The Smith Family introduced the soap opera format on radio in 1925 when Chicago's WENR premiered the comedic serial presented one night weekly featuring Jim and Marian Jordan.
Painted Dreams was the first daytime radio soap opera program in the United States. A 15-minute daily show that followed the relationship of Irish-American widow Mother Moynihan and her unmarried daughter, it debuted on October 20, 1930 on Chicago radio station WGN.
The first nationally broadcast radio soap opera was Clara, Lu, and Em, which aired on the NBC Blue Network at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time on January 27, 1931. The storylines centered on three women who lived in a small-town duplex and the programs were sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive.
As radio became more popular in the 1920s and 1930s, Proctor and Gamble sponsored a number of radio programs. They produced and sponsored the first radio serial drama in 1932. As the company was known for detergents, the serials became commonly known as "soap operas."
The first TV daytime soap opera, These Are My Children, was telecast from NBC in Chicago in 1949. The show's creator, Irna Phillips, would later produce As the World Turns and The Guiding Light.
The first successful daytime drama on television was Search for Tomorrow, which debuted on the CBS network in 1951 and ran until 1986. The series was sponsored by Procter & Gamble.
As the World Turns and The Edge of Night premiered on CBS-TV in 1956. The two soaps become the first daytime dramas to debut in the 30-minute format.
Britain's first television soap opera, Emergency Ward 10 was launched in 1957. It ran on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Coronation Street is the world's longest-running television soap opera. It was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on December 9, 1960.
The actor, William Roach, who was born in Nottinghamshire, England, on April 25, 1932, is the world’s longest-serving soap star, having debuted as Ken Barlow in episode one of Coronation Street in 1960. Nicknamed the ‘Lothario of the cobbles’, he has refused to deny having slept with a thousand women during the swinging sixties.
America's highest-rated soap opera, The Young and the Restless, aired its first episode on March 26, 1973. It is the only remaining daytime drama that is partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble.
Painted Dreams was the first daytime radio soap opera program in the United States. A 15-minute daily show that followed the relationship of Irish-American widow Mother Moynihan and her unmarried daughter, it debuted on October 20, 1930 on Chicago radio station WGN.
 |
| Advertisement for Clara, Lu, and Em Wikipedia |
As radio became more popular in the 1920s and 1930s, Proctor and Gamble sponsored a number of radio programs. They produced and sponsored the first radio serial drama in 1932. As the company was known for detergents, the serials became commonly known as "soap operas."
The first TV daytime soap opera, These Are My Children, was telecast from NBC in Chicago in 1949. The show's creator, Irna Phillips, would later produce As the World Turns and The Guiding Light.
The first successful daytime drama on television was Search for Tomorrow, which debuted on the CBS network in 1951 and ran until 1986. The series was sponsored by Procter & Gamble.
As the World Turns and The Edge of Night premiered on CBS-TV in 1956. The two soaps become the first daytime dramas to debut in the 30-minute format.
Britain's first television soap opera, Emergency Ward 10 was launched in 1957. It ran on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Coronation Street is the world's longest-running television soap opera. It was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on December 9, 1960.
The actor, William Roach, who was born in Nottinghamshire, England, on April 25, 1932, is the world’s longest-serving soap star, having debuted as Ken Barlow in episode one of Coronation Street in 1960. Nicknamed the ‘Lothario of the cobbles’, he has refused to deny having slept with a thousand women during the swinging sixties.
America's highest-rated soap opera, The Young and the Restless, aired its first episode on March 26, 1973. It is the only remaining daytime drama that is partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble.
On November 16, 1981 About 30 million people watched the fictional couple Luke Spencer and Laura Webber marry on the television show General Hospital. It was the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history.
The first episode of the Australian soap opera Neighbours was broadcast on the Seven Network on March 18, 1985. The show was created by Reg Watson and became an instant hit in Australia, eventually becoming the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. The show has also been successful internationally, airing in more than 60 countries and launching the careers of many Australian actors, including Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce, and Margot Robbie.
The 1986 Christmas Day EastEnders episode was watched by 30.15 million viewers in the UK. The story, in which Den Watts served his wife Angie with divorce papers (see picture below), was the highest-rated soap episode in British history, and the highest-rated program in the UK during the 1980s.
Brad Pitt's television debut came in May 1987 with a two-episode role on the NBC soap opera Another World.
In 2002, on a summer break from Northwestern University’s prestigious theater program, Meghan Markle got her first acting job when was cast in a small role as a nurse called Jill on the soap opera General Hospital. Casting director Mark Teschner said he could tell she was very serious about acting as a career.
The first episode of the Australian soap opera Neighbours was broadcast on the Seven Network on March 18, 1985. The show was created by Reg Watson and became an instant hit in Australia, eventually becoming the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. The show has also been successful internationally, airing in more than 60 countries and launching the careers of many Australian actors, including Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce, and Margot Robbie.
The 1986 Christmas Day EastEnders episode was watched by 30.15 million viewers in the UK. The story, in which Den Watts served his wife Angie with divorce papers (see picture below), was the highest-rated soap episode in British history, and the highest-rated program in the UK during the 1980s.
 |
| Wikipedia |
Brad Pitt's television debut came in May 1987 with a two-episode role on the NBC soap opera Another World.
In 2002, on a summer break from Northwestern University’s prestigious theater program, Meghan Markle got her first acting job when was cast in a small role as a nurse called Jill on the soap opera General Hospital. Casting director Mark Teschner said he could tell she was very serious about acting as a career.
The 72 year run of the soap opera The Guiding Light ended on September 18, 2009 as its final episode was broadcast. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running television drama in American history. It began on radio in 1937, before transitioning to television in 1952.
As the World Turns was an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. It had the longest total running time of any TV show, with 13,763 hours of total narrative. If you binged it for 8 hours a day, it would take you 4 years and 8 months to finish it all.
No comments:
Post a Comment