In a joint collaboration between ABC News and PEOPLE magazine, TV fans the opportunity to vote online for their favorites of all time in many categories and fields of programming through the years. With more than one million votes cast, the results in some of the major categories are being revealed during a two-hour broadcast, a special edition of 20/20, “Best in TV: The Greatest TV Shows of Our Time with Barbara Walters”, which aired last night.
Beloved stars from All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital will reunite for ABC Daytime: Back on Broadway, a one-night-only streaming concert benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The free streamed event can be viewed on the Broadway Cares website beginning at 8 pm Eastern on Thursday, February 11.
Additionally, the event can be seen on Broadway Cares’ YouTube Channel, ABC-owned television stations’ 32 connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku and each of the eight stations’ websites around the country, including abc7ny.com and Good Morning America’s Facebook page..
PhotoL ABC
The star-studded lineup will include performances by All My Children’s Bobbie Eakes, Melissa Claire Egan, Vincent Irizarry, Eva La Rue, Susan Lucci, Cameron Mathison, Eden Riegel, Chrishell Stause and Walt Willey, One Life to Live’s Kristen Alderson, BethAnn Fuenmayor, Kathy Brier, Kassie DePaiva, David Gregory, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Catherine Hickland, Mark Lawson, Hillary B. Smith, Jason Tam and Brittany Underwood; and General Hospital’s Bradford Anderson, Brandon Barash and Anthony Geary..
For the February 11 streaming special, viewers can expect to hear a bevy of Broadway classics and jazzy standards. The streaming event will be directed by John Dietrich, who also directed each of the live stage performances.
Dedicated fans also will have the opportunity for one-on-one virtual meet-and-greets with their favorite soap stars on Saturday, February 13. Further information on tickets and the lineup of special guests will be announced later this month.
From 2005-2011, the stars of ABC Daytime took the stage at New York City’s Town Hall one night each year for ABC Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares. The evening featured dynamic production numbers, heartfelt ballads and hilarious skits. Now, 10 years after that final performance, the iconic ABC Daytime actors revisit their performances as they help raise money for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the event began in 2005. it was for a one-night benefit concert to celebrate All My Children’s 35th Anniversary. With overwhelming support from fans, the event continued for six more years and included cast members from One Life to Live, General Hospital and co-hosts of The View. Over its seven-year run, ABC Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares raised an incredible $1.85 million.
“This event is truly one of a kind,” Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola said. “We are so thankful to the stars from ABC Daytime for joining us again as we relive moments from this delightful tradition, while helping to provide lifesaving medication, healthy meals and emergency support to those struggling during this ongoing pandemic.”
“It was such an incredible privilege and joy to join my fellow co-stars to perform in the seven ABC Daytime Salutes concerts to benefit Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS,” said former All My Children star Susan Lucci. “There are no fans like ABC Daytime fans. Their love and support continue to astonish us. We can’t wait to share these special performances with them and help raise money for so many in need during this difficult time.”
Lucci also shared her excitement on her Instagram account expressing: “We’re getting the fans and cast back together!!! Join us on Thursday, February 11 at 8pm for “ABC Daytime: Back on Broadway”—a fabulous online event revisiting seven years of singing, dancing and plot twists, featuring your favorite ABC Daytime stars. And it’s all to help Broadway Cares support our friends and neighbors who are struggling during this pandemic. Watch the stream at
broadway-cares.org, to join the fun! I hope to see you there!”
So excited to hear about the ABC Daytime Back to Broadway event? Let us know in the comment section, and check out the announcement from The View’s Whoopi Goldberg below.
BREAKING! Queen of @theview @WhoopiGoldberg announces ABC Daytime: Back on #Broadway will stream on February 11. Theatre and Soap fans alike are sure to swoon over performances of Broadway hits and parodies by @Susan_Lucci and stars from AMC, OLTL, and GH. https://t.co/Nxa3X2oJcx
— Broadway Cares (@BCEFA) January 14, 2021
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“The Young and theN Restless”. Thanks Babs. Take two on that line perhaps? I participated and voted in this poll with all the TV categories like “Best TV Dad”, “Best Comedy” etc etc for the PURPOSE of voting for “Best Soap” and I never got that category! For whatever reason, Best Soap was not one of the categories I was able to vote in. As for the results….GH is no longer my cup of tea. I wouldn’t have voted for it. Surprised by Dark Shadows being on the list, but my guess is with the feature film out this past… Read more »
I like your choices; especially ANOTHER WORLD, my all-time favorite!
OLTL would have been #1 with me! Yay for GH & AMC tho’!
Ditto!!!!!
me too!! didn’t know about any voting going on (obviously not looking at the ABC site!) otherwise my votes would have been #1OLTL, #2 GH, #3 Knotts Landing #4 Dark Shadows, #5 Edge of Night 🙂
I completely and categorically agree OLTL would be my number one then GH followed by AMC and Port Charles (when it had vamps).
Why is it that OLTL is always bypassed, I just don’t get it???
I strongly agree ! OLTL was simply the best show ever !!!
i double strongly agree!!!! OLTL had them all beat hands down!!!!! they are always getting it wrong!!!!!! what is wrong with these people????
I agree! OLTL was the best show and always was over looked.
Who could forget the Daytime Daisy Awards and all the made up soaps and clips!
OLTL was reality, fantasy, well written and acted and could make fun of itself.
No other soap has done that.
Me neither… Erika Slezak was fabulous…..It was a very heart-warming soap….It was like a family…And I miss it a lot…But I am supporting GH all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I want it to keep on suceeding…….Gh is my second favorite soap…OLTL will alway’s be #1 in my book………I Will alway’s have special place in my heart for OLTL….
Totally agree. I don’t know what it is about OLTL but it’s always overlooked by everyone. Hell, it seems like Agnes Nixon even treated the show like her red-headed step child. Everyone is always going gaga over AMC, and don’t get me wrong, I love AMC too….but OLTL is hands down the best.
My top would go as follows:
#1 OLTL
#2 Knots Landing
#3 AMC
#4 Dallas
#5 Brothers & Sisters ( I know this show wasn’t on for a long time, but it was awesome.)
Interesting that Luke and Laura are cited as the reason people were pulled into General Hospital. Days has a similar couple in EJ and Sami and yet they miss opportunity after opportunity to capitalize on this couple. Just goes to show you, GH has made better decisions overall than Days, hence, the placements.
You are honestly comparing EJ and Sami to the popularity of Luke and Laura? This is a joke right? They are not even in the same popularity or ratings ZIP Code.
You missed my point.
Had you not been so rude in your response, I would take the time to explain it to you again. But you clearly want to insult, not discuss, so I won’t bother.
ITA, Sami&Lucas are endgame here .. EJ is and always has been just angst for them. DAYS doesn’t have a “Luke&Laura’ caliber couple, no soap does. That’s the problem. We want to see a couple that LONGS for each OTHER, no matter what is thrown at them, they are faithful. Soap couples today break up at the drop of a hat and jump into bed with the nearest warm body. Where is the rooting value in THAT?!
maggie i have to agree with dani no comparison sami and ej to luke and laure i love gh my favorite soap and think it should have been no 1 because 30 million people tuned in to see the soap wedding of all time even elizabeth taylor was on the wedding episode sorry i do not see sami and ej no way i love days but am sick so sick of sami, sami, and now rafe, lucas and ej all want her just a rewind of ole days of every man in salem wanting marlena by the way never cared… Read more »
OLTL always gets the shaft.. I’m surprised Y&R wasn’t the winner they are always number one in the ratings..
I can’t disagree with this. Luke and Laura are the epitome of soap supercouple and nothing has ever come close to touching GH during this period. Even now GH puts forth exciting, heart wrenching storylines. Days as second choice is something I might not agree with and I’m an avid Days fan. During the eighties they gave GH a run for their money with parings like Bo/Hope, Patch/Kayla and Jennifer/Jack. However Days of the last several years does not deserve second place, IMO they don’t deserve a place on the list at all. Trying to shove boring, lackluster characters and… Read more »
Mollymay said “Trying to shove boring, lackluster characters and pairings down our throats and demand we like them while ignoring natural chemistry and pairings guaranteed to bring good story isn’t the mark of a good soap, and its a surefire way to lose viewers and face cancellation.”
Could not agree more. The former regime at GH never understood natural chemistry which is why I no longer watch. They could have had the next super couple but decided to squander the talents of two young actors. Extremely sad.
1. Ryan’s Hope
2. All My Children
3. One Life to Live
4. Passions
5. General Hospital
I wish ATWT and OLTL made the list. They may not have been as showy and headline-grabbing, but they told good stories for many many years. By, it was difficulto keep on track with them when they were time-slot competitors. Before VCR’s, I’d watch one on one day and the other the next. I miss both.
i too miss oltl but i do miss ryans hope as much as you miss atwt did watch
all soaps when possible
then soap net goes and takes ryans hope off for brothers and sisters with
sally field and her screwed up off the wall tv family
i thought soapnet was for soaps another screw up for ABC
I’m surprised As the World Turns and One Life to Live were passed over.
i am so glad to hear GH was picked as best soap because we rocked then,we rock now and we will rockthe future:)
Savor it now because come April 2013 GH will be going the way of the Dodo bird.
WTH dodo birds? not sure what you mean but GH has some of the most historic episodes than any other soap- luke and laura wedding, ice princess, and lets not forget all the huge stars that started from this soap
rona, your going the way of the dodo bird, lame!
i agree donna GH is the best soap #1 in my book
rock on gh you deserve it, and and for us so called do do birds we will see in 2013 what happens oh by the way gh has been on the air 50 yrs i believe
april 2013 so they must be doing something right
and i will be a do do bird if it keeps my soap on
I beleive they were correct for the most part. It always saddens me that OLTL gets omitted all the time. Cuddos to DS & GH. Dark Shadows should have stayed on the air, you would think that with raitings in the 7.0 range it was not good enough back in the early 70’s. DS was cancelled because of declining ratings…….really hmmm,
3.5 and below is good for todays standards.
i agree sal dark shadows was great and did not now it was cancelled with 7 milllion viewers unbelievable am also sad oltl did not make the cut
but so happy for my soap GH, LOVE GH
I’m sorry I don’t get how Dark Shadows, which was only on for 5 years, made the top five greatest soaps ever, while classics like Guiding Light and As the World Turns didn’t even rate a mention. Both of these soaps started on RADIO and lasted HOW many years on television before some suits decided ratings alone dictated how sucessful a show is. People obviously just voted for the shows they heard of or watch now, since three of the top five are the only soaps left on daytime. My top five would be Young and the Restless, Guiding Light,… Read more »
WooHoo!!! It’s my fave! Congratulations GH!!! May you have many more years to go!
Dodo bird.
yea heidi it is mine to
i guess i am a do do bird ha ha
Mine would be:
1) Guiding Light
2) Another world
3) One Life To Live
4) Young and the Restless
5) All My Children
6) Days of Our Lives
7) Bold and the Beautiful
8) As The world Turns
9) General Hospital
I like most of your choices!
Thanks!
Agree with everyone else that OLTL should have made the list for the quality of the writing alone … DO agree that “Dark Shadows” was worthy of distinction. “Passions” and “Days of Our Lives” in particular owe much to DS for inspiration. And I would also fervently promote “Edge of Night” as a soap worthy of mention.
So agree with you about The Edge of NIght. Back in the day, that show was about as good as it gets.
GH was voted #1 because of Luke & Laura over 30 million watched the day of their wedding. That guy in the video who talked about them was right that is what everyone remembers when they think of GH. Gloria Monty made it work yes I agree their have been other soaps better writing etc. but that is what everyone remembers.
Well, with GH and AMC in the top two spots, that should tell ABC/D something about what the viewers really want . I wish the big jerks would listen! My top five would be:
1. GH
2. OLTL
3. AMC
4. Ryan’s Hope
5. Y&R
agree mary gh is no 1 also think your choices are spot on and maybe abc
will see what a screw up and why we all think ABC sucks now
I think GH being number one is correct. It should be pointed out at they weren’t asking what your own personal favorite soap was, but what was the number one soap for all those years. So it seems the voters did what they were supposed to do…judge not by their own personal choice, but by how the soaps stood up against one another. GH is correct as it surpassed any other soap with the amount of attention and viewers it got because of Luke and Laura. It went far and above any kind of interest that was shown to any… Read more »
TRISHA WELL SAID, I AGREE.
I will agree with this because it does make sense. I’d be hardpressed to find someone over the age of 40 who never heard of Luke and Laura.
1. OLTL
2. GH
3. Dark Shadows
4. Edge of Night
5. Ryan’s Hope
6. All of ther daytime dramas
No mention of OLTL in top 5: Major, major upset. It’s like Roger Federer falling to a relatively unknown. Thank Heavens, there was no mention of ATWT; Chris Goutman and Jean Passanante butchered it so badly, it was unbearable to watch the manner in which they screwed up a 54 year old dynasty and brought it to is demise.
OLTL should have been in the top 5 without a doubt…………..OLTL should have been #1, And #2 GH, And #3 AMC……This is what I think should have went down…..
I was a die hard OLTL fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a fan of GH too but not like I was for OLTL…
My two favorites are General Hospital and All My Children, so I agree with that. My third favorite is One Life to Live, and I’m amazed it didn’t make the top five.
Should have been One LIfe to Live 1st and All My Children 2d.
My top 5 best daytime dramas
5 – General Hospital
4 – Guiding Light
3 – Another World
2 – Ryan’s Hope
1 – ONE LIFE TO LIVE —Hands down the number one daytime drama. Miss you OLTL.
Okay, I agree with GH as #1, but the list would have to be:
#2 OLTL
#3 Dark Shadows
#4 The Edge of Night
#5 Ryan’s Hope
I agree with your ranking.
My personal favorites:
CANCELLED SOAPS:
1.). AS THE WORLD TURNS
2.) ALL MY CHILDREN
3.) PORT CHARLES
5.) ONE LIFE TO LIVE
6.) GUIDING LIGHT
7.) PASSIONS
CURRENT SOAPS
1.) DAYS OF OUR LIVES
2.) GENERAL HOSPITAL
3.) BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
4.) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
I miscounted at number in the cancelled soaps: at number 4.) ONE LIFE TO LIVE. 5.) GUIDING LIGHT and last but not the least 6.) PASSIONS
Sorry, but this is what I would say
1. Guiding Light
2. Another World
3. As the World Turns
4. Search for Tomorrow
5. One Life to Live
6. General Hospital
Isn’t it really tough to select just a few when we’ve been so entertained by so many talented people for so many decades? I have enjoyed every show I’ve watched since I was a kid in kindergarten…and that’s been over forty years’ worth of viewing. Even when the writing was bad, so many wonderful actors and actresses tried to give it their best. That’s the magic of the soaps that talk shows will never be able to replace. I must say, however, that ANOTHER WORLD, GUILDING LIGHT, TEXAS, SOMERSET, EDGE OF NIGHT, FOR RICHER FOR POORER, GENERATIONS, BRIGHT PROMISE, THE… Read more »
yeah rodd nice comment we love our soaps as much as you do
thanks very much really nice
GH ROCKS! I’M SO GLAD THE SHOW LIVES UP TO ITS LEGACY. NO DAYTIME SOAP HOLD GH RECORD, ON EMMY WINS, AND HOLD THE ALL TIME RECORD FOR MOST WATCHED EPISODE. SO WELL DESERVE, ALL SOAPS ROCK.
yea yea aria gh does rock its the best
and you are right it holds the record for the most emmy wins
yes all soaps rock
1. As the World Turns – I never missed a day! Oakdale, Oakdale, where are you?
2. Another World – Joe and Paulina – Frankie! and Cass – John and Sharlene
3. General Hospital – I can’t believe how caught up i am with Jason and Sam, and Son.
4. DOOL – Forever! my staple. Miss the Alamains! Cheers to Eileen Davidson.
5. tie – Santa Barbara -the whole cast – Superlative – and Y& R – the Abotts!
If it was my list, it would be ONE LIFE TO LIVE – BEST SOAP EVER! But I will take GH as number if I can’t vote for OLTL since Todd Manning is on it.
mine would be
knots landing
another world
guiding light
general hospital
one life to live
How could anyone have overlooked the two soap operas,
!. Search for Tomorrow
2. The Secret Storm
They both were good soaps, especially The Secret Storm which was at it’s best when they decided to cancel it! The same could be said about Another World, my all time favorite; which was also canceled when it was at it’s best!!!!!!!!!
General Hopsital turned out the TWO most popular Aupercouples of ALL time, along with many other must see couples. GH should have WON.
Super couple From Wikipedia:
Vanessa Marcil’s coupling with Benard, gave ‘GH’ its first legitimate heir to the ‘Luke and Laura’ throne of soap coupledom”.
The article argued that this type of supercouple “… has not been seen on daytime television in some time — if EVER”, and that, “along with the return of Luke and Laura after a decade-long absence”, it created a “second golden age” for soaps as “the daytime appointment television”.[55]