Longest Running Stars

[FrenchFan]

Here is a list of the longest running stars (more than 20 years) with the same contract role on a daytime drama:

Don Hastings [bob Hughes, ATWT] (1960-present) : 47 years

Helen Wagner [Nancy Hughes, ATWT] (1956-1981, 1985-present) : 47 years

Eileen Fulton [Lisa Miller Grimaldi, ATWT] (1960-1965, 1966-1983, 1984-present) : 45 years

Frances Reid [Alice Horton, DAYS] (1965-present) : 42 years

Rachel Ames [Audrey Hardy, GH] (1964-2003) : 39 years

John Clarke [Mickey Horton, DAYS] (1965-2004) : 39 years

Susan Lucci [Erica Kane, AMC] (1970-present): 37 years

Ray MacDonnell [Joe Martin, AMC] (1970-present): 37 years

Erika Slezak [Viki Lord Davidson, OLTL] (1971-present) : 36 years

Patricia Bruder [Ellen Stewart, ATWT] (1960-1995) : 35 years

Larry Bryggman [John Dixon, ATWT] (1969-2004) : 35 years

Larry Haines [stu Bergman, SFT] (1951-1986): 35 years

Kathryn Hays [Kim Hughes, ATWT] (1972-present) : 35 years

Mary Stuart [Jo Barron Tourneur, SFT] 1951-1986): 35 years

Ruth Warrick [Phoebe Tyler Wallingford, AMC] (1970-2005) : 35 years

Jeanne Cooper [Katherine Chancellor, YR] (1973-present): 34 years

John Beradino [steve Hardy, GH] (1963-1996) : 33 years

Charita Bauer [bert Bauer, GL] (1952-1984) : 32 years

Eileen Herlie [Myrtle Fargate, AMC] (1976, 1977-present): 31 years

Suzanne Rogers [Maggie Horton, DAYS] (1974-1984, 1985-2003, 2004-present) : 31 years

Leslie Charleson [Monica Quartermaine, GH] (1977-present) : 30 years

Stuart Damon [Alan Quartermaine, GH] (1977-2007) : 30 years

Julia Barr [brooke English, AMC] (1976-1981, 1982-2006) : 29 years

MacDonald Carey [Tom Horton, DAYS] (1965-1994) : 29 years

Doug Davidson [Paul Williams, YR] (1978-present): 29 years

Jacklyn Zeman [bobbie Spencer, GH] (1977-1981, 1982-present) : 29 years

Colleen Zenk-Pinter [barbara Ryan, ATWT] (1978-present) : 29 years

Phil Carey [Asa Buchanan, OLTL] (1979-2007) : 28 years

James Mitchell [Palmer Cortlandt, AMC] (1979-present) : 28 years

Melody Thomas-Scott [Nikki Reed Newman, YR] (1979-present): 28 years

Eric Braeden [Victor Newman, YR] (1980-present): 27 years

Deidre Hall [Marlena Evans Black, DAYS] (1976-1987, 1991-present) : 27 years

Marie Masters [susan Stewart, ATWT] (1968-1979, 1986-2002) : 27 years

Anna Lee [Lila Quartermaine, GH] (1978-2004) : 26 years

Jerry Ver Dorn [Ross Marler, GL] (1979-2005) : 26 years

Robert S. Woods [bo Buchanan, OLTL] (1979-1986, 1988-present) : 26 years

Victoria Wyndham [Rachel Cory, AW] (1972-1999) : 26 years

Mary Fickett [Ruth Martin, AMC] (1970-1995) : 26 years

Constance Ford [Ada Hobson, AW] (1967-1992) : 25 years

Henderson Forsythe [David Stewart, ATWT] (1960-1985) : 25 years

David Canary [Adam / Stuart Chandler, AMC] (1983-present): 24 years

Frances Heflin [Mona Kane, AMC] (1970-1994) : 24 years

James Reynolds [Abe Carver, DAYS] (1981-1990, 1991-2003, 2004-present) : 24 years

Carolyn Conwell [Mary Williams, YR] (1980-2003): 23 years

Elizabeth Hubbard [Lucinda Walsh, ATWT] (1984-1999, 1999-present) : 23 years

Kate Linder [Esther Valentine, YR] (1984-present): 23 years

Michael Storm [Larry Wolek, OLTL] (1969-1992) : 23 years

Patty Weaver [Gina Roma, YR] (1982-2005): 23 years

Ann Flood [Nancy Karr, EON] (1962-1984): 22 years

William Johnstone [James Lowell, ATWT] (1956-1978) : 22 years

Shell Kepler [Amy Vining, GH] (1979-2001) : 22 years

Emily McLaughlin [Jessie Brewer, GH] (1963-1985) : 22 years

Robert Newman [Joshua Lewis, GL] (1981-1984, 1986-1991, 1993-present) : 22 years

Theo Goetz [Papa Bauer, GL] (1952-1973) : 21 years

Peter Hanssen [Lee Baldwin, GH] (1965-1986) : 21 years

Drake Hogestyn [John Black, DAYS] (1986-present) : 21 years

Michael E. Knight [Tad Martin, AMC] (1982-1986, 1988-1990, 1992-present): 21 years

Peggy McCay [Caroline Brady, DAYS] (1985-2003, 2004-present) : 21 years

Frank Parker [shawn Brady Sr, DAYS] (1985-1989, 1990-present) : 21 years

Audrey Peters (Vanessa Dale Sterling, LOL] (1959-1980): 21 years

Ron Tomme [bruce Sterling, LOL] (1959-1980): 21 years

Frank Dicopoulos [Frank Cooper, GL] (1987-present): 20 years

Susan Flannery [stephanie Forrester, BB] (1987-present): 20 years

Mandel Kramer [bill Marceau, EON] (1959-1979): 20 years

Katherine Kelly Lang [brooke Logan Forrester, BB] (1987-present): 20 years

John McCook [Eric Forrester, BB] (1987-present): 20 years

Ronn Moss [Ridge Forrester, BB] (1987-present): 20 years

Santos Ortega [Grandpa Hughes, ATWT] (1956-1976) : 20 years

Melba Rae [Marge Bergman, SFT] (1951-1971) : 20 years

Jess Walton [Jill Foster Abbott, YR] (1987-present): 20 years

Walt Willey [Jackson Montgomery, AMC] (1987-present): 20 years

[angel]

Peter Hanssen [Lee Baldwin, GH] (1965-1986) : 21 years

Wasn't he on for more years than that? Should PORT CHARLES be counted?

[TC]

Thanks FrenchFan. I knew Helen Wagner would be at the top but had forgotten about the few years she was off. Had she not been away for those 4 years it would have put her over the 50 mark.

I wonder how may hover just under the 20 year level.

[applcin]

Thanks for the list! Hmmm...why is Clint Ritchie missing? IMDB gives his dates on OLTL as 1979-1999 (20 years), then episodes in 2000, 2003.

It's funny how some folks I half expected to see on the list weren't there...people that seemed to have been around a lot longer than they actually were because they were so identified with their soap/characters, like Douglass Watson (Mac, AW), Forrest Compton (Mike Karr, EON--didn't realize he was the 3rd Mike!), Tony Geary & Norma Connolly (Luke & Ruby, GH).

So much history.

[Pest Spray]

Deidre Hall (1976 - 1987; 1991 - present)

[Dale]

What a great list! Thanks for taking the time to compile it! Of course you must have anticipated a few annoying nitpickers like me! Consider this update:

Jackie Zeman - off GH from Dec 1981 to Dec 1982

Again, this is a fascinating list!!!

[jonesy]

I agree, this is awesome!!!

Shouldn't Victoria Wyndham (Rachel, AW) be 26 years (almost 27)? July 1972 - June 1999 according to Eddie's Drueding's AWHP.

[applcin]

I'm back, lol. Now that I think about it, and checked around a bit, wouldn't Tony Geary make the 20 year list as well?

1978-1984 - 6 years

not counting 1991-1993 as Bill Eckert

1993-2007 - 14 years

[LoyaltoAMC]

How about a few more?

Frances Heflin (Mona Tyler, AMC), 1970-1994 (24 yrs)

Walt Willey (Jack Montgomery, AMC), 1987-present (20 yrs)

Jennifer Bassey (Marian Chandler, AMC), pretty much been with the show consistently whether on/off contract since 1983

Michael O'Leary (Rick Bauer, GL): I know he left and later returned at one point, but he must've put in at least 20 years

[LoyaltoAMC]

"Mary Fickett [Ruth Martin, AMC] (1970-1996) : 26 years"

Actually, Fickett returned in December 1998 after Lee Meriwether left, and played the role until 2001. So that would give her about 29 years.

[Sam Ford]

This is a really fascinating topic, and it reminds me of a really interesting project I heard about that I thought some of you might be interested in. Lee Harrington is doing a project researching aging in relation to soap operas and the relationship longtime viewers and actors have with a soap. She is interviewing a variety of the talent you have listed here who have portrayed a character consistently for more than 20 years on a soap opera, and she's also talking to creative poeple who worked with a particular show for more than 20 years and fans who have watched a particular show for more than 20 years.

I wanted to see if anyone who posts here on SON might be interested in participating. I'm only 24, and I've technically been watching ATWT for more than 20 years, but I don't think my memory as a 4-year-old is what it should be. If you are interested in talking with Lee about your relationship with any of the eight shows that have been on the air this long, please e-mail me at [email protected].

[Sam Ford]

This is a really fascinating topic, and it reminds me of a really interesting project I heard about that I thought some of you might be interested in. Lee Harrington is doing a project researching aging in relation to soap operas and the relationship longtime viewers and actors have with a soap. She is interviewing a variety of the talent you have listed here who have portrayed a character consistently for more than 20 years on a soap opera, and she's also talking to creative poeple who worked with a particular show for more than 20 years and fans who have watched a particular show for more than 20 years.

I wanted to see if anyone who posts here on SON might be interested in participating. I'm only 24, and I've technically been watching ATWT for more than 20 years, but I don't think my memory as a 4-year-old is what it should be. If you are interested in talking with Lee about your relationship with any of the eight shows that have been on the air this long, please e-mail me at [email protected].

[FrenchFan]

I have read all your posts :

- Peter Hansen: was he on contract on Port Charles? I thought it was recurring.

- Clint Ritchie was on "One Life to Live" from 1979 to 1998 [on contract status]

- I corrected Jacklyn Zeman and Victoria Wyndham. I added Frances Heflin and Walt Willey. I've also thought of the 4 original cast members of B&B, Jess Walton and Frank Dicopoulos.

- Jennifer Bassey was on contrat only from 1998 to 2003 / Michael O'Leary : 1983-1986, 1987-1991, 1995-2005, 2006-present so 18 years

[MichaelGL]

Thanks so much for this list!

[NYC123]

Wasn't Ruth Warrick on AMC for 35 years.