Today in Soap Opera History (October 4)

On this date in...

1967: On DARK SHADOWS, Barnabas took Burke and Dr. Woodard down into the basement where they found no coffin.

1990: BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 premiered on FOX. The show aired its final episode on May 17, 2000.

1990: On GUIDING LIGHT, Rick and Beth received a shock.



2001: Primetime soap opera TITANS premiered on NBC.

2007: The first season finale of GENERAL HOSPITAL: NIGHT SHIFT aired on SOAPnet.

2010: Camila Banus debuted as Gabi Hernandez in DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

2010: German soap HAND AUFS HERZ premiered. It lasted until June 2011.

2011: Sarah Brown debuted as Madison James in DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Susan Sarandon (ex-Patrice, A WORLD APART; ex-Sarah, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW) - 66
Meg Bennett (Soap writer for several soaps including GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Julia, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Megan, SANTA BARBARA; ex-Liza, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW; ex-Allegra, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 64
Brynn Thayer (ex-Jenny, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Kylie, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 63
Armand Assante (ex-Johnny, HOW TO SURVIVE A MARRIAGE; ex-Mike, THE DOCTORS) - 63
Mary Lynn Blanks (ex-Annie, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Jenny, LOVING; ex-Tara, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 60
Mary Ellen Stuart (ex-Frannie, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Jenny, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Madison, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 51
Marjolein Keuning (Maxime, GOEDE TIJDEN SLECHTE TIJDEN) - 50
Jennifer Gatti (ex-Dinah, GUIDING LIGHT) - 44
Brandon Barash (Johnny, GENERAL HOSPITAL)  - 33
Rachael Leigh Cook (ex-Devone,  DAWSON'S CREEK) - 33
Brad Bell (Cheeks, HUSBANDS) - 27

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].