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ABC to Air Two-Hour Primetime Special, ‘The Story of Soaps’


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The Story of Soaps, ABC, PEOPLE

On Tuesday, May 19 at 8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT, ABC will air a two-hour primetime special dedicated to the impact soap operas have had on television past, present and future.

The special, presented by ABC and PEOPLE magazine, explores how no genre of television has laid deeper roots into our cultural consciousness and serialized storytelling than the soap opera. In today’s shifting television landscape, “The Story of Soaps” traces how female creators migrated from radio to television to become the dominant force in daytime for more than three decades. Today, that legacy is alive and well all over prime time and reality, and much of what propels modern television traces its roots back to those first sprawling, steamy storylines. “The Story of Soaps” takes an extensive look at this iconic, impactful genre and the cultural phenomenon its massive impact has had on the world at large.

“The Story of Soaps” marks the third time that ABC and PEOPLE have partnered on a documentary event and is produced for ABC by the television production division of Meredith Corporation with executive producers Bruce Gersh, Bruce Robertson and Dan Wakeford; and by Maggievision Productions with executive producers Maura Mandt and Rebecca Gitlitz.

A plethora of actors producers, writers and creators will be featured in the special, including:

  • Abigail De Kosnik, author 
  • Agnes Nixon, creator of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live”
  • Alec Baldwin, actor (“The Doctors”)
  • Allan Sugarman, co-founder of Soap Opera Festivals Inc. 
  • Andy Cohen, creator (“The Real Housewives” franchise)
  • Angela Shapiro-Mathes, executive (ABC Daytime, NBC Daytime)
  • Bradley P. Bell, executive director and head writer (“The Bold and the Beautiful”)
  • Bryan Cranston, actor (“Loving”)
  • Carol Burnett, actor 
  • Chandra Wilson, actor (“Grey’s Anatomy”)
  • Chris Van Etten, writer (“General Hospital”)
  • David Jacobs, creator 
  • Deidre Hall, actor (“Days of our Lives”)
  • Denise Richards, actor (“The Bold and the Beautiful”)
  • Donna Mills, actor 
  • Drake Hogestyn, actor (“Days of our Lives”)
  • Eddie Mills, actor 
  • Eileen Davidson, actor and reality star (“The Young and the Restless”)
  • Erika Jayne, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” 
  • Erika Slezak, actor (“One Life to Live”)
  • Finola Hughes, actor (“General Hospital”)
  • Genie Francis, actor (“General Hospital”)
  • Greg Vaughan, actor (“Days of our Lives”)
  • James Harmon Brown, writer 
  • Jill Farren Phelps, executive producer (“Another World,” et. al)
  • John Aniston, actor (“Days of our Lives”)
  • John McCook, actor (“The Bold and the Beautiful”)
  • John Stamos, actor (“General Hospital”)
  • Jon Hamm, actor 
  • Jonathan Murray, executive producer 
  • Joyce Becker, co-founder of Soap Opera Festivals Inc. 
  • Kate Coyne, editorial director, entertainment, PEOPLE 
  • Ken Olin, executive producer 
  • Krista Smith, consultant 
  • Laura Wright, actor (“General Hospital”)
  • Lorraine Broderick, head writer (“All My Children,” et. al)
  • Marc Anthony Samuel, actor (“General Hospital”)
  • Marc Cherry, creator 
  • Mark Teschner, casting director (“General Hospital”)
  • Mary Crosby, actor 
  • Maurice Benard, actor (“General Hospital”)
  • Melody Thomas Scott, actor (“The Young and the Restless”)
  • Shelly Altman, head writer (“General Hospital,” et. al) 
  • Susan Lucci, actor (“All My Children”)
  • Susan Sullivan, actor 
  • Vivica A. Fox, actor (“The Young and the Restless”)
  • Yhane Smith, creator of “Harlem Queen”

The special airs on Tuesday, May 19 at 8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT on ABC.

The post ABC to Air Two-Hour Primetime Special, ‘The Story of Soaps’ appeared first on Soap Opera Network.

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Renewed through 2024, just to be clear. LOL

 

The list is kind of meh, yes. Still plan to watch though and chat it up on social media. The more of response it gets the greater the chance ABC will have to furthering those "talks"

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LOL yes on Y&R. My bad!

 

Is this a testing of the waters ... ? If so I'll watch and chat it up. It could be better than I expect so I'll give it a shot.

 

I feel like they may see how the news is going at 1pm and aren't likely to want to invest in the soaps again but who knows?

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All I know is that ABC and PEOPLE didn't have to do this particular special nor did they have to air it on a lucrative night. They could have even shoved the special to Friday or Saturday night, but they didn't. And even though May Sweeps don't matter much anymore, they are at least airing it in that period.

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He wasn't suddenly moved. He hadn't been there for some time. The recent "announcement" wasn't really recent in the sense of when it happened. It was just Varni formally saying he's not there anymore since people kept sending him messages in relation to the show.

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No worries. 

 

Looks like ABC is really pushing this special though. They pushed out an email to their ABC.com subscribers just a few minutes ago.

 

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