All: Associated Content's Top 10 Soap Actresses

[dragonflies]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1...ses.html?cat=49

The Best Female Soap Opera Stars

10. Helen Wager (Nancy Hughes on Ryan's Hope, 1956-present)

An original cast member, Helen Wagner holds the distinction of playing the same character for over fifty years.

9. Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne on Guiding Light, 1983-1990 and 1995-present)

As Reva, Kim Zimmer has wed 9 times, been presumed dead twice and committed innumerable crimes. Her portrayal of Reva is so unforgettable that she has won four Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress.

8. Linda Dano (Felicia Gallant on Another World, 1984-1999)

The dramatic Mrs. Dano has appeared on several soaps, but is perhaps best known for her 15 year run on Another World.

7. Patsy Pease (Kimberly Brady Donovan on Days of Our Lives, 1984-1990, 1991-1992, 2008)

As part of the "super couple" Shane and Kimberly, Patsy Pease was an overwhelmingly popular star on Days of Our Lives in the late 80's. Nearly 20 years later, I still remember vividly the sense of loss that I felt when Patsy Pease left DOOL.

6. Ericka Slezak (Viki Lord Davidson on One Life to Live, 1971-present)

Ericka Slezak has the most Daytime Emmy wins (six) of any actress. Recently, persistent rumors have hinted that the long running actress may be written off of One Life to Live in the near future.

5. Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman on The Young and the Restless, 1979-present)

Nikki is considered the ultimate survivor on The Young and the Restless, and her character has wed Y&R mainstay Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) three times.

4. Kristian Alfonso (Hope Brady on Days of Our Lives, 1983-1987, 1990, 1994-present)

As Hope "Fancyface" Williams Brady, Kristian Alfonso has had an immensely popular storyline over the last twenty plus years with Peter Reckell playing her husband Bo Brady. Despite being 45 years old, she seems ageless.

3. Genie Francis (Laura Spencer on General Hospital, 1976-2002, 2006, 2008)

As half of the ultimate soap super couple, Luke and Laura, Genie Francis is an iconic figure in soap opera history. Luke and Laura's wedding (taking place on November 16, 1981) was the highest rated hour in soap opera history.

2. Deidre Hall (Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives, 1976-1987,

1991-2009)

Soap veteran Deidre Hall has been through it all with Marlena Evans- demon possession, presumed death, a stint as a presumed serial killer and multiple marriages. Days of our Lives fans protested the removal of Hall (and longtime co-star Drake Hogestyn) from the cast in early 2009.

1. Susan Lucci (Erica Kane on All My Children, 1970-present)

Susan Lucci is perhaps best known for her 19 unsuccessful Daytime Emmy nominations before she finally triumphed with the 1999 Outstanding Lead Actress award. Erica Kane is a self seeking diva who has been married ten to twelve times (some of her marriages were deemed invalid so the number is unclear even to longtime fans). TV Guide referred to her as "Daytime's Leading Lady", reflecting her status as perhaps the best female soap opera actress.

[JackPeyton]

Umm, no.

Aside from PP, these are just the faces of the shows.

I can name 20 actress' who are better than Susan and D in a heartbeat.

[alwaysAMC]

Go Lucci!

[JackPeyton]

Not at all.

She is the face of daytime, the most famous soap star.

but perhaps the best female soap opera actress? by no means.

[MarkH]

What is this list? What is the point of it? Weird.

[Darn]

Patsy Pease? How [!@#$%^&*] random is that?

[All My Shadows]

LMAO

That site is basically like Wikipedia for newspaper articles, so it's not to be taken seriously.

[classicmoment]

Looks more like a list of popularity but to each his own some may agree for their personal likings.

My top picks I'm sure differs from many on here. I think DEE HALL's biggest problem was she stayed on DOOL waay too long she may have shined and done better acting wise elsewhere. I liked her when I had a grasp on who Marlena was but between her acting, the directing, and the writing that character became utterly ridiculous. She reawakened me to her talents during ES tenure John's death the aftermath and Marlen vs Stefano when Marlena regained her backbone. It is only within recent years that I looked at MTS as the better actress .

My Picks are in no paticular order (based solely on the shows I watched and who impressed me) are:

Geni Francis

Michelle Stafford

Susan Flannery (don't really watch her show but caught it enough)

Leslie Charleston(sp ch?)

Eileen Davidson

Lauren Koslow (the extremely underrated)

Jackie Zeaman

Constance Towers (I know she's not a major player on the show but she is just amazing)

Victoria Rowell (I love this woman's style)

Jeanie Cooper

Jess Walton

I'm sorry I just couldn't do ten. Sorry for all the name butchering and spelling errors

[SFK]

What is the criteria here? I think this person isn't talking best actresses as much as he/she is talking biggest stars. And in that case, Eileen Fulton, Rosemary Prinz (bigger than Susan Lucci in her day) deserve to be on such a list.

In no particular order, off the top of my head... Erika Slezak, Beverlee McKinsey, Irene Dailey, Robin Strasser, Jeanne Cooper, Linda Dano, Victoria Wyndham, Gina Tognoni, Susan Haskell, Susan Lucci

I did not include popular choices like Susan Flannery or Elizabeth Hubbard because I haven't seen enough of those ladies to fairly judge. Kim Zimmer is very talented but I've sort of "charted" her schtick, like you know how you expect Sally Field to always do her broken down and crying then suddenly together and yelling Sybil thing? Yeah, it's like Reva has patterns like that that you begin to notice. JMO.

[Limenade]

How did Helen Wagner-ATWT (Nancy) get on Ryan's Hope?

Must be a mixed-up with Helen Gallagher.

[CSF]

I think it's supposed to say ATWT not Ryan's Hope.

[classicmoment]

Also Genie Francis and even possibly VM. She was/is certainly popular/recognizable face for GH and IMO she can compete with maybe a handful chosen on that list with her body of work on GH