Today in Soap Opera History (April 26)

On this date in...

1935: JUDY AND JANE, produced by Frank and Anne Hummert, aired its final episode.

1937: Comedy radio soap opera LORENZO JONES, also produced by the Hummerts, premiered on NBC Radio.  It would run for 18 years.

1940: YOUNG DOCTOR MALONE aired its final episode on the Blue Network.  It moved to CBS Radio the following Monday where it played for the next 20 years.

1946: Radio soap AMANDA ON HONEYMOON HILL, starring Joy Hathaway, aired its final episode after six years.

1973: Singer-pianist Bobby Short made a guest appearance (as himself) in AS THE WORLD TURNS.

1976: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, Tiffany was pushed to her death out of a tenth floor office window.

1978: Burt McGowan left Bay City as actor William Russ left the show.  Burt would return for a couple of months in early 1979 played by Joseph Hindy.

1981: Jim Davis, who played DALLAS patriarch Jock Ewing, died at age 71.

1983: On RYAN'S HOPE, Frank Ryan went into a fit of rage, live on TV.



1991: Veteran soap actress Emily McLaughlin, who played Jessie Brewer on GENERAL HOSPITAL for many years and spoke the show's first line, passed away at age 60. McLaughlin also portrayed Eileen Seaton on YOUNG DOCTOR MALONE.

1997: John Beal, who Jim Matthews on  the very first episode ANOTHER WORLD, died at age 87.  Leon Janney took over on Episode #3.  Beal also played Judge Vail on DARK SHADOWS.

2011: Tamara Braun debuted as Taylor on DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Carol Burnett (ex-Verla, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 79
Jeff Eagle (ex-Will, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 65
Joan Chen (ex-Jocelyn, TWIN PEAKS) - 51
Michael Damian (Danny, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 50
Olivia Birkelund (ex-Arlene, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 49
Jeanne Marie Ford (Writer, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 41
Christoph Silber (Former Writer, DER KRIMINALIST) - 41
McKenzie Westmore (ex-Riley, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Felicia, THE BAY; ex-Sheridan, PASSIONS) - 35
Tom Welling (ex-Clark, SMALLVILLE) - 35
Charissa Chamorro (ex-Tory, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Sophia, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 35
Nate Golon (Jeff, WORKSHOP) - 33
Jordana Brewster (Elena, DALLAS; ex-Nikki, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 32
Shenell Edmonds (ex-Destiny, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 18

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].