The popularity of soap operas on radio made them a natural for the new medium of television, where soaps quickly became an audience favorite. As television soap operas developed, so did the level of sophistication in delivery, writing and production.
This history of television’s “golden age” soaps begins with an overview of earlier serialized entertainments. An analysis of early TV soap stars, personnel and production follows, taking 40 programs into account. Ensuing chapters offer in-depth treatments of the serials Search for Tomorrow, Love of Life, The Guiding Light, The Secret Storm, As the World Turns and The Edge of Night. Appendices include chronological and alphabetical directories of period daytime serials and rankings of the durability of programs, actors and actresses, announcers and sponsors.

Jim Cox, a leading radio historian, is an award-winning author of numerous books on the subject. A retired college professor, he lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Jim Cox
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 246
Bibliographic Info: 8 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2010 [2006]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4907-1
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0470-1
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii

Introduction      1

1. Antecedents of the Daytime Serial      3

2. Bubbles in the Air      13

3. Primitive Stages      23

4. In Need of a Fix      37

5. Alpha and Omega      69

6. The Maven of Matinee      77

7. Reincarnations      89

8. Search for Tomorrow      103

9. Love of Life      120

10. The Guiding Light      132

11. The Secret Storm      146

12. As the World Turns      155

13. The Edge of Night      171

Epilogue: The Land of Beginning Again      184

Appendix A: Daytime Serials Chronology      185

Appendix B: Daytime Serials Superlatives      187

Appendix C: Daytime Serials Directory      189

Chapter Notes      217

Bibliography      223

Index      227

“well-researched…recommended”—Choice; “recommended”—Booklist; “worthwhile purchase”—ARBA; “there is certainly no better expert on radio soap operas than Jim Cox”—Illustrated Press; “a must read”—Radio Recall.