Friday, June 22, 2018

Today in Soap Opera History (June 22)

1967: Dark Shadows' Elizabeth confessed to murder.
1981: General Hospital's Luke was drugged.
1987: Jess Walton debuted as Jill on The Young and the Restless.
1993: All My Children's Erica married Dimitri.
"All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."
― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"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...

1956: The final episode of radio soap opera Young Widder Brown aired on NBC Radio, completing a 22-year run. The show's epigraph: "Again we present the moving human drama of a woman's heart and a mother's love -- Young Widder Brown. In the little town of Simpsonville, attractive Ellen Brown, with two children to support, faces the question of what she owes to them and what she owes to herself. Here's the story of life and love as we all know it."

1966: On The Guiding Light, Bert Bauer (Charita Bauer) confronted Maggie about her affair with Bill.

1967: On Dark Shadows, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) heard Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) sobbing in her bedroom and she went to check on her. She was inconsolable over Carolyn's rejection, and Victoria learned that Jason did indeed have some hold over Elizabeth. Unable to hold in the eighteen-year-old secret any longer, Elizabeth admitted that she murdered Paul Stoddard.



1971: On The Doctors, Dr. Matt Powers (James Pritchett) tried to talk his son, Mike (Peter Burnell), off a ledge.



1972: On Another World, Pat (Beverly Penberthy) became upset when Lenore (Susan Sullivan) tried to curtail her drinking at Lenore's dinner party.

1981: On General Hospital, Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) was given a truth serum that forced him to reveal what he knew about the Ice Princess.



1984: On Guiding Light, Beth Raines (Judi Evans) and Phillip Spaulding (Grant Aleksander) had a long talk about her relationship with Lujack.



1987: Jess Walton made her first appearance as Jill Foster Abbott on The Young and the Restless.

1993: On All My Children, Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) married Dimitri Marick (Michael Nader).



2005: Clive Clerk, who played David Martin on Days of our Lives in its early years, died at age 59.

2005: Darin Brooks debuted as Max Brady on Days of our Lives.

2008: Actress Dody Goodman died at age 93. Her soap roles included Martha Shumway in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and Molly McDermott in One Life to Live.

Celebrating a birthday today are:
Cyndi Lauper (Guest Star, As the World Turns) - 65
Tim Russ (Director, Bloomers; ex-Dr. Trent, Genera Hospital) - 62
Bruce Campbell (ex-Alan, Generations) - 60
Amy Brenneman (ex-Violet, Private Practice) - 54
Mary Lynn Rajskub (ex-Chloe, 24) - 47
Tracy Melchior (ex-Kristen, The Bold and the Beautiful; ex-Kelly, One Life to Live; ex-Tess, Sunset Beach) - 45
Jai Rodriguez (ex-Matteo, Days of our Lives) - 39
Stephanie Jacobsen (ex-Lauren, Melrose Place) - 38
Amanda Brooks (ex-Mischa, General Hospital) - 37
Douglas Smith (ex-Ben, Big Love) - 33
Joe Dempsie (ex-Gendry, Game of Thrones) - 31

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

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