Today in Soap Opera History (October 18)

1988: GH's Julian shared a hotel room with college sweetheart
Cheryl.  1999: Shawn & Belle met on Days. 2002: OLTL's
Natalie & Jessica found out they were both Viki's daughters.
2002: GL's Alexandra held an Ex-Wives Club board meeting.

"History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future."
― Robert Penn Warren

"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...

1973: On Another World, Iris (Beverlee McKinsey) was unhappy to learn Eliot (James Douglas) had enrolled Dennis (Mike Hammett) in Bay City Junior High, but pleased after Louise (Anne Meacham) told her the Eliot admitted he loved Iris on the latest tapes.

1979: On As the World Turns, Betsy's (Suzanne Davidson) friend Lois (Diane Franklin) introduced her to Kirk Simmons. Marcia saw Doug and Annie kissing.



1982: Sammy Davis Jr. made his first appearance as Eddie Phillips on General Hospital.

1984: Actor Jon-Erik Hexum at age 26. He died as a result of an accidental self-inflicted blank cartridge gunshot wound to the head on the set of the CBS primetime drama Cover Up.

1988: On General Hospital, Cheryl (Jennifer Anglin) and Julian (Jason Culp) spent the night together in the same hotel room.



1993: On Days of our Lives, Carly (Crystal Chappell), Lawrence (Michael Sabatino) and Nicholas (Erik von Detten) left town to begin a new life in France. Chappell returned to Days 16 years later, in 2009, for another two year run as Carly. Sabatino briefly returned as well.



1999: On Days of our Lives, Shawn (Jason Cook) and Belle (Kirsten Storms) met for the first time as teenagers.



2002: On One Life to Live, Bo (Robert S. Woods) revealed the DNA test results that Jessica and Natalie were both Viki’s daughters. Kathy Brier debuted as Marcie Walsh.



2002: On The Bold and the Beautiful, Mary Warwick, also called Erica Lovejoy (Courtney Draper), went to confront her mother, Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown), in prison.



Thanks to FoxCrane for sending in the item above.

2002: On Guiding Light, Alexandra (Joan Collins) held "the first-ever meeting of the ex-wives club" board meeting, featuring the women who had been married to Phillip (Grant Aleksander), in order to take over Spaulding Enterprises.



2004: On Guiding Light, after briefly being interrupted by Dinah, Jonathan (Tom Pelphrey) began his seduction of Tammy.



Thanks to Enrique for sending in the item above.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Joe Morton (Rowan, Scandal; ex-Daniel, The Good Wife; ex-Zeke, All My Children; ex-Abel/Leo, Another World; ex-James, Search for Tomorrow) - 67
Mark LaMura (ex-Mark, All My Children; ex-Douglas, One Life to Live; ex-Vic, As the World Turns) - 66
Jon Lindstrom (Kevin/ex-Ryan, General Hospital; ex-Craig, As the World Turns; ex-Kevin, Port Charles; ex-Brady, Rituals; ex-Mark, Santa Barbara; ex-Paul, Generations) - 57
Maria Rangel (ex-Rosa/Adela, General Hospital) - 50
Kurt Caceres (ex-Javier, General Hospital; ex-Mateo, All My Children) - 42
Joy Bryant (Jasmine, Parenthood) - 40
Chris McKenna (ex-Patrick, 90210; ex-Joey, One Life to Live) - 37
Zac Efron (ex-Cameron, Summerland) - 27
Joy Lauren (ex-Danielle, Desperate Housewives) - 25
Carly Schroeder (ex-Serena, Port Charles) - 24
Tyler Posey (ex-Gabriel, Brothers & Sisters; ex-Andrew, Lincoln Heights) - 23

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to submit a soap history entry for this date or a future date, email [email protected].