Five Things That Happened On November 26 In Soap History

In 1991, Christian J. LeBlanc debuted as Young and Restless's Michael Baldwin. The actor had previously played the role of Kirk McColl on As The World Turns. In 2023, he recalled to Soap Opera Digest of auditioning for Y&R, " “It was a regular casting call so other actors were going up for the part. I remember the callback more clearly. I knew the character was supposed to be off-color and there would be tons and tons of dialogue, but I never had a screen test. I went in and the only two people present were [Co-Creator/then-Head Writer] Bill Bell and [then-Executive Producer] Ed Scott, and after that, they hired me." His first day, he shared, "turned out to be the day of the official cast photo shoot. I was so excited and I was in this crowd of actors on bleachers, talking like a parrot. I then hear a voice behind me say, ‘That boy sure talks a lot,’ and I turned around to see it was Lauralee [Bell, Christine]. It was the first time we met.”

In 2002, an amnesiac Maria Santos Grey (Eva LaRue) was overjoyed after experiencing her first memory of her past with Edmund Grey (John Callahan) on All My Children. After being presumed dead in a place crash in 1997, Maria had been located living under the name Maureen S. Gorman. Her re-entry into the Pine Valley scene had been a tense one, as she had no memory of her husband, Edmund, their children, Sam and Maddie, or the rest of her family. At Wildwind with Edmund, she suddenly flashed back to a pre-plane crash moment with Edmund. She excitedly told him, "I'm going to remember our life together!" and threw her arms around him. Edmund was delighted.

In 2007, Bold and Beautiful's Stephanie Forrester (Susan Flannery) was whisked into surgery after being shot by Storm Logan (although the identity of the shooter was not revealed at the time). Before she was rushed in for a life-saving operation, Steph tried to identify who had shot her, but could only get out the word "Logan." "I knew it was a damn Logan," grumbled Felicia in the waiting room. Ridge and Thorne thought she meant Brooke, but she clarified that her money was on Donna. Meanwhile, Eric insisted on being present for the surgery, and doctors successfully removed the bullet, sparing Steph's life.

In 2012, Stephanie Forrester died after a battle with lung cancer, marking the end of original cast member Susan Flannery’s (r.) run on Bold and Beautiful. The whole Forrester family had been devastated when their matriarch's lung cancer returned. Steph decided she didn't want treatment and after a festive, Irish-themed farewell bash, Steph made the surprising decision to  spend her final moments at the family's Big Bear cabin with her one-time sworn enemy, Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang). The women made their peace, and outside of the cabin as the life waned from her, Stephanie told Brooke, "I’ll miss you. Sing me to sleep, baby girl.” Brooke tearfully serenaded Stephanie with “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” as Steph peacefully passed away.

In 2012 on General Hospital, Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms, r.) spontaneously suggested to her bestie, Lulu Falconeri (Julie Marie Berman), that she serve as a surrogate for Lulu and her husband, Dante Falconeri, who were experiencing fertility challenges, as Lulu had learned that she would be unable to carry a child to term. In time, Lulu and Dante accepted Maxie's offer, but things went dramatically awry. Maxie was implanted with a Dante/Lulu embryo, but miscarried, and quickly got pregnant naturally with her own biological child when she had a one-night stand with her ex, Spinelli. It wasn't until after Maxie gave birth to her baby (who Lulu and Dante named Connie) that the truth about her biological identity came out, and everyone wound up in court. Spinelli was awarded custody and "Connie" was renamed Georgie, in honor of Maxie's late sister.