Today in Soap Opera History (July 19)

On this date in...

1940: Radio soap opera THE CARTERS OF ELM STREET, written by Mona Kent, aired its final episode on the Mutual Network.

1966: On ANOTHER WORLD, Pat told Alice she thought Lee identified with Hope Bauer (crossed over for a year from THE GUIDING LIGHT) as a motherless child. Alice said she thought Mike Bauer was a doll.

1966: On DARK SHADOWS, Louis Edmonds (Roger) says the accident happened "a hundred miles" down the hill, then corrects himself with "seemed like a hundred miles - a hundred feet." 

1984: On GUIDING LIGHT, Phillip and Bert had a heart to heart talk while Alexandra was devastated when Lujack rejected her not knowing it was for her safety.



1985: John Aniston debuted as Victor Kiriakis on DAYS OF OUR LIVES.



1991: On SANTA BARBARA, Shell Danielson aired for the final time as Laken Lockridge, while Wanda De Jesus debuted as Santa Andrade.

1994: Christopher Stone aired for the final time as Bill Horton in DAYS OF OUR LIVES.  Stone died in 1995 at age 53.

1999: On GENERAL HOSPITAL, Faison watched Felicia as she made her way to her car in the parking garage.

2004: Charity Rahmer began a three-week run as Belle Black in DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

2007: MAD MEN premiered on the AMC network.

2009: On EMPIRE, Cane attempts to get to the bottom of what happened to his parents.

2010: Scott Clifton debuted as Liam Cooper in THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Helen Gallagher (ex-Maeve, RYAN'S HOPE; ex-Hannah, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Maud, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Nurse Harris, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 86
William Gray Espy (ex-Mitch, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Snapper, YOUNG & RESTLESS) - 64
Beverly Archer (ex-Shirley, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 64
Peter Barton (ex-Eddie, SUNSET BEACH; ex-Scott, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 56
Andrew Kavovit  (ex-Paul, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 41
Erin Cummings (ex-Ann, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Michelle, DANTE'S COVE; PASSIONS) - 35
Danny Roberts (ex-Jean-Jean, DAWSON'S CREEK) - 35
Jared Padalecki (Sam, SUPERNATURAL; ex-Dean, GILMORE GIRLS) - 30
Lauren Mead (ex-Joey, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 22

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].