Top Ten Female Characters of Daytime Television

Several incredible female characters have graced daytime television through the years. Bad girls, good girls, crazy girls, soap operas have featured them all. The characters most interesting to me are those I grew up watching, those who've evolved and overcome struggles to become strong independent women. Narrowing the list down to ten is difficult, but here are my ten favorite female soap opera characters of all time.

10. Katherine Chancellor is the matriarch of Genoa City. Jeanne Cooper, her portrayer, has been on the job for 34 years. As one of the main characters in one of the most successful daytime soap operas, The Young and The Restless, Cooper has done some amazing work. Katherine Chancellor has been an alcoholic, spent years fighting with a woman she discovered was her daughter, hid the fact that she switched said woman's baby, all while running a million dollar company.

Cooper has enjoyed a successful career as evident by, her receipt of a star on the Hollywood walk of Fame, Daytime Emmy Award, Soap Opera Digest Award, and Soap Opera Digest Editor's Award. Katherine Chancellor has enjoyed some great moments in Genoa City, including great fights with Jill and fun moments with her maid Ester. Maybe the secret to Cooper's longevity is her remaining young and restless

9. Kristian Alfonso began her soap career at an early age, she was nineteen when she began playing Hope Williams on Days of Our Lives. Though she's left the show on a couple of occasions, Alfonso has always returned, much to the delight of Days fans. Now, the young girl who was swept off her feet by the dashing, Bo Brady, is a grandmother. Alfonso's extensive career is chronicled in her awards, a Daytime Emmy Award in 1985, and four Soap Opera Digest Awards (the first in 1984, the most recent in 2003.)

Through the years, Hope has grown into one of the most popular women on daytime. Along with Peter Reckell, Alfonso forms what is commonly referred to as a super couple. Though they've had their share of problems, and dealt with the death of a child, the couple is still together, proving it is possible for a super couple to survive in daytime.

8. Another World was one of the first soaps I watched, and Rachel Cory was my favorite, she always seemed so gentle and loving. Victoria Wyndam played Rachel, one half of super couple Rachel and Mac Cory. Wyndam took over the part of Rachel Cory and portrayed her for an amazing 27 years. For her years of portraying Rachel, Wyndam earned a Soap Opera Digest award for best actress, she was also nominated three times for a Daytime Emmy.

Though she has a vast body of work including commercials and the stage, Wyndam is most identified as Rachel Cory. As Wyndam and the character she portrayed became the face of Another World, problems behind the scenes would spell the end of the show. I still remember when Another World went off the air, in 1999. I felt then, as I still do, that it went off the air too soon.

7. Brooke Logan, much like Reva Shayne, was a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, attracted to handsome men from a wealthy family. Brooke Logan has been involved with all the Forrester men, Eric, Thorn and the love of her life, Ridge. Kelly Lang was a young woman when she began portraying Brooke in 1987 and we've watched her grow into a formidable opponent to her constant nemesis Stephanie. Lang's work has earned her seven Soap Opera Digest Award Nominations.

The relationship between Brooke and Ridge has created some of the most memorable moments on Bold & the Beautiful, and they make up one of the shows most popular couples. Though Brooke has been married and involved with other men, including sharing a couple of men with her daughter, you always felt her and Ridge would find their way back to each other.

6. On the Young & the Restless, the tale of Nikki Newman was like an adult version of the Cinderella story. The former stripper met her prince charming, Victor Newman and the couple had a fairytale romance, which culminated in a marriage and two children. The on again, off again relationship between Nikki and Victor has been ongoing for years. However, Nikki has grown and proven she doesn't need Victor Newman to rescue her, she's fully capable of taking care of herself.

It's hard to believe the one time dancer, is now a proud grandmother. The character of Nikki has been transformed through great story lines, including several marriages, a bout with alcoholism, and years of fighting with Victor. Scott's received recognition for her work, earning a Daytime Emmy Nomination, and a Soap Opera Digest Award. Thirty years after taking over the role of Nikki, Scott has created her own Pretty Woman story.

5. The name, Erica Kane is widely known even amongst non soap opera fans. Susan Lucci is arguably the most recognizable soap opera star of all time. I wasn't a regular viewer of All My Children, but I knew Susan Lucci and her talent brought me to the show. Over the course of her 35 years portraying Erica Kane, Lucci has received numerous honors, a Daytime Emmy, induction in the Broadcasting Hall of Fame, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Lucci also found success on the stage and on the hit show, Dancing with the Stars. An excellent business woman Lucci has several products featured on the Home Shopping Network. Lucci lends her name to several products; a facial system, Pilates system, and a lingerie line that I'm sure Erica Kane would approve of.

4. Lucinda Walsh is one of the strongest female soap opera characters ever portrayed. Growing up watching Lucinda, I dreamt of becoming a powerful businesswoman like her. Her personal life left something to be desired, but you can't have everything. Her portrayer, Elizabeth Hubbard, is an amazing actress who commands your attention every time she's on the screen.

Hubbard has played Lucinda Walsh for 25 years and though her screen time has diminished over the years, I always look forward to a good Lucinda storyline. Her talent has garnered her many awards, including eight Daytime Emmy nominations, ten Soap Opera Digest nominations, four Soap Opera Update MVP awards, and two Daytime Emmy awards for, pre As the World Turns work.

It's been a privilege to watch Lucinda battle for her company against the likes of Craig Montgomery and James Stenbeck. Her scenes with her daughters, Lily especially, remind you of a lioness protecting her young. Let's hope the writers continue to give this wonderful actress good material.

3. When she began her career on As the World Turns, Martha Byrne was the envy of many young girls, including me. I wanted to be Lily, because she was the object of desire of Holden Snyder, the young stable boy whom her mother disliked immensely. She was also best friends with the very cute, Dusty Donovan played at the time, by Brian Bloom. After some indecision, Lily finally choose and married Holden Snyder.

Through a lot of painful events, finding and losing her sister, having her child kidnapped, battling addiction, Lily grew into a strong woman and even learned to stand up to her overbearing mother. Lily Snyder became one of the most complex, relatable characters on daytime. Byrne's, who began working on the show in 1985, amassed a brilliant body of work which, was acknowledged with seven Soap Opera Digest Award nominations, and two Daytime Emmy's. Shockingly, after unsuccessful contract negotiations, the part of Lily Snyder was recast, but for me, Martha Byrne was, and always will be Lily Snyder.

2. The fact that as I write this, the character Marlena Evans is no longer on Days of Our Lives, is unbelievable. Deidre Hall was such a part of Days of Our Lives, I no longer watch the show. Marlena has given Days brilliant moments over the years. Her interaction between John and Roman provided some of the most romantic scenes in the history of soap operas. Deidre Hall had been in Salem since 1976, taking a few years off in the late 80's to star in, Our House, a family drama series. Hall would return to Days in the early 90's.

For her remarkable daytime career, Hall has earned five Soap Opera Digest Awards, Best Television Role Model, and the America Women in Radio and Television Award. Days, is not the same, without Doc. It seems ludicrous that Deidre Hall is not working on a soap somewhere, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time. Hopefully, Marlena and John can return to Days to at least have a send off deserving of a couple who gave so much to the show.

1. Kim Zimmer is my all time favorite soap opera star. I grew up watching Zimmer portray Reva Shayne Lewis. I loved the fact that Reva Shayne came from a poor, but very close family. Reva spent her young adulthood chasing after the Lewis men, H.B, Billy, and her soul mate Josh. I'd never seen a female character get to have so much fun, and do so many naughty things. Zimmer lit up the screen and made watching Guiding Light fun and exciting.

Through her career, Zimmer has earned four Daytime Emmy and two Soap Opera Awards. Though she's played the same character for twenty-five years, Zimmer has worked on stage, movies and in other television shows, like a great guest staring role in Designing Women, and two other soap operas Doctor's and Santa Barbara. Zimmer may go on to do other great work, but when we think of her, we'll think of Reva.

Sadly, Guiding Light is facing cancellation and as a long time fan of Josh and Reva, I hope if the show is ending, that these two characters get to fad to black together. One of my favorite Reva, Josh moments, was their wedding at Cross Creek. I'm sure Guiding Light writers have one more Josh and Reva wedding in them.

Sources:

http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/kim-zimmer/1360520/biography?flv=1
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004984/biohttp://www.soapoperadigest.com/soapstarstats/marthabyrnebio/
http://www.soapoperadigest.com/soapstarstats/elizabethhubbardbio/
http://susanlucci.com/cgi-bin/p/awtp-custom.cgi?d=susanlucci.com&page=3238
http://www.soapoperadigest.com/soapstarstats/melodythomasscottbio/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Kelly_Lang
http://www.tv.com/victoria-wyndham/person/10011/summary.html
http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/kristian_alfonso/awards.shtml
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