Today in Soap Opera History (April 19)

1983: All My Children's Verla Grubbs told Phoebe about her father.
1985: Todd arrived in Salem. on Days of our Lives.
1990: Bo Brady returned to Days of our Lives.
1991: Another World's Kathleen unintentionally interrupted
Cass & Frankie's wedding.

"Mankind are so much the same, in all times and places, that history informs us of nothing new or strange in this particular. Its chief use is only to discover the constant and universal principles of human nature."
― David Hume

"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...

1966: On Peyton Place, Ann Howard (Susan Oliver) hired Steven Cord (James Douglas) to investigate Chris's fall from the bluff years earlier, convinced she had nothing to do with it.



1967: On Dark Shadows, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) spoke to the portrait of Josette, declaring that he had come home to stay.



1971: Patricia Barry debuted as Addie Williams in Days of our Lives.

1973: Corinne Conley made her first appearance as Phyllis Anderson on Days of our Lives.

1978: On Ryan's Hope, Roger (Ron Hale) tried to convince Faith (Karen Morris) to talk to Pat before her wedding to Tom.



Thanks to Jennifer for sending in the item above.

1979: On Another World, Sally (Julie Philips) insisted she had outgrown Bay City. Scott (Paul Tulley) told her the store would drop the charges only if she returned home.

1983: On All My Children, Carol Burnett guest-starred as Verla Grubbs. Verla revealed to Phoebe (Ruth Warrick) that her father was in Pine Valley but didn't want her.



1985: David Wallace debuted as Tod Chandler in Days of our Lives.



1985: On Santa Barbara, Mason Capwell (Lane Davies) read Lindsay Smith's (Joel Bailey) letter to Mason's later brother, Channing. "The Capwell prince was really the Capwell princess," Mason snickered to himself.



1990: Peter Reckell returned to Days of our Lives as Bo Brady after a three year absence. He had taped his first episode exactly seven years earlier (April 19, 1983).



1990: On The Young and the Restless, Paul (Doug Davidson) and Lauren (Tracey E. Bregman) argued over Cassandra (Nina Arvesen).

1991: On ANOTHER WORLD, Kathleen (Julie Osburn) showed up just as Cass (Stephen Schnetzer) and Frankie (Alice Barrett) were about to get married.



1991: Lisa Howard aired for the final time as April Ramirez on Days of our Lives.

1991: On Guiding Light, Roger (Michael Zaslow) apologized to Blake.

2002: Julianne Morris aired for the final time as Greta Von Amberg on Days of our Lives.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Sam Schacht (ex-Paul, The Edge of Night) - 79
Elinor Donahue (ex-Marie, The Young and the Restless; ex-Sylvia, Generations; ex-Kate, Days of our Lives) - 78
Ellen Weston (ex-Suzanne, The Young and the Restless; ex-Robin, Guiding Light; ex-Karen, Another World; Former writer at Guiding Light and Capitol) - 76
Tony Plana (ex-Alejandro, Desperate Housewives; ex-Ignacio, Ugly Betty) - 63
Ashley Judd (ex-Becca, Missing) - 47
James Franco (ex-Franco, General Hospital) - 37
Alexis Thorpe (ex-Cassie, Days of our Lives; ex-Rianna, The Young and the Restless) - 35
Ignacio Serricchio (ex-Alex, The Young and the Restless; Manny, The Bay; ex-Diego, General Hospital) - 33
Ryan Slater (ex-Cody, General Hospital) - 32
Zack Conroy (Oliver, The Bold and the Beautiful; ex-Oliver, The Young and the Restless; ex-James, Guiding Light; ex-Leo, As The World Turns) - 30
Courtland Mead (ex-Phillip, The Young and the Restless) - 28

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