In the ’80s I started to watch soap operas, mostly when I got into high school. The ’80s had a ton of soap operas to choose from: Guiding Light, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless, As the World Turns, Ryan’s Hope, Another World. . . Afternoons were packed with every kind of soap you could think of. But for me there were only two. Every day after school I would race home to catch the end of One Life to Live and all of Santa Barbara.
If you’ve never seen a soap opera I’m sure it is exactly like you think it is. A lot of pretty people in crazy and unbelievable circumstances. They have always been cheesy and won’t be up for any Academy Awards, but it was fun a nice escape from the stresses of math class!
But it is amazing just how many of today’s stars got their start on soap operas, and these two in particular.
Santa Barbara
- Robin Wright as Kelly Capwell
- John O’Hurley as Stephen Slade
- Leonardo DiCaprio as Mason Capwell
One Life to Live
- Tommy Lee Jones as Dr. Mark Toland
- Laurence Fishburne as Joshua Hall
- Marcia Cross as Kate Sanders
- Hayden Panettiere as Sarah Victoria ‘Flash’ Roberts
- Ryan Phillippe as Billy Douglas
- Nathan Fillion as Joey Buchanan (I totally remember him)
- Kathy Bates as Evelyn Maddox
A Martinez, who played Cruz Castillo one half of Santa Barbara’s power couple Eden and Cruz, is currently on the drama Longmire. I didn’t know that. I tend to find shows after they’ve been on for awhile, so I’m pretty clueless as to what is happening on them. Spoiler alert – He plays a pretty bad dude, which is so different from Cruz. I love it! Lou Diamond Phillips is also on Longmire. He is awesome!
A few months ago I was in the midst of binge-watching Longmire on Netflix and counting my crochet stitches, so I had my head bent down, when I heard a very familiar voice. I picked my head up and immediately yelled out, Cruz! Even though it had been 25+ years since I had last seen him, his voice transported me back to the ’80s, sitting in front of my TV in my childhood living room and escaping from the day to day grind.
After all the years, it is nice to know these familiar faces (and voices) are still helping me escape today.
I've never been much of a fan of soap operas, although I did watch Dallas and Dynasty back in the day. https://mhsusannematthews.wordpress.com/
I've never been much of a fan of soap operas, although I did watch Dallas and Dynasty back in the day. https://mhsusannematthews.wordpress.com/
I like the fact that with a really long-running soap you can drop in and out if you are bored…but I have lost my love of them, sadly! I think it's the computer, it takes my attention! ~Liz http://www.lizbrownleepoet.com
I like the fact that with a really long-running soap you can drop in and out if you are bored…but I have lost my love of them, sadly! I think it's the computer, it takes my attention! ~Liz http://www.lizbrownleepoet.com
I have never been a fan (or a watcher) or soup operas. My grandma was. She would spend hours watching soups in the afternoons. Yeah, I thinkyou're right, soup operans in the 1980s had their own flavour 😉
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – Jazz Age Jazz
I have never been a fan (or a watcher) or soup operas. My grandma was. She would spend hours watching soups in the afternoons. Yeah, I thinkyou're right, soup operans in the 1980s had their own flavour 😉
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – Jazz Age Jazz