Today in Soap Opera History (July 21)

1972: Victoria Wyndham debuted as Rachel on Another World.
1980: Edge of Night's Kelly had competition for Jody.
1986: As the World Turns' Nancy mourned her husband.
1987: Days of our Lives' welcomed a new Jack.

"History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer

"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...

1962: Actor Les Damon died at age 54. His soap roles included Ed Palmerlee in The Edge of Night, Jim Lowell in As the World Turns, and Bruce Banning on The Guiding Light.

1965: On General Hospital, Dr. Steve Hardy (John Beradino) and Nurse Jessie Brewer (Emily McLaughlin) filled Mike Costello in on the latest developments with Angie.

Interview Revisited: Ellen Holly on the Early Years of 'One Life to Live'

We Love Soaps TV traveled to Westchester County, New York, in 2012 to speak with daytime television legend Ellen Holly about her storied career. In the never-before-released video below, Ms. Holly talks about the early years of ABC soap opera One Life to Live, which premiered in 1968 and featured her character, Carla.

Interview Revisited: Larkin Malloy on the Nelson Aspen 'Where Are They Now Tour' (2010)

Serial Scoop Now is back! Look for brand new content in the coming months as well as interviews from my personal archive. Some have been offline for years while others will include never before seen material. Kicking things off is a video interview from March 2010 with Emmy-nominated Edge of Night actor Larkin Malloy, who passed away in 2016. The interview was conducted by Nelson Aspen as part of his "Where Are They Now Tour" series for We Love Soaps.

Malloy, who came in at #45 on the We Love Soaps 50 Greatest Soap Actors of All Time list, played Sky Whitney on Edge of Night, Kyle Sampson on Guiding Light, Travis Montgomery on All My Children and Clay Alden on Loving. He also had a memorable guest run as Dr. Weston on As the World Turns.

The complete interview has been offline for a decade. Watch it below.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 22)

"The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron

"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...

1968: On Dark Shadows, Joe Haskell (Joel Crothers) stabbed himself with a letter opener after Angelique (Lara Parker) told him that he bored her and wanted him to go.

1973: On The Doctors, Dr. Matt Powers (James Pritchett) reassured Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) while Dr. Nick Bellini (Gerald Gordon) performed surgery on her daughter, Penny.

Today in Soap Opera History (October 9)

"The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron

"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...

1957: On The Right to Happiness, Nurse Helen Mason (Ruth Newton) reported overhearing a racketeer's confession of drugging her patient which broke the defense of the fraudulent insurance claim case.

1967: On Dark Shadows, Dave Woodard (Peter Turgeon) told Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall) that he discovered the "original" Barnabas Collins had a sister named Sarah. He then revealed he met and walked with Sarah (Sharon Smyth) in the mausoleum.

ABC Regains Rights to 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live'

According to the Los Angeles Court website (lacourt.org), the case of Prospect Park Networks LLC vs American Broadcasting Company has been dismissed.

The case was "dismissed" on Thursday, December 1, which means ownership of All My Children and One Life to Live reverts back to ABC.

The Court set an order on October 5 for Prospect Park to show cause or have the case dismissed on December 1.

The October hearing focused on Prospect Park's Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, and its impact on the case.

Updated: 2:00 PM

"I can confirm that Prospect Park's lawsuit was dismissed yesterday and ABC regained the rights to those shows," Susan Klein, an attorney with Valle Makoff LLP who represented ABC in the suit, told soapcentral.com.

Will All My Children and One Life to Live return from the dead? Stay Tuned!

Liza Huber and Susan Lucci Work To Shine Light on Cerebral Palsy

Liza Huber and Susan Lucci

Former Passions star Liza Huber recently had a life-changing moment, watching her 7-year-old son, Brendan, walk after intense surgery.

"Brendan can now walk up the stairs, what we call reciprocal motion," Huber described. "I was sobbing the first time I saw it."

Brendan has cerebral palsy, a neurological disease that affects muscle movement.

"He is thriving, the decision that Liza made on Brendan's behalf will give him such an improved quality of life," said Huber's mother, All My Children legend and Devious Maids star Susan Lucci.

Both women are passionate about their support of United Cerebral Palsy of New York.

"United Cerebral Palsy of New York provides critical services and programs for people with disabilities in New York City and as a mother of a little boy that has Cerebral Palsy I really know first hand how important these services are," Huber said.

"There is so little known about CP, that’s why Liza and I wanted to step up to the plate and shine a light on it and the amazing work UCP is doing," Lucci explained. "It's to give them the technology, the whole world is about technology now, and the simple things to brush their teeth, to put on their shoes, the things you take for granted."

Huber and Lucci are teaming up to host this year's 'Women Who Care' luncheon, to honor female role models, who are caregivers, philanthropists and business leaders in the community.

Huber and Lucci spoke to WPIX in New York this week about their dedication to the cause. Watch their segment below.

Lindsay Hartley Previews Her New Lifetime Movie, 'Dying to be Loved'

Lindsay Hartley

Lindsay Hartley shot to daytime fame as Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald on Passions, a role she played from 1999-2008. In 2000, she was not only nominated for the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Newcomer, she wrote the song "Kiss Me" for her character, which she performed that year on the show.

In 2009, Hartley joined the cast of another NBC soap opera, Days of our Lives, in the role of Arianna Hernandez. The following year, Hartley signed on to play the new character of Cara Castillo on ABC's All My Children. After landing her first lead in a movie entitled, Perfect on Paper, for Hallmark Channel, Hartley joined the cast of Pop TV's Queens of Drama. Most recently, Hartley starred in Nightmare Nurse, for Lifetime.

Her latest project is another Lifetime Movie, Dying to be Loved, which premieres Saturday, April 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. She plays Jill Yates, a successful lawyer, engaged to Connor (Dan Payne), a self-made business man. Jill’s 18-year-old daughter, Emily (Paloma Kwiatkowsk), is a freshman in college. Extremely introverted and suffering from bouts of depression, Jill is thrilled when Emily asks if she can invite a young man to dinner. But Gary proves to be more dangerous than anyone thought when he is involved in a road rage incident while out with Emily and he ends up killing a man. Emily is also charged with the crime because she handled the gun – even though she was trying to keep Gary from using it.

Gary is convicted of manslaughter but released into the custody of his brother, a policeman, before going to prison. He convinces Emily to run away with him. She leaves a note for her mother saying life is not worth living if they can’t be together.

Lindsay Hartley as Jill in Dying to be loved

When a video camera appears to show the two jumping to their deaths in a “double suicide,” Jill is devastated and guilty. However, she believes Gary killed her daughter and faked his own death. She uses all her resources to discover the truth – her daughter is indeed alive. Now both mother and daughter must find a way to save themselves.

Serial Scoop recently spoke with Hartley about her time on Passions, Days of our Lives and Queens of Drama, and got a preview of Dying to be Loved. Read our exclusive interview below.

David Canary Dead at 77

David Canary

David Canary passed away of natural causes on November 16, at The Greens at Cannondale in Wilton, Connecticut.

David Hoyt Canary was born on August 25, 1938 in Elwood, Indiana to the late Hillary Canary and Lorena Heal. Growing up in Massillon, Ohio, David played football for the famed Massillon Tigers of Washington High School before earning a football scholarship and playing varsity at the University of Cincinnati, graduating with a major in music. After turning down an offer to play professional football for the Denver Broncos in the first year of their existence, David took off for New York City to pursue his passion for acting. He was met with much success in theatre, doing summer stock, regional theatre, on and off Broadway productions, both musicals and straight plays. During his Broadway debut of Great Day in the Morning, with Colleen Dewhurst, David was drafted into the United States Army. After two years of service, David resumed his acting career and soon found himself in Los Angeles, where he began to work in film and television. He appeared in Hombre with Paul Newman, The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre with Jason Robards and Shark’s Treasure with Cornel Wilde to mention but a few.

Michael E. Knight Joins 'The Young and the Restless'

Michael E. Knight

Do you miss Tad Martin? If you do, you are in luck! TVIinsider is reporting that All My Children favorite Michael E. Knight is returning to the soap world. Knight will play Dr. Simon Neville, a Genoa City doctor with mysterious intentions. He first airs on October 15. If Cady McClain hadn't been written out of YR earlier in the year, we could have had a Tad and Dixie reunion! What could have been...

Steve Silverman's Upcoming Digital Series 'Club 5150' Adds Emmy Winner Eden Riegel

Eden Riegel

Daytime Emmy winner Eden Riegel has joined the cast of Steve Silverman's upcoming digital series Club 5150 in the role of Seven, a mysterious member of the club.

“We are beyond thrilled to have Eden join the fun,” says Silverman, the Indie Series Award-winning mastermind behind Pretty and The Inn. “She’s someone I’ve been wanting to work with for years. And I think the audience is really going to enjoy seeing her in a role that’s kind of a change-up in pace for what they’re used to.”

Riegel, whose impressive resume includes iconic series Criminal Minds, Rizzoli & Isles and The Young & The Restless, is no stranger to the web world, having starred in the Emmy-nominated smash Imaginary Bitches. She joins a Club 5150 cast that includes, so far, Jennifer Elise Cox (Web Therapy, Brady Bunch,) Michael Caruso (DeVanity, Winterthorne, Pretty), Crystal Carson (General Hospital, JAG, Dallas), Ray Proscia (Mad Men, Revenge, The Inn), Mary Gallager (Friends With Betty Lives, The West Wing) and Wayne Wilderson (A to Z, The Steve Harvey Show).

Sarah Michelle Gellar Proactiv+ Commercials and Digital Campaigns Launching This Month

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Playing strong female leads on TV and in films means Sarah Michelle Gellar has to have the confidence to put her best face forward. With the help of Proactiv+, Sarah can keep the spotlight on her character instead of her skin.

The benefits of using Proactiv+ goes beyond achieving clear skin for Sarah; the busy mom and wife also needs an easy to use system. In just three quick steps, Proactiv+ allows her to focus on her life rather than her skincare routine. Combining powerful acne treatment plus skincare benefits in every step, Proactiv+ is formulated to not only to help treat and clear acne but also help visibly diminish the evidence of past breakouts, restoring skin to its healthy-looking appearance.

Larry Auerbach Dead at 91

Larry Auerbach on the set of Love of Life with Sammy Davis Jr. i n 1975.

Emmy-winning director Larry Auerbach died on Saturday from complications of glioblastoma in La Jolla, California He was 91.

Auerbach began his career in the late 1940s in Chicago, where he was a stage manager on such early shows as Kukla, Fran and Ollie, Studs' Place and the daytime drama Hawkins Falls.

Following a short stint on Zoo Parade, a live program from the Chicago Zoo with Marlon Perkins, Auerbach went on to become the first director of NBC’s Watch Mr. Wizard.

Adam Mayfield Joins 'Days of our Lives' as Ted, A Man From Serena's Past

Adam Mayfield will play Ted on Days of our Lives.

Adam Mayfield has joined the cast of NBC soap opera Days of our Lives in a recurring role, according to his official website. Mayfield will portray Ted, a man from Serena's (Melissa Archer) past who offers Nicole (Arianne Zucker) information. the casting call for Ted described him as a "mysterious man who has been betrayed by a loved one and has his sights set on revenge."

Mayfield's updated bio includes the following news: "Since last fall, Adam has kept busy with the theatrical release of the psychological thriller, Would You Rather? He starred alongside Haley Duff and Constance Marie in Sweet Surrender, which made its premiere this January. And was most recently cast as Jenny Garth's husband 'Michael' in the new ABC Family comedy Mystery Girls. He also returned to daytime this fall to stir up some trouble on Days of our Lives."

'All My Children' Stars Susan Lucci and Walt Willey Play Soap Opera Showdown on 'Meredith Vieira Show'

Susan Lucci and Walt Willey had a  happy reunion.

It's a week of reunions for longtime All My Children star Walt Willey. On Sunday, his Thurston character, Edmund Snead reunited with his wife, Agnes (Colleen Zenk), and children after many years away. (Spoiler Alert: Agnes greeted him with a gun.) On Tuesday, Willey had a much happier reunion with his former AMC co-star, Susan Lucci, who starred for nearly 42 years as Erica Kane. Lucci and Willey played "Soap Opera Showdown" on The Meredith Vieira Show. Watch it below:

Denyse Tontz Releases 'Mr. Hipster' Music Video

Watch the new music video for "Mr. Hipster" below from Emmy winner Denyse Tontz (All My Children, Dallas):

Prospect Park Creditors Object to Company's Liquidation Plan

Creditors of production company Prospect Park Networks LLC, which revived former ABC daytime soap operas One Life to Live and All My Children on the web in 2013, say the company's liquidation plan asks them to risk any possible recovery to benefit the company's owners and should be rejected.

The official committee representing Prospect Park's unsecured creditors argued in court documents Thursday that the plan doesn't provide enough information to debt holders tasked with voting on it.

The committee contended the disclosure statement failed to provide enough information about how PPN values its primary asset — a $95 million breach-of-contract suit against the ABC television network — or how that litigation would be handled.

The committee added there was not enough money to cover even administrative costs unless Prospect Park was successful in its lawsuit against ABC.

RELATED:
* Judge Approves Prospect Park's $6M Sale of Connecticut Tax Credits to Apple

Charles Pratt, Jr. Named Head Writer of 'The Young and the Restless', Joins Jill Farren Phelps as Executive Producer

Chuck Pratt & Y&R's new head writer.

The Young and the Restless is making a a major change behind the scenes. Highlight Hollywood is reporting that Y&R executive producer Jill Farren Phelps has hired Charles "Chuck" Pratt, Jr. as the new head writer of the soap. Daytime Confidential confirms the news, adding Pratt will also receive an executive producer credit, although Phelps reportedly remains in charge.

Pratt is known for his scripting of primteime serials Melrose Place and Models, Inc., as well as daytime soap operas Santa Barbara, Sunset Beach, General Hospital and All My Children. His other credits include Pacific Palisades, Ugly Betty, The Colbys, Desperate Housewives, and Beverly Hills, 90210.

In 2000, he created primetime soap Titans with Aaron Spelling.

"Titans has unleashed in me things I missed writing," Pratt said at the time. "I don't mean soap operas and melodramas - I mean characters who have some wit, intelligence and bite to them."

Judge Approves Prospect Park's $6M Sale of Connecticut Tax Credits to Apple

A Delaware bankruptcy judge signed off Monday on the sale of roughly $6 million in Connecticut tax credits to Apple Inc. from Prospect Park Networks LLC (PPN), a liquidating Hollywood production company that tried to revive soap operas One Life to Live and All My Children.

The asset transfer was conducted as a private sale under Section 363 of The Bankruptcy Code with Apple set to pay $5.3 million for the tax credits, with the bulk of the money going directly to secured PPN creditor EP Financial Solutions, which had extended a tax credit loan in June 2013, according to court records.

The sale was scheduled to be considered in Wilmington on Monday before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mary. F. Walrath, but the hearing was canceled after the court simply entered an order approving the unopposed motion.

“This sale order and the consummation of the sale of the tax credits are supported by good business reasons and will serve the best interests of the debtors, its estates and creditors by maximizing the value obtained,” the order said.

Marc Cherry, Lee Meriwether on Celebrity Panel of National Judges to Select Miss America 2015

The Miss America Organization revealed today the star-studded panel of national judges for the 2015 Miss America Competition. The renowned panel that will determine the successor to the crown includes a former Miss America; US Military General; Supermodel/CEO; Entrepreneur Extraordinaire; Executive Producer/Writer; Olympic Gymnast and Football Player/Author. 

This diverse group of celebrities will evaluate the contestants during the competition in Atlantic City on September 14. Broadcasting live at 9 p.m. (EST) on ABC from Boardwalk Hall, the judges will assess the contestants prior to the final night of competition. The celebrity panel will score the contestants' performance in categories such as Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit, Evening Wear, Talent, Interview, and an On-Stage question. 

Accomplished in their respective fields, these national judges are experts in areas where today's young women excel. They exude intelligence, leadership, talent, physical fitness, and dedication to community service.

The national judges are...