Today in Soap Opera History (November 26)

1976: AW's Mac told Iris to leave Clarice alone.  1978: Ray
fell for country singer Garnet McGee on Dallas.
1984: After Days' Bo found Roman dead, the body went
missing. 1985: RH's Jillian couldn't remember Frank.

"That is the supreme value of history. The study of it is the best guarantee against repeating it."
- John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir

"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...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Billy (Pud Flanagan) asked Mary (Anne Sargent) and Roger (Allan Nourse) to legally adopt him.

1963: General Hospital changed its original opening sequence.

1969: On Dark Shadows, Paul (Dennis Patrick) told Carolyn (Nancy Barrett) he was her father.

1976: On Another World, after Therese Lamonte's funeral, Mac (Douglass Watson) accused Iris (Beverly McKinsey) of harassing Clarice. Mac told Iris to leave Clarice alone or he would use the taped confession against her.



1978: On Dallas, Ray (Steve Kanaly) fell for country singer Garnet McGee (guest star Kate Mulgrew), who rejected his marriage proposal to focus on her career. She slept with J.R. (Larry Hagman) to get a record deal, and when a heartbroken Ray discovered her infidelity, he ended their relationship.



1979: On As the World Turns, Hester (Ann Stanchfield) visited Martin in the hospital His doctor told him Martin was now able to say two words: "Bennett" and "Seller" (really meaning cellar).



1984: On Days of our Lives, when Bo (Peter Reckell) returned to the beach where he found Roman's (Wayne Northrop) "dead" body, Roman was no longer there.





1985: On Ryan's Hope, Frank was disappointed when Jillian (Nancy Addison) couldn't remember him.



1992: Wheel of Fortune aired a "Soaps College Special" featuring Melissa Reeves and Michael Sabatino from Days of our Lives, Lauralee Bell and Scott Reeves from The Young and the Restless; All My Children's Jill Larson and Richard Watson; and Fiona Hutchison and Frank Dicopolous from Guiding Light.

1993: On The Young and the Restless, Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) asked Hope (Signy Coleman) about the time Victor spent on the farm.

1999: On Passions, Tabitha (Juliet Mills) made sure the torch used on a tied-up Charity had real fire on it.



2008: On One Life to Live, Viki (Erika Slezak) had a meltdown Victor's crypt.



Celebrating a birthday today are:
Barry Coe (ex-Joel, General Hospital) - 79
Mark Margolis (ex-Harry, Guiding Light; ex-Helmut, Santa Barbara) - 74
Tandy Cronyn (ex-Charlotte, Guiding Light) - 68
Susanne Zenor (ex-Margo, Days of our Lives) - 66
Elizabeth Savage (ex-Fiona, Santa Barbara; ex-Gwyneth, Loving; ex-Lynx, General Hospital) - 57
Scott Jacoby (ex-Hubcap, One Life to Live) - 57
Paul Carlin (ex-Craig, Ryan's Hope) - 57
Jamie Rose (ex-Vickie, FALCON CREST) - 54
Marcy Walker (ex-Liza, All My Children; ex-Eden, Santa Barbara; ex-Tangie, Guiding Light) - 52
Allyson Rice (ex-Connor, As the World Turns) - 50
Garcelle Beauvais (ex-Cynthia, MODELS INC.) - 47
Kristin Bauer van Straten (Pam, TRUE BLOOD; ex-Jack's Mom, The Secret Life of the American Teenager) - 47
Peter Facinelli (Rupert, Glee; ex-Jimmy, SIX FEET UNDER) - 40
Brandon Buddy (ex-Cole, One Life to Live) - 27
Katie Sagona (ex-Tammy, Guiding Light) - 24

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].