This article is about the history of As the World Turns

As the World Turns

As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...

(ATWT), the longest-running American television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 soap opera

Soap opera

A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

.

Original Cast

List of characters who were part of the original cast when it debuted on April 2, 1956:

• Chris Hughes
  Christopher Hughes II
  Christopher Robert "Chris" Hughes II is a fictional character on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns. Dylan Bruce recently played Chris from October 25, 2007 to October 15, 2008. Two-time Emmy nominee Daniel Cosgrove took over the role in 2010....
  
  
• Nancy Hughes
  Nancy Hughes
  Nancy Hughes McClosky is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. From the show's inception in 1956 until 2010, Nancy Hughes has served as the core family's matriarch...
  
  
• Donald Hughes
• Penny Hughes
• Bob Hughes
  Bob Hughes
  Dr. Robert "Bob" Hughes. M.D. is a fictional character on the American soap opera, As the World Turns. Bob was played by actor Don Hastings from October 1960 until the series' final episode on September 17, 2010...
  
  
• Grandpa Hughes

• Edith Hughes
• Judge Lowell
• Jim Lowell
• Claire Lowell
• Ellen Lowell
  Ellen Lowell
  Ellen Lowell is a fictional character on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns. She was portrayed by Wendy Drew from April 2, 1956 until September 1960 and by Patricia Bruder from December 1960 until November 1998.-Growing up in Oakdale:Ellen Lowell, the granddaughter of the esteemed Judge...
  
  

Storylines

• Chris and Nancy debate as to whether his father (Will "Pa" Hughes) will stay.

• Edith Hughes and a married man, Jim Lowell, have an affair.

• Claire tries to keep Jim at her side by overdosing. Doug Cassen helps her.

• Jim dies in a boating accident in Florida.

• John Hughes marries a women named Marion.

• Donald becomes engaged to Janice Turner. She breaks it off and marries Carl Whipple.

• Don and Nancy fall out over Janice because Nancy thinks Janice isn't good enough for Don.

• Penny is in love with Jeff Baker and elopes with him but it is called off at Nancy's insistence.

• Al James and Jeff get in a fight over Penny, and Jeff is arrested after James dies.

• Penny becomes engaged to Tom Pope, but when she says she still loves Jeff, Tom breaks it off.

• Donald works for Mitchell Dru. Donald leaves and works for the DA
  DA
  DA, da, or dA may refer to:* Da , a Tony-winning play by Hugh Leonard* Da , a movie adaptation of the play by Hugh Leonard* Adi Da, a spiritual leader once known as Da Free John, and Da Love-Ananda...
  
   and then at the Lowell firm.

• Claire marries Doug Cassen.

• Ellen and Tim Cole, a married man, fall in love and have a child, James "Jimmy" Cole, but she gives him up for adoption. Louise Cole, Tim's wife, arrives and they divorce.

• Edith marries George Frey and they leave town.

• Penny and Jeff get married.

• When Jeff leaves town, Penny becomes pregnant but loses the baby.

• Lisa Miller comes to town with her parents Henry and Alma Miller. Lisa begins a relationship with Bob and they are secretly married.

• Lisa becomes pregnant.

• Nancy wants Bob and Lisa's marriage annulled but is forced to accept her into the Hughes home when Nancy discovers Lisa is pregnant.

• Tim has leukemia. Ellen marries him and weeks later he dies.

• The Stewart family (David, Betty, and their children, Dan and Paul) comes to Oakdale.

Characters

The Hughes Family

Will "Pa" Hughes

m.Ma Hughes

c.Edith Hughes Frey

m.George Frey

As The World Turns recurring characters

This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...

a.Jim Lowell (deceased)

c.John Hughes

m.Marion

c.Christopher Hughes

m.Nancy Hughes

Nancy Hughes

Nancy Hughes McClosky is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. From the show's inception in 1956 until 2010, Nancy Hughes has served as the core family's matriarch...

c.Donald Hughes

c.Penny Hughes Baker

m.Jeff Baker

c.Bob Hughes

Bob Hughes

Dr. Robert "Bob" Hughes. M.D. is a fictional character on the American soap opera, As the World Turns. Bob was played by actor Don Hastings from October 1960 until the series' final episode on September 17, 2010...

c.Susan Hughes (deceased)

The Lowell Family

James T. Lowell

m.Alice Lowell

c.Jim Lowell (deceased)

a.Edith Hughes

m.Claire Lowell Cassen

c.Ellen Lowell Cole

m.Tim Cole

c.James "Jimmy" Cole

m.Doug Cassen

Turner Family

Thelma Turner

As The World Turns recurring characters

This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...

c.Janice Turner Whipple

m.Carl Whipple

The Baker Family

Dick Baker

As The World Turns recurring characters

This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...

m.Grace Baker

As The World Turns recurring characters

This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...

c.Jeff Baker

m.Penny Hughes Baker

The Cole Family

Tim Cole

m.Louise Cole

As The World Turns recurring characters

This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...

m.Ellen Lowell Cole

The Meadows Family

Joe Meadows

As The World Turns recurring characters

This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...

m.Anne Meadows

As The World Turns recurring characters

This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...

The Miller Family

Henry Miller

m.Alma Miller

c.Lisa Miller Hughes

m.Bob Hughes

The Stewart Family

David Stewart

m.Betty Stewart

c.Paul Stewart

c.Dan Stewart (adopted) {Birth Name: James "Jimmy" Cole}

Other People

• Al James
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , fought with Jeff over Penny
• Tom Pope
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , Penny's love interest
• Mitchell Dru
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , an attorney
• Greg Williams
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , a reporter
• Julie Spencer
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , an attorney who was Mitchell Dru's ward.
• Burt Stanton
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , Ellen's fiance
• Laura March
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , replaced Edith Hughes as secretary at hospital.
• Phil Banner
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , Jeff's employer when he was in music
• Ed Richardson
  As The World Turns recurring characters
  This article contains synopses for the recurring characters that have appeared on the American soap opera As the World Turns.-Al James:'...
  
  , Grace's right-hand man