Actualités

You take the good, you take the bad, and there you have... nine seasons and over 200 episodes of one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. Spun out of NBC's other wildly popular series "Diff'rent Strokes," "The Facts of Life" followed the goings-on at a girl's boarding school in upstate New York. The series became a fast hit, thanks to its chipper tone and uplifting sense of humor, as well as the performances from its cast of talented young actors -- many of whom went on to achieve major success in the film and television industry.

Whether they only stayed in the main cast during its experimental first season, joined as a replacement of sorts in the final installments, or played a part in all of its 200-plus episodes, the actors embarked on a range of professional journeys. Some retired immediately afterward, pursuing careers ranging from music and...

1974: The first Daytime Emmys ceremony was held in New York.

1980: All My Children's Benny tried to get Estelle help.

1990: General Hospital's Shep Casey looked familiar to Anna.

2013: The Young and the Restless aired a special Jeanne Cooper tribute episode."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On The Doctors, Liz (Pamela Toll) reassured Penny (Jami Fields) when they talked about feeling different.

1970: On Dark Shadows, Maggie Collins was trying to preserve her marriage to Quentin (David Selby) unaware his first wife, Angelique, had...