Friday, December 29, 2017

Today in Soap Opera History (December 29)

1967: Days of our Lives' Mickey and Laura were married.
1975: Another World's Marianne had an abortion.
1982: KVIK hosted a telethon on Texas.
1995: General Hospital's Ned found Jason unconscious.
"History is a vast early warning system."
― Norman Cousins

"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...

1961: NBC aired the final episode of From These Roots after a three and a half year run. FTR actress Ann Flood starred as Liz, a successful writer who had returned to her New England hometown of Strathfield to run her family's newspaper, the Strathfield Record.  The cast included Robert Mandan (Sam), Millette Alexander (Gloria) and Barbara Berjer (Lynn).

1967: On The Edge of Night, Julie Jamison (Millette Alexander) could not escape from the menacing Harry Constable.

1967: On Days of our Lives, Mickey Horton (John Clarke) married Laura Spencer (Susan Flannery) in a church wedding. Susan Martin (Denise Alexander) was honor attendant.

Thanks to Scott for sending in the item above.

Theo Goetz
1972: The Guiding Light star Theo Goetz (born in 1894) died at age 78. He was beloved as Papa Bauer, a role he assumed on radio in the late 1940s, transitioned to television in 1952 and played until his death. The show aired a funeral for him two months later where one grandson (Ed) spoke and another sang (Mike).

1975: On Another World, Michael Randolph (Lionel Johnston) and his girlfriend Glenda Toland (Maia Danziger) arranged for Michael's twin sister, Marianne (Ariane Munker, now Ariana Chase) to have an abortion. Marianne had been deserted by her lover, Chris Pierson (Stephen Yates), when she revealed her pregnancy to him. Michael and Glenda, who had once undergone an abortion herself, made the arrangements for Marianne in New York. The twins' mother, Pat Randolph (Beverly Penberthy), was haunted by her own young pregnancy and tried to stop the event, but failed. Pat would withhold Marianne's abortion from her husband, John (Michael Ryan), which helped ruin the couple's long-term marriage.

Thanks to Scott for sending in the item above.

1977: On One Life to Live, on their tropical honeymoon, Brad Vernon's (Jameson Parker) eyes were already straying to another woman when his wife Jenny (Kathy Glass) briefly left their restaurant table.

Thanks to Scott for sending in the item above.

1982: On Texas, a KVIK telethon showcased local Houston talent including Lurlene Walker (Tina Johnson), Justin and Gregory (Linden) Marshall (Jerry Lanning and Damion Scheller), Allison Linden (Terri Garber), Vivien Gorrow (Gretchen Oehler), T.J. Canfield (David Forsyth), Paige Marshall (Lisby Larson) and Billy Joe Wright (John McCafferty).





1984: Actress Indus Arthur died at age 43 after battling skin cancer.  She played Brooke Bentley on General Hospital from 1970 to 1973. Near the end of her life, Arthur entertained as a singer and harpist in clubs like the Scripture Gardens Coffee House in Venice, California.

1986: Wordplay, the game show that replaced Search for Tomorrow, debuted to strong ratings on NBC. The show faded quickly and was canceled less than nine months later.

1986: On Santa Barbara, Tori (Kristen Meadows) returned to Santa Barbara to see Mason (Lane Davies) after her agent stole all her money.

1987: On Ryan's Hope, Maeve (Helen Gallagher) and Johnny (Bernard Barrow) fought when she demanded Dakota (Christopher Durham) move out. By the end of the episode, Johnny declared, "If he goes, I go."



1992: Ariana Chase debuted as Kimberly Brady in Days of our Lives, a role she would play for six months.

1995: On General Hospital, Ned (Wally Kurth) found Jason (Steve Burton) lying unconscious after being thrown from a car driven by a drunk AJ (Sean Kanan).



1997: On Port Charles, Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring) used her sex appeal to bait Rex (Wayne Northrop). "Rex, you'll never know what hit you," Lucy told herself.



1997: On General Hospital, Carly (Sarah Joy Brown) gave birth to a baby born, Michael Corinthos.



2002: Actor Ralph Clanton died at age 88. His soap roles included Jasper Delaney on Another World and Somerset, and William Collins in Search for Tomorrow.

2003: Actor Earl Hindman, who played Bob Reid in Ryan's Hope during its entire run (1975-1989), died at age 61 after a battle with lung cancer.

2004: Actor William Boyett died at age 77. His soap roles included Fred Eckert in General Hospital and Walter Edmonson in The Young and the Restless.

2006: On Days of our Lives, Hope Brady (Kristian Alfonso) gave birth to a baby girl, Ciara Alice Brady.

Thanks to Enrique for sending in the item above .

2008: Hayley Erin debuted as Abby Carlton on The Young and the Restless.

2010: Daniel Cosgrove returned to All My Children as Scott Chandler.



Celebrating a birthday today are:
Jon Voight (Mickey, Ray Donovan; ex-Clint, Lone Star) - 79
Ted Danson (ex-Mitch, The Doctors; ex-Ted, Somerset) - 70
Patricia Clarkson (ex-Sarah, Six Feet Under) - 58
Sandra Nelson (ex-Phyllis, The Young and the Restless) - 55
David Fumero (Mike, Power; ex-Cristian, One Life to Live) - 45
Jude Law (ex-Nathan, Families) - 45
Jason-Shane Scott (ex-Brad, The Bay; ex-Will, One Life to Live; ex-Chad, The Young and the Restless) - 41
Alison Brie (ex-Trudy, Mad Men) - 35
Dylan Minnette (ex-Rex. Awake; ex-David, Lost) - 21
Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick (ex-Will, Guiding Light) - 19

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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