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2008: The final episode of Passions aired on DirecTV's The 101."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1950: On The Guiding Light, during breakfast Bill Bauer (Lyle Sudrow) told his sister, Meta White (Jone Allison), that he and Bert were interested in buying a house in Beverly Hills. Later, Meta received a long-distance phone call from her husband, Ted.

Thanks to Jennifer for sending in the clip above.

1974: Douglass Watson made his first appearance as Mackenzie Cory on Another World. Robert Emhardt, who played the role for just over a year,...

2008: The final episode of Passions aired on DirecTV's The 101."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1950: On The Guiding Light, during breakfast Bill Bauer (Lyle Sudrow) told his sister, Meta White (Jone Allison), that he and Bert were interested in buying a house in Beverly Hills. Later, Meta received a long-distance phone call from her husband, Ted.

Thanks to Jennifer for sending in the clip above.

1974: Douglass Watson made his first appearance as Mackenzie Cory on Another World. Robert Emhardt, who played the role for just over a year, had left the show in June. Watson's...

A Db is towed away in a car. Castle (Nathan Fillion) asks a reknown forensic pathologist, Clark Murray (Robert Picardo) to look into the death of Beckett's (Stana Katic) mother. He comments Castle usually contacts him to ask about a head in a microwave. It's a ten year old cold case. Martha (Susan Sullivan) asks what 'Dr Death' was doing here. Beckett doesn't know what he's doing and Martha tells him to drop it as it's Beckett's private business. Castle tells her there's no reason to say anything until he knows something for certain. It's not like he's snooping in her underwear drawer. Alexis (Molly Quinn) announces she's going to the Prom with Owen. Castle hasn't even met him yet. Beckett refuses to do a background check on Owen for Castle. Ryan (Seamus Dever) claims he should be more worried that Owen is a teenage boy. Esposito (Jon Huertas) wouldn't...

On this date in...

1983: Actor David Conant Ford (Dark Shadows, Search For Tomorrow) passed away in his sleep at age 58.

2001: On As The World Turns, Cass Winthrop (Stephen Schnetzer) decided not to cross examine Barbara. Watch it here.

2008: The final episode of Passions (#2,231) aired on DirecTV's The 101.

Celebrating a birthday today are:

John Glover (ex-Billy, Search For Tomorrow) - 67

David Rasche (ex-Cal, Ugly Betty; ex-Robert, All My Children; ex-Wes, Ryan's Hope) - 67

Wayne Knight (Brian, Torchwood: Miracle Day) - 56

David Duchovny (ex-Agent Dennis/Denise, Twin Peaks) - 51

Maggie Wheeler (Trinette, Archer) - 50

DeLane Matthews (ex-Janine, General Hospital; ex-Amber, Guiding Light) - 49

Harold Perrineau (ex-Michael, Lost) - 48

Sydney Penny (ex-Julia, All My Children; ex-Samantha, The Bold And The Beautiful; ex-Meg, Sunset Beach; ex-bj, Santa Barbara) - 40

Rachel York (ex-Rita, One Life To Live) - 40

Michael Shannon (Nelson, Boardwalk Empire) - 37

Luca Calvani (ex-Dante, As The World Turns) - 37

Eric Johnson (ex-Whitney,...