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A History of CBS Soap Operas

By Cindy Wright, published Dec 01, 2005
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Soap Operas for fifty years have mesmerized and entertained the television viewing world. We have experienced dramas, romance and attraction. The first television soap opera aired on CBS in 1956. The soap opera was the still popular Guiding Light. Guiding Light first began on the radio 1930s. It switched to television in 1956.

CBS has and continues to air many great soap operas. CBS currently airs The Young and the Restless, Bold and the Beautiful, As the World Turns and Guiding Light.

In 1973 The Young and the Restless premiered. It became quite successful pretty quickly and still pulls in millions of viewers today. The story line began with the Abbot and Newman families' battling it out in the boardroom of the business world. I can remember when it first aired. My Mother was very faithful to CBS soap operas. When Search for Tomorrow was taken off the air after 30 years she had a fit. Many viewers have watched The Young and the Restless from the very beginning. It has won more Emmy Awards the any other soap currently on television and has been #1 for 16 years. The longest running character on the show is Katherine Chancellor played by Jeanne Cooper. She celebrated 30 years on the show in January 2004.

The Bold and the Beautiful is a half hour soap that centers on the Forrester and Spectra Families. They are families that battle in the fashion world. It first aired on the fourteenth anniversary of The Young and the Restless premiere in 1987. The Young And The restless and The Bold and The Beautiful have entwined the story lines of both shows together at times. The Forrester's know the Beautiful Lauren Finmore who lives in Genoa City. Both shows have also had to deal with the psychotic fits of Sheila Carter.

Takeaways
  • The first television soap opera aired on CBS in 1956 Guiding Light.
  • The Young and the Restless from the very beginning.
  • CBS has won 99 daytime Emmy Awards.
Did You Know?
Soap Operas were given that name because washing powders was the first product to sponsor them.
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Comments
Comments 1 - 15 of 15
 
 
When did Victor Newman get his vasectomy reversed? I know Ashley Abbot and Diane Jenkins got themselves pregnant by stealing his frozen sperm, but his current wife (who is painfully irritating) is pregnant. When did Nikki talk him into reversing his vasectomy?

Posted on 07/03/2008 at 7:07:26 AM

 
im a HUGE fan of general hospital. there hot

Posted on 12/18/2007 at 7:12:13 AM

 
heyyyyyyy whats up yall

Posted on 12/18/2007 at 7:12:15 AM

 
i highly reccomend this show CHOICE!!

Posted on 10/22/2007 at 7:10:00 PM

 
woOOOOHooO!!?...awsome show!! replay them again plz

Posted on 10/22/2007 at 7:10:00 PM

 
wooohoO coOL SHOW!?...

Posted on 10/22/2007 at 7:10:00 PM

 
I obviously had a wasted youth. (Sigh.....)

Posted on 08/12/2007 at 6:08:00 PM

 
Yes, I did miss a few. There was also "Falcon Crest" and "Our Private World" in prime time and "The Secret Storm" in the afternoons.

Posted on 08/12/2007 at 6:08:00 PM

 
It's difficult to consider this a "history" of CBS soaps when you do not even mention "Love of Life," "The Edge of Night," "Where the Heart Is," "Love is a Many Splendored Thing," "Capitol," "The Brighter Day," and the prime-time soaps "Dallas," "Knotts Landing," and "2000 Malibu Road." (Did I miss any?)

Posted on 08/12/2007 at 3:08:00 PM

 
the actor for john abbott, did he die in real life.

Posted on 05/09/2007 at 9:05:00 PM

 
How many times has Victoria been married on Young and the Restless

Posted on 04/25/2007 at 2:04:00 PM

 
On Guiding Light we are tired of the Josh and Reva, on again-off again. For once let billy get the girl and keep her. He understands Reva more than Josh ever did. And where is Maura and Shane?

Posted on 03/08/2007 at 7:03:00 AM

 
Don Hastings wasn't on ATWT in 1956...he actually started on The Edge of Night in 1956. Helen Wagner(Nancy Hughes) was on the very first episode of ATWT, and still is today....she has the distinction of speaking the very first line of dialogue on ATWT

Posted on 01/10/2007 at 10:01:00 PM

 
Guiding Light switched to TV in January 1952. Perhaps you were confused with As The World Turns, which premiered in April 1956 and The Edge of Night, which premiered the same day as ATWT

Posted on 01/10/2007 at 10:01:00 PM

 
On the show Guiding Light please let Reva live from her bout with cancer. We have had enough of brothers and sisters falling for the same people Reva and Josh need to stay together and either find Cassie another man or get her off of the show. She is a drag.

Posted on 07/20/2006 at 4:07:00 PM

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