Five Things That Happened On June 26 In Soap History

Billy Douglas came out as gay to his pastor, Andrew Carpenter, on One Life to Live, Young and Restless introduced Tricia Cast as Nina Webster, Jon Lindstrom made his General Hospital debut as villainous Ryan Chamberlain and other memorable moments that took place on daytime on June 26.

In 1983, Loving premiered on ABC. The half-hour soap was created by legendary scribes Agnes Nixon and Douglas Marland and was set in the college town of Corinth, PA, home to Alden University. In its early years, the show's stories centered around the wealthy Alden and Forbes clans and the less privileged Donovans and Rescotts, and tackled social issues like incest and the suffering of Vietnam vets. The show premiered in prime-time, with a two-hour movie starring Lloyd Bridges and Geraldine Page, before making its daytime bow the following day (minus Bridges and Page).

In 1986, Tricia Cast made her Young and Restless debut as Nina Webster. In 2023, she reminisced about her hiring to Soap Opera Digest, saying, "I auditioned for [then-Producer] Ed Scott and [then-Executive Producer] Wes Kenney. I remember very clearly going to the same third floor there as now and doing my lines to myself in the bathroom right opposite the elevators. I was excited about it because it was a very cool character; she had depth, she was young and vulnerable and tough at the same time. So it was just a real, standard audition, and I was very pleased to get the call that I had made it. The role was only meant for that first summer, so I was expecting just to be there for the summer. I actually said goodbye to everybody, and I remember Ed Scott coming out as I was saying goodbye and saying, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘I’m leaving, I guess.’ He said, ‘You’re gonna be back.’ I was like, ‘Oh, cool.’ "

ABC

In 1992, in a groundbreaking storyline for daytime television, teen Billy Douglas (Ryan Phillippe, l.) came out as gay on One Life To Live to his pastor, Andrew Carpenter (Wortham Krimmer). Billy was the first teen to come out on soaps. Vindictive Marty Saybrooke (whose advances the rev had spurned) saw Andrew with a comforting arm around Billy and told the young man’s parents, William and Virginia, that Andrew was putting the moves on their son. As the plot continued to unfold, Billy’s conservative father called for the minister’s resignation from St. James Church. Invoking his right to privacy, and attempting to shield Billy, Andrew refused to clarify his own sexual orientation, which only stoked the ire of the homophobic community members who advocated that he be fired.

DANIEL WATSON/ABC COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

In 1992, Jon Lindstrom made his General Hospital debut as Ryan Chamberlain, a pediatrician who would later be revealed to be a serial killer. The following year, Lindstrom's second GH alter ego, Ryan's identical twin Kevin Collins, was introduced. In 2023, Lindstrom recalled to Soap Opera Digest, "[Ryan's introduction] had been conceived as and was meant to be a three-month storyline, for no other purpose than to be what I would call the surgical strike villain. My job was to come in and drive a wedge between Mac and Felicia in order for them to find their way back to each other by overcoming the obstacle of this villain.... But nine months later, the storyline was up at the front of the show, the ratings had come up, and everyone seemed to be talking about Ryan and Felicia and Mac and this great triangle that was playing out."

JPI

In 2012, Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) and Hope Logan (then-Kim Matula) wed in Puglia, Italy on Bold and Beautiful. Behind the scenes, father of the groom Bill was up to no good, springing Hope’s dad, Deacon, from jail to throw a monkey wrench into the happy occasion. Hope was late to the nups because of her reunion with her father, and a miffed Liam wound up kissing his ex, Steffy. But the nups got back on track and a throng of villagers flying banners and kites trailed the pair to the site of the vows. A Vera Wang-clad Hope promised Liam that she wouldn’t complain “when you want a night out with the guys” and he, in turn, promised not to throw away her fashion magazines without asking permission.

Kim Matula

Ryan Phillippe Scott Clifton Tricia Cast Bold and Beautiful Days of Our Lives General Hospital

Loving

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Five Things That Happened On June 26 In Soap History

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