Guiding Light Online

Guiding Light Online: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Guiding Light has the distinction of being the longest running daytime drama in the history of television. The program began as a radio drama in the 1930s and made the leap to television in 1952. The shows rich patina of characters, dramatic events and love stories have kept viewers entertained for decades.

Unlike other radio serials, GL transitioned smoothly from the airwaves to the television screen. The show remained popular over the decades, dipping slightly in the 70s as younger skewing soap operas came on the air.

In the 80s, it was Kim Zimmer’s Reva Shayne and Michael Zaslow’s Roger Thorpe that had viewers tuning in day after day. The Internet was just a series of BBS boards in those days, but soap opera fans particularly those on college campuses found ways to begin connecting to each other.

In the early part of the 1990s, America Online featured soap opera message boards where fans could interact with other fans. The leap from the BBS to America Online was the launching point for online fans everywhere to begin interacting. If you didn’t have someone at work or a neighbor you could chat up about your favorite ‘story,’ you were sure to find someone online who shared your passion.

Fan Groups

Soap opera fans online enjoy a number of different communities from Soap Opera Central to Soapzone to the Guiding Light Community, there is something for everyone to find in soap opera online communities.

New fans and old mingle, sharing their joint passion for Guiding Light and the characters that populate the town of Springfield. The show and its history have come a long way in 70 years. Former actress and director Ellen Wheeler is now the executive producer of Guiding Light and is looking to take the show’s evolution a little further. She’s heading out of the traditional soap opera look and camera angles and taking advantage of the outdoors, natural light and the shaky cam.

Guiding Light fans may be split on what they like and don’t like about the new style, but they are all talking about it and other juicy tidbits from spoilers to sneak previews to cast changes.

Find Guiding Light Online

Fans look for Guiding Light online to continue that rich tradition of interacting with each other through web communities, fan portals and even the official website.

• SoapCentral.com – Guiding Light recaps, behind the scenes gossip, online chats and more are available for fans to enjoy.
• CBS Daytime – The official CBS daytime website for Guiding Light is filled with actor bios, up to date information on news, events and more. Video interviews and episodes can also be viewed here.
• The Official Guiding Light Fan Club – The official fan club website features news, appearances, merchandise and interactive message boards that allow fans to communicate with other fans.