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.

Today in Soap Opera History (July 19)

1966: Dark Shadows' Roger crashed due to a missing bleeder valve.
1985: John Aniston debuted as Victor on Days of our Lives.
1990: General Hospital's Wendy was murdered.
2010: Scott Clifton debuted as Liam on Bold and the Beautiful.

"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...

1940: The first episode of radio soap opera The Carters of Elm Street, written by Mona Kent, aired on the Mutual Network.

Producer Robert Costello Dead at 93

Robert E. Costello, a pioneering producer of classic '50s television shows who later won a Peabody Award for the PBS series The Adams Chronicles and two Emmys for ABC's daytime serial Ryan's Hope, died of a heart attack on May 30 at his summer house in Amagansett's Beach Hampton neighborhood. He was 93 and had been diagnosed many years before with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In the '60s and '70s Costello introduced viewers to The Patty Duke Show and cult classic soap opera Dark Shadows. He was most proud, however, of his work on The Armstrong Circle Theatre, a series of true-life “docudramas” that ran from 1950 to 1963 and gave such movie stars as James Dean, Grace Kelly, and Jack Lemmon their first taste of the small screen.

'Ryan's Hope' Premiered 39 Years Ago Today. Watch the First Episode

Beloved ABC daytime soap opera Ryan's Hope, created by Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer, premiered 39 years ago today. The original cast included Bernard Barrow, Helen Gallagher, Kate Mulgrew, Michael Levin, Malcolm Groome, Ilene Kristen, Ron Hale, Nancy Addison, Faith Catlin, Michael Hawkins, Earl Hindman, John Gabriel, Michael Fairman, Rosalinda Guerra, Frank Latimore, Hannibal Penney, Jr., Diana van der Vlis and Justin Deas.

Delia, one of Ryan's Hope's iconic characters played by Ilene Kristen (and others), has been revived on ABC daytime drama General Hospital.

On Monday's episode of General Hospital, Delia recognized her husband in a photo at Sonny's (Maurice Benard) house. Sonny told her that it wasn't her husband, it was actually his father, Mike Corbin. Both characters were played by Ron Hale.

Watch the first episode of Ryan's Hope below: