"The Guiding Light" (1952) TV series 1952-2009

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Creator:

Irna Phillips

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

30 June 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Life happens here.

Plot:

Guiding Light takes place in the fictional Midwestern town of Springfield. In its early years the stories centered on the middle class Bauer family...

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | Soap Opera | Beautiful Woman | Fictional City | Husband Wife Relationship

Awards:

96 wins & 368 nominations

Cast

Kim Zimmer	...	Reva Shayne / ... (562 episodes, 1983-2009)
Robert Newman	...	Joshua Lewis / ... (522 episodes, 1981-2009)
Lia Yang	...	Susan (507 episodes, 1993-2007)
Ron Raines	...	Alan Spaulding / ... (430 episodes, 1994-2009)
Beth Chamberlin	...	Lorelei Hills / ... (427 episodes, 1989-2009)
Bradley Cole	...	Jeffrey O'Neill / ... (385 episodes, 1999-2009)
Beth Ehlers	...	Harley Davidson Cooper Spaulding Mallet Spaulding Aitoro / ... (374 episodes, 1987-2008)
Justin Deas	...	Buzz Cooper / ... (372 episodes, 1992-2009)
Marcy Rylan	...	Lizzie Spaulding / ... (372 episodes, 2006-2009)
Frank Dicopoulos	...	Frank Cooper / ... (366 episodes, 1987-2009)
Gina Tognoni	...	Dinah Marler / ... (363 episodes, 2004-2009)
Crystal Chappell	...	Olivia Spencer / ... (359 episodes, 1999-2009)
Mandy Bruno	...	Marina Cooper / ... (349 episodes, 2004-2009)
Robert Bogue	...	A.C. Mallet / ... (324 episodes, 2005-2009)
Nicole Forester	...	Cassie Winslow / ... (298 episodes, 2005-2008)
Bonnie Dennison	...	Daisy Lemay / ... (268 episodes, 2007-2009)
Michael O'Leary	...	Rick Bauer / ... (265 episodes, 1983-2009)
Daniel Cosgrove	...	Bill Lewis / ... (248 episodes, 2002-2009)
Jordan Clarke	...	Billy Lewis / ... (243 episodes, 1983-2009)
Murray Bartlett	...	Cyrus Foley (241 episodes, 2007-2009)
Jessica Leccia	...	Natalia Rivera / ... (233 episodes, 2007-2009)
Grant Aleksander	...	Phillip Granville Spaulding / ... (231 episodes, 1983-2009)

Also Known As:

Guiding Light (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

15 min (1952-1968) | 30 min (1968-1977) | 60 min (1977-)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1952-1967) | Color (1967-)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (1952-1987) | Stereo (1987-)

Certification:

USA:TV-14

Filming Locations:

CBS Broadcast Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP)

Trivia:

"The Guiding Light" began on radio, on 25 January 1937, and originally revolved around a minister named Rev. Dr. John Ruthledge (played by Arthur Peterson) and his congregation in Five Points, IL. At 68 years (although on radio it was cancelled by NBC, five times: 1939, 1941, 1942, 1944 and 1946; with audiences having huge letter writing campaigns to have NBC revive it and then was picked up by CBS in 1947), it is the longest running drama series in history. It was on radio and television (the actors/actresses had to perform scripts twice during the day), from June 30, 1952 to June 30, 1956. It is also the only broadcast show to actually be on three networks, NBC would split in two in 1946 (NBC and what would later become ABC; and "The Guiding Light" was on both versions of NBC: NBC Red and NBC Blue) and then went to CBS where it has stayed to today. It also has changed location three times, from 1937 to 1946 it was in Five Points, IL (a fictional suburb of Chicago), then it moved, from 1947 to 1965 to Selby Flats, CA (a fictional suburb of Los Angeles) and then finally to its current location of the fictional Springfield, Illinois in 1966.

Quotes:

[confronting Harley about her goodbye letter to him]
Gus: Oh, so this is nice. This is like a "Dear John" letter. You're going to kiss me off with a letter?
Harley: I couldn't figure out any other way to do this.
Gus: You make the decision without me, you don't even consult me, and this is what you want to do?
Harley: Well, you said you weren't going to be in court today. So...
Gus: Yeah, I'm not going to court. I'm not going to stand there and watch you throw your life away.
Harley: That's fine, but I'm still going through with this. Ten years. Ten. I mean, even with time off with good behavior, that's a really long time. So my life will be in the state pen and yours will be here. That's the reality.
Gus: I don't really have a reality without you in my life, okay? So if they send you to Vailsburg, I'll just buy the house next door to prison.
Harley: No.
Gus: If they send you out of state, I'll just... I'll hit the road. I'll be the first one in, the last one out every single visiting day. You can count on it.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Nip/Tuck: Momma Boone (#3.1)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Die Springfield Story

Hooked for 10 years

I haven't seen every soap, but from what I have seen, this one can claim the best acting talent around. It's too bad Cynthia Watros (Annie) and Wendy Moniz (Dinah) had to go, They're both gifted actresses. Grant Aleksander (Philip) probably can claim best actor presently. Fortunately, the great cast makes up for some of the plot lines, e.g. Michael the angel, the bizarre cloning of Reva, and now Hart is in this metaphorical fight for life. It'll take a week to decide his fate. Pity the punching bag.