11 Memorable Patriarchs From Defunct Soaps

Wise and hard-working Papa Bauer, played by Theo Goetz, seated, on radio from 1949-56 and on television from 1952 until his passing in 1972, was the father of Bill (Ed Bryce, top), Meta and Trudy; father-in-law of Bert (Charita Bauer); grandfather of Ed (Robert Gentry), Mike and Hillary; great-grandfather of Hope, Rick and Michelle; and great-great-grandfather of Alan-Michael, Robert, Jude, Leah and Hope.

Played by Don McLaughlin (seated) from the show's debut in 1956 until his real-life passing in 1986, Chris Hughes was the beloved husband of Nancy (Helen Wagner, seated) and loving father to (from l.) Don (Conrad Fowkes), Penny (Rosemary Prinz), Bob (Don Hastings) and the late Susan. His family tree expanded to include five grandchildren — Tom, Frannie, Sabrina, Ryder and Christina — and four great-grandchildren: Lien, Christopher, Adam and Casey.

When his father, Chris, passed, Bob (played by Don Hastings from 1960-2010) became the Hughes patriarch. HIs brood included (clockwise from top l.) son Christopher (Dylan Bruce Scott), named after his dad; son Tom (Scott Holmes), daughter in-law Margo (Ellen Dolan), wife Kim (Kathryn Hays), daughters Frannie and Sabrina, stepson Andy, and grandkids Lien, Adam, Casey, and Daniel.

Ray MacDonnell (seated, l.) played stalwart Dr. Joe for the entirety of AMC's 1970-2010 run. Joe was married to Ruth (Mary Fickett) and they had two sons, Tad (via adoption) and Joey (Michael Brainard). Via his first marriage to the late Helen, he had a son, Jeff, and a daughter, Tara.... as well as another son, Bobby, who mysteriously vanished from the canvas. Joe was grandfather to Joshua, Charlie, Philip Charles Brent (grandson; via Tara) Kate Jefferson (granddaughter; via Tara) James Martin (grandson; via Tad; via adoption) Kathy Mershon Martin (granddaughter; via Tad; via adoption) Jenny Carey (granddaughter; via Tad; via adoption) Trevor Martin (grandson; via Jake) Samuel Carlos Grey (great-grandson; via Kelsey; adopted by Edmund and Maria Grey)

Played briefly by Robert Emhardt (1973-74), then by Daytime Emmy-winner Douglass Watson from 1974 until his passing in 1989, Mac was the patriarch of the powerful Cory family. He was thrice-married to Rachel Cory (Victoria Wyndham, l.) and sired Iris (Beverlee McKinsey), Sandy, Paulina and Amanda, and raised Rachel's son by Mitch Blake, Matthew, as his own. He was grandfather to Dennis, Maggie, Alex, Remy, Alli and Dante.

Along with wife Maeve (Helen Gallagher, l.), Johnny — played by Bernard Barrow for RH's entire run, 1975-1989 — fathered Frank, Kathleen, Mary, Patrick, Siobhan, Sean and Maggie, and he also fathered son Dakota with Meg. He had eight grandchildren: Johnno, Edmund, Mary, Katie, Deidra, Grace, Ryan and Sean, and one great-grandson, Owen.

The iron-fisted ruler of the wealthy Spaulding clan, Alan (played by Christopher Bernau from 1977-84 and 1986-88, Daniel Pilon from 1989-90, and Ron Raines, l., from 1994-2009) had four children — adopted son Phillip (Grant Aleksander), Alan-Michael, Gus and Peyton — along with five grandchildren (Lizzie, Rafe, Zach, James and Emma) and one great-grandchild (Sarah) at the time of his death in 2009.

The oft-married, conniving patriarch of the Buchanan clan, Asa, was played by Phil Carey (c.) from 1980 to 2008. He sired Clint (Clint Ritchie, r.) and Bo (Robert S. Woods) Buchanan, Ben Davidson and David Vickers and was grandfather to Cord, Kevin (via adoption), Joey, Jessica, Natalie, Drew and Matthew, great-grandfather to C.J., Sarah, Bree, Zane, and great-great-grandfather to Drew (named in honor of dad Matthew's half brother).

Jed Allan (top c.) was the longest-running actor to play C.C. (1986-93), who was father to (from l.) Ted (Todd McKee), Kelly (Robin Wright), Eden (Marcy Walker) and Mason (Lane Davies, far r.), as well as Channing II and Channing III, Elena and Greg (wife Sophia, played by Judith McConnell, seated, was the mother of four of them). He was the grandfather of Brandon, Samantha and Adriana, as well as the two new additions introduced in the series' finale (Chester, the newborn Mason was posed to adopt with Julia, and the baby Julia learned she was expecting).

Ice cream entrepreneur Henry (played by Taurean Blacque from 1990-91, far l.) met his wife, Ruth (Joan Pringle, far l.), daughter of Vivian (Lynn Hamilton, far r.) when she was pregnant with Chantal (Debbi Morgan). The pair went on to welcome two more children, Jacquelyn and Adam (Kristoff St. John), and become grandparents to Danielle.

From 1999-2007, Rodney Van Johnson portrayed T.C., husband of Eve (Tracey Ross), father of Simone (Cathy Janeen Doe) and Whitney (Brook Kerr) and grandpa to Miles.