News
One Life to Live Aired Its Last ABC Episode Five Years Ago Today!
Courtesy/ABC
It is hard to fathom that five years ago on this date in 2012, the beloved One Life to Live aired its final episode on ABC after being cancelled by the network along with All My Children in 2011. One Life debuted on ABC in 1968, a creation of the late and iconic Agnes Nixon who passed away late in 2016.
After over 43 years, when the series was canned along with AMC, that sweeping move still today has shaken the soap genre to its core. Then after stalled attempts at an online rebirth, One Life was given a new life to live online on April 29, 2013 via one season on Hulu via Prospect Park. Now after a long litigation, the rights to the series are back with ABC.
The final episode of ABC’s One Life to Live ended with a rousing cliffhanger between Alison Perkins (Barbara Garrick) revealing she had tied up and kidnapped Victor Lord Jr. (Trevor St. John) who is very much alive, just as his brother Todd (Roger Howarth) is arrested for his “murder”. The amazing final run and final episodes were brilliantly executed and written by then OLTL head writer Ron Carlivati and his stellar writing team.
After the jump, watch the final ABC episode of One Life to Live that originally aired five years ago today. Then share your thoughts and memories of the soap in the comment section below.
News
Susan Flannery and Ian Buchanan Visit the Set of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’; Daytime Emmy Winners Reflect on Show Then and Now
The one and only Susan Flannery (ex-Stephanie Forrester) dropped in to see her former co-stars on The Bold and the Beautiful at their Sunset Las Palmas Studio in Hollywood, along with her good friend and another B&B co-star Ian Buchanan (ex-James Warwick) on Tuesday October 20.
It was the first time in a very long time that The four-time Daytime Emmy winning actress was reunited with Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke), Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy), executive producer and head writer, Brad Bell, Jennifer Gareis and even her TV sister, Alley Mills (Pam, B&B now Heather, GH) showed up for the day too!
Flannery played the Forrester matriarch from 1987 until 2012. It was then that after playing the part of Stephanie for 25 years that Susan made the decision to retire from acting and in one of the most heartbreaking sendoffs, passes away from lung cancer in Brooke’s arms in November of 2012. During her B&B tenure, Flannery won 3 of her 4 Daytime Emmys, the other being for her first soap role as Laura Horton on Days of our Lives back in 1975.
Photo: Bell-Phillip TV
As for Ian Buchanan, he played Dr. Warwick, psychiatrist, from 1993 to 1999. He returned for other runs in 2014 and 2017. Buchanan took home his Daytime Emmy in 1997 for his work as James. Soap fans also remember, Ian as mobster Duke Lavery on General Hospital, and Dr. Greg Madden on All My Children,
Both Susan and Ian shared their thoughts on coming back to The Bold and the Beautiful, for Susan 14 years later since he exited and for Ian close to 9 years since his last appearance below.
Susan said, “It’s definitely like coming home in a way, even though it’s not the same studio. It’s really lovely to see old faces and old faces with new faces. It takes you back mentally. You start remembering what it was like back then, even things like how much your feet would ache at the end of the day from wearing six-inch heels. It was just lovely to be back and see everybody.”
Photo: Bell-Phillip TV
Ian expressed, “It’s a mind trip, you know. When I was sitting looking at the big Forrester set, it was like stepping back in time, almost. It takes you back mentally, and you start remembering what it was like when you were here before.”
“It’s lovely to see all these people again, even if you don’t know everybody,” explained soap vet Buchanan. “There’s something really special about coming back and seeing the show and the people who have been part of it for so long.”
So, happy to see Susan and Ian with some of their former castmates? Do you think Stephanie and Brooke is one of the greatest frenemy stories in daytime history? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
Tabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?
As previously announced, Beyond the Gates is bringing chef, author and actress Tabitha Brown and Grammy Award-winning songwriter, singer and actress Kandi Burruss to Fairmont Crest in a special episode of the CBS daytime drama airing Thursday, October 22.
In the episode, Dani’s (Karla Mosley) best friend Pamela Curtis (Cady McClain), arranges a “Welcome to Your Life” television special for her. As it turns out, Brown will play the show’s host, Tia Allen, while Burruss takes on the role of Dani’s first modeling agent, Kalista Kilroy, who turns the celebration of her life into a bad trip down memory lane.
Dani’s parents Anita and Vernon (Tamara Tunie, Clifton Davis), sister Nicole (Daphnee Duplaix), and daughters Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla) and Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) all join the show to celebrate and support her but also witness how things so south. Also appearing in the episode are Molly Figueroa as Tatum Stewart and fan-favorite Anita Williams (Tunie) impersonator Jackie Tyree!
PhotoL JPI
THE 411 ON TIA AND KALISTA
Speaking with TV Insider, about their soapy experience in Fairmont Crest, Tabitha Brown previewed about her host with the most, “Tia is very professional, but she’s a girl’s girl. She is a protector of women and wants to tell their stories in a beautiful way, but she also wants to make sure they’re seen in a very good light.”
However, Burruss previews that Kalista arrives with a score to settle. “She’s spicy,” shared the recording artist. “I always love playing somebody that has come to start trouble. It’s always fun to play a villain of sorts, but Kalista feels like she’s been done wrong and she’s hurt by what she feels has been done to her. So Kalista is stirring up trouble, but she feels justified putting Dani on blast. Kalista is ready for some payback.”
Beyond the Gates is produced by CBS Studios, as part of the CBS Studios/NAACP Venture, in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. Created by head writer Michele Val Jean, executive producers include Val Jean, Sheila Ducksworth, Julie Carruthers, Tracey Thomson, Leon W. Russell, Derrick Johnson, Anna Saalfeld and Lela Coffey.
Beyond the Gates is broadcast weekdays on CBS (2:00-3:00 PM, ET/1:00-2:00 PM, PT) and is available to stream on Paramount+**.
So, looking forward to this special episode of Beyond the Gates when Dani is put on a blast during a blast from her past and Welcome to Your Life TV special? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
For months now, Days of our Lives has teased the character of Dominic Marino. In recent weeks, viewers learned that Marino is on the down low working with Sami Brady’s (Alison Sweeney) apparent fiancé ‘Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), and that he is the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)!
Up until now, the Peacock streaming soap opera has never revealed his face, but that all seemed to change on the Tuesday, October 2o episode of DAYS. In story, Dante met Sami’s parents for the first time, Roman (Josh Taylor) and Marlena.
He shows them a photo of Dominic, which he happened to have on his own phone and even commented he kind of looked like he could be Marlena’s son. The photo, which has quickly made it around Soap Twitter/X, revealed that British-born actor Kyle Pryor is the man in the photo and eagle-eyed viewers actually located said photo on Pryor’s Instagram.
Photo: Peacock
Deadline revealed Pryor started taping at the end of 2025 and will first be seen in the role, on air Monday, November 2. In addition, Days will celebrate its 61st Anniversary with two special episodes featuring Dominic’s arrival, as well the returns of Tony and Anna DiMera, played respectively by Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley, on Friday, November 6 and Monday, November 9.
Those in the know, are are that Pryor previously held series regular roles on Australia’s Home and Away, and the UK’s Hollyoaks and guest starred on Emmerdale. In an ironic twist, Pryor appeared in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand which is the same action series his apparent TV brother, Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera), once appeared in before coming to DAYS.
So excited to see Kyle Pryor take on the role of Dominic Marino as Days of our Lives sets its anniversary story to kick-off with is arrival in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section. And in case you missed our latest conversation with Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera) he weighs-in on how Dominic’s appearance will shake things up in Salem. You can check that out below.
2026 Daytime Emmy Awards: ‘Extra’ Partners with NATAS for Pre-Ceremony Red Carpet Stream; Week of Segments Leading to Ceremony and Post-Coverage
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Presenters Announced
Could Kristen Vaganos and Josh Kelly Be Exiting ‘General Hospital?’
Susan Flannery and Ian Buchanan Visit the Set of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’; Daytime Emmy Winners Reflect on Show Then and Now
Tabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?
Tabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?
‘Beyond the Gates’ Stars Lami and RhonniRose Mantilla Cover Raye’s ‘Nightingale Lane’ in New Music Video
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Stands Up to Brooke, ‘I Have Spent My Entire Life Sacrificing My Happiness for Yours. But No More!’
Days of our Lives’ Conner Floyd Talks Dominic Marino Mystery, Chad and Belle, and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Exclusive)
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: What Has Happened to Jill?
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Adam Delivers Sally’s Baby as Billy Reels from Jill’s Health Crisis in Tearjerker Episode
‘Days of our Lives’ Reveals Kyle Pryor Cast as Dominic Marino
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Finn Blows a Gasket After Steffy Reveals She’s Gone Ahead and Become Carter and Daphne’s Surrogate
‘Beyond the Gates’ and Daytime Emmy Nominee Mike Manning to Chat Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
Mary Elizabeth Winstead Opens About Breaking ‘Passions’ Contract, Claiming the Soap Had a ‘Militant Vibe’
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Among the most boneheaded decisions by ABC, cancelling OLTL and AMC. The Alphabet net once owned daytime and had a brand envied by all in the game. These were quality programs that deserved better than what they received in their final years.
OLTL was in an upswing in its final year…it got so good-better than what is currently going on in our 4 remaing soaps!
it was better than the material we are seeing now. OLTL’s demos were higher than what the current soaps are doing
The ratings were not good and although The Chews ratings may not be as good its close enough and much cheaper to produce. Im sad OLTL is gone but from a business standpoint I get why ABC did what it did.
Yeah, Iakovos.That’s what I call a SOAP….. Drama. Suspense. Gorgeous characters. Supreme acting. Oh, yeah….watching these clips was an incredibly out-of-body experience for me. Be still mine heart…it’s all a’twitter! So bittersweet.
I wanted to dive right in there, head first. I love these people….every single one of them.
Victor ( fake Todd) is alive? I do not remember that scene.
I encourage you to watch The Sopranos, The West Wing, and Breaking Bad. Those are quality programs. For you to put One Life To Live in the “quality” category is simply absurd.
Hey, Mollie,
I am trying to understand your post. How is it relevant? We are speaking of soaps not defunct primetime shows.
We, as viewers are a diverse lot. Different strokes for different folks.
What may seem “quality” to you, may be trash to another. My intellect must be impaired because I never found any interest in those shows. I am sorry, but that is such a blatant remark.
I do not appreciate violence, no matter the “high” quality. ‘Tis a choice. How can one compare soaps to primetime programming? Apples and Oranges.
OLTL, as far as I am concerned, was one of THE best soaps ever created. Still watching, after twenty-seven years. My first memory, at the age of three, was Rachel talking to Ava (ANOTHER WORLD, in her kitchen, with a dish cloth swung over her shoulder. Constance Ford, I believe died just a few years later.
So, you see, Mollie, what counts is what makes an impression. To me, that’s “quality”.
Furthermore, Iakovos is right. The soaps of yore brought something to the table. They had heart….something to which we all related; even to those of us who started watching as toddlers.
Iakovos was not comparing, you are. He is strictly talking about soaps, THEIR merits and how their ‘richness’ is getting poorer and poorer. To those of us who are avid soap watchers, Mollie, this “regression” hurts. I take it, you don’t really like soaps? Later.
i have to agree so strongly with Celia.. and somehow i feel that you may not understand what soaps gave to people. Imagine being a gay teenage in my world of 1981 and 1982 and my 2 final years of high bulling being now played 10 years later by Ryan Phillipe. the dialogue, the visualization of what Billy Douglas suffered bridges so much understand of what i went thru for my mother to see on this soap. I mean no offense to you in any way, but i felt strongly to give voice to my experience. there were days in those years when it would be easier for to have gone to bed and hoped not to awake..but it was wanting to watch OLTL the next day that calmed those thoughts. And with regard to Breaking Bad , which at the time it aired, i too enjoyed watching..please do some viewing of the documentary movie “Chemsex” and see what crystal meth has done to the gay community 10 years later on.
While I loathe the cancellation of soaps – I still miss my beloved Santa Barbara – I can’t agree that it was “among the most boneheaded decisions by ABC.” Soaps are quite expensive to produce and just don’t have the ratings they once did, especially the ABC ones. The Chew averages almost 3M viewers and costs much less than OLTL to produce. It’s simple business. Yes, the Revolution failed, but now that hour is back at the affiliates and that makes them happier than having any network programming!
OLTL was at the top of its game during its last few years. It’s sad that a show that was never afraid to take creative chances with its storytelling was cancelled in favor of GH and its singular worship of all things Corinthos.
It’s pretty simple, GH was the higher rated show at the time, and brought in higher ad revenue. It also had the history and the track record. Not to mention, OLTL was cost ineffective being taped in New York where production costs are much higher. There’s a reason none of the New York based soaps ever lasted. It came down to dollars and cents, which is all ABC cared about. I don’t like that it happened, but from working in the TV business, I can understand why it did.
I enjoyed the finale better this time around. I think no commercials helped. I least favorite character in this episode was Tomas. Now that ABC owns the rights of characters again I wonder if some characters will once again appear on GH. Even if they resurrect OLTL on a smaller scale to stream online. We know there is an audience.
Wow time flies, ABC made a huge mistake in cancelling OLTL. ABC will never admit there mistake, I hope they choke on it. OLTL will never come back to ABC, way too late now.
I agree with you Claudio. Even if they tried to re-boot it’s hard to catch the magic again…like David Vickers, Dorian, Blair. And then there seems to be problems finding good writers for the soaps we have left.
It’s said it costs more to do a soap than the other shows they’ve tried as replacements for our soaps. But I also have to think it has cost a lot in loyalty and the revolving door of shows that have come and gone.
I miss Guiding Light of all the cancelled shows… wish they would find a way to bring it back on the air, but sadly we will never see another daytime soap premiere!
I thought about OLTL several times today and still recall 5 years ago. I was at work and looked at the clock at the time it was airing its final moments. A heartbreaking moment. Went home, watched the episode and cried like a baby. I’ll never forget the series–it was a part of 40 years of my life–and in fact got a OLTL tattoo (the abbreviations) last year!
I felt the exact same way, it was so heart wrenching I was devastated
I cried from the opening credits on. I was hoping that OLTL would be my afternoon companion as it was for my mom and aunts. GH is too hit and miss.
It COULD come back though it is highly unlikely – the viewers would have to accept new cast members intermingled with existing Cast members such as Erika Slezak as Victoria ~ add in some new players – there’s no reason why it can’t be done – the only problem is, ABC probably won’t do it.
OLTL was must watch daytime drama, funny, poignant, sexy, with the best cast and couples . The acting was superb and the writing was at the top of its game. I miss my beloved soap I miss my favorite couple Jolie, as well as other favorites Cicki and Clint, David and Dorian, Todd and Blair, Victor and Tea, Jess and Nash, Bo and Nora and oh the tears when it ended.
Miss oltl to much, bring it back and other character from and
And other soaps it will do great, daytime right now sucks
Except for a few shows.
Wow. Five years already! So miss all the soaps that were cancelled last: OLTL, ATWT, and of course GL. The reasons can be many why they were cancelled from expenses to different demographics and viewing habits, etc. I just find it ironic that the execs who proclaimed that viewers don’t want to watch serial dramas anymore. And now what is the primetime landscapes littered with: Serialized dramas! Makes me crazy!!
I still mourn the loss of our beloved One Life to Live. All this week, I’ve watched episodes from 2009-2010 online and am thoroughly entertained. The quality of the acting, story weaving and production is superb. There were half a dozen different story lines going on at the same time and nothing got lost in the shuffle. I miss those rich, multi-layered characters and complex stories with all the twists and turns. I offer my sincere thanks to the entire cast and crew for entertaining me from July 15, 1968 to January 13, 2012.
Prospect Park’s OLTL was also really good. It got better and better as it went on, I wish it had continued1
Now maybe GH can have Dr Finn go off into the sunset with Hayden or his not-so dead wife and bring back John McBain. They can do the same with Franco/Todd. Or better yet have some other actors take the role of Dr. Finn and Franco and return Michael Easton to the role of McBain and Roger Howard to Todd. That would be a hoot.
I miss it a lot! And AMC too. I watched them both from the time I was a little girl staying with my Grandma. She’d stop for a break to watch her “stories” then she’d go back to cooking and cleaning. Lol
What I loved most about OLTL is that Ron Carlivati was in charge of the writing and Frank Valentini was the head honcho. Ron gave us a surprise every day which had me tuning in because I knew if I missed a day I missed alot. He also waited until a big payoff came on a story and I remember swearing at my TV so many times because I wanted the ending to come but of course making me wait was half the fun with the show. The last time i had that anticipation was when TEXAS was on the air. Soaps that have something exciting happen every day are the most fun for me to watch and I miss both those shows so very much.
hi James,
yes, Ron gave us a surprise every day and always an ending pay-off to the story.
Ron Carlivati is the best of the best.
I am awaiting Ron Carlivati’s return to GH.
Is Ron coming back to GH? I didn’t hear anything about that but I was disappointed when he was let go because I felt that Frank and Ron were the Dynamic Duo of Daytime. OLTL was my favorite soap when they were the captains there and when they went to GH, they were still the best team anywhere. I hope this is true!!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BRING BACK THESE TWO SOAPS!!
I also loved The Guiding Light and Santa Barbara among many other favorites over the years that gave been cancelled.
Still miss one life to live everyday. It was part of me growing up. I wish it was still on the air in some capacity.
Through highs & lows I watched OLTL from beginning to end and it had a talented cast, was fearless in highlighting social issues way before some other shows – even prime time – would touch them, was not afraid to be silly and incorporate humor and those musical numbers into it and created some of daytime’s most loyal fans.
While I doubt it will happen again, I would love to see the show revived, even in a 30 minute format.
Do you have to remind us? I’m still not over this. OLTL was the best soap at this time and I enjoyed watching every episode. ABC was stupid to cancel it and they never recovered for it thankfully.
Still miss it like crazy.
I miss that show every single weekday to this day.
They were family… and everyday they are thought of fondly.
OLTL – hopefully Another Life To Live….
On RC’s twitter..
he posted a link to a video of–
OLTL: Viki’s Heartbreaking Last Speech About Soaps (2012)
She tells it !
you OLTL fans might want to view it, get your hankies out !
In my opinion, the final days/episodes were dreadful-focused on Destiny, her family, and Matthew-all lackluster actors in lackluster storylines. OLTL was filler for me, airing before General Hospital; although, I always enjoyed Viki when she was altered as Niki Smith and I loved Dorian and the Cramer “girls.”
Unless it’s coming back I don’t want to say anything but this.
it was a stupid decision to end it. over it’s last year,it had really improved. the quality was much better than what we are currently getting with the four remaining soaps. all of it’s replacement flops showed they made a mistake
Wow it’s been over 5 years since ABC-TV made the biggest mistake in the history of television ~ now they have CRAP on in the afternoon, I really hope the Execs are happy ~