TURNS history. I hope Forsythe is remembered in a flashback or photo before show ends its run.

50 Greatest Soap Opera Actors: The Complete List

Early in 2010, We Love Soaps pulled together a panel of 15 past and present soap opera journalists and critics to come up with a list of the 50 Greatest Soap Actors of All Time list. Below is the complete list from 1 to 50 which dates back to radio soap operas. This is quite an impressive list of actors. Even more wonderful actors just missed the Top 50 and will appear on the Honorable Mention list. Our goal was to honor some of the men that helped made soaps great and revisit their careers and classic moments.

NAME: Anthony Geary
RANK: 1
SOAP ROLES: Luke Spencer, GENERAL HOSPITAL (1978-1984, 1993-present); Luke Spencer, PORT CHARLES (1998); Bill Eckert, GENERAL HOSPITAL (1991-1993); George Curtis, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (1973); David Lockhart, BRIGHT PROMISE (1971-1972)

NAME: David Canary
RANK: 2
SOAP ROLES: Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler, ALL MY CHILDREN (1983-2010); Adam Chandler, ONE LIFE TO LIVE (2000, 2005); Steve Frame, ANOTHER WORLD (1981-1983); Warner/Far Wind, THE DOCTORS (1981); Arthur Benson, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW (1978); Russ Gehring, PEYTON PLACE (1965-1966)

NAME: Larry Bryggman
RANK: 3
SOAP ROLES: John Dixon, AS THE WORLD TURNS (1969-2004); LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING; Cast on GUIDING LIGHT as a Bauer in 1962 but was drafted into the Army before starting the role

NAME: Michael Zaslow
RANK: 4
SOAP ROLES: David Renaldi, ONE LIFE TO LIVE (1983-1986, 1998); Roger Thorpe, GUIDING LIGHT (1971-1980, 1989-1997); Jonathan Hadary, KINGS CROSSING (1982); Michael West, FALCON CREST (1982); Dick Hart, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW (1970-1971); Pete Chernak, LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING (1970)

NAME: Justin Deas
RANK: 5
SOAP ROLES: Scott, STEAMBOAT (2010-present); Buzz Cooper, GUIDING LIGHT (1993-2009); Marco Dane, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; Keith Timmons, SANTA BARBARA (1986-1988); Tom Hughes, AS THE WORLD TURNS (1980-1984); Bucky Carter, RYAN'S HOPE (1975-1978)

NAME: Peter Bergman
RANK: 6
SOAP ROLES: Jack Abbott, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (1989-present); Cliff Warner, ALL MY CHILDREN (1979-1989); GUIDING LIGHT; LOVE OF LIFE


NAME: Douglass Watson
RANK: 7
SOAP ROLES: Mackenzie Cory, ANOTHER WORLD (1974-1989); Lloyd Phillips, LOVE OF LIFE (1972-1973); Walter Haskins, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW (1966-1968); Robert Wallace, MOMENT OF TRUTH (1965)

NAME: Eric Braeden
RANK: 8
SOAP ROLES: Victor Newman, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (1980-present); Victor Newman, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1999)


NAME: James Mitchell
RANK: 9
SOAP ROLES: Palmer Cortlandt, ALL MY CHILDREN (1979-2010); Julian Hathaway, WHERE THE HEART IS (1969-1973); Lloyd Griffin, THE EDGE OF NIGHT (1964)


NAME: Charles Keating
RANK: 10
SOAP ROLES: James Ritchfield, PORT CHARLES (2001-2003); Carl Hutchins, ANOTHER WORLD (1983-1985, 1991-1999); Niles Mason, AS THE WORLD TURNS (1989-1991); Damon Lazarre, ALL MY CHILDREN (1987-1988)