Five Things That Happened June 23 In Soap History

In 1989 on General Hospital, Felicia Cummings Jones (Kristina Wagner) — who had just tied the knot with Colton Shore — caught her first glimpse of her back-from-the-dead husband, Frisco Jones (Jack Wagner). She promptly fainted. For a time, Felicia was torn between Frisco and Colton, but she ultimately renewed her relationship with Frisco. They formally remarried in 1990 and welcomed their first child, Maxie. Though they split, they later conceived another daughter, Georgie, who was tragically murdered in 2007.

In 1994, the inaugural Nurses’ Ball began on General Hospital. Lynn Herring, whose Lucy Coe was the original hostess and has continued to play that role ever since, mused to Soap Opera Digest in 2023 that her character's participation in the ball is one of the things she cherishes most about her long run on the show. "When we started doing the Nurses’ Ball and got involved in supporting AIDS and HIV projects, that was overwhelming," she said. "When that [Names Project AIDS Memorial] quilt showed up on our stage for one of the early Nurses’ Balls, and I’m standing there, holding it and sobbing and thinking, ‘I get to represent something that’s new and on the edge and controversial in the best way possible.’ "

In 2008 on Young and Restless, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) wed Sabrina Costelana. The bride marveled as she spoke her vows, "Victor, you're like a — you're like a long-lost dream. It's a feeling that I thought was gone forever, and here you are." The groom replied, "You make me very happy. I think you meeting Victoria and becoming her best friend was fate's hand at work. I love your exuberance and love for life. I love the fact that I can talk to you about almost anything. You're so bright. I adore you." The marriage was ultimately short-lived, as a pregnant Sabrina was killed in a car crash.

In 2010, Alice Horton passed away on Days of Our Lives. Frances Reid, the original DAYS cast member who portrayed Alice beginning in 1965, had passed away earlier in the year, on February 3, and the character's death was scripted in response. In the storyline, Alice's death was due to natural causes, and with her health in decline, many of her loved ones gathered to say good-bye to her before her passing.

In 2011, Freddie Smith (l., pictured with Kate Mansi as Abigail Deveraux and Chandler Massey as Will Horton) debuted as Sonny Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives. The actor played the role on and off until 2020, at which point the character was recast with Zach Tinker. The actor recalled to Soap Opera Digest in 2015 that on his first day, his first scenes were opposite Mansi and Massey and he was so determined to be prepared, "I even hired an acting coach to help me with my lines the night before."