A History of CBS Soap Operas

Soap Operas for fifty years have mesmerized and entertained the television viewing world. We have experienced dramas, romance and attraction. The first television soap opera aired on CBS in 1956. The soap opera was the still popular Guiding Light. Guiding Light first began on the radio 1930s. It switched to television in 1956.

CBS has and continues to air many great soap operas. CBS currently airs The Young and the Restless, Bold and the Beautiful, As the World Turns and Guiding Light.

In 1973 The Young and the Restless premiered. It became quite successful pretty quickly and still pulls in millions of viewers today. The story line began with the Abbot and Newman families' battling it out in the boardroom of the business world. I can remember when it first aired. My Mother was very faithful to CBS soap operas. When Search for Tomorrow was taken off the air after 30 years she had a fit. Many viewers have watched The Young and the Restless from the very beginning. It has won more Emmy Awards the any other soap currently on television and has been #1 for 16 years. The longest running character on the show is Katherine Chancellor played by Jeanne Cooper. She celebrated 30 years on the show in January 2004.

The Bold and the Beautiful is a half hour soap that centers on the Forrester and Spectra Families. They are families that battle in the fashion world. It first aired on the fourteenth anniversary of The Young and the Restless premiere in 1987. The Young And The restless and The Bold and The Beautiful have entwined the story lines of both shows together at times. The Forrester's know the Beautiful Lauren Finmore who lives in Genoa City. Both shows have also had to deal with the psychotic fits of Sheila Carter.

As The World Turns is also a long running CBS soap. ATWT also aired 1956. While some shows have made changes every few years to their opening visuals ATWT has always had a globe. The look may have changed over the years but the globe is still there. ATWT is loved partly because there are still the original people playing some of the characters that have been their from the beginning. These characters are so familiar and loved by viewers they almost seem like family.

Donald Hastings has been on the show since 1956 he plays the role of Bob Hughes. He holds the record for playing the same television role longer then any other actor. Helen Wagner has played matriarch Nancy Hughes with only a few interruptions since the shows debut in 1956. Her role would make her the person to play a role longer than any other but she has taken some breaks. Although she has played the role for 50 years she has never won a daytime Emmy Award, but she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in May 2004. And finally is Eileen Fulton she is famous for her role has Lisa Grimaldi a role she has played off and on since 1956.

ATWT takes place in Oakdale. Many of the characters are rich or Police Agents. The police agent aspect adds a different spin to soaps. The fans love the mysteries and the good looking and charming police agents who come to the aid of others or catch the bad guys.

That leads us back to Guiding Light it was popular on radio for over fifteen years, and since 1956 has been loved by television viewers. One thing that keeps CBS soaps on the air is there sadly romantic storylines and devotion to keeping the fans entertained and anxiously awaiting each day's episode.

Some will argue with me that CBS isn't that popular or that I'm biased because I watch these soaps and to an extent this may be true, but the facts are NBC has won 18 Emmys, ABC has won 80 and CBS has won 99. The Young and the Restless is the most popular of all soaps with a rating of 4.2 watched by about 4.5 million people and As the World Turns and Guiding Light have been on since 1956.