A few more pages from the May 1976 Soap Opera Digest (with Suzanne Rogers on the cover)

And the last from the May 1976 SOD. 

On 6/23/2025 at 11:19 AM, janea4old said:

where is Mendorra (OLTL) ?

I'm thinking near Switzerland.

Y&R had a fictional country in 1980, San Leandro. I'm thinking it was supposed to be in the Caribbean.

This might be a bit morbid, but the latest episode of Beyond the Gates which implied the show's first death this week without there actually being one, had me contemplating the first death on the other soaps. I know Another World opened with one, but beyond that I can't recall. I know DAYS history more than the rest and the earliest death I can think of is David Martin. Anyone care to enlighten me about the other soaps?

5 minutes ago, Bright Eyes said:

This might be a bit morbid, but the latest episode of Beyond the Gates which implied the show's first death this week without there actually being one, had me contemplating the first death on the other soaps. I know Another World opened with one, but beyond that I can't recall. I know DAYS history more than the rest and the earliest death I can think of is David Martin. Anyone care to enlighten me about the other soaps?

The first for ATWT might be Jim Lowell. The first for Secret Storm would be Ellen Ames. The first for Ryan's Hope was Ed Coleridge.

I think the first for Guiding Light might be Bob Lang for TV, although I can't remember if he died on the TV show. Does anyone know?

I'm not sure who the first would be for radio GL.

The first for Search for Tomorrow would be Keith Barron.

17 minutes ago, Bright Eyes said:

This might be a bit morbid, but the latest episode of Beyond the Gates which implied the show's first death this week without there actually being one, had me contemplating the first death on the other soaps. I know Another World opened with one, but beyond that I can't recall. I know DAYS history more than the rest and the earliest death I can think of is David Martin. Anyone care to enlighten me about the other soaps?

Well technically, on AW Will Matthews had already died before the show premiered, and even the funeral had already happened. So during the premiere episode the family was still dealing with and discussing him.  But the first real death during AW's run was likely Tom Baxter.   

4 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

The first for ATWT might be Jim Lowell. The first for Secret Storm would be Ellen Ames. The first for Ryan's Hope was Ed Coleridge.

I looked up each to see how far along into the series each was. Jim Lowell seems like a respectable amount with it being about a year. Do we know how the character died?

I know for Ryan's Hope one of the Ryan sons was supposed to die after just a couple weeks. Just watched clips from the first episode/week Delia had apparently pushed him down the stairs, and was doing her long suffering act right from day one. Did her and Mary ever get on at any point?

The Secret Storm killing off the matriarch of the Ames family tragically seems like a big ask for a new audience. I wish we could see it.

I think the first for AMC would be Ted Brent.

1 minute ago, Bright Eyes said:

I looked up each to see how far along into the series each was. Jim Lowell seems like a respectable amount with it being about a year. Do we know how the character died?

I know for Ryan's Hope one of the Ryan sons was supposed to die after just a couple weeks. Just watched clips from the first episode/week Delia had apparently pushed him down the stairs, and was doing her long suffering act right from day one. Did her and Mary ever get on at any point?

The Secret Storm killing off the matriarch of the Ames family tragically seems like a big ask for a new audience. I wish we could see it.

Jim Lowell died in a boating accident. Irna did not want to kill him, she wanted Jim and Edith Hughes (who had had an affair causing his wife to finally agree to divorce him) to be happy, but P&G ordered her to kill him. Edith was Irna's proto-Kim. 

Frank Ryan was meant to die, until the flashbacks they filmed of him in happier times with his family changed their mind. 

Mary always treated Delia like garbage, from childhood.

That Secret Storm choice was very brave, definitely.

39 minutes ago, Bright Eyes said:

This might be a bit morbid, but the latest episode of Beyond the Gates which implied the show's first death this week without there actually being one, had me contemplating the first death on the other soaps. I know Another World opened with one, but beyond that I can't recall. I know DAYS history more than the rest and the earliest death I can think of is David Martin. Anyone care to enlighten me about the other soaps?

Baby Dickie definitely died before Susan killed his Dad. 

37 minutes ago, Bright Eyes said:

This might be a bit morbid, but the latest episode of Beyond the Gates which implied the show's first death this week without there actually being one, had me contemplating the first death on the other soaps. I know Another World opened with one, but beyond that I can't recall. I know DAYS history more than the rest and the earliest death I can think of is David Martin. Anyone care to enlighten me about the other soaps?

The first for DAYS was Carl Sawyer, in the last week of November 1965. Tom was on his way to respond to Mrs. Sawyer's urgent call when he and Mickey discovered Marie had attempted suicide. It took time, but Marie was revived (and lives, 60 years later) while Carl died and Tom went on trial for malpractice. Marie revealing in court why Tom was preoccupied saved the day.

2 minutes ago, Franko said:

The first for DAYS was Carl Sawyer, in the last week of November 1965. Tom was on his way to respond to Mrs. Sawyer's urgent call when he and Mickey discovered Marie had attempted suicide. It took time, but Marie was revived (and lives, 60 years later) while Carl died and Tom went on trial for malpractice. Marie revealing in court why Tom was preoccupied saved the day.

That's right! I have those episodes. His daughter was loathsome. Because of her I had no sympathy for that family's loss. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DL3bCmmJvoL/
1980 Daytime Emmy Best Actress
from OLTL playing Karen Wolek
Judith Light
And, it and the scene she won it with were simply spectacular!
 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DL3e1EIpwAZ/
1979 Daytime Emmy Best Actor, as the first African American to achieve such an honor, Al Freeman, Jr. who played Ed Hall, as one of the first black man to have a contract role that was ongoing. This was such a special moment.

9 hours ago, Franko said:

The first for DAYS was Carl Sawyer, in the last week of November 1965. Tom was on his way to respond to Mrs. Sawyer's urgent call when he and Mickey discovered Marie had attempted suicide. It took time, but Marie was revived (and lives, 60 years later) while Carl died and Tom went on trial for malpractice. Marie revealing in court why Tom was preoccupied saved the day.

That story seems a direct copy of ATWT from 1962 where Doug Cassen had to attend to Claire who had made a suicide attempt while he was supposed to attend to Mr Rice. The family complained and Claire exonerated him by finally confessing.