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As the World Turns 70th Anniversary: Iconic Photos From the Classic Soap

By Mara Levinsky
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composite of Helen Wagner and Don McLaughlin, Martha Byrne and Jon Hensey, Maura West and Michael Park on As the World Turns
CBS PHOTO ARCHIVES; CBS; CBS
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On April 2, 1956, As the World Turns premiered on CBS as the first 30-minute soap opera. The Edge of Night also debuted that day, but went off the air in 1984. Created by soap opera pioneer Irna Phillips and executive produced by Ted Corday, the show was set in the Midwestern town of Oakdale, and by 1959, it had shot to the top of the ratings, where it remained until 1971. The show aired its final episode on September 17, 2010.

Over the years, ATWT snagged four Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series, and the same number for Writing. Its cast members garnered 21 acting awards, including multiple wins for Larry Bryggman (John), Martha Byrne (Lily), Jennifer Landon (Gwen), Michael Park (Jack) and Maura West (Carly); and in 2004, Lifetime Achievement Awards were granted to veteran players Eileen Fulton (Lisa), Don Hastings (Bob) and Helen Wagner (Nancy).

The show was a springboard for many performers with big post-daytime careers, including Lauryn Hill (Kira, 1991), Julianne Moore (Frannie/Sabrina, 1985-88), Emmy Rossum (Abigail, 1997), Meg Ryan (Betsy, 1982-84), Amanda Seyfried (Lucy, 1999-2001) and Marisa Tomei (Marcy, 1983-85). Not only that, but ATWT alumni continue to shine in the soap landscape today. Maura West and Van Hansis (Luke) play Ava and Lucas on General Hospital; Sharon Case (Debbie), Roger Howarth (ex-Paul) and Christian J. LeBlanc (ex-Kirk) are on Young and Restless as Sharon, Matt and Michael; and Tamara Tunie (ex-Jessica) is enthralling fans as Anita on Beyond the Gates, which also features Cady McClain (Rosanna) and Jon Lindstrom (Craig) as Pam and Joey.

Here’s a look back at some of the most memorable players, duos and storylines through the years on ATWT.

  1. ATWT helen wagner don mclaughlin
    CBS
    The show's very first scene featured the matriarch and patriarch of the Hughes family, Chris (Don McLaughlin) and Nancy (Helen Wagner), and the action kicked off with Nancy saying to Chris, "Good morning, dear." They remained married until Chris passed away in his sleep in 1986. Nancy remarried (to Dan McCloskey) and she passed away in 2010, the final year of the show.

  2. Eileen Fulton and Don Hastings as Bob and Lisa on As the World Turns
    CBS
    Eileen Fulton arrived on the Oakdale scene as crafty Lisa Miller in 1960. Bob Hughes (Don Hastings) was instantly smitten and they tied the knot behind his disapproving parents' back. The marriage didn't last, but produced a son, Tom. Lisa ultimately tied the knot a total of 8 times!

  3. Henderson Forsythe, Patricia Bruder on As the World Turns
    CBS
    In 1961, Ellen Lowell (Patricia Bruder) discovered that the son she had given up for adoption (she had given birth out of wedlock in 1958, a television first) was being raised by widower David Stewart (Henderson Forsythe). They fell in love and wed in 1965, their union lasting until his passing in 1991.

  4. Mark Rydell, Rosemary Prinz
    CBS Photo Archive
    Considered the first soap opera supercouple, Jeff Baker (Mark Rydell) and Penny Hughes (Rosemary Prinz) first eloped, then wed in a church in 1958. When Rydell elected to leave the show in 1962, Jeff was killed in a car accident, sparking national outcry from fans.

  5. Marie Masters (Susan Burke Stewart), Kathryn Hays (Kim Dixon) and John Reilly (Dr. Dan Stewart) on as the world turns
    CBS
    Pictured in 1974, Susan Stewart (Marie Masters) did everything in her power to put an end to the romance between her ex-husband, Dan (John Reilly) and Kim Dixon (Kathryn Hays), but they made it to the altar in 1978. Alas, Dan died from a brain tumor the following year. Years later, Susan would carry on an affair with Kim's husband, Bob.

  6. Tom and Margo 1982, Justin Deas and Margaret Colin ATWT
    CBS
    Tom Hughes (Justin Deas) and Margo Montgomery's (Margaret Colin) madcap courtship culminated in a "come as you are" outdoor wedding in 1983, with the bride arriving via fire truck. In real life, Deas and Colin fell in love as well, and tied the knot in 1988, later welcoming sons Sam and Joe. 

  7. frank runyeon meg ryan
    EVERETT COLLECTION
    The grand, Greek Orthodox 1984 nuptials of Steve Andropoulos (Frank Runyeon) and Betsy Stewart (Meg Ryan) was the second most-watched wedding in soap history, eclipsed only by General Hospital's Luke and Laura in 1981.

  8. anthony herrera as james stenbeck and colleen zenk as barbara on as the world turns.
    Nina Glabman
    In 1986, Barbara Ryan (Colleen Zenk) lived out her worst nightmare when her dastardly ex, James Stenbeck (Anthony Herrera) returned from the dead, purring, "Hello, Barbara." The villain's return three years after his "death" after he tumbled out of a cargo plane was so shrouded in secrecy that not even the Digest reporter invited to cover the event knew why they were being summoned to the studio until they got there! Even the script used a codename for James (Lester Keyes, an alias Stenbeck had previously used).

  9. Martha Byrne, Jon Hensley, Kathleen Widdoes, Jennifer Ashe, Lisa Brown, Brian Bloom
    CBS PHOTO ARCHIVES
    In the mid-1980s, the Snyder family was introduced, and they remained a mainstay through to the show's cancellation. Kathleen Widdoes (seated) played Emma, the hard-working, no-nonsense mom of (from l.) Holden (Jon Hensley), Meg (Jennifer Ashe) and Iva (Lisa Brown). Lily (Martha Byrne, far l.) was involved with both Holden and Dusty Donovan (Brian Bloom).

  10. John Wesley Shipp, Julianne Moore, Kathryn Hays on As the Word Turns
    CBS PHOTO ARCHIVES
    The chilling tale of Douglas Cummings (John Wesley Shipp) — restaurateur by day, psychotic killer by night — was one of the genre's finest mysteries. In 1986, the villain kidnapped Frannie (Julianne Moore, l.) and Kim and held them hostage in Colorado. Bob and Kevin Gibson raced to rescue the women, and while they were freed, Kevin was fatally struck by a bullet meant for Frannie.

  11. obin Platzer/Getty Images
    In 1992, Jessica Griffin (Tamara Tunie) and Duncan McKechnie (Michael Swan) became the first interracial couple to marry on the show.

  12. Jon Hensley and Martha Byrne as Holden and Lily on ATWT
    JIM ANTONUCCI/PGP
    Holden and Lily's second wedding took place in 1998; many fans were disappointed by their first trip down the aisle, which was staged in 1991, because another actress (Heather Rattray) was playing Lily.

  13. Larry Bryggman, Colleen Zenk, Benjamin Hendrickson, Maura West, Michael Park posed on ATWT set
    PGP
    In 1999, a dramatic paternity plot came to a head at the engagement party of Barbara and Hal Munson (Benjamin Hendrickson, c.) when a vengeful Brad Snyder revealed that Hal, not John Dixon (Larry Byrggman, l.) was the father of Carly’s (Maura West) son, Parker. Also pictured: Michael Park as Jack.

  14. ATWT
    PGP
    Emily Stewart (Kelley Menighan) had a big reaction when Paul Ryan (Roger Howarth) called off their New Year's Eve wedding at the tail end of 2005 — she shot him in the back as he walked away! Paul took refuge in a cabin, where Meg Snyder nursed him back to health, and they fell in love — but in the end, Paul and Emily wound up together.

  15. ATWT
    PGP
    Supercouple Jack and Carly wed several times. In 2003, they said, "I do" in Montana, and the groom beamed to his bride, "You make my life make sense. You're the reason why I get up every day, and why I always try to do the right thing.... Life means something when we're together."

  16. Kathleen Widdoes (Emma Snyder), Eileen Fulton (Lisa Grimaldi), Elizabeth Hubbard (Lucinda Walsh), Helen Wagner (Nancy Hughes), Kathryn Hays (Kim Hughes), Colleen Zenk Pinter (Barbara Ryan) and Marie Masters (Susan Stewart), As The World Turns
    DAMASO REYES/PGP
    When the show marked its 50th anniversary in 2006, it celebrated with a special episode featuring its beloved "seven divas," who were stranded together in the wilderness following a bus crash. Pictured, clockwise from top l.: Elizabeth Hubbard (Lucinda), Colleen Zenk, Marie Masters, Kathryn Hayes, Helen Wagner, Eileen Fulton and Kathleen Widdoes.

  17. Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann as Noah and Luke on As the World Turns ATWT
    GEORGE DE SOTA/JPI
    ATWT showcased the first gay male romantic kiss in soap opera history in 2007 when Luke Snyder (Van Hansis, l.) shared a passionate embrace with Noah Mayer (Jake Silbermann).

  18. kim kisses bob on the top of his head on as the world turns.
    George DeSota/jpistudios.com
    The show's poignant series finale depicted Bob's retirement from Oakdale Memorial, packing up his office with wife Kim by his side.

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