Today in Soap Opera History (March 8)

1977: Delia left a suicide note for Pat on Ryan's Hope.
1984: All My Children's Erica and Adam were married.
1984: Knots Landing's Abby and Val mourned Gary.
2006: Passions' Miguel returned just as Kay accepted Fox's proposal.

"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...

1966: On Another World, Bill Matthews (Joseph Gallison) begged social worker Ann Fuller (Olga Bellin) to tell him the real reason Missy Palmer didn't want to marry him.

1977: On Ryan's Hope, after writing a suicide note and taking Jack's pills, Delia Reid Ryan (Ilene Kristen) fantasized about Pat (Malcolm Groome) just before collapsing onto the floor.



Thanks to Jennifer for sending in the item above.

1982: On General Hospital, Tiffany (Sharon Wyatt) helped Luke (Anthony Geary) sneak in and out of the antique store that was being used as a front for David Grey's (Paul Rossilli) operation.



1984: On All My Children, Adam Chandler (David Canary) and Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) were married.



1984: On Knots Landing, after Gary Ewing was murdered, Abby (Donna Mills) made it clear to Valene (Joan Van Ark) that she was Gary's widow, not her. "You were nothing to him," Abby snarled, "absolutely nothing." At the end of the episode, Cathy (Lisa Hartman) went into a room at the police station and Gary was there very much alive.



1985: On Another World, Carl Hutchins (Charles Keating) held Rachel Cory (Victoria Wyndham) hostage, along with her sister, Nancy McGowan (Jane Cameron). Later, Rachel's husband, Mac (Douglass Watson), arrived at the hideout with a gun.



1985: On Days of our Lives, Hart Bennett (Chip Lucia) tried to get Marlena Evans Brady's (Deidre Hall) co-workers and friends to say bad things about her at her upcoming trial.

1988: On Another World, Sam Fowler (Robert Kelker-Kelly) and Amanda Cory (Sandra Ferguson) were married.



1991: On The Young and the Restless, Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian) and Cricket Blair (Lauralee Bell) were questioned by the police after Nina Webster Kimble shot her husband, David.

1994: On EastEnders, Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) set the car lot on fire.



2006: On Passions, Kay Bennett (Heidi Mueller) accepted Fox Crane's (Mark Cameron Wystrach) marriage proposal, much to Tabitha's (Juliet Mills) dismay. Later, Kay checks on Maria and finds her in the arms of Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald (Adrian Bellini), who has returned to Harmony.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Dagne Crane (ex-Sandy, As the World Turns; ex-Molly, One Life to Live; ex-Mrs. McLaren, Guiding Light) - 84
David Cryer (ex-Philip, As the World Turns; ex-Luther, All My Children) - 82
George Innes (ex-Stuart, Coronation Street) - 80
Gretchen Walther (ex-Patti, Search for Tomorrow; ex-Katherine, Hidden Faces; ex-Judy, The Doctors; ex-Faith, Love of Life) - 80
Mickey Dolenz (ex-The Vicar, As the World Turns) - 73
Rita Walter (ex-Carol, As the World Turns; ex-Wendy, The Secret Storm) - 67
Jason Kincaid (ex-Tom, As the World Turns; ex-Sam, All My Children) - 66
Aidan Quinn (ex-Daniel, The Book of Daniel) - 59
Leon (ex-Mike, Diary of a Single Mom) - 56
Meredith Scott Lynn (Anne, Days of our Lives) - 48
Andrea Parker (ex-Jane, Desperate Housewives) - 48
Freddie Prinze Jr. (ex-Cole, 24) - 42
James Van Der Beek (ex-Stephen, As the World Turns; ex-Reese, One Tree Hill; ex-Dawson, Dawson's Creek) - 41
Nick Zano (ex-Preston, 90210; ex-Drew, Melrose Place) - 40
Arloa Reston (ex-Joelle, Days of our Lives; ex-Sarah, Another World) - 40

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