What Was the First Soap Opera

Soap Opera Firsts: What Was the First Soap Opera

The soap opera genre targets women ages 18 to 54, but fans come in all shapes, sizes, genders and career choices. While early serials were really aiming at the stay-at-home wife and mother, the modern inventions of TiVo, DVR, VCR, Internet and SOAPnet, let fans catch up with their favorite daytime dramas anytime.

First Radio Serial to Transition to Television

Which soap opera made the transition from radio serial to daytime television? Only two ever made the transition successfully and only one is still airing more than fifty years after making the transition. The Guiding Light premiered as a radio serial in the 1930s and transitioned to the silver screen in the early 1950s. From 1952 to 1958, it aired as both a television and radio serial.

First Black Character in Daytime

In 1966, actress Micki Grant originated the role of Peggy Harris Nolan on Another World, a black nurse and the first black character to be cast in a role other than that of a domestic worker.

In 1968, actress Ellen Holly played the role of Carla Grey on One Life to Live, the daughter of Sadie Grey who worked in the housekeeping department of the hospital. Carla was an African-American woman that could pass for white and did so, even becoming engaged to a young white doctor before her mother convinced her to be honest about her own racial identity.

It would be another 20 years before an interracial marriage would take place and that would be on General Hospital when Dr. Tom Hardy Jr. married Simone.

First Prime Time Soap Opera

Peyton Place debuted on ABC in 1964. The series was based on the 1957 film and earned the title of first soap opera to air on prime time television. Peyton Place blazed the trail that would eventually feature television programming such as Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest, Knots Landing, 90210, Melrose Place, Grey’s Anatomy, and Brothers and Sisters.

First Exotic Location Shoot

All My Children went to St. Croix in 1978 when Susan Lucci’s Erica went there for one of her many honeymoons. The trend proved successful, leading other soap operas to go to Hong Kong, Jamaica, France, Italy and more over the years.

First Super Couple

Luke and Laura Spencer

Days of Our Lives’Doug and Julie Williams (played by Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes) are arguably one of daytime’s longest and most beloved couples to transcend the genre both onscreen and off.

Luke and Laura on General Hospital take the historical place of first daytime super couple with their action adventure storylines and romance that culminated in more than 30 million viewers tuning in to see their wedding.

First People Featured in Cameo Roles

The prime time soap opera Dynasty featured former President Gerald Ford in a cameo role, a soap opera first that would lead to other cameos throughout the years from actors to musicians to political figures and more.

First Soap Opera Abortion

Before re-conning the storyline in the early 2000s,All My Children’s Erica Kane had the first soap opera abortion (the first and only for many years) when she elected to terminate her husband’s baby rather than give up her modeling career.

What was the First Soap Opera to …

Want to answer some fun soap opera trivia questions? Check out these great sites:

• Mixed Soap Opera Trivia
• Soapers Paradise Soap Opera Trivia Game
• All My Children Trivia Game