Today in Soap Opera History (September 30)

1966: A ghost emerged from Josette's portrait on Dark Shadows.
1978: Lucy was devastated when Gary & Val left Dallas again.
1982: Karen Fairgate met Mack Mackenzie in Knots Landing.
1985: General Hospital's Frisco was determined to go undercover.

"History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future."
― Robert Penn Warren

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1966: On Dark Shadows, David (David Henesy) took Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) to the Old House to show her the ghosts. After they left, a ghost emerged from the portrait of Josette Collins.



1978: On Dallas, J.R. (Larry Hagman) set Gary (David Ackroyd) up to fail in a Ewing Oil business deal and he ended up leaving town, despite Valene (Joan Van Ark) begging him to stay for Lucy's (Charlene Tilton) sake. When Val asked J.R. what her future was in Dallas, J.R. told her, "Well, $5,000 and an escort out of the state?" She asked him if there were any other options to which he replied, "An escort out of the state." Lucy was devastated to be without her parents again.



This was David Ackroyd's final appearance as Gary Ewing. He was unavailable to play the role when it was decided to branch Gary and Valene off to Knots Landing, so Ted Shackelford took over as Gary in December 1979.

1980: On The Edge of Night, Raven's lawyer grilled April about her presumed love affair with Logan while Draper was presumed dead.



1982: On Knots Landing, Karen (Michele Lee) met U.S. attorney Marion Patrick "Mack" MacKenzie (Kevin Dobson) after barging into the Federal Prosecutor's office, where he was handling Sid's case.



1985: On Days of our Lives, Hope (Kristian Alfonso) was devastated to learn Norma had died.



1985: On General Hospital, Robert (Tristan Rogers) told Anna (Finola Hughes) and Grant (Brian Patrick Clarke) he was washing his hands of Frisco (Jack Wagner), while Felicia was upset that Frisco was missing.



1994: Actor Sydney Walker died at age 73.  He played Dr. Bruce Banning on The Guiding Light in the early 1970s.

1999: On As the World Turns, Margo (Ellen Dolan) visited Cass Winthrop (Stephen Schnetzer) at his law office in Bay City to find out more about the identity of Eddie's father, Alec Wallace.

2002: On As the World Turns, Jack (Michael Park) and Carly (Maura West) were at odds over her working with Craig.



2005: On Passions, Alistair (John Reilly) told the guests at his wedding to Theresa (Lindsay Hartley) he had a gift for all of them.



Celebrating a birthday today are:
Barbara Knox (Rita, Coronation Street) - 81
Elizabeth Burr (ex-Barbara, Days of our Lives; ex-Noreen, Loving) - 73
Marilyn McCoo (ex-Tamara, Days of our Lives) - 71
Ellen Parker (ex-Maureen, Guiding Light) - 65
Barry Williams (ex-Hannibal, General Hospital; ex-Greg, The Bradys) - 60
William Christian (ex-Derek, All My Children; ex-Marshall, Another World) - 59
Susan Keith (ex-Shana, Loving; ex-Cecile, Another World; ex-Sam, One Life to Live) - 55
Eric Stoltz (ex-Daniel, Caprica) - 53
Andrea Roth (ex-Catherine, Ringer) - 47
Ashley Hamilton (ex-Cole, Sunset Beach) - 40
Lacey Chabert (ex-Bianca, All My Children) - 32

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to submit a soap history entry for this date or a future date, email [email protected].