American daytime soap, As The World Turns (ATWT) has been on the air since 1956, four and a half years longer than Coronation Street has. While it's always been said that our William Roache has set the record for the longest continuous portrayal of a character, this is, in fact, wrong. The man in this picture that is not Bill Roache is Don Hastings. He has been portraying Dr. Bob Hughes on ATWT for a mere two months longer than Bill Roache has been playing Ken Barlow.The two men have apparently spoken once, with Mr. Roache jokingly suggesting that Mr. Hastings retire. Well, that's going to happen. Yesterday, CBS announced that it was canceling As the World Turns. The last episode will air in September 2010. That means that by the time Coronation Street airs on it's 50th anniversary, December 9, 2010, (a little over two months later) William Roache will be entitled to the crown. He will have played Ken Barlow longer than anyone else has played a single character. Congratulations!
This really is amazing when you think about it. When CS started;
ReplyDelete- Eisenhower was the US President
- Unless you lived in Liverpool you probably had not heard of the Beatles
- And lots of us were not even born!
Considering that so few TV series make it past 4 or 5 years this is something that the cast and crew both past a present should be very proud of.
I can't believe As The World Turns is over!
ReplyDeleteGood grief - I've never even heard of As the World Turns.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of it but in the States they seem to be axing a lot of long running soaps in recent years. Guiding Light, another 50+ years running show was canned last year, also by CBS (I think).
ReplyDeleteAs for Bill Roache, he will hold the record for longest continuous portrayal of the same character in December 2010 - providing of course the Street hasn't been axed by then lol
How could we have heard of the Beatles, they didn't exist!
ReplyDeleteThe Beatles did form before 1960 but they were only known locally in Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, they wouldn't dare! And GL actually went back to the 30s on radio before it hit telly in the mid 50s.
Unfortuneatly, Helen Wagner has played Nancy Hughes in ATWT since 1956, and has not taken a break. But, William will be the longest serving actor.
ReplyDeleteBtw, if you go on my blog, the top 50 countdown has reached its climax. Check to see who were the top 10 on Coronation Street Corner. Click to see!
ReplyDeleteVery sad to see ATWT leave the air after so long. I grew up on that story and thinking of it brings back many fond memories of my gran.
ReplyDeleteCBS will not have any stories left if they continue at this rate. May Corrie be on for 25 more years!
Helen Wagner did take a 4 year break. She is the longest non-continous but Bill Roache will be the longest continuous.
ReplyDeleteIf Helen Wagner acts in the same show (ATWT), then surely her soap career is also over. this means that our Ken will be number one on all counts, continuous and overall, doesn't it?
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