For soap fans, a favorite show is often more than something to watch in the afternoon. It can bring back memories of family, offer comfort during difficult times, or spark friendships with people who love the same fictional town.
A recent social media post celebrating daytime’s history had viewers sharing those connections. But alongside the memories of beloved characters and canceled shows came appreciation for a woman whose imagination helped build the genre itself.
Alan Locher Invites Fans to Celebrate Their Favorite Soaps
YouTube talk show host Alan Locher took to The Locher Room’s social media pages to share a blast from the past in honor of National Soap Opera Day.
“Happy National Soap Opera Day!” Locher wrote, before recognizing the October 20, 1930, debut of “Painted Dreams.” Created by Irna Phillips, the Chicago radio serial is widely considered the first American radio soap opera.
Phillips would go on to help shape generations of daytime storytelling through shows including “Guiding Light,” “As the World Turns,” and “Another World.”
“Can you imagine daytime television without her?” Locher asked.
He also highlighted an approaching anniversary: January 25, 2027, will mark 90 years since “Guiding Light” first debuted on radio. The date commemorates the beginning of its broadcast history, which continued on television until 2009.
For Locher, the celebration was personal.
“Having grown up watching and having the pleasure to work on both GL and ATWT, these shows will always hold a special place in my heart,” he shared.
He then invited followers to answer a question likely to send any longtime viewer down memory lane: “What was your first soap, and which one remains your all-time favorite?”
Soap Fans Remember the Shows That Made Them Fall in Love With Daytime
The responses reflected just how deeply daytime’s fictional families have become part of viewers’ lives.
“Guiding Light and As The World Turns. Always always,” one fan wrote.
Another celebrated a particularly personal connection to the Springfield soap, commenting, “I’ve often said; ‘I’m THE Guiding Light years old.’”
One viewer recalled discovering “As the World Turns” in the mid-1980s and becoming invested in its storytelling.
“The wonderful stories written by the legendary Doug Marland reeled me in. I watched until the end of the show in 2010,” the fan shared.
Others described a love of soaps that stretched across networks and generations.
One commenter named “All My Children” as their first soap, “Loving” as the first to truly hook them, and “General Hospital” and “Days of our Lives” as their comfort shows. Their enthusiasm continues today with “Beyond the Gates.”
Another fan remembered starting “General Hospital” in 1991 before branching out to the other daytime dramas. Although their dream of working in the industry never happened, they still enjoy revisiting vintage episodes on YouTube.
Perhaps one response best captured the spirit of the celebration.
“Days was my first. My favorite is the genre itself. I’m a proud soap hopper.”
Irna Phillips Helped Build the World Those Fans Still Love
Born in Chicago in July 1901, Phillips was the youngest of 10 children. Her work would eventually help establish an entertainment tradition that outlived her by decades.
“Painted Dreams” began on Chicago’s WGN in 1930. Its importance extended beyond being an early serial: Phillips helped demonstrate the possibilities of returning to the same characters, relationships, and emotional conflicts day after day.
However, Phillips’ success did not shield her from disapproval. Soap operas were often dismissed as inferior entertainment for housewives, while her storytelling sometimes met resistance from sponsors and network executives.
In addition, her career also involved battles over control of her work. Following a dispute with WGN, she moved on to NBC and developed “Today’s Children.” “The Guiding Light” followed in 1937, eventually making the transition to television in 1952.
That move helped carry her storytelling into a new medium. Radio listeners could become television viewers, while another generation discovered characters whose lives unfolded alongside their own.
Phillips created “As the World Turns,” which premiered in 1956, and co-created “Another World” with William J. Bell, which debuted in 1964. Those programs became enduring parts of the daytime landscape, giving audiences years of family conflict, romance, heartbreak, and reconciliation.
The appreciation in Locher’s comment section extended to Phillips herself.
“Love me some Irna!!!” one fan wrote.
“Thank you Irna! A woman ahead of her time!” added another.
Those tributes connect the history books to the personal memories fans shared. Behind every favorite fictional town is the creative work that made viewers want to return tomorrow.
As “Guiding Light’s” 90th anniversary approaches, Phillips’ legacy offers plenty to celebrate. Her shows may have left the airwaves, but the affection they inspired remains very much alive.
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Which Daytime Pioneer Has Soap Fans Saying She Was “Ahead of Her Time”?