News
Remembering One Life to Live On Its Original ABC Premiere Date 46 Years Ago Today!
Courtesy/ABC
If you looked at the soap opera history calendars, today was the day back on July 15th, 1968 that creator Agnes Nixon debuted One Life to Live on ABC! The show originally was planned to be titled Between Heaven and Hell.
Over the next four decades plus the show gave a home to such talents as: Judith Light, Robin Strasser, Erika Slezak, Al Freeman Jr, Robert S. Woods, Kassie DePaiva, Tuc Watkins, Roger Howarth, Linda Dano, Michael Easton, Melissa Archer, Trevor St. John, Susan Haskell, Brynn Thayer, Gerald Anthony, Thorsten Kaye, Andrea Evans, Joe Lando, Jessica Tuck, Nathan Fillion, Ryan Phillipe, Tommy Lee Jones, Gina Tognoni, Phillip Carey, and we could on … and on … and on!
The show aired its final episode on ABC on January 13, 2012, after it was canceled by ABC in a shocking move, while its ratings were on the upswing, after Brian Frons, then president of ABC Daytime, lowered the boom that both All My Children and One Life were being taken off the ABC Daytime line-up.
The final ABC OLTL executive producer and head writer, Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati were then moved by ABC over to General Hospital, since the creatives became available once the original start date for the online version of OLTL by Prospect Park failed to come to fruition.
Then, Prospect Park on its second attempt brought back the beloved soap and it premiered online via The OnLine Network on April 29th, 2013 only to have it sadly cancelled and shelved after one season amidst legal disputes with ABC.
So, in honor of One Life and all the fans that miss it, showed their relentless passion for it to be reborn again, and to its stars and creative staff,, and all the crew that worked on the show, here’s a look at the many memorable opening title sequences of the ABC version and then the teaser promo for the return of OLTL via TOLN. Watch those below, and then let us know if you still miss the soap often dubbed the-little-engine-that-could!
I have not given up HOPE. I am sure our Soaps ( One Life To Live and All My Children) will return again and permanently on ABC Daytime. And I will fight for its return till the end!
Let us pray!!!!!!!!
Sadly, the end for those two are here already!!!
That was fun! IMHO the second to last was the best. I see you intentionally left out that piece of crap opening from PP. If it was here, everyone would see just how awful PP’s version of OLTL really was. SD or SL really sucks, he helped kill it. I know people at ABC and they will never bring either soap back. It is not the direction the network is going. Network TV has changed and it’s not about soaps, it’s about how programming is produced. As a long time fan, I hope it does not return. So much time has passed and everyone has moved on, it would not be the same show.
Does anyone know the only real town shown in the opening? The one with the long bridges?
Hint: Its Harrisburg the capitol of Pennsylvania. 😉
Well Mitch, I appreciate your opinion but I, like many others, am hopeful that the show can return. Yes, time has passed and fans would have to accept new characters and perhaps some new actors taking over roles for some performers who have moved on to other projects. I feel that a new inception of the show, perhaps combined with the remnants of ALL MY CHILDREN and presented in a thirty minute version, would work.
I am however in complete agreement regarding the Prospect Park opening of One Life ~ it was pretty awful. The show itself, however, was slowly finding it’s footing as an on-line presentation despite many bumps presented in the road. True, neither One Life nor AMC as on-line shows quite captured the abc-tv network family connectivity (I can’t pinpoint exactly what the missing component was) but it seemed like they were trying.
I guess only time will tell if our beloved shows will ever resurface.
Miss OLTL so much! The cast and stories were so compelling and dynamic. There’s nothing like it on daytime TV today. So sad…
You are so right. I’ve always said OLTL has the strongest cast in daytime TV. The cancellation by the alphabet people is just shameful.
The more time that goes by, the more I miss this show. Im a middle aged male professional, and I was tearing up at the sequence of old openings (I started watching in its third year). I watched all my life. Few had such perfection in casting – Erica Slezak, Robin Strasser, Patricia Elliott, Phil Carey, Andrea Evans, Judith Light, Tommy Lee Jones, Ryan Phillipe, Tonja Walker, Shelley Burch, Josh Kelley, Kassie diPalva, Nathan Fillion – and the wonderful stories. Since Denis Frons’ decision to cancel the show, Im happy to say Ive not missed passing on anything ABC or DISNEY.
ABC-TV made the WORST decision in television History
without a doubt by letting go of their two strong shows, both One Life to Live and All My Children. At the very least, they should have (and still should) combine the remnants of both shows.
Can we put a fork in OLTL & AMC, please? I supported the online reboot and never watched either on ABC. Let’s get behind the stories on air. And where the heck is Tainted Dreams?
Its time to put those two shows behind us…the cast and crew have moved on…i doubt there will be future attempts to revive them…hopeful primetime and cable will air one hour weekly new soaps…continuing daytime dramas are on their last leg and i doubt they’ll be around in the 2020s…i hope im wrong but i wont hold my breath…even the British superior more down to earth and realistic soaps are also predicted to be gone in ten years…sad!!!
ITA– So many great soaps have come and gone over the years — it was fifteen years ago last month Another World was laid to rest, and yet there was no walk down memory lane for that soap. Continuing dramas will always exist as a story telling format, heck most prime time shows are becoming like that where each episode depends on the last in telling a larger story over entire season,instead of the story that is self contained to one episode. But the classic daytime drama, is most likely on it’s way out, because conventional network television itself is dying out— I sadly agreed the last four daytime dramas are it, and when they are gone, it’s over. If one network invested in putting on a new soap, even a half hour one, I might have hope, but as it stands, we are seeing the end of daytime drama on network television and the beginning of the end for network television we know it as well. But whatever replaces network television I am sure will include continuing stories, and perhaps including soaps in the classic sense as well.
Aw, the 4th, 5th, & 6th opening songs are mine!! I could sing them in my sleep! 😀 I still SO miss OLTL! Such a great show. I’d start watching it again if it returned to TV.
Thanks for sharing this Mr. Fairman!
Still hoping against hope that anyone can revive it without problems.
One Life To Live will never come back, too late now. I have moved on, and watching General Hospital, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless. I do have to say All my children deserved to be cancelled, the ratings were falling badly, and the storylines were awful. One Life to live was a huge mistake. Abc will never bring back One Life To Live back. They will never admit there mistake. Abc should have kept One Life To Live on there daytime line up.
Agree with you Kevin..All my Children ratings were bad and the show itself was bad for like 10 years before it got cancelled.
OLTL deserved to be kept with its ratings surge and great storytelling but Brian Frans has a mission and there was only one soap that should remain and that will be GH, his ‘favorite” and the one with more of a household name/history, but the ratings were better and would have gotten better over @ OLTL, so that kind of stings.
That said, SO happy that GH is on the air..Will continue watching and I see this show growing and growing ratings wise. 🙂
Kassie DePaiva is on DAYS!
Yes we know, you tell us on every single post, we know Kassie DePaiva is now on Days. Not quite sure what that has to do with looking back on
One Life to Live, but okay.
She has been terrific so far in the show..I hope she will have some scenes with the departed Allison Sweeney, even though their stories are not the same in the show..Imagine the fireworks if they get to share some scenes.
DAYS is lucky to have her and us fans too! Welcome back Ms DePaiva..Losing Ms Sweeney stings but having Kassie on helps big time with that loss.
Thanks for sharing this important date with OLTL’s fans. I first started watching sometime in the mid-70s. I was around 10 years old and became totally absorbed in the Brad Vernon/Jenny Wolek/Wil Vernon storyline (for whatever reason!) and Dorian was an instant favorite. My days (ok…my life) just isn’t the same without OLTL.
My favorite period were the S. Michael Schnessel years. His One Life To Live certainly could be outlandish (Eterna, anyone?), but they were by turns full of heart and fun – and always suspenseful. R.I.P. both of them.
Amen.
I never did get to see the full last season that PP put out – the network I watched it on in Canada pulled out.
I still miss OLTL….I think I always will…..such a shame.
I’d be happy with a hour night time version once a week for 52 weeks of the year.
Such great characters and stories. 🙂
1960s Peyton Place aired twice and then 3 times a week for 52 weeks in 30 min. installments and was on for five years without a repeat…wish the networks or cable would try that again with revived daytime serials or new ones in primetime…id watch!!!
In a sense, they DO air night time continuing dramas if you think about it – shows like SCANDAL and House of Cards and other shows are continuing storylines.
This is a sad anniversary for OLTL fans. I still miss the show very much. I don’t care for GH, and I have tried to watch Y & R, but it is boring. As noted in the above article, the ratings for OLTL were on the upswing when it was cancelled. They were better than GH which makes it hard to understand the cancellation decision. GH’s ratings rise seems to be the result of “gutting” OLTL. GH took OLTL’s EP, writers, directors, and 3 actors. Why didn’t ABC just keep OLTL? The last year of OLTL was terrific in my opinion (except for maybe 2 out of the 3 Ford brothers story). The acting on OLTL was very good, and much more natural and realistic than other soaps that I have tried to watch. I wonder if there has been any movement on the litigation that is ongoing. Anyway, thanks for the remembrance and the article, Michael. There are still a lot of OLTL fans out there who wish the show hadn’t been cancelled by ABC.
I really enjoyed OLTLs final year on ABC and it was far more realistic and entertaining than the soaps are now…Rama’s fake pregnancy was hiliarious especially when her water(balloon) broke…i recorded that final year and watched it over several times…imo it was OLTL best year…the online version wasnt so good but at least fans got to see it once again even if brief…not all fans of other cancelled soaps were as lucky!!!
I agree, the final year on ABC was really awesome and OLTL was really the best show at the time that final year..In fact it was really great and entertaining, the best soap in daytime, for like 4 to 6 years before its end run @ ABC.
I give props to PP, they had the balls and they tried..We got to see our cancelled soaps for a short time revived..My beloved Guiding Light never got that chance.
Lisa Z, all I can say about the OLTL EP, writers, directors and 3 actors is please take them back.
GH had been ABC top soap for many years, i’m sure when they decided they were going to cancel two soaps they picked the two lowest rated at the time of their decidsion. remember OLTL only beat GH in the ratings for the 2011 2012 season, prior to that the only two other season OLTL accomplish that was in the mid 70’s even AMC beat GH as the networks top dog like 4 season back in the 90’s stll more often then not GH was the networks golden child, especially with its many Emmy wins as top show. i’m sure $$ played a big part too, maybe overall, GH was less expensive to put on the air. i’m sure no matter whats said many OLTL fans wont see it that way but the reality is Brian Frons made the decision and maybe as much as people say he hated soaps ect, he probably hated amc and oltl more the GH. who really knows….
Lots of nostalgia there Michael Fairman. Fun! But juxtaposing the “new” OLTL with the original just solidified for me how “out of character” (pun intended) the reboot was. I almost think I would have liked it if it was SUPPOSED to be a brand new soap. I wouldn’t have had expectations or looked for my ol’ soap within its context.
I still think, as some have suggested, that OLTL might be a successful one night a week show.
MICHAEL, YOU KNOW I STILL MISS OLTL, ESPECIALLY ERIKA SLEZAK. I HAVE WATCHED OLTL SINCE JOE WAS DYING. THESE ACTORS ARE PART OF OUR FAMILIES. OLTL FANS WILL NEVER GIVE UP. I DON’T CARE HOW MANY E-MAILS, LETTERS. TWEETS OR PHONE CALLS I HAVE TO MAKE. OLTL IS ALIVE AS LONG AS THE FANS REMEMBER. I WATCH OLTL EVERY DAY ON YOUTUBE OR MY TAPES. I HAVE MANY OLTL TAPES. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. THERE ARE MILLIONS OF OLTL FANS WHO STILL WATCH. THANK MICHAEL THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR OF OLTL.
Thank you so much Michael for remembering this important date in daytime history. I watched the first day and came back for more until the end of the network and the online run. Yes, I’m seasoned and have followed many daytime dramas throughout my life. I am definitely an experienced viewer. OLTL is the very BEST!!!!!!!
If the powers that be had a brain in their heads, it would have never been cancelled. Now, they can right a terrible wrong and bring our beloved OLTL back to us. I would not object to a combined OLTL and AMC. Both are Agnes Nixon creations and have shared some story lines in the past.
Yes Llanviewer717 I agree that they should combine the remaining cast members of ONE LIFE TO LIVE with AMC – call it All My Life to Live, call it One Life in Pine Valley call it Apples on a Tree but they should do it.
It’s a shame that a little over a year ago we were all so happy to see re-boots of both AMC and OLTL hit on-line ~ and not flourish – and so few statements and comments were offered to the fans by representatives of Prospect Park.
Although I watched On-line, for the most part I will always remember the show(s) in their abc-tv inceptions, even though I will never forgive abc for their
cancelling of these two iconic soaps.
As this is OLTL’s anniversary, it should be rightly celebrated. But, there is NO logical reason why BOTH shows shouldn’t be on the air. This whole mess was handled badly by EVERYONE involved. The PP/ABC issues should be resolved so that either both shows can continue, or have a final, dignified ending
i saw an advertisement on ABC last night for GH – funny they never did that for OLTL.
I miss it very much, so much that watching the openings made me cry.
Have you seen Kassie DePaiva as Eve on DAYS?
Yes, we all have seen her on Days, thank you for
reminder #457 that Kassie is now on Days.
I love Kassie, but I don’t want to try to get into a new soap.
For all the fans of One Life to Live-
It will never die, it remains alive in its fans..
Soaps are like Rock & Roll, they will never die !!
Wonder if they could do a bizarre GH episode where classic One Life actors play GH characters in someone’s dream…don’t mean it to sound like a nightmare, promise!
I really liked Prospect Park’s One Life to Live. It got better and better, and felt like it was really going to take off. I still hope it comes back. I have watched the shows on hulu numerous times.
Thanks again to Brian “Frowns” (former ABC) and Barbara “Bloomless” (former CBS) for screwing up the daytime canvas by cancelling 4 great daytime dramas. GL will always be my favorite (miss Kim Zimmer) but I also watched AMC, ATWT, and OLTL after its cancellation. There was no reason to cancel OLTL as it was drawing nearly 3 million viewers. We can always hope that smarter heads of daytime will prevail and that soaps will return strong once again. How much trash “Talk” and “Chewing” can we endure? Cut the fat and cancel that cheap mess now. Michael — thanks for the memories as always.
agree – give us something to actually watch and become engaged with, not some clowns sitting around passing the time and stuffing food down everyones throat (really what has the chew contributed?) I have an idea – how about watching paint dry? The networks would be real cutting edge with that show.
Considering there is no room in the ABC daytime lineup for it, it won’t be coming back. Even if ABC were considering adding another soap back to daytime my guess is they would produce a brand new show before putting OLTL or AMC back on the air
I think – at the very least, that they could put on a half hour production of All My Children combined with One Life to Live as a lead-in to General Hospital.
However, I would be SHOCKED to see a brand new untried Soap introduced on daytime TV – but, if one believes in far-fetched miracles, I suppose stranger things have happened.
I never said they were putting a new soap on the air I said if they were to. The only one believing in mriacles are the people for almost 4 years now who have insisted that ABC will put OLTL and AMC back ont the air in half hour time slows. Talk about far fetched miracles!
Although highly unlikely in the immediate future, it is not impossible that ABC-TV could re-evaluate the combination of AMC with One Life and do a compressed half hour presentation. No one ever thought that either One Life to live nor ALL MY CHILDREN would see new beginnings as On-line presentations and yet they did, albeit the whole situation was bombarded with roadblocks along the way.
So, despite what non-miracle believers state, impossible things are
happening every day.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it David.
And look at quickly the on line versions of those shows failed. If room opens up in the scheudle ABC will not replace it with any soap opera. Hold on to all the hope you want but I prefer to deal with reality that these shows are not coming back. Why people cannot move on and accept that is beyond me. A ll TV shows come to an end even popular ones. Move on and accept the fact that they are gone.
Why don’t YOU move on, David? Everyone is entitled to their opinion but all you ever do is spew negativity at the mere hope that the show (or shows) may possibly continue – everyone agrees for the most part that it is highly unlikely that ABC Daytime will do a new soap or a re-vamped combination of All My Children and One Life to Live ~ but every post you do is filled to the brim with your usual skepticism and pessimism.
Review your posts, David. Every single post is “they won’t be back” “they can’t come back” “it will never happen” – complete and utter negativity. Why are you on here when it’s evident you don’t have anything positive or constructive to share with anyone?
I am far from being negative I am just being real. They won’t be back and its sad that people like you Sharon and others after years don’t realize that. ABC dropped them and has no intention of returning them to the airwaves. Sorry if you don’t like what I have to say. Just like you can post what you want I can post what I want. If you don’t like what I have to say its simple don’t read it. Sorry you cannot accept that AMC and OLTL will not be coming back to ABC. Move on already!
Miss miss miss the show so stinking much. Could never get into GH, so have wandered over to DOOL, where Kassie DePaiva is burning down the house !
Yes, Thank you, Tali / Allison! Evil Eve is in the hands of Kerosene Kassie!!! These are DePaiva’s DAYS!!!!!
Watched One Life to Live from beginning to end (including the reboot) and still miss it not being there. Throughout the years it had its high points and certainly its lows but it always had a strong cast and wonderful characters.
Sadly, for me, none of the remaining shows come close to what I enjoyed about One Life to Live. I am very disappointed in RC & FV not being able to replicate all the strengths One life has on General Hospital. I think RC had great talent and somehow either ran dry or became lazy because the writing on GH in no way compares to OLTL.
I miss OLTL so damn much!
With the thousands of hours of tape, seems like they’d make the library of OLTL shows available somehow., either online(paid service) or repeats on cable somewhere.
BTW, I’ll never give up hope for OlTL’s return. It’s been off air a year now, when do the rights revert back to ABC, who I believe will lease it to another company, which is what they tried to do which led to the whole PP mess.
The first video made me tear up. For those of us who loved our OLTL, it really is like mourning a loved one!! Thank goodness for YouTube. But I will miss all the new stories, and always wonder what could have been…
Don’t completely give up hope – it is not an impossible dream that One Life to Live and/or ALL MY CHILDREN may be combined in a new inception. It’s not terribly probable at the moment but one never knows what the Future may bring, so let’s hope that someday we may see our friends from both Landview and nearby Pine Valley in the not-too-distant roads ahead.
I wish it were still on for the fans, and the actor who need work. Oh and if OLTL was still on, GH wouldnt have to stomach Koko, FREAKO, or Sinus!
bring it back please
Some shows come and go, but OLTL will live forever!
What wonderful way to spend a lazy summer afternoon, a sick day from school, crowding around the tv in college with my friends, listening on radio(yes i could pick up the frequency) as I drove from job to job, holding my babies in my arms as they settled in for naps, watching from home (when my job allowed) and finally making my own time to watch it over and over again on hulu-plus.
These memories will never be forgotten, and neither will the characters and storytellers.
Long Live the best soap (tv series) ever!!!
Miss you Llanview, can’t wait to see you again in Eterna!
A Llanview lioness has laid claim in Salem…DePaiva’s DAYS are here!!!
Thank you for reminder #489 that Miss DePaiva is now on Days of
Our Lives.
Thank you Michael for remembering our beloved SOAP’s anniversary. Have been watching soaps for 31 years and OLTL will always be my favorite. Keep trying to watch GH but there is no comparison. It’s lacking Heroes to root for. OLTL had them in Spades – Vicki, Bo, John and Natalie, Christian, Michael McBain and Clint played by Clint Richie.
Frank and Ron, you need GH heroes back – Robert, Laura, more air time for Felecia and Mac and Jason Quartermaine. All you have is dysfunctional characters. Michael Easton as Silas Clay is a joke. He was born to play John McBain and be with Natalie Buchanan. No fire or chemistry with Sam and Nina. Michael Easton comes alive with his redhead, Melissa Archer.
ABC needs to settle with Prospect Park and get the rights back to OLTL. OLTL could share actors, sets, Studio, wardrobe etc. with GH to keep costs down and then you bring it back. The Meredith Vierra show won’t cut it and won’t last. We want OLTL back with it’s beloved casts. They are Family and while they have their great villains, they have wonderful heroes and couples to cheer for : Vicki and Clint, Bo and Nora, John and Natalie, Tea and Victor, Blair and Todd, Jessica and Christian and Starr and Cole.
Again, I have watched a lot of soaps over 30 years and there is no better SOAP than OLTL. Let’s give it one more life to live! OLTL forever!!
Gentry,
I so wish we still had OLTL to watch. I wholeheartedly agree that we need John and Natalie. What a damn shame their story did not get resolved. We know that reuniting Melissa Archer and Michael Easton would be epic! One can always hope……love that pairing.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see our beloved characters. I agree with the prior posters that the OLTL characters had more depth and more believability. I miss the show and especially my favorites of John and Natalie. They were great and would love to see the actors together again.
That would truly be great.
Didn’t love John and Natalie all that much. Liked him with Kellly (Gina Tognoni) and Evangeline (Renee Goldsberry). I do like him with Sam…I think they’re very real together.
I miss OLTL and started watching GH when the Mannings became part of the show. I can watch the older OLTL shows on Youtube as I have done before. I am glad that many of their best actors have found other work.
I can still remember watching as a little girl at my grandma s house. First we watched dark shadows. It began a lifelong love of soaps. With cbs app and hulu i watch b& b y&r and gh .my kids grew up watching amc . Soaps are best entertainment ever.
I was never a huge fan of One Life To Live; but, I’ve watched the courtroom scenes with Judith Light on YouTube (since it was before my time) and those were astonishing! I also thought the gang-rape of Marty by Todd and the others was a believable storyline and brought some light to such a devastating topic. The writers somehow were able to redeem Todd Manning, as well-which was remarkable.
Still love and miss you OLTL. You will always be my favorite soap <3
Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Mr. Fairman. Hearing the OLTL themesong is sweet music to my ears.
Resolve the darn lawsuit and if OLTL is not returning bring Melissa Archer to GH to reunite her with Michael Easton please! I watching GH I think I am in the Twilight Zone. Need them together.
I agree with you Melissa. Easton and Archer are magic. Easton and Monaco are snooze worthy and deserving of the name Sambien. The OLTL characters were believable and you connected with them. The storytelling was great. Michael Easton as Silas Clay is a dud. All he does is walk around in street clothes following Sam . I AM SO READY TO SEE MELISSA ARCHER AND MICHAEL EASTON AGAIN. HOPING……
Agreed. Easton and Archer can definitely bring it! He and Monaco could as well but that has played out in my mind. Not feeling the connection with Stafford at all. If OLTL is truly done then incorporate some of our beloved actors into the GH canvas. First and foremost a fiery redhead comes to mind!
Hell yes !
I have to agree with the other fans here…there is no other soap like One Life to Live! I watched from day one and watch every day even if I had to record it. My children hated it when I came home from work because they knew I would be watching it every day. One of the highlights of my day. Loved all the storylines, no matter how wild they were…Eterna, Old West and DID. The characters were like family members. My mom and I always reviewed the week over coffee on Saturday mornings. We would laugh when my dad would ask who we were talking about. I hated ABC for cancelling it. Only shows I watch on ABC is General Hospital and Castle. I watched when PP tried to recreate OLTL. Enjoyed their attempt but it had to be difficult to reconstruct everything from scratch. I loved seeing the classic characters like Vicki, Clint, Bo and Nora. Would have loved to see Tina and Cord and others. I felt sad when it was cancelled again. I, like many other, will always hope ABC will realize what the fans want and concede that they made a mistake and bring it back.
I forgot to thank you Michael for the glimpses of our OLTL.
I still miss OLTL. I just couldn’t get into the new one online. It just wasn’t OLTL to me 🙁 I grew up watching it with my Gran so when it went off the air it was awful. I still really hope that one day it’ll be back on TV
The reboot was finally getting good int he finally few weeks. The mistake was putting too many characters we hated in final yrs of OLTL. Natalie, Cutter, Jack, Dani, Matthew, etc. I loved corbin blue’s character and Viki and Dorian Rule. The Victor story was a downer.
As a long time fan of.Oltl I am very sad it is been put on hold. I won’t say canceled because there is hope and still so much going on behind the scenes. I feel when the time is right Frank and Ron will be able to use something from oltl on gh once again. This is the first anniversary of the show in which it is not live on air. But luckily we have you tube hulu and other fan media that is out there on the web for us to enjoy this great soap that actually has not only entertained but also helped people in many ways with education on topics acceptance of lgbt racial issues mixed families mental illnesses of many kinds and many other current issues that agness nixon was brave to.bring to light before other shows would. Today our remaining soaps follow those kinds of story because of Agnes’s story telling. I also am thankful that michael fairmen had us fans get a chance to talk with some of the stars of oltl and amc on radio over the course of the reboot. I had got to speak with almost all the oltl featured actors on each weeks show. Here is to one life to live…like they said in the on line version who said we only have one life to live:) but for now and each days that follow we will always have one life to live in our hearts and memory:)
so glad I’ve kept all the tapes I recorded over the years. (and a couple of VCRs! ha!) And I bought all the new OLTL shows from iTunes. When I miss the people of Llanview, I can visit them whenever I want. Guess until or IF the shows ever return to us, we’ll have to write our own stories.
I wish I too had kept those tapes.
Proud to share the same 7/15 birthday as One Life to Live. I really miss this show. My Mom and I would talk about the show all the time. She really loved Dorean’s sense of style. My Mom passed a couple of months before the show ended. It was very hard watching the last episodes with out her. I am glad some of the actors are on GH. They do a great job. I wish Kassie De Pavia landed a permanent job on GH. She is wonderful and a reason to watch Days. Loving GH but miss OLTL.
I would even accept a show like this in the meantime. A look back at all our favorite moments and stories over the years! Go to: “An Afternoon Affair – Episode 1 Pt.1 of 4 – One Life To Live – The Golden Era” on You Tube.
I AM NOT GOING TO HELP GET OLTL BACK ON TV! BUT I HATE THAT CLINT RICHIE & PHIL CAREY BOTH DIED! THEY WERE GREAT ACTORS & WILL BE MISSED!
I can’t say how much I miss oltl and amc , I hope each day that they are brought back even in its original 30 min format.
I feel like a part of my days are missing. Bring our soaps back.
I miss OLTL SO MUCH!
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award nominations kicked-off on Monday with the announcements of four major categories including, Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series — Actor, and among the nominees is General Hospital’s Steve Burton (Jason Morgan).
Burton is already a two-time Daytime Emmy winner in the Supporting Actor category for his roles as GH’s Jason and his turn as Dylan McAvoy on Y&R. However, Steve is yet to win in the Lead Actor category and he has received 11 nominations along the way in his daytime career.
Following the reveal that he is a 2026 Daytime Emmy nominee, he and his GH co-star, podcast co-host and comedy show partner, Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) taped a special edition of their That’s Awesome podcast just featuring Burton’s reaction to the news.
Photo: JPI
FOR LESLIE CHARLESON
Steve expressed, “I know it’s such a cliche to say, ‘I’m just so honored to be nominated.’ But truly, I’m so grateful to be nominated, so grateful to just be on the show off and on for 30 plus years and to be nominated with the guys in my category. Just to get the opportunity. Frank (Valentini, executive producer, GH) texted me right away. I was just like, ‘Thank you for the opportunity to get to do what I do.'”
Taking in the moment, Burton thanked those who helped him select the material for his nominated reel. “Unless you win, you don’t get to say things. So. I’m going just say a few things: Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) helped me a lot with the material, (as did) Michelle Henry, who’s a producer on the show, Laura Wright (Carly, GH), and then my wife Michelle (Lundstrom). I believe it was Jill Phelps who told me that when A Martinez felt like he had a great show or great scenes, he would mark it down. So, when Emmy time comes, you have all the show numbers written down, and you don’t have to think about it, because that’s half the battle (finding the material).
Burton explained how meaningful this nomination is for him, because of playing the scenes of Jason losing Monica, and his closeness with the late, great Leslie Charleson.
“The nomination’s an amazing thing, and it’s beautiful, but really it’s to honor Leslie Charleson. A lot of my material was because of her, and how I started on the show as a Quartermaine, it just means a ton,” shared Burton. “Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) has obviously has been instrumental, and I’ve said it from day one and I’ll shout it from the rooftops. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here, and to be working with the people that we work with is incredible.”
Photo: JPI
SHOULD JOHN OLIVER BE NAMED HOST OF THE DAYTIME EMMYS?
During the end of his conversation with Anderson, Steve suggested that the host of the Daytime Emmy should be Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver, who recently guest starred as the head of the WSB named Z on General Hospital, and is soon to show up on Days of Our Lives in a mystery role in August.
Thus far, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has not revealed their host for the upcoming ceremony to be held on October 30 in a venue to be named in Hollywood, California.
You can watch Steve sharing his reaction to receiving his 2026 Lead Actor Daytime Emmy nomination below on a special segment on the That’s Awesome podcast.
Now let us know, are you glad that Steve chose scenes surrounding Jason mourning the loss of the woman that raised him, Monica Quartermaine for his Emmy reel? What do you think of John Oliver as a suggestion to host the Daytime Emmys? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
Monday on Entertainment Tonight, the second set of nominations for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced which included the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actress and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series.
ET followed suit after Extra announced the nominees, as previously reported, in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actor and Outstanding Daytime Talk Host.
Now, five leading ladies of the soaps are vying for the gold for Lead Actress and the category marked the first-ever nominations for CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when two actresses made the final cut. Only General Hospital is not represented among the actresses this year after Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) took home the trophy last year.
Photo: NATAS
THE FIVE LEADING LADIES OF THE SOAPS ARE …
The 2026 Lead Actress nominees are: Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless, Heather Tom (Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Beyond the Gates.
This marks the first Daytime Emmy nominations for Karla Mosley and Tamara Tunie. In addition, this marks the first-time in her career that Stacy Haiduk had received a Lead Actress nod after two Supporting Actress nominations.
Meanwhile, Michelle Stafford had previously won 3 Emmys – 2 for Lead Actress and 1 for Supporting, but this recognition makes it her 11th overall nomination.
Heather Tom currently is tied for the most all-time Daytime Emmy wins with One Life to Live alum and General Hospital guest star, Erika Slezak. The B&B star has 19 nominations throughout her career.
Photo: ABC
DAYTIME TALK SERIES
In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series category, the nominees are: 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Today with Jenna and Friends and The View.
“We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement on the nominations. “As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
The rest of the nominations will be revealed tomorrow on Tuesday July 14 starting on The View and then the full list of nominees in both the main and creative arts will be released by NATAS. The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are slated for October 30th in Hollywood, California.
So, what do you think about the women who are vying for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? Happy with who got in? Who do you feel got snubbed? What do you think of the nominees for Daytime Talk Series? Weigh-in via the comment section.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’ Marks Unprecedented 16,000th Episode Milestone with New Cast Photo
Today’s Monday, July 13 episode of General Hospital marks it 16,000 episode to air on the ABC television network. It is a remarkable milestone. The previous television record was held by Guiding Light which clocked in at 15,762 episodes before it went off the air on CBS in 2009.
To mark the occasion, the cast, crew and creative team of General Hospital celebrated with a cake-cutting ceremony on the Prospect Studios lot in Los Angeles back on Monday, June 1, 2026.
In addition, GH has released a new cast photo taken the day of the on set celebration. Pictured in the photo are front row: Rory Gibson, Finn Carr, Kayden Brenna Tokarski, Asher Antonyzyn, Giovanni Mazza, Braedyn Bruner, Dean Geyer and Nathan Dean.
Featured in the back row are: Tabyana Ali, Eden McCoy, Josh Swickard, Kristen Vaganos, Rebecca Herbst, Dominic Zamprogna, Alexa Havins, Cameron Mathison, Brooke Kerr, Cynthia Watros, Steve Burton, Finola Hughes, Jane Elliot, Maurice Benard, Laura Wright, Maura West, Donnell Turner, Nancy Lee Grahn, Tanisha Harper, Kelly Thiebaud, Kristina Wagner, Lynn Herring, Chris McKenna, Katelyn MacMullen and Sawandi Wilson.
In addition, the official GH social media handles shared these sentiments along with some other photos from the cake cutting: “Today’s episode of General Hospital is the 16,000th produced since the show’s inception in 1963. It’s a milestone we couldn’t let pass by without taking some time to celebrate as a family (and, of course… eating some cake). 🍰 We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did making it.”
WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE 16,000th Episode?
The 16,000th episode will feature Jason Morgan returning to the town of Port Charles, Anna and Valentin (James Patrick Stewart) reuniting, and a new surgeon, Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) joining the staff of ‘General Hospital.’
GENERAL HOSPITAL HOLDS SEVERAL RECORDS
Now in its 64th year, Emmy Award-winning daytime drama General Hospital is currently both the longest-running scripted American drama and the longest-running American soap opera currently in production.
General Hospital holds the record for the most Outstanding Daytime Drama award wins, taking home the prestigious Daytime Emmy Award a record 18 times. Will they do it again and make it 19 in 2026? Stay tuned for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations tomorrow on Tuesday, July 14 to find out if GH will be going for gold in the category, once again.
The ABC daytime drama series was created by Frank and Doris Hursley and premiered back on April 1, 1963. Frank Valentini is the current executive producer with Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten are the show’s co-head writers.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC and streams on Hulu.
What do you think of the new cast photo marking General Hospital’s 16000th episode? What do you think of the accomplishment to have that many episodes of a television show and its still thriving and kicking? Share your thoughts and congrats for everyone in front of the camera and behind the scenes on this milestone airing.
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Reconnects with Danny; Tristan Roberts Arrives in Port Charles, Lots of Nods to #16
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actor Drama Series
Scott Bryce, ‘As the World Turns’ Craig Montgomery, Passes Away at 68
‘The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards’ Nominations Announcement Date Revealed: Who Will Be Going For Gold?
Randolph Mantooth, ‘Emergency!’ and ‘Loving’ Actor, Dies at 80
Steve Burton Returns to ‘General Hospital’ on Its 16,000th Episode: How Will Jason Be a Changed Man?
‘Daytime Emmy Nominations Special 2026’ Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Reconnects with Danny; Tristan Roberts Arrives in Port Charles, Lots of Nods to #16
GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers Promo: Jason’s Back, Drew Begins to Make His Move, Portia Goes Into a Labor
Scott Bryce, ‘As the World Turns’ Craig Montgomery, Passes Away at 68
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Preview: Daphne’s Devastated, Steffy Finds Herself at a Crossroads with Finn
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As The World Turns2 days agoScott Bryce, ‘As the World Turns’ Craig Montgomery, Passes Away at 68
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Beyond the Gates6 days ago‘The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards’ Nominations Announcement Date Revealed: Who Will Be Going For Gold?
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