This is to be a discussion of the many errors about soaps. Some are myths.  Many are firsts that weren't actually the first anything. And if you've tried to accomplish a correction, tell us what happened. 

This is my latest. Patrick Mulcahey told me that when the writing team for TEXAS was hired there wasn't any work for them yet so there, at the same location, they put them to work writing on ANOTHER WORLD. Even though I know he tried & failed I just tried to add it to his IMDb page. Below is the rejection I just got, after submitting only yesterday. Boy, are they ever timely! 

You need a verifiable source, it can't be "he told me" lol.

How about some of the ones where it's claimed Irma or Agnes (I can't remember who) killed off a family in a plane crash? Or having someone fall up the stairs?

12 minutes ago, Darn said:

You need a verifiable source, it can't be "he told me" lol.

How about some of the ones where it's claimed Irma or Agnes (I can't remember who) killed off a family in a plane crash? Or having someone fall up the stairs?

I know what you're thinking of. It will not die! It apparently cannot be killed or corrected. The myth is that when Agnes Nixon left Guiding Light & went to Another World, which was in danger of early cancellation, she took the Gregory family that James Lipton had created on a plane & killed them off in a plane crash. Never happened! No one ever killed people in a plane crash on Another World. Also Agnes Nixon never wrote that anywhere for any soap. 

ATWT getting "20 Million viewers" for that wedding in the '80s.

It never made sense - and seemed so random.

 

 

Last year, on the Y&R50 Primetime Celebration 2 incorrect things were claimed. Each of them, to knowledgeable soap fans seem ridiculous! 

1. That Ashley Abbott had the first abortion. Truly laughable. The first was an illegal one, on AW, Pat Matthews. The second is largely unknown, but on SFT Kathy went to NY in 1970 & got an abortion. I exchanged messages with Courtney Sherman Simon who played Kathy in researching this. (Also have documentation in a soap mag & verification from a SON poster.) The third is most often cited as the first, unfortunately, and it is a legal Roe v. Wade 1973 abortion on AMC for Erica. 

2. That it was Bill Bell who introduced social issues as storylines on soaps. Again, love Bill Bell & he did many things, but not this one! No, Agnes Nixon is definitely the first on this! (And, IMO, she was also the best at it, with Claire Labine nipping at her heels.)

Edited February 1, 20241 yr by Donna L. Bridges

29 minutes ago, Janet Marlowe said:

ATWT getting "20 Million viewers" for that wedding in the '80s.

It never made sense - and seemed so random.

I can't help but think at some point someone from Meg Ryan's team just made this up to add more to her legacy on ATWT.

4 minutes ago, Darn said:

I can't help but think at some point someone from Meg Ryan's team just made this up to add more to her legacy on ATWT.

Betsy & Steve, oh my, if one of her team did NOT make it up, they certainly should have!!! 

15 minutes ago, Darn said:

I can't help but think at some point someone from Meg Ryan's team just made this up to add more to her legacy on ATWT.

^

THIS

3 hours ago, Janet Marlowe said:

ATWT getting "20 Million viewers" for that wedding in the '80s.

It never made sense - and seemed so random.

 

 

But how many did watched it?

 

The various "first black character on daytime" label attached to many over the years. 

18 hours ago, AMCOLTLLover said:

But how many did watched it?

 

The ratings for that week (I believe it aired in May of '84) are posted in the '80s Ratings thread.

IIRC, ATWT got a 7.something for the week.

12 hours ago, Janet Marlowe said:

The ratings for that week (I believe it aired in May of '84) are posted in the '80s Ratings thread.

IIRC, ATWT got a 7.something for the week.

I've posted a question on that week's ratings post. The wedding was May 30, 1984. Without knowing how much a rating point equaled at that time we can't calculate the number of people that a 7.8 represents. Someone, maybe Jason, will reply soon. 

But, get this. Today I asked Bing CoPilot which is AI how many people attended the wedding & this was their reply. 

Quote

Steve Andropoulos and Elizabeth “Betsy” Stewart Andropoulos are a beloved fictional couple from the American soap opera “As the World Turns”. Their love story unfolded in the early 1980s, and their journey was filled with drama, obstacles, and heartfelt moments.

The pivotal moment arrived on May 30, 1984, when Steve and Betsy exchanged their wedding vows. This episode became iconic, drawing 20 million viewers and securing its place as the second highest-rated hour in American soap opera history¹. Their union was a culmination of trust, sacrifice, and enduring love.

 

Edited February 3, 20241 yr by Donna L. Bridges

Yes, that is the lie perpetuated. 

There is no actual evidence of it if you look at the hard data.

I was first suspicious - years ago - when I looked at the yearly averages, and saw ATWT in the middle of the pack for that year. Also knowing that ATWT/Steve & Betsy were hardly a phenomenon at that time - something it/they would have to be to garner 20,000,000 viewers for an episode. Even Greg & Jenny (who were MUCH more popular than Steve & Betsy) from AMC (#2 at the time) didn't get anywhere near that number - although the December 1983 interrupted wedding, by Greg, of Jenny & Tony Barclay received a 13.2  household rating (#1) for the week it aired.

 

 

Edited February 2, 20241 yr by Janet Marlowe

20 hours ago, DRW50 said:

The various "first black character on daytime" label attached to many over the years. 

Maybe we can figure this out. 

Off the top of my head I looked up 4 African-American actors:

Petronia Paley at AW 1981

Morgan Freeman at RH 1981, at Texas 1981, at AW 1982

Al Freeman, Jr. at OLTL 1972

Laurence Fishburn at OLTL 1974 (He was a child at the time so he may be a first African-American child actor, maybe.)

Now who knows someone prior to 1972?

 

7 minutes ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

Maybe we can figure this out. 

Off the top of my head I looked up 4 African-American actors:

Petronia Paley at AW 1981

Morgan Freeman at RH 1981, at Texas 1981, at AW 1982

Al Freeman, Jr. at OLTL 1972

Laurence Fishburn at OLTL 1974 (He was a child at the time so he may be a first African-American child actor, maybe.)

Now who knows someone prior to 1972?

 

Both Ruby Dee and Cicely Tyson was on Guiding Light in the 1960s.

Edited February 2, 20241 yr by I Am A Swede