72 Years! How do you pay tribute to a program that has survived for 72 years?
Irma Phillips wrote these words in 1937, "I created 'Guiding Light' with one fundamental theme in mind: the brotherhood of man." Who could have imagined that that breathtakingly simple intention, written at the beginning of FDR's second term as president, would carry the show for 72 years!
Guiding Light began on the radio in 1937 and continued it's broadcast until 1952, with it's first TV episode on June 30, 1952. Tomorrow, September 18, the last episode will air, ending an era...
The show was built around the Bauer Family; Charita, Meta, Papa and Bill. It soon grew to include the Thorpe, Stapleton, Spaulding, Marler, Chamberlain and Lewis families. Many more passed through but these became the families that all were related to.
My mother was a faithful viewer all of her life and I grew to like the show thru her loyalty. If a current event aired "instead" of her shows..not soaps..they were Her Shows...her frustration was apparent. She worried about what she might have missed!
When I moved from home into college we did not have TVs in our rooms, but one in the lounge and everyone gathered at some time of the day to watch a soap. CBS always seemed to be the most popular and was I glad. I didn't want to miss anything either....
After I got married and had my girls, I went back to work and we did not have a VCR. My sweet daughters place a cassette player in front of the TV and recorded Guiding Light for me!!!! I laugh so much thinking about listening to those tapes at night and then erasing them for the next day! I think I spent my first paycheck on a VCR.
A few of my favorite memories of the show are:
Josh and Reva
All I ever wanted was for these two to be happily married!!! Every time they got close to happiness tragedy struck! I pulled for them for YEARS, and Reva died more times than I can remember/ha I really think Friday these two will ride into the sunset together....I Hope!
Phillip, Mindy, Rick and Beth
How many years of these four did we enjoy? Every story line they had captured our attention. These four were so special to the show. Phillip asked Beth to marry him (again) yesterday....of course she has been married to his dad also!!! Speaking of his dad, the great Alan Spaulding died yesterday on the show. If the show was not ending I know he would return/ha
I will miss Guiding Light. I feel like I am losing a friend.
Congratulations to the cast and all of the writers,,,Job Well Done! Good Luck to all of you and I hope to see you again!
7 comments:
72 years is a long, long time! Is that the record for consecutive years of a show? I would think that it would have to be!
OH this is my favorite too..although I have NOT watched in years! Seeing the photos of the actors just makes me sad that it is over. I am SOOOOO glad I read your post tonight as I will watch the last episode tomorrow!!
When I went away to University my parents were SO MAD when they found out I scheduled my afternoon classes around Guiding Light!!! I was NOT the only one in my dorm to do this! I was head over heels in love with that spoiled rotten Phillip Spaulding! Ack!
This is so sad! I didn't watch this one but I do watch Y&R and I would be beside myself if it was canceled! I can't believe GL has been on that long. Amazing!
I have never watched the Guiding Light; but, anything lasting 72 years is impressive! And, deserving of a tribute!
I had no idea they'd been around for soooo long! I used to watch it years ago, but I have no idea who's even on there anymore. I like Phillip & Harley - Of course Reva too
What a great tribut. It's sad really, I hate to see it go. Something about the Guiding Light and The Price is Right brings me comfort :)
This is so sad! I didn't watch this one but I do watch Y&R and I would be beside myself if it was canceled! I can't believe GL has been on that long. Amazing!
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