Monday, March 30, 2015

Today in Soap Opera History (March 30)

1970: A World Apart and The Best of Everything premiered on ABC.
1970: Another World spinoff Somerset premiered on NBC.
1970: Dark Shadows' Maggie found a mysterious note.
"Mankind are so much the same, in all times and places, that history informs us of nothing new or strange in this particular. Its chief use is only to discover the constant and universal principles of human nature."
― David Hume

"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...

1970: Daytime soap opera A World Apart, created by Irna Phillips' daughter, Katherine Phillips, premiered on ABC. Susan Sarandon starred as Patrice Kahlman.



1970: Daytime soap opera The Best of Everything premiered on ABC. The show focused on four young secretaries and their lives in an intense publishing firm: Linda Warren (Patty McCormack), April Morrison (Julie Mannix), Kim Jordan (Katherine Glass) and Barbara Lamont (Rochelle Oliver). They were tormented by their ruthless editor, Amanda Key (Gale Sondergaard), and counseled by the warm and loving Violet Jordan (Geraldine Fitzgerald).



1970: On Another World, Russ was upset when the expensive crib Rachel (Robin Strasser) ordered arrived. She tried to gain sympathy with tears but it didn't work.



1970: Somerset, a spin-off of Another World, premiered on NBC. The show initially revolved around Another World characters Missy Palmer Matthews (Carol Roux), Lahoma Vane Lucas (Ann Wedgeworth) and Sam Lucas (Jordan Charney). Sam and wife Lahoma moved to the small town of Somerset where Sam became the junior law partner of Ben Grant.

1970: On Dark Shadows, Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) noticed that someone has slipped a piece of paper underneath the door at Collinwood, which read, "You are not wanted here, now or never." The letter is signed by Angelique.


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1981: President Ronald Reagan was shot as he left the Washington Hilton Hotel after speaking at the AFL-CIO Building Trades Conference. East Coast soap fans remember this happened during As the World Turns, One Life to Live and Another World.

1987: Another World debuted the "Another World (You Take Me Away To)" song in the opening and end credits. Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris sang the song on the previous Friday's episode, after she survived the Sin Stalker. The clip below features the opening and closing from the July 21, 1987.



1997: British soap opera Family Affairs premiered.

2001: On As the World Turns, Carly (Maura West) had it out with Julia at the mental hospital.

2004: On All My Children, Bianca, heartbroken over Miranda's "death", lashes out at Erica over her previous comments over Bianca's
pregnancy.



Thanks to Enrique for sending in the item above.

2006: Legendary General Hospital producer Gloria Monty died at age 84.  Before taking over GH, Monty was a director for Bright Promise, The Secret Storm and The First Hundred Years. Read more about Monty here, here and here.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Justin Deas (ex-Scott, Steamboat; ex-Buzz, Guiding Light; ex-Keith, Santa Barbara; ex-Tom, As the World Turns; ex-Bucky, Ryan's Hope; ex-Marco, One Life to Live) - 67
Albert Alarr (Producer, Days of our Lives) - 59
Michael Lehmann (Director, True Blood) - 58
Ian Ziering (ex-Erich, The Doctors; ex-Cam, Guiding Light; ex-Steve, Beverly Hills, 90210) - 51
Juliet Landau (ex-Drusilla, Buffy the Vampire Slayer; ex-Drusilla, Angel) - 50
Gerald McCullouch (ex-Geoffrey, Hustling; ex-Dan, Beverly Hills, 90210) - 48
CĂ©line Dion (Herself, All My Children) - 47
Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo, All My Children) - 44
Jason Dohring (ex-Mr. Carpenter, Ringer) - 33
Helena Mattsson (ex-Cassandra, Nikita, ex-Irina, Desperate Housewives) - 31
Quincy Morris (Creator, In Between Men)
Cassie Scerbo (ex-Lauren, Make It or Break It) - 25

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

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