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1961: Finale of daytime soap opera Full Circle aired on CBS.

1981: Gh's Susan was shocked to learn Pj was Steven Lars.

1994: Another World's "Kate" introduced herself to John.

1997: B&B's Stephanie and Eric made love."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent 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...

1961: CBS aired the final episode of daytime soap opera Full Circle. The half-hour series starred Dyan Cannon as Lisa Crowder and Jean Byron as Kit Aldrich. It was the first soap opera to be broadcast live from Hollywood. The opening credits below are from the July 1, 1960 episode.

1968: NBC daytime soap Hidden Faces premiered.

1983: Guiding Light's Phillip and Beth spent New Year's Eve in New York.

2002: The "Surrender" arc began on Port Charles.

2003: One Life to Live's Dorian visited All My Children's Pine Valley."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...

1963: ABC shifted General Hospital to the 3 p.m. Et time slot after nearly 9 months of airing at 1 p.m.

1964: On Another World, Pat Matthews (Susan Trustman) refused to give John Randolph (Michael M. Ryan) permission to access her medical records.

1961: Finale of daytime soap opera Full Circle aired on CBS.

1981: Gh's Susan was shocked to learn Pj was Steven Lars.

1994: Another World's "Kate" introduced herself to John.

1997: B&B's Stephanie and Eric made love."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."

― Machiavelli

"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...

1961: CBS aired the final episode of daytime soap opera Full Circle. The...

1968: NBC daytime soap Hidden Faces premiered. 1983: Guiding

Light's Phillip and Beth spent New Year's Eve in New York.

2002: The "Surrender" arc began on Port Charles. 2003: One

Life to Live's Dorian visited All My Children's Pine Valley."History is a vast early warning system."

― Norman Cousins

"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...

1963: ABC shifted General Hospital to the 3 p.m. Et time slot after nearly 9 months of airing at 1 p.m.

1964: On Another World, Pat Matthews (Susan Trustman) refused to give John Randolph (Michael M. Ryan) permission to access her medical records.

1968: NBC daytime soap opera Hidden Faces premiered. Created by Irving Vendig, the...

ABC Family has announced that it has picked up three new series. According to TV Guide, the network ordered a season of The Great State of Georgia. The comedy stars Raven Symone as an aspiring actress who moves to New York. The cast also includes Brock Cuchna, Majandra Delfino and Meagen Fay. Meanwhile, ABC Family picked up Switched At Birth, which focuses on two girls from very different backgrounds who discover that they were accidentally swapped when they were born. Gilmore Girls actress Vanessa Marano will appear in the show alongside stars including Lea Thompson, (more)...

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Exclusive: Raven Symone is returning to series television as the star of ABC Family's multi-camera comedy pilot The Great State of Georgia. The project, from ABC Studios, centers on Georgia (Raven Symone), an exuberant curvy performer from the south who is trying to make it big as an actress in New York City. Also cast in the pilot is Brock Cuchna (Melrose Place) as Georgia's Southern ex-boyfriend who, still madly in love with her, comes to New York to  bring her back home. The pilot was written by author Jennifer Weiner (In Her Shoes) and Jeff Greenstein (Desperate Housewives). Symone, who landed her first regular TV role on The Cosby Show at age 3, worked non-stop for 18 years until the end of her sitcom That's So Raven in 2007 when she took 2 years off. She returned to the business this summer as one of the two stars of the ABC Family...