41 YEARS YOUNG:
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE ONLY TEN SERIES TO EVER REACH 41 YEARS ON THE AIR!
"Days of Our Lives" and Frances Reid celebrate forty-one years on the air on November 8, 2006. In doing so, "Days" becomes only the tenth series in television history to reach 41 years on the air, and Ms. Reid becomes only the fifth person in television history to portray the same role for forty-one years or more.
Following is a list of the ten series that have aired for forty years or more in television history:
Rank...Title (Network)....................................Debuted.............Length of Time on Air (as of 11/8/06)
1.........Meet the Press (NBC)......................November 6, 1947*......59 years, 0 months, 0 weeks, 2 days
2.........Today (NBC)...................................January 14, 1952.........54 years, 9 months, 3 weeks, 4 days
3.........Guiding Light (CBS).........................June 30, 1952**...........54 years, 4 months, 1 week, 2 days
4.........The Tonight Show (NBC)..................September 27, 1954.....52 years, 1 month, 1 week, 5 days
5.........As the World Turns (CBS)................April 2, 1956................ 50years, 7 months, 0 weeks, 6 days
6.........Face the Nation (CBS).....................November 7, 1954***....49 years, 6 months, 2 weeks, 1 day
7.........ABC's Wide World of Sports (ABC)...April 29, 1961..............45 years, 6 months, 1 week, 3 days
8.........General Hospital (ABC)....................April 1, 1963................43 years, 7 months, 1 week, 0 days
9.........The Early Show (CBS).....................September 2, 1963.......43 years, 2 months, 0 weeks, 6 days
10........Days of Our Lives (NBC)..................November 8, 1965........41 years, 0 months, 0 weeks, 0 days
*Meet the Press debuted on radio on October 5, 1945.
**Guiding Light debuted on radio on January 25, 1937 and is the longest-running program in broadcast history.
***Face the Nation was off the air from April 3, 1961 to September 14, 1963.
Following is a list of the five actors who have played the same role for forty-one years or more in television history:
Rank....Actor (Character).............................Series............Debut Date.....Length of Time in Same Role (as of 11/8/06)
1..........Helen Wagner (Nancy Hughes)....As the World Turns.....4/2/56..........50 years, 7 months, 0 weeks, 6 days
2..........Don Hastings (Bob Hughes).........As the World Turns.....10/60..........46 years, 1 month
3..........Eileen Fulton (Lisa Miller)............As the World Turns......5/16/60.......44 years+*
4..........Rachel Ames (Audrey Hardy)......General Hospital...........2/23/64.......42 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, 2 days
5..........Frances Reid (Alice Horton).........Days of Our Lives.........11/8/65.......41 years, 0 months, 0 weeks, 0 days
*Eileen Fulton was off the air for brief periods from 1965-1967 and 1983-1984.
**Meet the Press, Today Show, Guiding Light, The Tonight Show, Face the Nation, ABC's Wide World of Sports and The Early Show have not had any series regulars for forty years or more.
BELOW are the debut program listings for each of the series to reach 41 years, plus a special synopsis of each show.
"Meet the Press" debuted with James A. Farley as a guest. Tim Russert is now the moderator. On the left is the complete list of programs broadcast on CBS and NBC on November 6, 1947. ABC was yet to air regular programming.
"The Today Show" title has been shortened to "Today." Dave Garroway was the host in 1952. Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira are the hosts today.
"Guiding Light" premiered on radio on January 25, 1937. It debuted on television on June 30, 1952.
"The Tonight Show" debuted in 1954 with Steve Allen as host. Jack Paar and Johnny Carson also hosted the late-night show before current host Jay Leno took over in 1992.
Helen Wagner is the longest-running actor in the same role in television history. She is listed in the premiere synopsis for "As the World Turns" in 1956. Don Hastings and Eileen Fulton have also appeared in the same television role for more than 41 years.
Infamous senator Joseph McCarthy was interviewed on the first-ever edition of "Face the Nation" in 1954. Bob Schieffer is now the host.
"ABC's Wide World of Sports" premiered in 1961. It is most famous for its line "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." The title is still used for various special sporting events on ABC.
"General Hospital" premiered in April, 1963 on ABC. Rachel Ames debuted in 1964 as Audrey March. She still appears occassionally in the role.
Since its premiere in 1963, Mike Wallace has moved on to "60 Minutes" and "CBS Morning News" has been renamed "The Early Show." Harry Smith, Julie Chen, Hannah Storm and Renee Syler are now the hosts.
"Days of Our Lives" becomes just the tenth series in television history to reach 40 years on the air this November. Frances Reid has been with the show for all four decades.
