The Edge of Night

An interesting fact about this show is that it had its origins in the Perry Mason radio show before it was a TV show.

The radio show ran from 1943 to 1955, five days a week, on the CBS radio network.

It was part soap opera and part detective story.

When the radio show moved, with most of the cast and the production staff, to TV, it was renamed Edge of Night.

The cast members were given new character names.

The Perry Mason character was dropped. On September 21, 1957, CBS aired a new show, Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr.

This show was amazing...the compelling mystery/crime stories that hit over the years like Nicole's PoisonedMakeup Murder (1983), Jinx Avery's Murder (1981), Calvin Stoner's shooting (80s), Claude holding Nicole prisoner (1977), Stephanie's poisoned chocolates, dead spiders Shakespeare notes and riddles of cryptic warnings to Nicole (1970s), and Elly Jo's fatal leap out of a speeding car, and the spy story in 1967 that brought on star Donald May (Adam Drake) and then countless murders and kidnappings brought this unusual soap to the daytime soaps core... The best actors in this whole show were Maeve McGuire (Nicole), Donald May (Adam), Holland Taylor (Denise Cavanaugh, this villainies spooked me to no end), Irving Allen Lee (Calvin), Mariann Alda (Didi), and the wonderful Larkin Malloy (Sky) and Sharon Gabet (Raven), and their story lines proved what a super couple they were, i loved Raven's final scenes in the telecasted final episode when the bloody sword was sent to her, that was so timeless and classic.... I also heard even Larry Hagman (future JR Ewing) had a role on EON as a Ed Gibson, thats so cool, and also Ellen Burstyn was on here too.... EON 4eva rules

Sadly, they do not make Soaps like this one anymore. I was literally sick when it was cancelled. Edge of Night had it all, wonderfully written mysteries and suspense stories. Great characters and wonderful actors. This soap will be sorely missed for a long time. Edge of Night was special. It just had a rare combination of the right writers, actors, directors, even the right sets. The soap may be gone, but its memories will last a lifetime.

`The Edge of Night' was the consequential daytime drama of mystery, suspense, police detection and crime. For anyone who loved a good murder mystery, this was indeed the afternoon drama to watch. In most instances, you worried every week if lead attorney and crime stopper Mike Karr, his wife Nancy Pollock Karr, or daughter Laurie Ann, would vanish off the face of the earth or be murdered by a larger than life villain who was as well causing grief for Bill Marceau, the chief of police, and the very good citizens of Monticello. The romance between attorney Adam Drake, and socialite and often stalked Nicole Travis Stewart, started `The Edge of Night's' first real super couple and the dynamic twosome simply took our breaths away when they finally wedded in a handsome ceremony in the Karrs garden. It wasn't often that fans of `The Edge of Night' got treated to afternoon romance, bed-hopping and hen-peck husbandry similar to the scenery on most of the other daytime dramas...since `Edge's' important characters were simply too busy scheming about other relevant matters or solving `whodunnit' if `whodunnit' didn't kill them first.

The murder of fan favorite Adam Drake in 1977, was perhaps the show's biggest shocker.

I remember watching this show when I got home from school in the late 70's and early 80's. What stands out most in my mind was a storyline involving the character April Scott. If I recall correctly, she was pregnant and having hallucinations for weeks involving the sound of a train whistle and a shadowy man. When her hallucinations finally ended, there was a really spooky finale scene where Satan (sinister laughter, horns, and all!!!!!) appeared in a cloud of smoke on the balcony of the apartment she shared with Draper. I was terrified for days! You weren't sure whether it meant that Satan had caused her hallucinations, or was just following her around for Halloween, or what, but the fact that a soap opera would use horror movie imagery like this will always make The Edge Of Night something I look back on REALLY fondly! :-)