WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Barbara Crampton (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, GUIDING LIGHT)

Barbara Crampton, best known to soap fans for her run as Leanna Love on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, was recently interviewed by Crave Online. Crampton has a huge horror following and stars in the new film, You're Next.

Crampton, who also played Mindy Lewis on GUIDING LIGHT (miscast alert!) and Trista Evans on DAYS OF OUR LIVES among other soap roles, feels watching a daily soap opera is too much of a commitment these days. Said Crampton: "You can’t do it. There’s too much else going on. I’m glad to say that I was a part of it when they were big. They were a big part of my life."

She feels soaps are now being reinvented thanks to reality shows.

MEDIA WATCH: Has THE REVOLUTION Hired a Fraud? All 10 Positive Reviews of Dr. Jennifer Ashton, MD Flagged by Yelp on Suspicion of Inauthenticity

Upon learning that an Ob-Gyn MD had been added to the cast of the new ABC show, THE REVOLUTION, We Love Soaps endeavored to confirm that the new personality was an appropriately exemplary physician. We wanted to find out what her patients thought of Dr. Jennifer Ashton, MD before she was positioned as an expert for millions of women in the ABC audience to trust with their most personal concerns.

Before there were reliable, accessible consumer-review companies like Yelp, choosing a doctor could be an arduous crap shoot. Luckily, today, educated patients can "google" their prospective physicians and read standardized, candid reviews written by other patients. Of course, doctors know this, and on occasion, unscrupulous practices have been caught posting inauthentic reviews of themselves. Dr. Ashton's practice (it actually has a branded name: "Hygeia Gynecology") appears to be one of those that has been gaming the system--repeatedly.

Tom Donovan Dead At Age 89, Director and Producer of Many Daytime Soaps

Tom Donovan died in Englewood, New Jersey, on October. 27 at age 89.

Donovan's soap opera directing credits included GENERAL HOSPITAL, ANOTHER WORLD, RYAN'S HOPE, A WORLD APART, HIDDEN FACES, LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING and OUR PRIVATE WORLD.

He was also credited as a producer on GENERAL HOSPITAL, A WORLD APART, WHERE THE HEART IS and LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING.

Donovan was a director in early television and later a producer who played a key role in the 1960 merger between the Screen Directors Guild and the Radio Television Directors Guild, leading to the formation of the DGA.

Sunday Night Ratings: ONCE UPON A TIME Steady, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES & PAN AM Up

In its second week ONCE UPON A TIME held up well for ABC falling only a tenth from last week's premiere to a 3.9 Adults 18-49 rating, according to the preliminary overnight numbers. The show was watched by 11.64 million viewers (the most watched scripted program of the night).

NEWS ROUNDUP: U.K.'s First Primetime Product Placement (CORRIE), Netflix, Tina Sloan, Brody Hutzler, Alicia Minshew, Kelly Ripa, Soap Sensibilities Co-Opted

U.K. Agrees First Product Placement for Prime-Time TV - CORONATION STREET will feature a Nationwide ATM
ITV’s deal with Nationwide Building Society means that the soap will feature a branded ATM in the street’s fictional corner shop from next month. The U.K.’s media regulator, Ofcom, relaxed the rules on product placement in February this year. Though some weekend and daytime shows have featured product placement since then, advertisers have been cautious about fully embracing the new feature.

RESULTS: Daytime Soap & Couple of the Week Poll (October 24-28, 2011) - ONE LIFE TO LIVE/Patrick & Robin No. 1

Here are the results from the WE LOVE SOAPS TV Daytime Soap & Couple of the Week poll for October 24-28, 2011. ONE LIFE TO LIVE remained in the top spot among the serials.


In our second couples poll, Patrick and Robin from GENERAL HOSPITAL moved up to No. 1.

Brian Frons 'Thrilled' to Give ONE LIFE TO LIVE Time Slot to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, Dr. Tiffanie Davis Henry

In what appears to be another attempt to punch-up ONE LIFE TO LIVE's replacement, THE REVOLUTION, Brian Frons has re-jiggered the cast to contain an obstetrician/gynecologist and a psychotherapist.

"I am thrilled to bring this stellar team of experts to THE REVOLUTION" said Frons. "I am confident that the combination of these co-hosts, along with our producing partners at 3 Ball Productions/Eyeworks USA who specialize in lifestyle transformations, will resonate with our viewers."

CASTING NEWS: Burt Reynolds To Play Himself On ARCHER

Iconic actor Burt Reynolds has signed on as a guest star in the third season of FX’s critically acclaimed hit animated soap opera ARCHER. Reynolds will play himself in an episode titled “The Man From Jupiter,” a reference to Reynolds’ home of Jupiter, Florida. In the episode, which will air in January, Reynolds dates Agent Sterling Archer’s mother and boss, Malory – much to Sterling’s dismay.

The CW and Hulu Announce Five-Year Licensing Deal

The CW announced a five-year licensing agreement with Hulu on Friday for the rights to stream in-season episodes of The CW’s programming on the Hulu Plus subscription service and the free, ad-supported Hulu service. Read the press release below.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 31)

On this date in...

1941: Actor Brent Collins, who made a big soap impact in the 1980s with his roles as Mr. Big on AS THE WORLD TURNS and Wallingford on ANOTHER WORLD, was born. He died in 1988 at age 46.

VOTE: Indie Soap of the Week Poll (October 23-29, 2011)

Which web series was your favorite last week? Support your favorite continuing drama or comedy and vote in the weekly WE LOVE SOAPS TV poll below. Voting ends Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. Only the shows that aired one or more new episodes from October 23-29, 2011 are listed.

If an indie soap aired this week and is not on the list, feel free to cast your vote as "Other" and add a note in the Comments section of this post.



Watch this week's indie soaps below:

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 TV:

1.  DIRTY SOAP REVELATION: Kirsten Storms is Sick, Illness is Called "Endometriosis" (Recasting as Maxie on GENERAL HOSPITAL Explained)
2.  DIRTY SOAP REACTION: What Was Your Favorite Moment?
3.  NEWS ROUNDUP: Melody Thomas Scott Talks Nikki Return, Freddie Smith Previews DAYS, Mitch Laurence Back?
4.  CONFIRMED: Lisa Rinna Returning to DAYS OF OUR LIVES
5.  Robin Strasser Not Joining ONE LIFE TO LIVE On TOLN
6.  NEWS ROUNDUP: Free Agent Vincent Irizarry, Daytime Ratings, Deidre Hall & Drake Hogestyn Interviews
7.  REVIEW: New Season of THE BAY Set to Beat Daytime Soaps at Their Own Game
8.  FAN REVIEW: AS THE WORLD TURNS on DVD 4-Disc 20-Episode Collection
9.  Four Actors Leaving THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS? Riegel Finds Out Online
10. VIDEOS: With Four New Damian McGinty Clips (Including Laughing "Rory" on the Set of GLEE 3.04 Pot O'Gold) We Catch Up with the GLEE PROJECT Star
11. OPINION: DIRTY SOAP's Farah and Jenna Show New And Wonderful Sides To Themselves
12. Michael Learned To Temporarily Fill In For Jeanne Cooper On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
13. PREVIEW: ABC's Wednesday Night Soap REVENGE "Intrigue", Free Music Download
14. AS THE WORLD TURNS ON DVD: Eileen Fulton Reminisces About The Anniversary Episodes and Lily & Holden's Wedding
15. ABC: Katie Couric Talk Show Cleared in 60% Of The Country

You can also catch up below on the latest episodes of our web series, WE LOVE SOAPS TV, from our third season including interviews with Jacklyn Zeman, Deidre Hall, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 30)

On this date in...

1922: Actress Jane White (ex-Olivia, A WORLD APART, ex-Lydia, THE EDGE OF NIGHT; ex-Tante, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW), who was on our birthday list last year, passed away in July at age 88.

1967: GENERAL HOSPITAL and LOVE OF LIFE moved from black and white broadcasts to color.

PREVIEW: Sunday Night's DIRTY SOAP "One Life To Give" (with video Sneak Peek)

DIRTY SOAP is back with an all new episode on Sunday, October 30 at 10:30 p.m. ET following KENDRA.

On "One Life To Give," Nadia hires an interior designer for a photo shoot which upsets Fary.

Elsewhere, Farah considers being Danny's egg donor--and has a major health scare.

Meanwhile, Kelly struggles to get her weight back on track.

Watch a sneak peak below.

PREVIEW: ABC Sunday Night Soaps ONCE UPON A TIME, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES & PAN AM

ONCE UPON A TIME returns with an all new episode, "The Thing You Love Most," on Sunday, October 30 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Regina does everything in her power to force Emma out of Storybrooke and out of her and Henry's lives forever.

Meanwhile, the chilling circumstances of how the Evil Queen released the curse upon the fairytale world is revealed.

Watch a sneak peek below.

PREVIEW: CBS Sunday Night Soap THE GOOD WIFE "Affairs of State" (Parker Posey & Jake Silbermann Guest Star)

THE GOOD WIFE airs an all-new episode, "Affairs of State," on Sunday, October 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

When Alicia (Julianna Margulies) is forced to wade through diplomatic loopholes to defend a client, she and the firm’s new first-year associate, Caitlin (Anna Camp), approach Eli (Alan Cumming) to utilize his political connections for help

Watch a video preview below.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 29)

On this date in...

1991: On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, Paul and Lauren had Scott and Sheila over for dinner.

Judith Light: Soap Career Changed Dynamic of My Life (Video)

Actress Judith Light explained why she's forever grateful for her early soap opera experience on ONE LIFE TO LIVE as a guest on THE GAYLE KING SHOW recently.

Would you like to see her Karen Woken return before ONE LIFE ends its run on ABC in January?

Watch a video of Light on GAYLE below.

CASTING NEWS: Jill Larson Joins THE BAY

Jill Larson, who played Opal for many years on ALL MY CHILDREN, will guest star in Season 2 of THE BAY as Helen Kruegar, a feisty defense attorney who’s brought in during a murder mystery.

“We are ecstatic to have the talented Jill Larson join us in Season 2! This is my second time working with her. She is a powerhouse and I can’t think of a better actress to play this part,” enthuses director/creator Gregori J. Martin who directed and co-starred with Larson in Manhattanites (the executive producer on the project was We Love Soaps' Roger Newcomb).

VOTE: Daytime Soap & Couple of the Week Poll (October 24-28, 2011)

Which daytime soap opera was your favorite the week of October 24-28, 2011? ONE LIFE TO LIVE finished on top last week. Will it again?

And which couple was your favorite of the week? GENERAL HOSPITAL's Jason and Sam are the reigning champs. This is a write in question so you can pick any couple from any daytime soap you enjoyed the most.

Vote in the poll below and check back on Monday morning for the results. Voting ends at 9 a.m. ET on Monday.

We Love Soaps' Roger Newcomb Goes "Inside the Bubble" with Soapdom

We Love Soaps founder Roger Newcomb goes "Inside the Bubble" in a new interview with Linda Marshall-Smith at Soapdom. Find out more about the AS THE WORLD TURNS DVD collection on sale now from SoapClassics. Read the interview here.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Alice Cooper To Make Cameo In Dark Shadows Movie, Siri, Darren Criss Sings Katy Perry

Alice Cooper will make a cameo in Tim Burton's Dark Shadows movie
For his part, shock-rocker Alice Cooper will be playing himself – not a new concept for the icon who appeared as himself in Wayne’s World in the now-cult “We’re not worthy!” scene – and was said to be impressed with one particular sound stage used in the film. The Dark Shadows movie takes place in the 1970s.

Grant Gustin Joins GLEE, Will Be Part of Kurt/Blaine Triangle Story (Spoilers)

Grant Gustin has joined the cast of GLEE in the role of Sebastian, a member of the Dalton Academy Warblers who has his eyes set on Blaine (Darren Criss).

Sebastian is up to no good when it comes to Blaine's relationship with his current boyfriend, Kurt (Chris Colfer).

"I'm making moves in my first episode to split them up," Gustin told The Virginian-Pilot. "Maybe I will split them up, and maybe I won't. No one knows yet. I don't even know."

Soap Opera Stars In Primetime: Upcoming Guest Appearances

Daytime soap stars are everywhere this fall--appearing in new shows (RINGER), returning shows (BLUE BLOODS, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES), docu-series (DIRTY SOAP) and guest starring all over primetime. Below are some of the upcoming guest appearances by daytime stars (and a few of our favorite primetime soap stars as well). We update this list every few days. If you see a name missing, add it in our Comments section.

OCTOBER
28 A GIFTED MAN - Kelli Barrett (postponed due to World Series)
28 BLUE BLOODS - Tobias Truvillion (postponed due to World Series)
30 THE GOOD WIFE - Jake Silbermann, Parkey Posey, Joe Morton (recurring)
31 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER - Christina Pickles

NEWS ROUNDUP: Free Agent Vincent Irizarry, Daytime Ratings, Deidre Hall & Drake Hogestyn Interviews

Vincent Irizarry is still a free agent
"They haven’t approached all the actors, they’ve approached just a small handful thus far. So at the moment, I have no idea whether I am going to continue on online. Until they come to me and we know what is going on I can’t say. I am a free agent until they come to me and we’ll see what’s going on. I don’t know what their plans are. It’s too hard for me to speculate what could happen and what is going to happen at this point."

Today in Soap Opera History (October 28)

On this date in...

2008: On DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Kate had her first chemo treatment.

CHARITY EVENT: Own Signed Script of ALL MY CHILDREN's Last Episode; Tour the ONE LIFE TO LIVE Set with Kassie DePaiva

Two charity auctions now in progress hope to capitalize on the uncertain future of ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE--but it's all for a good cause, right?

Proceeds from a signed copy of the script for the final (ABC TV) episode of ALL MY CHILDREN will benefit Project Angel Food. The pitch begins, "Own your very own piece of daytime history: the script of the last-televised episode of All My Children, signed by the cast - including Susan Lucci!" It goes on to laud AMC for its "signature brand of humor and satire" and "social consciousness."  The picture of the signed first page is actually pretty nifty!  Here it is, nice and big:

WATCH: THE BAY Season 2 Premiere - Mary Beth Evans, Tristan Rogers, Jacklyn Zeman, Lane Davies, Jed Allan, Paul Satterfield & More Daytime Faves

With her youngest son missing, her other harboring dark and dangerous secrets, and a cynical daughter judging her every move, Sara Garrett (Mary Beth Evans) struggles to keep her family together in the second season of THE BAY. On the Season 2 premiere episode, Zoey (Taylor Stanley) is surprised to learn from Harold (Jed Allan) that this is her wedding day! Brian (Dylan Bruce) has hired the mayor's wife, Sophia Madison (Jacklyn Zeman) to plan the event.

How is Sara reacting to Lee's (Paul Satterfield) return? What is Christine (Sandra Dee Robinson) up to? And who is Marly (Martha Madison) fooling around with behind her husband's back? Start finding out below on the season premiere of THE BAY.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Diana DeGarmo Channels Inner Snooki, Halloween Songs on Y&R, Judith Light Never Wanted To Do a Soap

Diana DeGarmo talks about channeling her inner Snooki on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
“I would equate this to guerrilla theater. It’s very fast. You do your presentation and you’re done. It keeps me on my toes. I have to give my best performance at that very moment.”

Truckee songwriter will have two Halloween songs featured on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
“Monster Halloween Party” and “Monster Halloween Rap” will be featured on the Halloween episosde.

Judith Light: I said that I would never do a soap opera
"At the beginning of my career I said that I would never do a soap opera, that I would never do a sitcom, and I would never marry an actor."

How Did THE REAL WORLD Begin? Soap Producer Mary-Ellis Bunim said, “What if you could do a soap opera with no actors and no writers?”

For their new book, "I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution," Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum talked to more than 400 people who played a role at MTV between 1981 and 1992.

One interesting story is about the origins of MTV's long-running series, THE REAL WORLD, which debuted in 1992 and was created by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray.

Among Bunim's many roles in the world of daytime soaps were her runs as executive producer of SEARCH FOR TOMORROW, AS THE WORLD TURNS, SANTA BARBARA and LOVING during the 1970s and 1980s.

So how did she become involved in THE REAL WORLD?

VIDEOS: With Four New Damian McGinty Clips (Including Laughing "Rory" on the Set of GLEE 3.04 Pot O'Gold) We Catch Up with the GLEE PROJECT Star

In just a few days, GLEE PROJECT winner Damian McGinty will make his first appearance as Rory in Season 3, Episode 4 of GLEE, entitled, "Pot O'Gold." What has Damian been up to since the episode wrapped at the end of September?

He's been busy! In just the past few weeks, he has created a new rock band, enlisted in the effort to help Haitian children, and, of course, led the official kick-off of the second GLEE PROJECT. But first, before we catch up with Damian, we had to be sure that you saw this fun, silly, behind-the-scenes clip that Harry Shum Jr. (Mike) recently posted to Facebook. In the video below, Harry's playing the "class clown" and getting a big laugh from his castmates--including Damian, in the yellow shirt... also, is that Naya Rivera's laugh we're hearing?

Ready for the Holidays? "Soap Sessions Merry Download Christmas!" Is Here With Nadia Bjorlin, Eric Martsolf, Rick Hearst & More

Earlier this month Swirling Records released a new "best of" collection titled "Soap Sessions Merry Download Christmas!" It features re-mastered Christmas Classics from Kyle Lowder, Nadia Bjorlin, McKenzie Westmore, Patrika Darbo, John Ingle, Rick Hearst, Eric Martsolf and Lindsay Hartley (in a trio with Patrika and Suzanne Rodgers).

It's available worldwide on Amazon, iTunes, CD Baby, etc. It is their first Download Only album collection!

See the track list and watch a preview video below.

PREVIEW: ABC's Thursday Night Soaps GREY'S ANATOMY & PRIVATE PRACTICE

GREY'S ANATOMY is back with an all-new episode, "Put Me In, Coach," airing Thursday, October 27 (9:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Owen stresses teamwork and moves his leadership role over to the baseball field when he signs the doctors up for a baseball league, pitting them against their biggest competition, Seattle Presbyterian.

PREVIEW: CW's Thursday Night Soaps THE VAMPIRE DIARIES & THE SECRET CIRCLE

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES' "Ghost World" (Season 3 Episode 7) has an all-new episode on Thursday, October 27 at 8:00 p.m. on The CW.

As Mystic Falls prepares to celebrate the traditional Illumination Night, the town is invaded by spirits of the dead.

RESULTS: Indie Soap of the Week Poll (October 16-22, 2011); THE CAVANAUGHS No. 1

Here are the results from the WE LOVE SOAPS TV "Indie Soap of the Week" poll for the week of October 16-22, 2011. THE CAVANAUGHS remained in the top spot for the third week in a row. OUR WORLD moved up to second, while SECRETS returned in third place.



If you're a fan of any of these shows, we encourage you to check out some of the other series you may not have watched yet. Indie soaps that aired one or more episodes last week were eligible.

Watch last week's indie soaps below:

Today in Soap Opera History (October 27)

On this date in...

1988: Season 10 of KNOTS LANDING premiered.

REVIEW: New Season of THE BAY Set to Beat Daytime Soaps at Their Own Game

Web Series: THE BAY

For fans of...: SANTA BARBARA, ANOTHER WORLD, GENERAL HOSPITAL, DYNASTY

What it is: The Garretts are beautiful and wealthy; and yet, happiness eludes them.

What's good: Filmed on location and written by a fan of soaps, THE BAY manages to look better than most daytime serials while honoring the genre's structure and history. And there's a brand new opening.

Disney/ABC and Corus To Launch ABC Spark in Canada Spring 2012 For Young Adult Millennial Viewers

ABC Family on Wednesday announced that they have entered into a licensing agreement to launch ABC Spark, a dedicated millennial-focused channel and multi-platform offering, in Canada in Spring 2012. ABC Spark will be a destination for Canada’s young adult millennial viewers. Read the press release below.

ABC Names Mirian Arias New Vice President Of Daytime Communications, Jori Petersen Moves To ABC Family

ABC announced on Wednesday that Mirian Arias has been named as the new vice president, Daytime Communications, Disney/ABC Television Group. Jori Petersen willl now serving as the acting head of the ABC Family Communications team. See the preses release below.

NEWS ROUNDUP: J.R. Martinez On Cover Of People, Judith Light's New Play, Kegel Exercise

J.R. Martinez Lands People Magazine Cover
Featured on the cover with the headline, “Triumph Over Tragedy,” the retired war veteran tells the magazine how he has handled his DWTS fame with similar gusto and fearlessness as his former competitor Chaz Bono.

J.R. Martinez to People Magazine: 'I'm Blessed'
The former "All My Children" soap star says if it weren't for the accident, "my life would not be what it is today: full of joy, happiness and positivity."

The issue hits newsstands Friday, Oct. 28.

Chaz Bono receives GLSEN Respect Award
J.R. Martinez spoke of his friend Chaz's courage and bravery in facing down naysayers and competing amid controversy, noting that he could relate to a lot Bono has gone through.

Robin Strasser Not Joining ONE LIFE TO LIVE On TOLN

Emmy winning actress Robin Strasser tweeted on Tuesday that she will be moving to Los Angeles and not joining the web version of ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

"It's DEF! moving to LA soon. NO "prospect" in NY, so I'm heading West:) where I have a real pretty house. NO pity pot- it's pool party time!"

We hear Prospect Park is looking at Broadway Stages (where their primetime show ROYAL PAINS shoots) and JC Studios in Brooklyn (former home of AS THE WORLD TURNS and ANOTHER WORLD) as possible homes for ONE LIFE TO LIVE in New York.

RELATED:
- Robin Strasser: 'I Am Incapable Of Grieving And Lying At The Same Time'
- Robin Strasser Reflects On Constance Ford
- EXCLUSIVE: Robin Strasser Responds To Jacqueline Courtney's Passing

Today in Soap Opera History (October 26)

On this date in...

1987: ANOTHER WORLD debuted their computer-enhanced opening credits.

2006: On GENERAL HOSPITAL, Laura woke up and said, "Luke!"

PREVIEW: Wednesday Night's AMERICAN HORROR STORY On FX "Murder House"

FX's AMERICAN HORROR STORY, co-created by former NIP/TUCK executive producers and current GLEE co-creators and executive producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk continues with "Murder House" on Wednesday, October 19 at 10 p.m. on FX.

After putting the house back on the market, Vivien learns about its first residents. Ben’s visitor causes him to further unravel. Constance and Moira’s history is revealed.

Watch a preview of the episode below.

PREVIEW: ABC's Wednesday Night Soap REVENGE "Intrigue", Free Music Download

ABC's latest primetime soap opera hit REVENGE returns on Wednesday, October 26 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) with an all-new episode, "Intrigue."

The Grayson 4th of July parties are legendary, but this year’s festivities ignite the wrong kind of fireworks when an incriminating surveillance video pops up and breaks the bond of trust between the Graysons and their head of security, Frank.

AMERICAN IDOL's Diana DeGarmo On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Debut: "Not to be missed"

On Monday, October 31st, Season 3 AMERICAN IDOL runner-up Diana DeGarmo will make her debut on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS as Angelina, the Jersey-girl daughter of mob boss Angelo (Mike Starr).

DeGarmo landed the role as Angelina by performing at the right place at the right time.

“I booked the part thanks to a performance of 'Hairspray' I was in at the Hollywood Bowl in early August," she explains in a new interview with AmericanIdol.com. "The right people from Y&R were in the audience and were pleased with my performance, and apparently they saw me as a perfect fit for the gum-smacking Jersey girl who can’t sing.”

Soap Opera Stars In Primetime: Upcoming Guest Appearances

Daytime soap stars are everywhere this fall--appearing in new shows (RINGER), returning shows (BLUE BLOODS, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES), docu-series (DIRTY SOAP) and guest starring all over primetime. Below are some of the upcoming guest appearances by daytime stars (and a few of our favorite primetime soap stars as well). We update this list every few days. If you see a name missing, add it in our Comments section.

OCTOBER
26 PSYCH - Van Hansis
27 PERSON OF INTEREST - Paige Turco, Timothy Adams
27 THE MENTALIST - John-Paul Lavoisier
28 A GIFTED MAN - Kelli Barrett
28 BLUE BLOODS - Tobias Truvillion

NEWS ROUNDUP: Melody Thomas Scott Talks Nikki Return, Freddie Smith Previews DAYS, Mitch Laurence Back?

Old Navy, Telemundo launch fashionable Internet soap opera
Fashion and drama. That’s what Old Navy and the Spanish-language television network, Telemundo, have created with its first digital Spanish-language soap opera. ESTILOS ROBADOS (translation “Stolen Styles”) isn’t your traditional telenovela. Each week viewers get to choose the fate of the lead character by selecting which Old Navy outfit she will wear on the episode. That’s right, the outfit you pick will ultimately determine the show’s ending.

RESULTS: Daytime Soap & Favorite Couple of the Week Poll (October 17-21, 2011) - ONE LIFE TO LIVE/Jason & Sam No. 1

Here are the results from the WE LOVE SOAPS TV Daytime poll for the week of October 17-21, 2011. We asked you what your favorite daytime soap opera was as well as your favorite couple. ONE LIFE TO LIVE remained in the top spot among the serials.


In our inaugural couples poll, Jason and Sam from GENERAL HOSPITAL landed at No. 1.

CONFIRMED: Lisa Rinna Returning to DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Lisa Rinna is returning to DAYS OF OUR LIVES and will start taping in December according to a report on HuffingtonPost.com.

"DAYS OF OUR LIVES has a great new team behind it, and they are determined to make sure the show not only survives but thrives," says an insider. "Part of the strategy is bringing out the big guns, which includes bringing back Lisa Rinna and Billie Reed."

OPINION: DIRTY SOAP Loses Some Steam This Week!

Family and the role they sometimes play in relationships is where this week's episode of DIRTY SOAP found its focus. I have to admit that I found this week's episode disappointing after last week's stellar but sad hour. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with it but I wasn't all that riveted while watching. I even thought to myself...am I watching this out of some sort of obligation? I'm not saying that they should capitalize on Kirsten's illness but there have got to be more interesting things happening in the lives of the other cast members.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 25)

On this date in...

1999: Colombian soap opera BETTY LA FEA premiered. It was hugely successful and spawned numerous remakes around the world including UGLY BETTY in the United States.

Sue Lloyd Has Died At Age 72

Legendary actress Sue Lloyd passed away on October 20 at the age of 72.

The actress was best known for her role as Barbara Hunter in hit ITV soap, CROSSROADS.

“My initial reaction was to be a bit sniffy about it – it was renowned for bizarre storylines and wobbly scenery,” but just 12 months after being approached later she finally made her CROSSROADS debut. She was introduced to viewers of the infamous Birmingham-produced soap in 1979, playing Barbara Brady, a doctor’s housekeeper who was really a romantic novelist carrying out research.

Her niece, Joanna Mitchell told the Telegraph: 'Sue suffered with her health in recent years, but she never complained.

DYNASTY's Joan Collins took to her Twitter page to pay tribute to the star, with whom she worked with in the seventies.

"Sad 2 hear of death of Sue Lloyd. Worked with her on Stud & Bitch. Had 2 get drunk to do nude pool scene in Stud - almost drowned laughing"

Watch UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIR On Acorn TV

One of the most popular, renowned British series of all time, UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, is once again available for online viewing onAcorn TV, an online streaming service that makes award-winning British mysteries and dramas available to American audiences.

This series is universally recognized as one of the most successful and important shows in television history. Winning seven Emmys, two BAFTAs, a Golden Globe and a Peabody, UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIR has captured the minds and imaginations of viewers and critics alike.

Sunday Night Ratings: Strong Debut For ONCE UPON A TIME, DESPERATE Rises, PAN AM Doesn't Fall, GOOD WIFE Down

The strong debut of ONCE UPON A TIME helped the entire ABC lineup on Sunday night.

More than doubling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8:00 p.m. (+160%) and gaining audience throughout its premiere against the World Series and Sunday Night Football, ABC's series debut of ONCE UPON A TIME opened with an average audience of 12.8 million viewers and a 3.9 rating, 10 share among Adults 18-49, standing as Sunday's No. 1 non-sports program.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Jeanne Cooper Update, EMMERDALE Affair, Mathison Interviews Martinez

Y&R's Maria Bell expects Jeanne Cooper back at the studio later this month
"Jeanne is an integral part of our show and we look forward to her imminent return," said Executive Producer/Head Writer Maria Arena Bell in a statement. "We have great storyline coming up for Mrs. Chancellor."

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES actress Kathryn Joosten used to be a psychiatric nurse
"I loved that work. But they don’t do that anymore. Psychiatric practice has changed so dramatically in the last 25 years that the kind of work we did, inpatient therapy, is totally gone."

ABC: Katie Couric Talk Show Cleared in 60% Of The Country

ABC sent out a press release today touting the high demand for the new Katie Couric talk show. Read it below.

"KATIE" GARNERS OUTSTANDING CLEARANCES WITH OVER 60% OF THE COUNTRY SOLD IN JUST SIX WEEKS

Highly Anticipated Talker to Premiere in Fall 2012 On Preeminent Stations Across the Country

BURBANK, CA. - In a period of only six weeks, Katie Couric's highly anticipated nationally syndicated talk show, KATIE, has already been cleared in over 60% of the country, it was announced today by Janice Marinelli, president, Disney-ABC Domestic Television. KATIE is slated to premiere in September 2012.

Shelly Altman Named Co-Head Writer Of GENERAL HOSPITAL, Hopes Soaps Survive

Shelly Altman has been named co-head writer of GENERAL HOSPITAL, effective immediately, according to a new report by soapoperadigest.com. She will work alongside current head writer Garin Wolf.

Altman previous wrote for ANOTHER WORLD and ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Right after starting at AW, her first daytime experience, she wrote the murder of Ryan Harrison.

In her WGA blog last year, she wrote about the most comment question she is asked, "Will soap operas survive?"

VOTE: Indie Soap of the Week Poll (October 16-22, 2011)

Which web series was your favorite last week? Support your favorite continuing drama or comedy and vote in the weekly WE LOVE SOAPS TV poll below. Check back on Tuesday morning for the results (voting ends Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET). Only the shows that aired one or more new episodes from October 16-22, 2011 are listed. Based on release schedules, the shows in the poll will change weekly.

If an indie soap aired this week and is not on the list, feel free to cast your vote as "Other" and add a note in the Comments section of this post.



Watch this week's indie soaps below:

PREVIEW: CW's Monday Night Soaps GOSSIP GIRL & HART OF DIXIE (with Video Sneak Peeks)

GOSSIP GIRL is back with an all new episode, "The Fasting and the Furious," on Monday, October 24 at 8 p.m. on The CW.

In the midst of celebrating Yom Kippur with family and friends, Blair (Leighton Meester) and Louis (guest star Hugo Becker) find themselves in a power struggle with Louis’ family.

Serena’s (Blake Lively) boss (guest star Michael Michele) puts Serena in the awkward position of choosing between her new job and her relationship with Dan (Penn Badgley).

FAN REVIEW: AS THE WORLD TURNS on DVD 4-Disc 20-Episode Collection

We Love Soaps wants to know what our readers think! We kick off a new series featuring fan reviews by asking longtime AS THE WORLD TURNS fan Jamie Misiak to weigh in on the new AS THE WORLD TURNS DVD set that was recently released by SoapClassics.

I recently purchased the AS THE WORLD TURNS 20 Classic Episodes DVDs from www.soapclassics.com. When these DVDs became available I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. I popped one in my DVD player as soon as I got the box open and I'll admit I watched them all night!

Today in Soap Opera History (October 24)

On this date in...

1958: Australia's first television soap opera, AUTUMN AFFAIR, premiered. It would get canceled less than a year later.

1989: On GUIDING LIGHT, Will forced Mindy to take pills threatening to kill Rusty if she didn't.

DIRTY SOAP REACTION: What Was Your Favorite Moment?

DIRTY SOAP just ended on the East coast. There was no mention of Kirsten Storms, and Galen & Jenna Gering were absent from the episode as well.

Some of our favorites:
* JP almost having to marry Farah if her father sank that putt
* Discovering Farah started drinking bourbon at age 5

SHAKE-UP: Lisa De Cazotte Replaces Noel Maxam as DAYS OF OUR LIVES Co-Executive Producer

Lisa De Cazotte has replaced Noel Maxam as co-executive producer of DAYS OF OUR LIVES effective immediately according to a report by soapoperadigest.com. Remaining co-executive producer Greg Meng says of the change, “Ken Corday is excited to have Lisa join the DAYS OF OUR LIVES family."

What do you think of the change? Good for the show? Bad? Not sure?

PREVIEW: CBS Sunday Night Soap THE GOOD WIFE "Marthas and Caitlins" (Renee Elise Goldsberry Guest Stars)

THE GOOD WIFE returns with the all-new episode, "Marthas and Caitlins," on Sunday, October 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

When Alicia’s key witness commits suicide, she must turn to the only person whose testimony can salvage her case: Colin Sweeney.

Meanwhile, Eli makes big moves on Peter’s behalf.

Watch a video preview below.