Ellen Holly, the first Black actor to have a leading role on a daytime soap opera, died peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. She was 92.
Photo by Ashley E. Jones
Holly joined ABC’s One Life to Live in 1968, in the role of Carla Benari, an actress of seemingly Italian heritage who found romance with Jim Craig, a white doctor (played by Robert Milli and then Nat Polen). It eventually came out that Carla Benari was actually Carla Gray, an African-American passing as white –and the daughter of Llanview Hospital housekeeping boss Sadie Gray...
Photo by Ashley E. Jones
Holly joined ABC’s One Life to Live in 1968, in the role of Carla Benari, an actress of seemingly Italian heritage who found romance with Jim Craig, a white doctor (played by Robert Milli and then Nat Polen). It eventually came out that Carla Benari was actually Carla Gray, an African-American passing as white –and the daughter of Llanview Hospital housekeeping boss Sadie Gray...
- 12/8/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
1960: As the World Turns' Grace wanted to help her son.
1979: Guiding Light's Holly received a marriage proposal.
1986: Young and Restless aired the "It's Ok to Say No" concert.
1986: Days of our Lives' Marlena and "Roman" were remarried."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...
1955: On The Brighter Day, Lydia's (Murial Williams) romantic life suffered as she became more stressed over her desire to confess that she had taken the silver clock.
1960: On As the World Turns, Dr. Cassen (Nat Polen) explained to Penny Hughes Baker (Rosemary Prinz) that he couldn't keep her husband,...
1979: Guiding Light's Holly received a marriage proposal.
1986: Young and Restless aired the "It's Ok to Say No" concert.
1986: Days of our Lives' Marlena and "Roman" were remarried."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...
1955: On The Brighter Day, Lydia's (Murial Williams) romantic life suffered as she became more stressed over her desire to confess that she had taken the silver clock.
1960: On As the World Turns, Dr. Cassen (Nat Polen) explained to Penny Hughes Baker (Rosemary Prinz) that he couldn't keep her husband,...
- 8/26/2019
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
1981: Another Life premiered on Cbn.
1984: Days of our Lives' Howie walked down the aisle as Hope.
1997: Port Charles premiered on ABC.
2007: As the World Turns' Noah arrived in Oakdale."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...
1964: On Another World, Russ (Joey Trent) admitted to Jim (Leon Janney) that he did not feel smart enough to succeed in school.
1966: On Morning Star, Hank Stover (Warren Remmerling), Bill Riley (Edward Mallory) and Katy Elliott (Elizabeth Perry) turned to Eric Manning (Ron Jackson) for assistance.
1984: Days of our Lives' Howie walked down the aisle as Hope.
1997: Port Charles premiered on ABC.
2007: As the World Turns' Noah arrived in Oakdale."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...
1964: On Another World, Russ (Joey Trent) admitted to Jim (Leon Janney) that he did not feel smart enough to succeed in school.
1966: On Morning Star, Hank Stover (Warren Remmerling), Bill Riley (Edward Mallory) and Katy Elliott (Elizabeth Perry) turned to Eric Manning (Ron Jackson) for assistance.
- 6/2/2019
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
1985: General Hospital's Robin found out about her parents.
1989: Meg lost her baby on As the World Turns.
2005: Y&R's Katherine had vital info for B&B's Stephanie.
2010: One Life to Live's Cramer women reunited."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...
1965: On As the World Turns, the Cassens and the Hughes learned that Ellen Lowell (Patricia Bruder) had agreed to marry David Stewart (Henderson Forsythe). When Ellen told Claire (Barbara Berjer), Doug (Nat Polen), and Judge Lowell (William Johnston) about her engagement, they were shocked because they had been certain that she would marry Don Hughes...
1989: Meg lost her baby on As the World Turns.
2005: Y&R's Katherine had vital info for B&B's Stephanie.
2010: One Life to Live's Cramer women reunited."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...
1965: On As the World Turns, the Cassens and the Hughes learned that Ellen Lowell (Patricia Bruder) had agreed to marry David Stewart (Henderson Forsythe). When Ellen told Claire (Barbara Berjer), Doug (Nat Polen), and Judge Lowell (William Johnston) about her engagement, they were shocked because they had been certain that she would marry Don Hughes...
- 11/1/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
1940: Portia Faces Life premiered on CBS Radio.
1980: Edge of Night's Clown Puppet killer claimed its first victim.
1991: Y&R's David died in a trash compactor.
1997: One Life to Live's Tea fell out a window."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...
1940: Radio soap opera Portia Faces Life debuted on CBS, sponsored by General Foods during its entire run on radio. The series had premiered early in 1940 on radio station Wnac in Boston, then moved to Wls in Chicago, Krld in Dallas, Kgw in Portland and Kfi in Los Angeles before moving to the CBS network.
1980: Edge of Night's Clown Puppet killer claimed its first victim.
1991: Y&R's David died in a trash compactor.
1997: One Life to Live's Tea fell out a window."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...
1940: Radio soap opera Portia Faces Life debuted on CBS, sponsored by General Foods during its entire run on radio. The series had premiered early in 1940 on radio station Wnac in Boston, then moved to Wls in Chicago, Krld in Dallas, Kgw in Portland and Kfi in Los Angeles before moving to the CBS network.
- 10/10/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
1960: As the World Turns' Grace wanted to help her son.
1979: Guiding Light's Holly received a marriage proposal.
1986: Young and Restless aired the "It's Ok to Say No" concert.
1986: Days of our Lives' Marlena and "Roman" were remarried."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...
1955: On The Brighter Day, Lydia's (Murial Williams) romantic life suffered as she became more stressed over her desire to confess that she had taken the silver clock.
1960: On As the World Turns, Dr. Cassen (Nat Polen) explained to Penny Hughes Baker (Rosemary Prinz) that he couldn't keep her husband,...
1979: Guiding Light's Holly received a marriage proposal.
1986: Young and Restless aired the "It's Ok to Say No" concert.
1986: Days of our Lives' Marlena and "Roman" were remarried."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...
1955: On The Brighter Day, Lydia's (Murial Williams) romantic life suffered as she became more stressed over her desire to confess that she had taken the silver clock.
1960: On As the World Turns, Dr. Cassen (Nat Polen) explained to Penny Hughes Baker (Rosemary Prinz) that he couldn't keep her husband,...
- 8/22/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
1981: Another Life premiered on Cbn.
1984: Days of our Lives' Howie walked down the aisle as Hope.
1997: Port Charles premiered on ABC.
2007: As the World Turns' Noah arrived in Oakdale."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."
― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"
"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...
1964: On Another World, Russ (Joey Trent) admitted to Jim (Leon Janney) that he did not feel smart enough to succeed in school.
1966: On Morning Star, Hank Stover...
1984: Days of our Lives' Howie walked down the aisle as Hope.
1997: Port Charles premiered on ABC.
2007: As the World Turns' Noah arrived in Oakdale."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."
― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"
"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...
1964: On Another World, Russ (Joey Trent) admitted to Jim (Leon Janney) that he did not feel smart enough to succeed in school.
1966: On Morning Star, Hank Stover...
- 6/1/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
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