Today in Soap Opera History (May 1)

1969: Days of our Lives' Julie thanked Alice for her support.
1981: Dallas' Cliff found a dead woman in the Southfork pool.
1992: Robert Flack performed on Guiding Light.
2002: As the World Turns' Jake McKinnon died.

"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...

1937: Jackie Ormes, the first African American female cartoonist, created her earliest cartoon. It was an action, romance and soap opera comic featuring a Black heroine named Torchy Brown.

1939: Radio soap opera Los Jasmines Del '80 debuted in Argentina.

1968: On Dark Shadows, Joe ordered Willie to stay away from Maggie.

1969: On Days of our Lives, Alice Horton (Frances Reid) told her granddaughter, Julie (Susan Seaforth), that it's what we do after making a mistake that counts.

1972: Susan Sarandon debuted as Sarah Fairbanks in Search for Tomorrow.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 1)

1969: Days of our Lives' Julie thanked Alice for her support.
1981: Dallas' Cliff found a dead woman in the Southfork pool.
1992: Robert Flack performed on Guiding Light.
2002: As the World Turns' Jake McKinnon died.

"The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect is already in the cause."
― Henri Louis Bergson

"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...

1937: Jackie Ormes, the first African American female cartoonist, created her earliest cartoon. It was an action, romance and soap opera comic featuring a Black heroine named Torchy Brown.

1939: Radio soap opera Los Jasmines Del '80 debuted in Argentina.

1968: On Dark Shadows, Joe ordered Willie to stay away from Maggie.

1969: On Days of our Lives, Alice Horton (Frances Reid) told her granddaughter, Julie (Susan Seaforth), that it's what we do after making a mistake that counts.

1972: Susan Sarandon debuted as Sarah Fairbanks in Search for Tomorrow.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 1)

1969: Days of our Lives' Julie thanked Alice for her support.
1981: Dallas' Cliff found a dead woman in the Southfork pool.
1992: Robert Flack performed on Guiding Light.
2002: As the World Turns' Jake McKinnon died.

"The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect is already in the cause."
― Henri Louis Bergson

"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...

1937: Jackie Ormes, the first African American female cartoonist, created her earliest cartoon. It was an action, romance and soap opera comic featuring a Black heroine named Torchy Brown.

1939: Radio soap opera Los Jasmines Del '80 debuted in Argentina.

1968: On Dark Shadows, Joe ordered Willie to stay away from Maggie.

1969: On Days of our Lives, Alice Horton (Frances Reid) told her granddaughter, Julie (Susan Seaforth), that it's what we do after making a mistake that counts.

1972: Susan Sarandon debuted as Sarah Fairbanks in Search for Tomorrow.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 1)

1969: Days of our Lives' Julie thanked Alice for her support.
1981: Dallas' Cliff found a dead woman in the Southfork pool.
1992: Robert Flack performed on Guiding Light.
2002: As the World Turns' Jake McKinnon died.

"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...

1937: Jackie Ormes, the first African American female cartoonist, created her earliest cartoon. It was an action, romance and soap opera comic featuring a Black heroine named Torchy Brown.

1939: Radio soap opera Los Jasmines Del '80 debuted in Argentina.

1968: On Dark Shadows, Joe ordered Willie to stay away from Maggie.

1969: On Days of our Lives, Alice (Frances Reid) told Julie (Susan Seaforth) that it's what we do after making a mistake that counts.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 1)

"The whole past is the procession of the present."
- Thomas Carlyle

"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...

1937: Jackie Ormes, the first African American female cartoonist, created her earliest cartoon. It was an action, romance and soap opera comic featuring a Black heroine named Torchy Brown.

1939: Radio soap opera Los Jasmines Del '80 debuted in Argentina.

1968: On Dark Shadows, Joe ordered Willie to stay away from Maggie.

1969: On Days of our Lives, Alice (Frances Reid) told Julie (Susan Seaforth) that it's what we do after making a mistake that counts.

Today in Soap Opera History (May 1)

On this date in...

1937: Jackie Ormes, the first African American female cartoonist, created her earliest cartoon. It was an action, romance and soap opera comic featuring a Black heroine named Torchy Brown.

1939: Radio soap opera LOS JASMINES DEL '80 debuted in Argentina.

1968: On DARK SHADOWS, Joe ordered Willie to stay away from Maggie.

1969: On DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Alice (Frances Reid) told Julie (Susan Seaforth) that it's what we do after making a mistake that counts.