I found this old clipping from the local newspaper...the year in the top margin is 1944. I was reading the the radio listings for that day and and saw some titles that I remembered from my childhood....Dick Tracy, Perry mason, and then something caught my eye...
look in the third box in the left-hand column, first entry.....
THE GUIDING LIGHT!
Now, I've not been one to follow the soaps in recent years, but I remember my grandmother having lunch at 12:00 sharp so that she could listen to "her stories". Each one was 15 minutes long, "The Guiding Light" and "Search for Tomorrow". They were referred to as soaps because the were sponsored by Joy dish washing liquid and Spic and Span.
Here's some info about the series:
Guiding Light (known as The Guiding Light prior to 1975, ) is an Emmy award winning American television program credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the longest-running soap opera in production and the longest running drama in television history.
The 15,000th televised episode of Guiding Light aired on September 7, 2006. Due to this series run, it is not only considered to be the longest soap opera, but the longest series of any show created.
The program was created by soap writer Irna Phillips, and began as an NBC radio serial on January 25, 1937 before moving to CBS on June 30, 1952, as a televised serial. This program has survived for over 70 years!
For more "Show and Tell "....click here.
Wow....so very very interesting. Imagine this. I'm speechless.
ReplyDeleteMy Show N Tell is posted, won't you drop by for a visit?
[ps I love your W W too! Neat photo --I never pictured them wearing blue tho...all I see in art work is black...this is a great photo]
Very interesting, thanks for sharing. I love to hear about things like this, even tho I don't follow soaps either, but I love to see and hear about the history of things.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting!!!!
ReplyDeleteSusan
Wow! My mom has watched "Guiding Light" ever since I can remember! Thanks for the interesting information!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great piece of tv history you have there. I remember that close to noon everyday my mom would watch As the World Turns...
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that there were soap operas in 1944. I love reading old things like that newspaper clipping.
ReplyDeleteKathy b
Oh my word! The Guiding Light! Hilarious. I remember my mom watching As the World Turns!
ReplyDeleteWow--so interesting. The funny think is, I had shared with a blogger about my mom watching Search for Tomorrow when she did her ironing right after lunch. I thought it came on at noon. I would often go down for my nap at that time, but I would hear the music start up for it. My mom had a fold down ironing board (a built in) and she would sit on a special chair with steps and do her ironing and watch Search for Tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteDear Suzy, I think what you have there is a radio schedule, isn't it? Guiding light moved to TV in 1952, if I'm not mistaken. Prior to that it was radio.
ReplyDeleteJust as cool, or better!
Nancy
Great catch there!
ReplyDeleteI knew it was radio until 1952(stated at the end of the post)but I guess I put T.V.listing just out of habit!!
Suzy
1944... wow, I'm surprised that didn't line some ol' birdcage by now lol ~Cheryl
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat and fun find, Suzy! Hope you are having a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Kelli