Today in Soap Opera History (November 30)

On this date in...

1981: Beverlee McKinsey aired for the final time as Iris Wheeler in TEXAS.

How Did THE REAL WORLD Begin? Soap Producer Mary-Ellis Bunim said, “What if you could do a soap opera with no actors and no writers?”

THE REAL WORLD premiered on MTV 20 years ago today. For their book, "I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution," Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum talked to more than 400 people who played a role at MTV between 1981 and 1992.

One interesting story is about the origins of MTV's long-running series, THE REAL WORLD, which debuted in 1992 and was created by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray.

Among Bunim's many roles in the world of daytime soaps were her runs as executive producer of SEARCH FOR TOMORROW, AS THE WORLD TURNS, SANTA BARBARA and LOVING during the 1970s and 1980s.

So how did she become involved in THE REAL WORLD?

Today in Soap Opera History (November 30)

On this date in...

1981: Beverlee McKinsey aired for the final time as Iris on TEXAS.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Mary-Ellis Bunim & Michael Eisner Added to TV Hall of Fame, Sherry Stringfield Movie, Justin Hartley on CASTLE

Mary-Ellis Bunim & Michael Eisner among nine added to Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Hall of Fame
Mary-Ellis Bunim’s unique talents in producing daytime soap operas (SEARCH FOR TOMORROW; AS THE WORLD TURNS; SANTA BARBARA) combined with Jonathan Murray’s experience in news and documentaries proved to be the perfect ingredients to develop The Real World. This groundbreaking MTV show quickly became part of the cultural DNA, and it has now endured for almost 20 years, having been renewed through its 28th season. During their 14-year partnership, Bunim and Murray broke the boundaries of conventional television to create more than just a show. Instead they pioneered a whole new genre known as “reality television.”