Today in Soap Opera History (February 12)

1968: DS' Victoria Winters arrived in the year 1795. 1986: DAYS'
Bo had a Britta flashback.  1993: GH's Dominique fainted before
her wedding. 1998: PC's Serena bit Rex.

"Maybe if people started to listen, history would stop repeating itself."
- Lily Tomlin

"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...

1965: On ANOTHER WORLD, Pat (Susan Trustman) was found not guilty of murdering Tom Baxter (Nicholas Pryor) by reason of temporary insanity.

1968: On DARK SHADOWS, in the wake of a seance gone awry, Victoria Winters awoke in the year 1795, a time where each of the Collins ancestors resembled a present-day member of the Collins family, though the names and relationships had changed. A despondent Barnabas told Ben about Josette's death and questioned how he could face eternity without her. He vowed to end Angelique's curse -- that everyone Barnabas loved would die -- by admitting to his father Joshua and mother Naomi what he had become and letting them decide his fate. Going to Jeremiah's grave, Barnabas told his brother's spirit that he forgave him for marrying Josette and bemoaned their deaths. Cousin Millicent saw Barnabas in the cemetery and mistakenly thought he was back from England. Millicent told a shocked Joshua and Naomi that she wanted Barnabas to kill Lt. Nathan Forbes in a duel, finally admitting that Nathan deceived her about his marital status. As the episode ended, Joshua told Naomi that Abigail would represent the Collins family and testify against the imprisoned Vicky at her witchcraft trial. Naomi promised a fight.

1968: On THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW's soap opera parody "As the Stomach Turns," Burnett played a woman with a number of shocking secrets, the reveals of which were frequently drowned out by the melodramatic music. Her long-lost son, who was really her amnesiac friend Victoria’s child, reappeared with his fiancée in tow, a newly-widowed and highly suspicious older woman. Finally, Burnett’s elderly, presumed-dead husband made a stunning reappearance—from the basement, where he had spent years working on a hit song…and promptly dropped dead. Martha Raye and Betty Grable guest-starred in the episode.

1986: On DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Bo (Peter Reckell) saw Hope (Kristian Alfonson) and Patch (Stephen Nichols) sitting on a bed together and flashed back to catching Patch in bed with Britta.



1993: ONE LIFE TO LIVE aired a Valentine's Day episode, dedicated to the lovers of Llanview, which was punctuated with love poems, read on Luna's radio program by guest host Wanda Wolek (Marilyn Chris). First, Luna (Susan Batten) and Max (James DePaiva) arranged to meet at a mountain inn for a romantic getaway, but they each ended up at the wrong inn, separated from each other by a huge snowstorm. Meanwhile, Tina's love life took a turn for the worse as she found herself torn between the two men she loves, Cord and Cain. Cord, who had reappeared after his long absence, declared his love for Tina, while Cain insisted that she inform him of their engagement. Jason, Lee Ann, and Marty also formed a love triangle in a twisted scheme: Marty helped Jason stage a romantic scenario that would give Lee Ann the impression that Jason was cheating on her: in spite of his love for her, he deliberately set out to break her heart on Valentine's Day. Finally, fate and magic helped Max and Luna find each other in the tumultuous storm, and they ultimately united for a passionate evening together.

1993: On GENERAL HOSPITAL, Dominique (Shell Danielson) fainted again right before she was to walk down the aisle to marry Scott (Kin Shriner).



1996: On ALL MY CHILDREN, Trevor (James Kiberd) was devastated over Laurel's death.



1998: On PORT CHARLES, Serena (Carly Schroeder) bit Rex (Wayne Northrop) after he told her living with him instead of her father was the best thing that ever happened to her.



2004: On AS THE WORLD TURNS, Rosanna (Cady McClain) had to give up her beloved daughter Cabot because she illegally adopted the child. Barbara (Colleen Zenk) threw a party to celebrate her new business success. Chris was cleared of charges by the police and resumed his affair with Alison, much to Susan's chagrin. A frustrated Alison demanded that her mother leave her and Chris alone.

2008: The first season of GENERAL HOSPITAL: NIGHT SHIFT was released on DVD.

2008: Actor David Groh died at age 68.  He played Joe Gerard in RHODA (Rhoda's husband) between stints as Simon Ventnor on LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORD THING and D.L. Brock on GENERAL HOSPITAL.

2009: On ALL MY CHILDREN, Bianca (Eden Riegel) and Reese (Tamara Braun) prepared to walk down the aisle.



Celebrating a birthday today are:
Brioni Farrell (ex-Lila, CAPITOL; ex-Martha, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 74
Cliff De Young (ex-John, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Alden, THE SECRET STORM; ex-George, MELROSE PLACE) - 69
Lillian Lehman (ex-Lena, SUNSET BEACH) - 67
Robin Thomas (ex-Mark, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Matt, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 65
Michael McDonald (Guest Star, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 62
Christine Elise (ex-Emily, BEVERLY HILLS, 90210) - 49
Lisa Brenner (ex-Maggie, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Allison, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Jenny, UNDRESSED) - 40
Jesse Spencer (ex-Bill, NEIGBOURS) - 35
Christina Ricci (ex-Maggie, PAN AM) - 34
Sarah Lancaster (ex-Liz, UNDRESSED) - 34

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].