Today in Soap Opera History (March 16)

1971: DS' Bramwell was distraught over losing Daphne.
1984: RH's Maeve and Johnny received a donation.
1990: GH's Jerry and "Duke" shot each other.
2001: OLTL's Blair slipped off the Palace Hotel roof.

"Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli

"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...

1942: Irna Phillips' radio soap opera The Guiding Light returned to NBC Radio. After GL was canceled by sponsor Procter & Gamble (last airing on December 26, 1941), listeners sent over 75,000 letters in protest, leading General Mills to pick up the show 11 weeks later.  GL was canceled again on November 29, 1946, but returned again on June 2, 1947, this time on CBS Radio and once again sponsored by P&G.

1970: On Another World, Steve Frame (George Reinholt) flirted with Bernice Robinson (Janis Young) but she wanted to keep things strictly business between the two of them. Meanwhile, Rafe Carter (Phil Sterling) offered Sam Lucas (Jordan Charney) a junior partnership and offered to show him around Somerset.

1971: Joanne Dorian aired for the final time as Victoria Lord on One Life to Live. Dorian had replaced Gillian Spencer, the original Viki, in October 1970. Erika Slezak assumed the role on March 17, 1971 and played Viki (and her alters) for the next 42 years.

1971: On Dark Shadows, Morgan Collins (Keith Prentice) returned to normal after James Forsythe's spirit left his body. Meanwhile, Josette (Mary Cooper) told Bramwell (Jonathan Frid) that Daphne (Kate Jackson) was dying.



1984: On Ryan's Hope, Johnny (Bernard Barrow) and Maeve Ryan (Helen Gallagher) accepted a check for $40,000 to help rebuild Ryan's Bar. Maeve sang "Danny Boy" in celebration.



1987: On Days of our Lives, Chris Kositchek (Josh Taylor) questioned Adrienne Johnson's (Judi Evans) story about her father, Duke.

1987: On Another World, the serial killer murdered belly dancer named Josie and stashed her body in a car trunk



1990: On General Hospital, Julian Jerome (Jason Culp) and Jonathan Paget/Duke Lavery (Greg Beecroft) shot each other during a struggle for a gun.



1992: On Guiding Light, Alexandra (Beverlee McKinsey) pressured Roger (Michael Zaslow) to find a way to split up Nick and Mindy. "Just remember, I can hurt you and I will," Alex told him.

2001: On One Life to Live, Todd Manning (Roger Howarth) reached for Blair (Kassie DePaiva) to try to catch her when she feel off the Palace Hotel roof. At the end of the closing credits, ABC congratulated Erika Slezak on her 30th anniversary with the show.



2004: On All My Children, Bianca Montgomery (Eden Riegel) took off with Babe Carey after Erica Kane's (Susan Lucci) press conference. Meanwhile, Kendall (Alicia Minshew) confronted her mother over her harsh words, and learned that Erica blamed her for Bianca's decision to keep Miranda.

Thanks to Enrique for sending in the item above.

2005: Actor Anthony George died at age 84. His soap career included roles in Dark Shadows (Burke Devlin, Jeremiah Collins), Search for Tomorrow (Tony Vincente) and One Life to Live (Will Vernon).

2005: On The Young and the Restless, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) surprised his wife, Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), with a trip to Italy.

2010: On As the World Turns, Katie Snyder (Terri Conn) gave Dr. Bob Hughes (Don Hastings) a huge check from Henry Coleman to finance a new neurosurgery wing at Oakdale Memorial.



Celebrating a birthday today are:

Harding Lemay

Harding Lemay (Former Writer, Another World; Guiding Light; Strange Paradise; Search for Tomorrow; The Doctors; One Life to Live; Lovers and Friends) - 96
Granville Van Dusen (ex-D.V., Port Charles; ex-Keith, The Young and the Restless) - 74
Victor Garber (ex-Frank, Guiding Light) - 69
Erik Estrada (ex-Eduardo, The Bold and the Beautiful) - 69
Lauren Graham (ex-Sarah, Parenthood; ex-Lorelai, Gilmore Girls) - 51
Brooke Burns (ex-Vanessa, Melrose Place) - 40
Lindie Van Eeden (ex-Karen, Egoli: Place of Gold) - 40
Felisha Terrell (ex-Kali, Teen Wolf; ex-Arianna, Days of our Lives) - 39
Stephanie Gatschet (ex-Madison, All My Children; ex-Tammy, Guiding Light) - 35
Alexandra Daddario (ex-Rachel, Parenthood; ex-Laurie, All My Children) - 32
Kristopher Higgins (ex-Peter, The Secret Life of the American Teenager) - 31

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