Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama
Winners
Table:
Year

Recipients

Program

Role

Network

Ref

1984

Deidre Hall‡

Days of Our Lives

Marlena Evans

NBC

[1]

1985

Deidre Hall‡

Days of Our Lives

Marlena Evans

NBC

[2]

1986

Patsy Pease‡

Days of Our Lives

Kimberly Brady

NBC

[3]

1988

Kim Zimmer‡

Guiding Light

Reva Shayne

CBS

[4]

1989

Jeanne Cooper‡

The Young and the Restless

Katherine Chancellor

CBS

[5]

1990

Marcy Walker‡

Santa Barbara

Eden Capwell

NBC

[6]

1991

Finola Hughes‡

General Hospital

Anna Devane

ABC

[7]

1992

Anne Heche‡

Another World

Marley Hudson/Vicky Hudson

NBC

[8]

1993

Susan Lucci‡

All My Children

Erica Kane

ABC

[9]

1994

Jess Walton‡

The Young and the Restless

Jill Abbott

CBS

[10]

1995

Deidre Hall‡

Days of Our Lives

Marlena Evans

NBC

[11][12]

1996

Robin Strasser‡

One Life to Live

Dorian Lord

ABC

[13]

1997

Genie Francis‡

General Hospital

Laura Spencer

ABC

[14][15]

1998

Vanessa Marcil‡

General Hospital

Brenda Barrett

ABC

[16]

1999

Lynn Herring‡

Port Charles

Lucy Coe

ABC

[17]

2000

Kim Zimmer‡

Guiding Light

Reva Shayne

CBS

[18]

2001

Melody Thomas Scott‡

The Young and the Restless

Nikki Newman

CBS

[19]

2003

Michelle Stafford‡

The Young and the Restless

Phyllis Summers Abbott

CBS

[20]

2005

Tamara Braun‡

General Hospital

Carly Corinthos

ABC

[21]

From the following table plus the background passages provided.

Provide an answer to this question: Who was the editor of stories is the earlier part of the show in which Deidre Hall played Marlena Evans ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

Deidre Ann Hall /diːdrə hɔːl/ ( born October 31 , 1947 ) is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Dr. Marlena Evans on NBC 's daytime drama Days of Our Lives , whom she has played for over 40 years . Hall has won many awards for her portrayal of Dr. Marlena Evans , including two Best Actress Soapy Awards in 1982 and 1983 . Hall has won three Soap Opera Digest Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1984 , 1985 , and 1995 . Hall was the first recipient of the Outstanding Contribution by an Actress/Actor Award in 1986 ; in addition to receiving a shared award with Drake Hogestyn in 2005 for Favorite Couple : John and Marlena . Hall has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy three times .
Days of Our Lives ( also stylized as Days of our Lives ; often abbreviated to DOOL or Days ) is an American daytime soap opera broadcast on NBC . It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world , airing nearly every weekday since November 8 , 1965 . [ dead link ] A co-production of Corday Productions and Sony Pictures Television , the series was created by husband-and-wife team Ted Corday and Betty Corday . During Days of Our Lives ' early years , Irna Phillips ( creator of former NBC stablemate Another World as well as its former CBS rivals , As the World Turns and Guiding Light ) served as a story editor for the program and many of the show 's earliest storylines were written by William J . Bell ( who would depart the series in 1975 to focus full-time on The Young and the Restless , which he created for CBS in 1973 ) . The series primarily focuses on its core families , the Hortons and the Bradys . Several other families have been added to the cast , and many of them still appear on the show . Frances Reid , the matriarch of the series ' Horton family , remained with the show from its inception to her death on February 3 , 2010 , although her last formal appearance occurred in December 2007 . Suzanne Rogers is the longest-serving member of the program 's current cast and the longest-serving current cast member of an ongoing American soap opera , having appeared on the show since August 1973 . ( Rogers celebrated 40 years on Days of Our Lives in 2013 . ) Susan Seaforth Hayes - the second longest-serving actor currently on the program - is the only cast member to appear on Days of Our Lives in all six decades it has been on the air , having made her first appearance in December 1968 as a recast of original character Julie Olson . Due to the series ' success , Days was expanded from 30 minutes to 60 minutes on April 21 , 1975 .
Marlena Evans is a fictional character on the NBC daytime drama , Days of Our Lives , a long-running serial about working life in the fictional town of Salem . She has been played by actress Deidre Hall since 1976 , but the character was absent from the show from 1987 to March 1991 and again from January 2009 to September 2011 . Marlena was created by scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith and executive producer Betty Corday , and has become one of Days of our Lives ' most well-known characters . Hall made her debut on the soap on June 21 , 1976 , currently making her the second longest running actress on the serial , surpassed only by Suzanne Rogers ( Maggie ) . Throughout the course of her existence on the program , she has experienced what some consider to be the most outrageous circumstances of any character in soap opera history . These would include possession by the devil ; a plummet from a 30-story-window ( which she survived ) ; being used as a surrogate for genetically engineered babies , Rex and Cassie , during a four-year coma , where she was presumed dead after being involved in a plane crash ; being mind-controlled to believe she was a serial killer ; and becoming pregnant late in life and suffering a miscarriage , which caused her to have hysterical amnesia . She has also been kidnapped numerous times over the past 30 years . She is a doctor , wife , mother , twin , grandmother and great-grandmother . Marlena is a staple in the US press during her time on Days of Our Lives , a representative of the symbiosis between American 's soaps and tabloid soap magazines . Widely read tabloids , such as Soap Opera Digest and Soap Opera Weekly , would routinely publish forthcoming developments in Marlena 's storylines . Marlena was well received by critics , and is notable for her popular pairing with John Black . The character is well-known even outside of the show 's viewer-base .
The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC ) is an American English-language commercial terrestrial radio and television network that is a flagship property of NBCUniversal , a subsidiary of Comcast . The network is headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City , with additional major offices near Los Angeles ( at 10 Universal City Plaza ) , Chicago ( at the NBC Tower ) and Philadelphia ( at the Comcast Technology Center ) . The network is one of the Big Three television networks . NBC is sometimes referred to as the Peacock Network , in reference to its stylized peacock logo , introduced in 1956 to promote the company 's innovations in early color broadcasting . It became the network 's official emblem in 1979 . Founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America ( RCA ) , NBC is the oldest major broadcast network in the United States . At that time the parent company of RCA was General Electric ( GE ) . In 1932 , GE was forced to sell RCA and NBC as a result of antitrust charges . In 1986 , control of NBC passed back to General Electric ( GE ) through its $ 6.4 billion purchase of RCA . GE immediately began to liquidate RCA 's various divisions , but retained NBC . Following the acquisition by GE , Bob Wright served as chief executive officer of NBC , remaining in that position until his retirement in 2007 , when he was succeeded by Jeff Zucker . In 2003 , French media company Vivendi merged its entertainment assets with GE , forming NBC Universal .
Patricia Ann Patsy Pease ( born July 5 , 1956 ) is an American actress . She is most known for her role as Kimberly Brady on the soap opera Days of Our Lives .
Kimberly Brady is a fictional character on the television soap opera , Days of Our Lives . Originated by Patsy Pease in 1984 , she is most recognizable for the role . Her initial run lasted until 1990 and again from 1991 to 1992 , with Anne Marie Howard portraying Kim in the interim . Ariana Chase played the role for a year as of 1992 . Pease continues to make appearances , as recently as 2016 . Casey Wallace played Kimberly in flashback sequences .
Kimberly Jo Zimmer ( born February 2 , 1955 ) is an American actress , best known for her television roles as Echo DiSavoy on One Life to Live and as Reva Shayne on Guiding Light . She has won four Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the role in Guiding Light .
Guiding Light ( known as The Guiding Light before 1975 ) is an American television soap opera . It is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running drama in television in American history , broadcast on CBS for 57 years from June 30 , 1952 , until September 18 , 2009 , overlapping a 19-year broadcast on radio from 1937 to 1956 . With 72 years of radio and television runs , Guiding Light is the longest running soap opera , ahead of General Hospital , and is the fifth-longest running program in all of broadcast history ; only the American country music radio program Grand Ole Opry ( first broadcast in 1925 ) , the BBC religious program The Daily Service ( 1928 ) , the CBS religious program Music and the Spoken Word ( 1929 ) , and the Norwegian children 's radio program Lørdagsbarnetimen ( 1924-2010 ) have been on the air longer . [ a ] Guiding Light was created by Irna Phillips , and began as an NBC Radio serial on January 25 , 1937 . On June 2 , 1947 , the series was transferred to CBS Radio , before starting on June 30 , 1952 , on CBS Television . It continued to be broadcast concomitantly on radio until June 29 , 1956 . The series was expanded from 15 minutes to a half-hour during 1968 ( and also switched from broadcasting live to pre-taping around this same time ) , and then to a full hour on November 7 , 1977 . The series broadcast its 15,000th CBS episode on September 6 , 2006 . On April 1 , 2009 , CBS announced the cancellation of Guiding Light after a run of 72 years ( 15 on radio and 57 on television ) due to low ratings . The show taped its final scenes on August 11 , 2009 , and its final episode on the network aired on September 18 , 2009 . On October 5 , 2009 , CBS replaced Guiding Light with an hour-long revival of Let 's Make a Deal , hosted by Wayne Brady .
Reva Shayne is a fictional character from Guiding Light , played by four-time Daytime Emmy Award winner Kim Zimmer from November 28 , 1983 , to July 1990 , and April 14 , 1995 , until the show 's final episode on September 18 , 2009. Zimmer has become such a celebrated performer that she is often considered to be an icon in the daytime drama industry .
CBS ( an initialism of the network 's former name , the Columbia Broadcasting System ) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network that is the flagship property of the CBS Entertainment Group division of ViacomCBS . The company is headquartered at the CBS Building in New York City with major production facilities and operations in New York City ( at the CBS Broadcast Center ) and Los Angeles ( at CBS Television City and the CBS Studio Center ) . CBS is sometimes referred to as the Eye Network , in reference to the company 's trademark symbol , in use since 1951 . It has also been called the Tiffany Network , alluding to the perceived high quality of CBS programming during the tenure of William S. Paley . It can also refer to some of CBS 's first demonstrations of color television , which were held in a former Tiffany & Co. building in New York City in 1950 . The network has its origins in United Independent Broadcasters Inc. , a collection of 16 radio stations purchased by Paley in 1928 and renamed the Columbia Broadcasting System . Under Paley 's guidance , CBS would first become one of the largest radio networks in the United States , and eventually one of the Big Three American broadcast television networks . In 1974 CBS dropped its former full name and became known simply as CBS , Inc . The Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired the network in 1995 , renamed its corporate entity to the current CBS Broadcasting , Inc. in 1997 , and eventually adopted the name of the company it had acquired to become CBS Corporation . In 2000 CBS came under the control of the first Viacom , which was formed as a spin-off of CBS in 1971 . In late 2005 , Viacom split itself into two separate companies and re-established CBS Corporation through the spin-off of its broadcast television , radio , and select cable television and non-broadcasting assets , with the CBS television network at its core . CBS Corporation was controlled by Sumner Redstone through National Amusements , which also controlled the second Viacom until December 4 , 2019 , when the two separated companies agreed to re-merge to become the new single entity known as ViacomCBS .
Wilma Jeanne Cooper ( October 25 , 1928 - May 8 , 2013 ) was an American actress , best known for her role as Katherine Chancellor on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless ( 1973-2013 ) . At the time of her death , she was eighth on the all-time list of longest-serving soap opera actors in the United States . She was the mother of three children , the eldest being actor Corbin Bernsen .
The Young and the Restless ( often abbreviated as Y & R ) is an American television soap opera created by William J . Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS . The show is set in a fictionalized version of Genoa City , Wisconsin . First broadcast on March 26 , 1973 , The Young and the Restless was originally broadcast as half-hour episodes , five times a week . The show expanded to one-hour episodes on February 4 , 1980 . In 2006 , the series began airing encore episodes weeknights on SOAPnet until 2013 , when it moved to TVGN ( now Pop ) . As of July 1 , 2013 , Pop still airs the encore episodes on weeknights . The series is also syndicated internationally . The Young and the Restless originally focused on two core families : the wealthy Brooks family and the working class Foster family . After a series of recasts and departures in the early 1980s , all the original characters except Jill Foster were written out . Bell replaced them with new core families , the Abbotts and the Williamses . Over the years , other families such as the Newmans , the Barber-Winters , and the Baldwin-Fishers were introduced .
Katherine Chancellor is a fictional character from the CBS Daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless , portrayed by Jeanne Cooper . Created and introduced by show creator , William J . Bell in November 1973 , Cooper 's Katherine was introduced in an effort to increase the show 's struggling ratings . When Bell 's plan proved successful , Cooper was signed to a contract . Cooper went on to become the longest-running cast member in the show 's history , ending her nearly 40-year run on May 3 , 2013 , five days before her death . Throughout Katherine 's history , a majority of her storylines have focused on her controversial and chaotic relationship with Jill Abbott . The feud is one of the longest-running feuds in the history of American soap operas . The rivalry was ignited by Jill 's affair with Katherine 's husband , Phillip Chancellor II , and how Katherine 's attempt to win back his affections leads to his death . After Phillip 's death , the women fight over Jill and Phillip 's son , Phillip III , as well as numerous other men including Katherine 's husband , Rex Sterling . A 2003 plot twist leads to Katherine and Jill believing they are mother and daughter ; however , this plot is undone in 2009 by head writer Maria Arena Bell and Katherine is given another son , Tucker McCall . Cooper is regarded as an icon of the genre , with some critics believing her character and performance are chiefly responsible for the soap opera 's success and longevity . She is also famed for having her own facelift performed onscreen in 1984 , as Katherine gets the same procedure within the story .
Marcy Lynn Walker ( born November 26 , 1961 ) , also known as Marcy Smith , is an American minister and former actress known for her television appearances on daytime soap operas . Her most famous roles are those of Liza Colby on All My Children , which she played from 1981 to 1984 and 1995 to 2005 , and as Eden Capwell on Santa Barbara from 1984 to 1991 .
Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera that aired on NBC from July 30 , 1984 , to January 15 , 1993 . The show revolves around the eventful lives of the wealthy Capwell family of Santa Barbara , California . Other prominent families featured on the soap were the rival Lockridge family , and the more modest Andrade and Perkins families . The serial was produced by Dobson Productions and New World Television , which also served as distributor for the show in international markets . Santa Barbara was the first series for New World Television . Santa Barbara aired in the United States at 3:00 PM Eastern ( 2:00 PM Central ) on NBC in the same time slot as General Hospital on ABC and Guiding Light on CBS and right after Another World . Santa Barbara aired in over 40 countries around the world . It became the longest-running television series in Russia , airing there from 1992 to 2002 . Santa Barbara won 24 Daytime Emmy Awards and was nominated 30 times for the same award . The show also won 18 Soap Opera Digest Awards , and won various other awards .
Eden Capwell and Cruz Castillo are fictional characters and a supercouple from the American daytime drama Santa Barbara . Eden was portrayed by American actress Marcy Walker from September 28 , 1984 to August 9 , 1991 , and Cruz was portrayed by actor A Martinez from August 13 , 1984 to September 11 , 1992 .
Finola Hughes ( born 29 October 1959 ) is an English actress , television host , entrepreneur , author , and dancer , best known for role as Anna Devane on the ABC soap operas General Hospital and All My Children , and her portrayal of Laura in the 1983 film Staying Alive , the sequel to Saturday Night Fever . She is also known for her portrayal of Anna Devane 's identical twin , Dr. Alexandra Devane Marick , on All My Children , and Patty Halliwell on the supernatural series , Charmed . She also portrayed Carol in the final seasons of the NBC sitcom Blossom . Hughes has also appeared in the films Aspen Extreme , Above Suspicion and Like Crazy .
General Hospital ( commonly abbreviated GH ) is an American daytime television medical drama . It is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running American soap opera in production and the second longest-running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light . Concurrently , it is the world 's third longest-running scripted drama series in production after British serials The Archers and Coronation Street , as well as the world 's second-longest-running televised soap opera still in production . General Hospital premiered on the ABC television network on April 1 , 1963 . General Hospital is the longest-running serial produced in Hollywood , and the longest-running entertainment program in ABC television history . It holds the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series , with 13 wins . The show was created by husband-and-wife soap writers Frank and Doris Hursley , who originally set it in a general hospital ( hence the title ) , in an unnamed fictional city . In the 1970s , the city was named Port Charles , New York . From its beginning , General Hospital starred John Beradino and Emily McLaughlin , and both actors stayed with the show until their deaths in 1996 and 1991 respectively . They were joined a year later by Rachel Ames who remains to date the longest serving actress on an ABC soap opera , having been continuously on the show from 1964 to 2007 . General Hospital was the second soap to air on ABC ( after the short-lived Road to Reality , which aired for several months during the 1960-61 season ) . In 1964 , a sister soap was created for General Hospital , The Young Marrieds ; it ran for two years , and was canceled because of low ratings .
Anna Devane is a fictional character from the original ABC Daytime soap opera , General Hospital , played by Finola Hughes . Hughes also appeared as Anna on All My Children , and the General Hospital prime time , spin-off series , General Hospital : Night Shift . The character first appeared on the April 10 , 1985 episode of General Hospital as a fence . The character was created and introduced by executive producer , Gloria Monty , and co-head writers , Pat Falken Smith and Norma Monty . Upon her introduction , Anna is revealed to be the super spy ex-wife of Robert Scorpio and romantic rival to his current wife , Holly Sutton . Anna remained a prominent character in the series until 1992 due to her romantic pairings with Robert and former mobster , Duke Lavery . The storyline in which Duke tries to evade his criminal past with the Jerome family , allows for Duke and Anna to become one of the show 's supercouples , along with Robert and Anna . However , the storyline ends in tragedy when Duke dies in Anna 's arms . Robert and Anna eventually reunite to raise their daughter , Robin , and eventually remarry ; the happiness is short lived and the duo are killed off in 1992 along with their rival , Cesar Faison . However , all three were eventually revealed to be alive . Anna reappeared on All My Children as the twin sister of Dr. Alex Devane on March 2 , 2001 . In addition working as chief of police , and a brief romance with Edmund Grey , Anna marries Dr. David Hayward and they had a child together ; however , that child dies as an infant .
The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) is an American commercial broadcast radio and television network owned by the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company . The network is headquartered in Burbank , California , on Riverside Drive , directly across the street from Walt Disney Studios and adjacent to the Roy E. Disney Animation Building . The network 's secondary offices , and headquarters of its news division , is in New York City , at its broadcast center at 77 West 66th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan . Since 2007 , when ABC Radio ( also known as Cumulus Media Networks ) was sold to Citadel Broadcasting , ABC has reduced its broadcasting operations almost exclusively to television . It is the fifth-oldest major broadcasting network in the world and the youngest of the Big Three television networks . ABC is nicknamed The Alphabet Network , as its initialism also represents the first three letters of the English alphabet , in order . ABC launched as a radio network on October 12 , 1943 , serving as the successor to the NBC Blue Network , which had been purchased by Edward J. Noble . It extended its operations to television in 1948 , following in the footsteps of established broadcast networks CBS and NBC . In the mid-1950s , ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres , a chain of movie theaters that formerly operated as a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures . Leonard Goldenson , who had been the head of UPT , made the new television network profitable by helping develop and greenlight many successful series . In the 1980s , after purchasing an 80 percent interest in cable sports channel ESPN , the network 's corporate parent , American Broadcasting Companies , Inc. , merged with Capital Cities Communications , owner of several print publications , and television and radio stations . In 1996 , most of Capital Cities/ABC 's assets were purchased by The Walt Disney Company .
Anne Celeste Heche ( /heɪʃ/ HAYSH ; born May 25 , 1969 ) is an American actress , director , and screenwriter . Following a dual role in the daytime soap opera Another World ( 1987-91 ) , she came to mainstream prominence in the late 1990s with the films Donnie Brasco ( 1997 ) , Volcano ( 1997 ) , Six Days , Seven Nights ( 1998 ) , and Return to Paradise ( 1998 ) . In 1998 , Heche portrayed Marion Crane in Gus Van Sant 's horror remake Psycho . A highly publicized relationship with comedian Ellen DeGeneres was followed by a significant downturn in Heche 's career , although she has continued to act , appearing in the well-received independent films Birth ( 2004 ) , Spread ( 2009 ) , Cedar Rapids ( 2011 ) , Rampart ( 2011 ) , and Catfight ( 2016 ) . In 2004 , Heche received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the Lifetime movie Gracie 's Choice and a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play for her work in Broadway 's Twentieth Century . She has starred in the television series Men in Trees ( 2006-08 ) , Hung ( 2009-11 ) , Save Me ( 2013 ) , Aftermath ( 2016 ) , and The Brave ( 2017 ) .
Another World ( often shortened to AW ) is an American television soap opera that aired on NBC from May 4 , 1964 , to June 25 , 1999 . It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J . Bell , and was produced by Procter & Gamble Productions at NBC Studios , 1268 East 14th Street in Brooklyn . Set in the fictional town of Bay City , the series originally opened with announcer Bill Wolff intoning its epigram , We do not live in this world alone , but in a thousand other worlds , which Phillips said represented the difference between the world of events we live in , and the world of feelings and dreams that we strive for . Another World focused less on the conventional drama of domestic life as seen in other soap operas , and more on exotic melodrama between families of different classes and philosophies . In 1964 , Another World was the first soap opera to talk about abortion when such subjects were taboo . It was the first soap opera to do a crossover , with the character of Mike Bauer from Guiding Light , which was also created by Irna Phillips , coming from Springfield to Bay City . It was also the first to expand to one hour , then to ninety minutes , and then back to an hour . It was the first soap to launch two spin-offs , Somerset and Texas , as well as an indirect one , Lovers and Friends , which would be renamed For Richer , For Poorer . Another World was also the second soap opera with a theme song to chart on the Billboard record charts , ( You Take Me Away To ) Another World by Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris , in 1987 . On April 12 , 1999 , NBC announced it was canceling Another World with its final episode on the network airing on June 25 , 1999 . NBC replaced Another World with another soap opera , Passions , on July 5 , 1999 .
Marley Love is a fictional character from the NBC daytime soap opera Another World . After AW was cancelled , the character crossed over to the CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns for guest appearances between 2000 and 2003 .
Vicky Hudson is a fictional character that appeared on the NBC daytime soap opera Another World and the CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns . The character was killed in a plane crash in November 1999 , but remained as a ghost through 2001 .
Susan Victoria Lucci ( born December 23 , 1946 ) is an American actress , television host , author and entrepreneur , best known for portraying Erica Kane on the ABC daytime drama All My Children from 1970 to 2011 . The character is considered an icon , and Lucci has been called Daytime 's Leading Lady by TV Guide , with The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times citing her as the highest-paid actor in daytime television . As early as 1991 , her salary had been reported as over $ 1 million a year . In 1996 , TV Guide ranked Lucci number 37 on its 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list . In 2005 , she received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2006 . She was named one of VH1 's 200 Top Icons of All-Time and one of Barbara Walters 's Ten Most Fascinating People . She has also played roles in made-for-TV movies , hosted many shows and guest starred on television comedy series , including Saturday Night Live and Hot in Cleveland . She also has her own line of hair care products , perfumes , lingerie and skin care , called The Susan Lucci Collection . As of 2012 , Lucci hosted Deadly Affairs , and starred as Genevieve Delatour in the Lifetime television series Devious Maids . In 2015 , Lucci was inducted as a Disney Legend .
All My Children ( often shortened to AMC ) is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC for 41 years , from January 5 , 1970 , to September 23 , 2011 , and on The Online Network ( TOLN ) from April 29 to September 2 , 2013 , via Hulu , Hulu Plus , and iTunes . Created by Agnes Nixon , All My Children is set in Pine Valley , Pennsylvania , a fictional suburb of Philadelphia , which is modeled on the actual Philadelphia suburb of Rosemont . The original series featured Susan Lucci as Erica Kane , one of daytime television 's most popular characters . The title of the series refers to the bonds of humanity . All My Children was the first new network daytime drama to debut in the 1970s . Originally owned by Creative Horizons , Inc. , the company created by Nixon and her husband , Bob , the show was sold to ABC in January 1975 . The series started at a half-hour in per-installment length , then was expanded to a full hour on April 25 , 1977 . Earlier , the show had experimented with the full-hour format for one week starting on June 30 , 1975 , after which Ryan 's Hope premiered . From 1970 to 1990 , All My Children was recorded at ABC 's TV18 at 101 West 67th St , now a 50-story apartment tower . From March 1990 to December 2009 , it was taped at ABC 's Studio TV23 at 320 West 66th Street in Manhattan , New York City , New York . In December 2009 , the locale for taping the series moved from Manhattan to less costly Los Angeles , California . The show was then produced in Stages 1 and 2 at the Andrita Studios in Los Angeles , California , from 2010 to 2011 , and then at the Connecticut Film Center in Stamford , Connecticut .
Erica Kane is a fictional character from the American ABC Daytime soap opera All My Children . The character was portrayed by actress Susan Lucci from her debut on January 16 , 1970 , until the last broadcast television episode on September 23 , 2011 . Lucci was expected to guest star on Prospect Park 's continuation of All My Children in 2013 , but the appearance never came to fruition due to the show 's second cancellation . Erica is considered to be the most popular character in soap opera history . TV Guide calls her unequivocally the most famous soap opera character in the history of daytime TV , and included her in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time .
Jess Walton ( born February 18 , 1949 ) is an American actress , best known for her role as Jill Abbott on the CBS soap opera , The Young and the Restless . Also she starred in the 2018 movie Christmas with a View .
Jill Abbott is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless . The longest-running ( and only remaining original ) character , Jill was created and introduced by William J . Bell . Originally portrayed by Brenda Dickson , when Dickson departed in 1980 , the role was first recast with Deborah Adair . Dickson returned in 1983 , and although she stated that she would never leave the role again , she was replaced by Jess Walton in 1987 , who continues in the role to present time . When she debuted , Jill was an 18-year-old manicurist working to support her struggling family . The character is known for her feud with Katherine Chancellor ( Jeanne Cooper ) ; it is the longest feud in the history of American soap operas . Their rivalry began when she fell in love and slept with Katherine 's husband Phillip Chancellor II ( Donnelly Rhodes ) and became pregnant . Following Phillip 's accidental death , the women fought over custody of Jill 's son , Phillip Chancellor III ( Thom Bierdz ) , as well as numerous of Katherine 's other husbands . A 2003 plot twist shockingly revealed Jill to be Katherine 's long lost biological daughter , although in 2009 , former head writer Maria Arena Bell rewrote their history , reversing that decision . In 2010 , Jill discovered she is the daughter of Neil Fenmore ( Jim Storm ) . The character is described as an integral part of the soap opera .
Robin Strasser ( born May 7 , 1945 ) is an American actress , best known for her role as Dorian Lord on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live .
One Life to Live ( often abbreviated as OLTL ) is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years , from July 15 , 1968 , to January 13 , 2012 , and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes via The Online Network from April 29 to August 19 , 2013 . Created by Agnes Nixon , the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature ethnically and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social issues . One Life to Live was expanded from 30 minutes to 45 minutes on July 26 , 1976 , and then to an hour on January 16 , 1978 . One Life to Live heavily focuses on the members and relationships of the Lord family . Actress Erika Slezak began portraying the series ' central protagonist Victoria Viki Lord in March 1971 and played the character continuously for the rest of the show 's run on ABC Daytime , winning a record six Daytime Emmy Awards for the role . In 2002 , the series won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series . One Life to Live was the last American daytime soap opera taped in New York City . After nearly 43 years on the air , ABC canceled One Life to Live on April 14 , 2011 . On July 7 , 2011 , production company Prospect Park announced that it would continue the show as a web series after its run on ABC , but later suspended the project . The show taped its final scenes for ABC on November 18 , 2011 , and its final episode on the network aired on January 13 , 2012 with a cliffhanger . On January 7 , 2013 , Prospect Park resumed its plan to continue One Life to Live as a daily 30-minute web series on Hulu and iTunes via The Online Network . The relaunched series premiered on April 29 , 2013 .
Dr. Dorian Lord ( née Cramer ; formerly Callison , Santi , Vickers , Hayes , and Laurence ) is a fictional character and matriarch of the Cramer family on the American daytime drama One Life to Live , played most notably and for the longest duration by actress Robin Strasser . Strasser was cast by series creator Agnes Nixon and debuted on the episode first-aired April 13 , 1979 . For most of the show 's history , the character is the show 's primary antagonist and Byronic hero . Strasser won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 1982 for her portrayal of Dorian , and was also nominated for the award in 1981 , 1983 , and 1985 . Strasser has been nominated for Soap Opera Digest Awards for Dorian in various categories in 1986 , 1988 , 1994 , 1995 , and 2005 , winning in 1996 as Outstanding Lead Actress . Princi was also nominated for a Soap Opera Digest Award as Dorian for Outstanding Villainess : Daytime in 1992 .
Eugenie Ann Genie Francis ( born May 26 , 1962 ) is an American actress . She is best known for playing the role of Laura Spencer on the television soap opera General Hospital from 1977 to present , for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2007 . Francis also appeared in the soap operas Days of Our Lives from 1987 to 1989 , All My Children from 1990 to 1992 and The Young and the Restless from 2011 to 2012 .
Laura Spencer is a fictional character from General Hospital , an American soap opera on the ABC network . Laura , originally played by Stacey Baldwin , was introduced in 1974 as the illegitimate daughter of Dr. Lesley Williams ( Denise Alexander ) . The character was written out in the summer of 1976 . In early 1977 , Genie Francis took over the role of the rebellious teenage Laura . In 1978 , thanks to the efforts of executive producer Gloria Monty 's plan to entice younger viewers , the character 's popularity skyrocketed in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to her pairings with Scott Baldwin ( Kin Shriner ) and Luke Spencer ( Anthony Geary ) ; the latter became the defining Supercouple for the soap opera genre . Luke and Laura 's 1981 wedding - which featured a guest appearance from Elizabeth Taylor - was viewed by 30 million people . In 1982 , Francis quit the show , and the character was written out as having disappeared . Francis returned to the series for brief stints in 1983 to reunite Luke and Laura , and then again in 1984 when Laura was revealed to be pregnant . In 1993 , Laura was re-introduced by producer Wendy Riche , along with Luke and their young son Lucky Spencer ( Jonathan Jackson ) . Their stories consisted of their struggle to hide from mobster Frank Smith , the 1994 birth of their daughter Lesley Lu and the introduction of Laura 's illegitimate son Nikolas Cassadine ( Tyler Christopher ) , who comes to town to save an ailing Lesley Lu . Francis quit the series in 2002 , claiming unequal treatment compared to her male costar . Laura was written out after suffering a psychotic breakdown , after killing her adoptive father Rick Webber ( Chris Robinson ) .
Vanessa Marcil ( /mɑːrˈsɛl/ mar-SEL ; [ citation needed ] born Vanessa Sally Ortiz ; October 15 , 1968 ) is an American actress . She is best known for her television roles as Brenda Barrett on General Hospital , Gina Kincaid on Beverly Hills , 90210 , and Sam Marquez on Las Vegas .
Brenda Barrett is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap opera , General Hospital . The role was originated by Vanessa Marcil on September 18 , 1992 . After a six-year run with the show , the character was believed to have died after her mentally ill mother drove their car off a cliff . After a four-year absence , Marcil reprised her role for a few short months . Marcil was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Brenda in 1997 and 1998 , and she won in that category in 2003 . After years of rumors , Marcil returned to the soap on August 11 , 2010 . However , she exited on July 21 the following year . In April 2013 , Marcil returned to General Hospital for a four-week guest stint in celebration of General Hospital 's 50th anniversary .
Sheryl Lynn Herring ( born September 22 , 1958 in Enid , Oklahoma ) is an American soap opera actress . She is perhaps best known for her role as Lucy Coe on the long-running soap opera General Hospital which she has played on and off since 1986 .
Port Charles ( commonly abbreviated as PC ) is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1 , 1997 to October 3 , 2003 . It was a spin-off of the serial General Hospital , which has been running since 1963 and takes place in the fictional city of Port Charles , New York . The new show features longtime General Hospital characters Lucy Coe , Kevin Collins , Scott Baldwin , and Karen Wexler , along with several new characters , most of whom were interns in a competitive medical school program . In its later years , the program shifted more towards supernatural themes and stories , with a reduced emphasis on the original hospital setting .
Lucy Coe is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap operas General Hospital and Port Charles . Portrayed by Lynn Herring , she first appeared in April 1986 on General Hospital , introduced as an alibi in a murder plot . In 1997 , she made her second departure from the show and joined its now defunct spin-off Port Charles . There , she was involved in storylines revolving around vampires , where it was revealed that Lucy was a vampire slayer . The character stayed on Port Charles until October 2003 , when the series was cancelled , and she made a brief guest appearance on General Hospital in July 2004 . In November 2012 , after more than eight years off-screen , it was confirmed that Herring was to return to General Hospital . She returned that December for the revival of the infamous Nurses ' Ball , which she founded in the 1990s , as well as a continuation of Port Charles ' vampire story arc . Over the years , Lucy is known for having developed from a mousy librarian to a villainous liar , schemer and vixen to ultimately an unlikely heroine . She has been noted by critics for her manipulative yet eccentric personality . Herring 's portrayal has received critical acclaim , for which she garnered two Daytime Emmy Award nominations and numerous wins and nominations for the Soap Opera Digest Awards .
Melody Thomas Scott ( born April 18 , 1956 ) is an American actress best known for playing Nikki Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless .
Nikki Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS daytime soap opera , The Young and the Restless . Created and introduced by William J . Bell in 1978 , the role was originally portrayed by Erica Hope , before Melody Thomas Scott took over in 1979 . Initially introduced as a stripper , the character became well known for her relationship with businessman Victor Newman ( Eric Braeden ) , a union that developed into a supercouple pairing that has spanned over three decades . She shares two children with Victor , Victoria ( Amelia Heinle ) and Nicholas Newman ( Joshua Morrow ) . In 2013 , she reveals that she had previously given up a child for adoption , who is later discovered to be Dylan McAvoy ( Steve Burton ) . The character has also had several other notorious relationships , including Paul Williams ( Doug Davidson ) , Jack Abbott ( Peter Bergman ) , and Brad Carlton ( Don Diamont ) . Scott is considered an icon in the soap opera genre .
Michelle Stafford ( born September 14 , 1965 ) is an American actress , screenwriter and producer . She currently plays Phyllis Summers on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless , for which she has won two Daytime Emmy Awards . In 2013 , Stafford created and starred in her own comedy web series , The Stafford Project . She also played Nina Reeves on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital .
Phyllis Summers is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless , an American soap opera on the CBS network . The character was created and introduced by William J . Bell , and debuted in the episode airing on October 17 , 1994 . Phyllis was originally and most notably portrayed by actress Michelle Stafford , until August 2013 ( other than Sandra Nelson portraying Phyllis for nearly two years , until Stafford was brought back by former head writer , Kay Alden , in 2000 ) . Stafford has been praised for her portrayal , for which she has won two Daytime Emmy Awards , but left the series after nearly sixteen years , with the character being written into a coma ; Stafford last appeared on August 2 , 2013 . The role passed to Gina Tognoni , who debuted on August 11 , 2014 , and continued for nearly five years until she departed in June 2019 , when Stafford re-claimed the role . Phyllis was introduced as a groupie of fictional rock singer Danny Romalotti ( Michael Damian ) , and claimed to have given birth to his child , Daniel ( Michael Graziadei ) . Danny married Phyllis out of obligation to his son , sparking a rivalry between Phyllis and Danny 's ex-wife , Christine Blair ( Lauralee Bell ) , which is a continuing storyline . The character is known for scheming to get what she wants . Phyllis has also been involved with Jack Abbott ( Peter Bergman ) and Nicholas Newman ( Joshua Morrow ) ; both relationships have fan followings .
Tamara Braun ( born April 18 , 1971 ) is an American actress known for her work on daytime television . She portrayed the role of Carly Corinthos on General Hospital from 2001-2005 and Reese Williams on All My Children from 2008-2009 . In 2009 , Braun won the Daytime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Ava Vitali on Days of Our Lives . She departed the series in 2008 , briefly returning in the role of Taylor Walker during 2011 . In 2015 , Braun resumed the role of Vitali as part of the series ' 50th anniversary commemoration . In 2017 , twelve years after exiting her role as Carly on General Hospital , Braun returned as Kim Nero , the single mother of Oscar , Carlys daughter Josslyns boyfriend .
Carly Corinthos is a fictional character from General Hospital , a soap opera on the ABC network , portrayed by Laura Wright since 2005 . A collaborative effort between the writers , Carly - originally played by Sarah Joy Brown ( 1996-2001 ) - was introduced under executive producer Wendy Riche . A love to hate character who brings excitement to storylines because of her devious ways , Carly is the illegitimate daughter of former bad girl turned heroine , Bobbie Spencer ( Jacklyn Zeman ) . Carly seduces her mother 's husband for revenge . Throughout the 2000s , Carly , then Tamara Braun ( 2001-05 ) goes on to become one of the show 's most prominent , vital and popular characters largely due to her supercouple pairing with mobster Sonny Corinthos ( Maurice Benard ) and her friendship with Jason Morgan ( then Steve Burton ) . Carly 's revenge on Bobbie and her near lethal vendetta against A. J. Quartermaine ( Sean Kanan ) - the biological father of her son Michael ( Chad Duell ) remains two of the most revered and controversial plots in the show 's history . While Brown 's portrayal of Carly is viewed as a duplicitous vixen , Braun 's Carly is viewed as more of a romantic heroine . With Laura Wright in the role , Carly goes from being a pampered wife to being powerful business woman while embodying the qualities of her predecessors . Sarah Brown earned three Daytime Emmy Awards for her portrayal of Carly - two in the Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series category and one in Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category . Braun earned an Emmy nomination Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2004 . However , the role of Carly would bring Laura Wright her very first Emmy nomination overall - in the Outstanding Lead Actress and her very first win , 20 years after breaking into daytime television on ABC 's Loving .