Who has watched a soap opera the longest on here?

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

The other day I was remembering when I was a kid and soap operas were only on 15 minutes. Mom used to watch them and t.v. wasn't that old, and in black and white. So I was wondering if anyone here has watched some soap opera for many years on here? I know for awhile the hospital one with Luke and Laura was real popular but I had changed jobs and never got to see much of that.

Anyone?

redhead65 · ‎05-16-2015

"General Hospital" began in 1963 and I began watching the very first day it aired and still watch it. So that is 52 years!

Also watched "As the World Turns" which began in 1956 so that was for 44 years.

Then I also watched "All My Children" which was on for 44 years. (1970-2011)

I didn't just watch TV all of that time. I also earned three major degrees and had jobs around the "soaps" before DVR's !

Almost forgot about "The Secret Storm" which was on fo 20 years. ( 1954-1974)

Then of course there was

"The Edge Of Night" which ran for 28 years.( 1956-1984)

I was the youngest during

"Edge" and "Storm", but I remember watching with my grandmother who lived with us and cared for me while my mother worked.

It was really nice when DVR's and Tivo came along for die-hard fans!

I

PINKdogWOOD · ‎05-13-2010

@qualitygal Well, here I go again - this is the third time writing something here.

So what I attempted to post before was....I can remember visiting my Dad's parents during the summers when I was a little girl. My Grnadmother and mom used to watch two soaps. One was called 'The Edge of Night', the other was 'The Secret Storm'. Such fun and yes both of course in black & white!!!! No color way back then, in the 1960s.

This I'm sure is what got me started watching soaps way back when and yes I still watch them. Of course now the only one that's on that I still enjoy is 'General Hospital'. Quite different from the black & white viewing from days gone by for sure.

mji · ‎08-01-2010

I watched both The Edge of Night and The Secret Storm when they were 15 minutes, too.

redhead65 · ‎05-16-2015

@PINKdogWOOD wrote:
@qualitygal Well, here I go again - this is the third time writing something here.

So what I attempted to post before was....I can remember visiting my Dad's parents during the summers when I was a little girl. My Grnadmother and mom used to watch two soaps. One was called 'The Edge of Night', the other was 'The Secret Storm'. Such fun and yes both of course in black & white!!!! No color way back then, in the 1960s.

This I'm sure is what got me started watching soaps way back when and yes I still watch them. Of course now the only one that's on that I still enjoy is 'General Hospital'. Quite different from the black & white viewing from days gone by for sure.

************************************

Actually, CBS broadcasted "The
Tournament of Roses Parade" . on October 11, 1950. Other stations picked up in 1953, but some people didn't finally get a color TV until the very early 1960's.

PINKdogWOOD · ‎05-13-2010

@redhead65 I was born in 1953. I can very much remember getting our very first console COLOR television!!! WOW, what a day that was!!! That was when there were TV Repair guys who came to your home to set up the tv, adjust the picture, color, antenna rabbit ears to make sure you had the perfect viewing picture!!!

We of this era I think were the ones who really turned the corner into the 20th century of what we called 'modern living'.

Mmsfoxxie · ‎06-19-2010

I don't remember which years I started watching but it had to be in the early sixties that my mother and grandmother would have on The Secret Storm and The Edge of Night which was 15 minutes long. When I became a married adult I watched as a real fan. In the seventies, soaps were at their best. Right now, there is a real struggle to stay relevant. I don't want them to go off the air (there's only four left) but they need to improve.

We don't need anymore cooking shows, talk shows or news shows.

“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore to be happy”. (By Nightbirde, singer of the song, It’s Ok)

violann · ‎03-10-2010

I watched the FIRST episode of ATWT in 1956. It started during Easter Vacation and I had no school.

The episode introduced Penny and Jeff, Chris and Nancy, and I think, Grandpa Hughes.

My all time favorite soaps, which I watched FOR DECADES, were ATWT and AMC.

Along the way, I also watched and loved Ryan's Hope, Texas, and the one that featured Dyan Cannon ( not on very long).

when my kids were born I got into Days and The Scret Storm but TSS was on its way out.

I LONG to watch a soap again, but just seem to miss the old timers on Days and GH somuch that I haven't been able to settle i to one of them again.

I also fear the mourn g period I lived through when ATWT and AMC went off the air, just in case Days and/or GH hit the skids.

Yes, I did watch the online version of AMC, and still miss even THAT.

HAD TO ADD - Another World and Somerset. Loved both.

Does anyone rme,ber "Our Secret World"? Only ran one summer, I think.

Perkup · ‎03-09-2010

I can go back further, but then I'm older - a lot older than most of you.

I didn't watch soaps for many years - I listened to them on the radio with my Grandmother, who was a huge fan. We listened to STELLA DALLAS and OUR GAL SUNDAY. I had to be quiet so she didn't miss a word of the dialogue. And, of course, when some came on our televion set (we got one when I was 14) she watched them all. I think her favorite was AS THE WORLD TURNS.

Some years later - before I really became a fan - I lived across the street from a lovely woman who loved As The World Turns. She had to have a hystorectomy and was in the hospital for almost two weeks. There were no television sets in the hospital, so every day at 11:30 she had me turn on my tv, put the telephone receiver in front of the speaker, and she would listen to the dialogue over the phone. I got hooked at that point, and loved the show until it went off air. Now all I watch is Y&R when the story line is interesting. But I refuse to watch Patti and/or Sheila.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

@Perkup wrote:
I can go back further, but then I'm older - a lot older than most of you.

I didn't watch soaps for many years - I listened to them on the radio with my Grandmother, who was a huge fan. We listened to STELLA DALLAS and OUR GAL SUNDAY. I had to be quiet so she didn't miss a word of the dialogue. And, of course, when some came on our televion set (we got one when I was 14) she watched them all. I think her favorite was AS THE WORLD TURNS.

Some years later - before I really became a fan - I lived across the street from a lovely woman who loved As The World Turns. She had to have a hystorectomy and was in the hospital for almost two weeks. There were no television sets in the hospital, so every day at 11:30 she had me turn on my tv, put the telephone receiver in front of the speaker, and she would listen to the dialogue over the phone. I got hooked at that point, and loved the show until it went off air. Now all I watch is Y&R when the story line is interesting. But I refuse to watch Patti and/or Sheila.

Oh my gosh! You do go back. Great story, thanks.