Today in Soap Opera History (November 13)

1979: EON's Nola had sinister plans. 1989: ATWT's Emily
faced tough questions on the witness stand. 1995: ABC's THE
CITY premiere. 2003: OLTL's Blair and Walker were married.

"History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside."
- John F. Kennedy

"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...

1942: On CLARA, LU AND EM, Em (Helen King) threw a party.

1964: On ANOTHER WORLD, Dru (Geoffrey Lumb) asked John to take on Pat's case. Michael M. Ryan and Gaye Huston made their first appearances as John and Lee Randolph.

1967: On DARK SHADOWS, Julia (Grayson Hall) panicked when Woodard's ghost appeared.

1979: On AS THE WORLD TURNS, Barbara (Colleen Zenk) and Tom (Tom Tammi) had an awkward encounter.



1979: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, Nola (Kim Hunter) prepared to kill Deborah (Frances Fisher).



1981: On GENERAL HOSPITAL, the women of Port Charles celebrated Laura's (Genie Francis) upcoming wedding to Luke with a bachelorette party.



1987: On SANTA BARBARA, Cruz (A Martinez) visited Eden (Marcy Walker) in jail.



1989: On AS THE WORLD TURNS, Emily (Melanie Smith) was asked on the witness stand if her relationship with Paul had become sexual.



1989: On GUIDING LIGHT, Phillip (Grant Aleksander) attempted to dig up Beth's grave until Rick (Michael O'Leary) and the cops stopped him.



1990: On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, Danny (Michael Damian) and Cricket (Lauralee Bell) prepared to leave for their wedding in Hawaii.

1995: THE CITY, a spin-off of LOVING, premiered on ABC.



1998: On GUIDING LIGHT, Michelle Bauer (Bethany Joy Lenz) met Danny Santos (Paul Anthony Stewart).



2003: Actress Kellie Waymire died at age 36.   She played Emily Haynes in ONE LIFE TO LIVE and Melissa in SIX FEET UNDER.

2003: On ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Blair Cramer (Kassie DePaiva) married "Walker Laurence" (Trevor St. John).



Celebrating a birthday today are:
Madeleine Sherwood (ex-Betty, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Carmen, THE SECRET STORM; ex-Ann, THE EDGE OF NIGHT; ex-Mrs. Murphy, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 91
Garry Marshall (ex-Jack, BROTHERS & SISTERS) - 79
Daniel Pilon (ex-Alan, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Max, RYAN'S HOPE; ex-Gavin, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Renaldo, DALLAS) - 73
Joe Mantegna (ex-Juan, SOAP) - 66
Mary Gordon Murray (ex-Becky Lee, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 60
Tracy Scoggins (Grace, DANTE'S COVE; ex-Monica, THE COLBYS/DYNASTY; ex-Dianne, DALLAS; ex-Anita, DALLAS: J.R. RETURNS) - 60
Frances Conroy (Myrtle/ex-Moira, AMERICAN HORROR STORY; ex-Virginia, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES; ex-Ruth, SIX FEET UNDER) - 60
Chris Noth (Peter, THE GOOD WIFE; ex-Dean, ANOTHER WORLD) - 59
Whoopi Goldberg (Maris, 666 PARK AVENUE; Carmen, GLEE) - 58
Robert Aberdeen (ex-Greg, LOVE OF LIFE) - 51
Tari Signor (Margaret, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 46
Steve Zahn (Davis, TREME; ex-Spence, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 46
Melissa Hayden (ex-Julie, HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS; ex-Agnes, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Bridget, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Mouse, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 44
Rob Youngblood (ex-Pierce, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Robert, DALLAS; ex-Dave, MELROSE PLACE) - 44
Cathy Janeen Doe (ex-Simone PASSIONS) - 43
Jordan Bridges (Oliver, DAWSON'S CREEK) - 40
Marc Brett (ex-Zander, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 39
Kit Williamson (Cal, EASTSIDERS) - 28
Vail Bloom (ex-Heather, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS)
Austin Williams (ex-Shane, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 17

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to submit a piece of soap opera history for this daily column, please email it to [email protected].

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to submit a piece of soap opera history for this daily column, please email it to [email protected].