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| 1980: Lesley slapped Monica on GH. 1981: Morgan & Kelly were married on GL. 1988: Hank came out on ATWT. 2012: Colleen Zenk officiated a wedding in Times Square. |
-Robert Penn Warren
"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...
1899: Bess Flynn was born. She was on the writing team of Irna Phillips' PAINTED DREAMS, the first ever daytime soap opera in 1930. Both Flynn and Phillips played the role of Mother Moynihan. Flynn went on to wrote for three other soaps: WE THE ABBOTTS, BACHELOR'S CHILDREN and MARTHA WEBSTER.She played the title role of Martha Webster and also portrayed Tilda the maid in THE GUMPS.
1980: On GENERAL HOSPITAL, Rick (Chris Robinson) told Lesley (Denise Alexander) he was going to marry Monica (Leslie Charleson), Alan (Stuart Damon) announced he was the father of Monica's baby, and Lesley slapped Monica.
1980: On THE EDGE OF NIGHT, "Kirk" (Tony Craig) saw a newspaper with a picture of himself and realized he was Draper Scott, and April was his wife.
1981: On GUIDING LIGHT, Kelly Nelson (John Wesley Shipp) married Morgan Richards (Kristen Vigard). Meanwhile, Nola Reardon (Lisa Brown) could not go through with her wedding to Floyd Parker (Tom Nielsen).
1984: On DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Bo (Peter Reckell) had a Civil War fantasy as he waited for Hope (Kristian Alfonso) at Oak Alley Plantation.
1988: On AS THE WORLD TURNS, Hank Elliot (Brian Starcher) revealed to Iva Snyder (Lisa Brown) that he was gay. Hank was the first openly gay male character in daytime soap opera history.
1989: On ANOTHER WORLD, Rachel (Victoria Wyndham) received flowers for her anniversary with Mac.
1997: On GENERAL HOSPITAL, Alan (Stuart Damon) and Monica (Leslie Charleson) celebrated their wedding anniversary. "I haven't tried to kill you in 15 years," joked Alan. "That's cause for celebration."
2004: On THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, Felicia (Colleen Dion) admitted to Nick (Jack Wagner) that she had cancer.
2010: The Paley Center in New York presented a "Farewell to AS THE WORLD TURNS." Ron Simon moderated a panel that included executive producer Christopher Goutman; head writer Jean Passanante; and cast members Van Hansis (Luke Snyder), Trent Dawson (Henry Coleman), Terri Colombino (Katie Peretti), Colleen Zenk (Barbara Ryan), Kathryn Hays (Kim Hughes), Don Hastings (Bob Hughes), and Eileen Fulton (Lisa Grimaldi).
2012: AS THE WORLD TURNS star Colleen Zenk (Barbara Ryan) officiated the wedding of We Love Soaps' Roger Newcomb and Kevin Mulcahy Jr. in Times Square after becoming an ordained minister.
Celebrating a birthday today are:
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| Maureen Garrett |
Maureen Garrett (ex-Holly, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-EJ, RYAN'S HOPE) - 65
Candice Earley (ex-Donna, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 63
Taylor Miller (ex-Nina, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Sally, ANOTHER WORLD) - 59
Madeleine Stowe (Victoria, REVENGE) - 55
John Viscardi (ex-Tony, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 52
Craig Bierko (ex-Andy, LEAP YEAR; ex-Greg, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 49
Christian Slater (ex-DJ, RYAN'S HOPE) - 44
Daphnee Duplaix (ex-Rachel, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Valerie, PASSIONS) - 37
Brian Presley (ex-Jack, PORT CHARLES) - 36
Josh Folan (ex-Josh, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 32
Maia Mitchell (Callie, THE FOSTERS) - 20
Max Charles (ex-Hunter, TRUE BLOOD) - 10
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to submit a piece of soap opera history for this daily column, please email it to editor@welovesoaps.com.
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