Today in Soap Opera History (December 3)

1984: Days' Carrie decided where to live. 1985: The freedom
flag was raised in GH's Asian Quarter. 1998: GL's Danny and
Michelle shared their first kiss. 2001: ATWT's Barbara and
James plotted against Carly, Emily and Rose.

"Most of us spend too much time on the last twenty-four hours and too little on the last six thousand years."
― Will Durant

"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...

1946: On Life Can Be Beautiful, Stanley (Ralph Locke) tried to take charge of Chichi's (Alice Reinheart) affairs, but Chichi refused. She had her own ideas.

1964: On Peyton Place, Leslie (Paul Langton) became incensed when Betty (Barbara Parkins) insisted she was going to remain Mrs. Rodney Harrington. Leslie asked Betty's father, George Anderson (Henry Beckman), to talk some sense into her.



1971: On The Edge of Night, after reciting the presidential oath, Keith Whitney (Bruce Martin) fell to his death at his mother's feet in the tower on the Whitney Summer estate. Laurie Ann Karr (Emily Prager) was also there.

Thanks to Jim for sending in the item above.

1975: On Ryan's Hope, Seneca (John Gabriel) found Nell (Diana van der Vlis) hanging over the railing of a fourteen-story drop.

1976: On Another World, Alice (Susan Harney) and Ray (Ted Shackelford) found Molly's (Rolanda Mendels) goodbye note.

1979: On Ryan's Hope, Mary (Nicolette Goulet) accused Siobhan (Sarah Felder) of marrying Joe Novak (Richard Muenz) because she couldn't have Jack. Siobhan told Mary that she was in love with Joe and asked Mary to leave.

1984: On Days of our Lives, Anna (Leann Hunley) asked Carrie (Andrea Barber) if she wanted to keep living with Marlena even though Roman was dead.



1985: On General Hospital, Mr. Wu (Aki Aleong) was arrested, and the Asian community raised their banner of freedom at the waterfront celebration.



1990: On Santa Barbara, Dash (Timothy Gibbs) imagined a life with Julia (Nancy Lee Grahn) and Samantha. Meanwhile Julia was suffering pangs of guilt after sleeping with Dash.

1998: On Guiding Light, Danny (Paul Anthony Stewart) and Michelle shared their first kiss. Watch here.

2001: On As the World Turns, Barbara (Colleen Zenk) and James (Anthony Herrera) plotted to rid the world of Emily, Rose and Carly.



2007: Chris Stack debuted as the new Michael McBain on One Life to Live.

2007: On The Young and the Restless, J.T. Hellstrom (Thad Luckinbill) and Brad Carlton (Don Diamont) talked to the comatose Victoria (Amelia Heinle) about her newborn baby, later named Reed Newman Hellstrom, who was fighting for his life after being delivered during a c-section to save Victoria's life. Brad assured Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) that he would hold off on DNA tests for the time being. Note: Just like her current storyline, Victoria did not know who the father of her baby was, but a DNA test proved it was J.T. The clip below is from soon after Reed was born.



Celebrating a birthday today are:

Nicolas Coster

Nicolas Coster (Jack, The Bay; ex-Lionel, Santa Barbara; ex-John, Our Private World; ex-Eduardo/John, As the World Turns; ex-Robert, Another World; ex-Robert, Somerset; ex-Steve, All My Children; ex-Anthony, One Life to Live; ex-Matt, Young Doctor Malone; ex-Paul, The Secret Storm; ex-Lyle/Joe, Dallas) - 81
Mary Alice (ex-Allie, All My Children) - 72
Jennifer Harmon (ex-Cathy, One Life to Live; ex-Jean, Guiding Light; ex-Lucretia, Loving) - 71
Jack Stauffer (ex-Chuck, All My Children; ex-Scott, The Young and the Restless) - 69
Maureen Silliman (ex-Pam, Guiding Light) - 65
Melody Anderson (ex-Natalie, All My Children) - 59
Steven Culp (ex-Dan, One Life to Live; ex-Tom, Another World; ex-Rex, Desperate Housewives) - 59
Julianne Moore (ex-Frannie/Sabrina, As the World Turns; ex-Carmen, The Edge of Night) - 54
Barbara Garrick (ex-Allison, One Life to Live; ex-Rita, As the World Turns; ex-Charlotte, Guiding Light) - 49
Mark Deklin (ex-Joe, Guiding Light; ex-Blake, GCB) - 47
Mark Lewis (ex-Gregory, As the World Turns; ex-Andrew, Another World) - 42
Lauren E. Roman (ex-Laura, All My Children) - 39
Cristi Harris (ex-Tina, Passions; ex-Emily, Sunset Beach) - 37
Holly Marie Combs (Ella, Pretty Little Liars) - 31
Amanda Seyfried (ex-Lucy, As the World Turns; ex-Joni, All My Children) - 28
Michael Angarano (ex-Steven, Another World; ex-MJ, As the World Turns) - 27

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