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List Of Longest-serving Soap Opera Actors
Soap operas, a serialised drama produced for radio, television and internet streaming, are specifically and uniquely known for their ensemble casts and long-running characters. Many of these characters have stayed in their respective series for decades, often played by the same actor. The following is a list of the longest-serving actors from soap operas all over the world. It details those actors with ten or more years spent on one year-round or stripped soap opera, despite itinerant breaks and in some cases with the actor portraying multiple roles. As of 2025, William Roache holds the ''Guinness World Record'' for the longest-serving actor in a television soap opera, having played Ken Barlow on ''Coronation Street'' since 1960. Patricia Greene holds a similar record as the longest-serving actor in a radio soap opera, having joined the cast of ''The Archers'' as character Jill Archer in 1957. Longest-serving soap opera actors worldwide Current All-time Longest serving ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Soap Opera
A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers.Bowles, p. 118. The term was preceded by ''horse opera'', a derogatory term for low-budget Western (genre), Westerns. According to some dictionaries, for something to be adequately described as a soap opera, it need not be long-running; but some authors define the word in a way that excludes short-running serial dramas from their definition. BBC Radio's ''The Archers'', first Broadcasting, broadcast in 1950, is the world's longest-running soap opera. The longest-running television soap opera is ''Coronation Street'', which was first broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV in 1960. According to Albert Moran, one of the defining features that make a television program a soap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Days Of Our Lives
''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that aired on the network NBC from November 8, 1965, to September 9, 2022; the soap has streamed new episodes on Peacock since September 12, 2022. The soap is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965. A co-production of Corday Productions and Sony Pictures Television, the series was created by husband-and-wife team Ted Corday and Betty Corday. During ''Days of Our Lives'' early years, Irna Phillips (creator of former NBC stablemate '' Another World'' as well as its former CBS rivals, '' As the World Turns'' and ''Guiding Light'') served as a story editor for the program and many of the show's earliest storylines were written by William J. Bell, who would depart the series in 1975 to focus full-time on ''The Young and the Restless'', which he created for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Victor Newman
Victor Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. He has been portrayed by Eric Braeden since 1980. Initially a guest character who was to last for eight to twelve weeks, Victor has evolved into the soap opera's leading male figure. Created by William J. Bell as a "despicable, contemptible, unfaithful wife abuser", the character was planned to be killed off and never heard of again. However, after Bell saw Braeden's performance, he decided to sign the actor onto a contract. Braeden was hesitant to work on a soap opera, but eventually signed a contract, and has remained on the series as a regular cast member for over 40 years. The character is widely described as a ruthless villain, while loving to those he holds dear. Over the years, he has also been the center of several controversial plots and relationships. Victor arrived in Genoa City, Wisconsin for business, and he eventually formed his own worldwide conglomerate, New ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Eric Braeden
Eric Braeden (born Hans-Jörg Gudegast; April 3, 1941) is a German-American film and television actor, known for his roles as Victor Newman (fictional character), Victor Newman (from 1980) on the CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', as Hans Dietrich in the 1960s TV series ''The Rat Patrol'', Dr. Charles Forbin in 1970's ''Colossus: The Forbin Project'', as Dr. Otto Hasslein in 1971's ''Escape from the Planet of the Apes'', and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film ''Titanic (1997 film), Titanic''. He won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1998 for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the role of Victor Newman on ''The Young and the Restless''. Early life Braeden was born Hans-Jörg Gudegast on April 3, 1941 in Bredenbek, Germany (near Kiel), a small village in northern Germany where his father was once mayor. Career Braeden accumulated many TV and film credits during his first two decades in America, and guest-starred ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Eddie Grundy
This is a list of many of the characters from the long-running United Kingdom, British radio soap opera, soap ''The Archers''. The Archer family tree The Archer family Jill Archer Patterson (born 3 October 1930) (Patricia Greene) is the widow of Phil Archer and matriarch of the family. She was his second wife, and with him had four children: twins Shula and Kenton, and David and Elizabeth. She is busily involved in village life and supports her children by taking on child-minding duties. Jill is an active member of the British Women's Institute, Women's Institute, opened up a holiday cottage business, and is teaching her grandson, Josh, how to beekeeping, keep bees. Jill has a less traditional outlook on life than her late husband, who had been a Justice of the Peace, reflected in her opposition to both foxhunting and private education. Following a burglary at Glebe Cottage she was asked by David and Ruth to return to Brookfield which subsequentl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Trevor Harrison
Trevor Harrison (born 16 March 1957) is an English actor best known for his role as Eddie Grundy in the BBC Radio 4 soap opera, ''The Archers''. Early life Harrison was born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire on 16 March 1957. He was educated at the Grange Secondary Modern School in Stourbridge. Seeing Richard Harris in the film ''Camelot'' inspired him to become an actor, and he succeeded in getting an audition at Birmingham Theatre School. There, under Mary Richards, he thrived and when he left at the age of 18 he worked in a company touring schools and appeared in Rep in Birmingham and Coventry. Career His television credits include ''In A Land of Plenty'' (2001), ''Get Some In!'', '' Hazell'' and ''Stig of the Dump''. He also appeared for several months in ''Crossroads'', toured with theatres, appeared in pantomime and also had his own show on the local radio station, BBC Hereford & Worcester. In addition to his role in ''The Archers'', he has acted in several radio plays o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
The Young And The Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in the fictional Genoa City (named after the real-life Genoa City, Wisconsin). First broadcast on March 26, 1973, ''The Young and the Restless'' was originally broadcast as half-hour episodes, five times a week. The show expanded to one-hour episodes on February 4, 1980. On March 17, 2006, the series began airing previous episodes weeknights on Soapnet until its closure on December 31, 2013, after which the series moved to TVGN (now Pop (American TV channel), Pop). From July 1, 2013 until 2019, Pop aired previous episodes on weeknights. The series is also syndicated internationally. ''The Young and the Restless'' originally focused on two core families: the wealthy Brooks family and the working class Foster family. After a series of recasts and departures in the early 1980s, all the original characters except ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Nikki Newman
Nikki Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS CBS Daytime, daytime soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless''. Created and introduced by William J. Bell in 1978, the role was portrayed by Erica Hope, before Melody Thomas Scott took over in 1979. Introduced as a stripper, the character became well known for her relationship with businessman Victor Newman (fictional character), Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), a union that developed into a supercouple pairing that has spanned over four decades. She shares two children with Victor, Victoria Newman, Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Nicholas Newman (Joshua Morrow). In 2013, she reveals that she had previously given up a child for adoption, who is later discovered to be Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton (actor), Steve Burton). The character has also had several other notorious relationships, including Paul Williams (The Young and the Restless), Paul Williams (Doug Davidson), Jack Abbott (The Young and the Restless), Jack Abbott (Peter Be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Melody Thomas Scott
Melody Thomas Scott (born Melody Ann Thomas, April 18, 1956) is an American actress. She began her career as a child actress appearing in the psychological thriller film, ''Marnie (film), Marnie''. She later appeared in films ''The Beguiled (1971 film), The Beguiled'' (1971), ''Posse (1975 film), Posse'' (1975), ''The Shootist'' (1976), ''The Car (1977 film), The Car'' (1977), ''The Fury (film), The Fury'' (1978) and ''Piranha (1978 film), Piranha'' (1978). In 1979 she began starring as Nikki Newman on the CBS daytime soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless''. Life and career Scott was born Melody Ann Thomas in Los Angeles. Her first film credit was as a child actress in the 1964 Alfred Hitchcock movie ''Marnie (film), Marnie''. On television, she guest-starred on ''My Three Sons'', ''Wagon Train'' and ''Ironside (1967 TV series), Ironside''. She had supporting roles in the psychological thriller film ''The Beguiled (1971 film), The Beguiled'' (1971), and the Western films ''Pos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Julie Olson Williams
Julie Olson Williams is a fictional character and member of the Horton family on the NBC daytime drama, ''Days of Our Lives''. Julie has been played by daytime legend, Susan Seaforth Hayes, off and on since 1968, making her one of the longest tenure actors in American soap operas, and is the only actor to appear on all-seven decades of the serial The character of Julie was introduced as a 16-year-old when the show premiered in 1965, with 19-year-old Charla Doherty being the first actress to play Julie. The role was unsuccessfully recast twice with Catherine Dunn in 1967, followed by Catherine Ferrar from 1967 until 1968. The role was then taken over by actress Susan Seaforth Hayes in 1968, who still portrays the character to this day. Julie is the last remaining character from the pilot, and Hayes the earliest-appearing actor to appear currently on the serial. Hayes is most recognizable in the role, having portrayed the character in the show all seven decades it has been on the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Susan Seaforth Hayes
Susan Seaforth Hayes (born Susan Seabold; July 11, 1943) is an American television actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Julie Williams on the NBC drama '' Days of Our Lives'', and her intermittent portrayal of Joanna Manning on the CBS daytime drama ''The Young and the Restless''. She began playing the role of Julie on ''Days of Our Lives'' in 1968, and is the only actress to appear on the show for all seven decades it has been on the air. Seaforth Hayes still regularly appears on ''Days'' as Julie. Career Susan Seaforth grew up in Hollywood, where she was active in theater as a teenager. Her mother, Elizabeth Harrower (1918–2003), was an actress and screenwriter who eventually became a part of the writing teams of ''The Young and the Restless'' and '' Days of Our Lives''. Her father, Harry Seabold, lived with his bride for 90 days during World War II, through his basic training near Oklahoma City. He shipped out after his daughter was conceived and remained ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Pat Archer
Pat Archer (also Lewis) is a fictional character from the British BBC Radio 4 soap opera, ''The Archers''. The character was introduced in 1974 by producer Tony Shryane as the love interest of Tony Archer, whom she would later marry. Radio actress Patricia Gallimore has played the role for 45 years, making her one of the longest-serving soap opera actors in the world. Pat is the wife of Tony Archer, and mother to John, Helen and Tom. She is also the grandmother to Henry and Jack Archer. Pat has been involved in many crises over her almost five-decades in Ambridge, including an escherichia coli outbreak in the dairy, Tony being crushed by a bull and being a prosecution witness in her daughter Helen's attempted murder trial.. Gallimore describes the character as "hard-working, long-suffering, loyal; sometimes bossy". Creation and casting Characterisation Before joining The Archers cast, Gallimore was starring in some of the BBC's most popular radio serials and dramas. Gal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
