As The World Turns

1 9 5 6 - Current (USA)
11,000+ x 30/60 minute episodes

Set in the town of Oakdale, As The World Turns is one of the longest running daytime soap operas in the world. First broadcast on April 2 1956, the series has the usual mix of deceit, love interests, death, illness, intrigue, money, success and failure - It also always has hard-to-unravel entanglements that endure for years, primarily revolving around the lives of the Hughes family and the Lowell family. 

In May 1968 a short lived 38 episode prime time spin off called Our Private World started on CBC, focusing on the character of Lisa Hughes (played by Eileen Fulton). 

A number of famous actors appeared on As The World Turns in the early stages of their career, most famously Martin Sheen as Jack Davis (1960s), Meg Ryan as Betsy Stewart (1982-84), Swoosie Kurtz as Ellie Bradley, Dana Delaney as Hayley Wilson Hollister (1981) and Marisa Tomei as Marcy Thompson (1983-85). 

The series was broadcast live until the spring of 1975.