As The World Turns
Remembering ATWT On Its Anniversary: Who Was Your Favorite Oakdale Duo?
One of the greatest soap operas of them all, and one that was number-one for quite some time, As the World Turns, debuted on this date back on April 2nd in 1956,.
The CBS daytime drama series was beloved by viewers who were fascinated by the town of Oakdale.
Photo: JPI
The series aired it final episode on September 17th, 2010. The photo that is the header of this post is from the last day of shooting with all of the cast, and crew taking part in one last look at Oakdale and their time together.
Photo: JPI
The series was created by soap icon, Ira Phllips and ATWT had many firsts in the genre. It was the first show to expand to 30 minutes and it was the first soap to expand to one hour in 1975 and at that time ATWT was number one, as it had from 1958 all the way through 1978.
Photo: JPI
As the World Turns gave career starts to so many actors including Meg Ryan, Julianne Moore, and Marisa Tomei, and it certainly had its share of memorable couples through the years from: Nancy and Chris Hughes, to Ellen and David Stewart, to Holden and Lily Snyder, to Carly and Jack Snyder, to Noah Mayer and Luke Snyder, to Lucinda and John Dixon, and so many others.
Photo: JPI
As we remember ATWT on this day, cast your vote for your favorite all-time Oakdale duo in our poll below! Then in the comment section, let us know what couple you chose and why.
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My favorite duo wasn’t on the list…Hal and Barbara. God, how I miss this show. I was fortunate enough to meet alot of the cast members when they did a luncheon in Manhattan a year or so before the show ended.
Oh, I can’t believe you said Hal & Barbara! That’s who I vote for, too! I was heartbroken when Benjamin Hendrickson died & to this day I think of him during the 4th of July holiday. I loved Hal’s relationship with Margo as well. Miss that show so much.
I loved so many of the couples on ATWT, but I voted for Bob & Kim because during my time watching the show they were the bedrock couple.
My favorite were Katie and Simon.
Definitely the triangle of Lucinda, John asked Susan. Especially when Lucinda pushed that Ho into a Christmas tree LOL. “You hurt my back”. Lucinda was like….”B*tch please”. HAHAHA!
And not asked. Typo lol.
Loved ATWT (especially the Douglas Marland years) but it was NOT the first soap to go to an hour, or even the second. Another World was the first, in January 1975, followed by Days of Our Lives, in April 1975. ATWT was the first CBS soap to go to an hour, later that year (September, maybe?), but it was not the first overall.
It was indeed the #1-rated show for two decades (I think in the 1970s, Another World and General Hospital tied it one year, but tied for #1 is still #1).
As for my favorite couple? Bob and Kim.
Luke and Reid until this clueless show thought Bury Your Gays was a good idea.
I absolutely loved As The World Turns. The storytelling was wonderful. Every cast member was that character. It never seemed as if they had A script to go by. It was just natural as can be. The background music in each scene, seemed to fit perfectly. I loved the whole show. Sad it’s no longer but it was amazing! My mother watched and I was hooked every summer out on school break! Then when I got my first VCR in 1991, I recorded every episode from that point on… Snd the theme music was great, each one of them. I… Read more »
Utah
Loved the very first theme music played on the organ. I played it for many years on my own, and so did my daughter.
Sierra and Craig.
All the fans of ATWT should know the pervert ex CBS president, Les Moonves, said ATWT wasn’t “special like Y&R” then handed his wife the gig on “The Talk”. Then you embraced the crock!
BTW, DAYS will soon surpass ATWT’s tv run.
Thanks for reminding me of As the world turn’s anniversary. I have a special bond with the soap. I was born February 8, 1956. That is only two months before As the World Turns. Please do this next year when I tirn 65 and As the World Turns 65. Big milestone next year
I voted for Betsy and Steve, but also loved Carly and Jack, also they seemed to have forgotten Penny and Jeff and Ellen and David, Emily and Paul, Nick Andropolis and Kim, and one of the most romantic of them all Emily and Royce Keller, played by the wonderful Terry Lester.
This brought back so many memories that I had to watch some of the old episodes on Utube. I watched the 1991 episodes of the Death Of David Stewart. A lot I did not remember, so had to look up some of the characters. A lot of scenes had Andy Dixon, played by Scott DeFreitas, Maura West’s husband, whom at that age looked so much like Cameron Webber/Wm Lipton, it’s uncanny.
I will enjoy watching more of these old videos during this time, where there isn’t all that much on TV.
I voted for Holden and Lily but I have other favorites as well. It’s really hard to choose just one bcuz in my book they’re all equal!! I grew up watching ATWT and was saddened when the show ended!! I do watch some episodes on YouTube!!
As The World Turns
ATWT Alum and ‘The Addams Family’ Favorite, Lisa Loring Dead at 64
As The World Turns
As the World Turns Alum Rita Walter Dead at 71
We’re still losing so many beloved soap opera actors as 2022 comes to a close. Now comes word that former As the World Turns alum, Rita Walter (nee McLaughlin) passed away at the age of 71. Walter had been diagnosed with Multifocal Glioblastoma, an extremely aggressive form of terminal brain cancer.
Rita had an 11-year-run as Oakdale’s Carol Deming Hughes Stallings Andropoulos Frazier.
The former actress-turned-optician, died on Christmas. Rita’s brother, David McLaughlin revealed the news on the 26th which also happened to be the anniversary of Walter’s exit from the defunct CBS soap opera in 1981.
In his posting on Facebook, McLaughlin shared: “My sweet, loving sister Rita was called to Jesus today on Christmas day, his birthday. She was a well known actress as well as dedicated server of the Lord Jesus. May you rest in peace Sis, I love you forever. You’ve taken my heart with you.”
Photo: SOD
Before playing good girl, Carol Deming, who always found herself in distress as only a good heroine could do, Rita started her career as Patty Duke’s double on The Patty Duke Show, before getting her first foray into soaps with a role on The Secret Storm as Wendy Phillips.
We clearly remember when on ATWT, Carol was married to Jay Stallings, but Jay was having an affair behind her back. Carol also had failed relationships and marriages to Tom Hughes and Steve Andropolous. Eventually, Carol left Oakdale after falling in love and marrying Reverend Norman Frazier. In a case of life imitating art, Rita married Reverend Normal Walter in 1976.
Walter is survived by her three children, Brian, Jill, and Amy, and her husband, Reverend Norman.
Share your condolences and remembrances for ATWT’s Rita Walter in the comment section below.
As The World Turns
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