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List of radio soap operas

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Radio daytime drama serials were broadcast for decades, and some expanded to television. These dramas are often referred to as "soaps", a shortening from "soap opera". That term stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and Lever Brothers as sponsors [1] and producers.[2] These early radio serials were broadcast in weekday daytime slots when mostly housewives would be able to listen; thus the shows were aimed at and consumed by a predominantly female audience.[1]

Show Region/country Began Ended Creator Ref.
Adopted Daughter United States 1939 1941 Jettabee Anne Hopkins
The Affairs of Dr Gentry 1957 1959 [3]
Against the Storm United States 1939 1952 Sandra Michael [3]
Amanda of Honeymoon Hill United States 1940 1946 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
The Archers United Kingdom 1951 present Godfrey Baseley
Arnold Grimm's Daughter United States 1937 1942 Margaret Sangster [4]
Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories United States 1937 1955 [4]
Aunt Mary United States 1942 1951 Leigh and Virginia Crosby & Gil South [3]
Bachelor's Children United States 1935 1946 Bess Flynn [3]
Backstage Wife United States 1935 1959 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
Barry Cameron 1945 1946 Richard, Leonard, and Peggy Blake
Betty and Bob United States 1932 1940 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
Big Sister United States 1936 1952 Julian Funt, Carl Bixby, Bob Newman and Bill Sweets [3]
Blue Hills Australia 1949 1976 Gwen Meredith
Bob and Victoria 1947 1947 Lee and Virginia Crosby & Gil South [4]
Brave Tomorrow United States 1943 1944 Ruth Adams Knight [4]
Brenda Curtis United States 1939 1940 Ken Roberts [4]
Bright Horizon United States 1941 1945 James and Elizabeth Hart, John M. Young, Ted Maxwell, Stuart Hawkins, and Kathleen Norris [3]
The Brighter Day United States 1948 1956 Irna Phillips [3]
The Carters of Elm Street United States 1939 1940 Mona Kent [4]
Central City United States 1938 1941 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
The Colcloughs United Kingdom 1991
2016		 1993
present		 Mike Hopwood
Citizens United Kingdom 1987 1991 BBC
City Soap United Kingdom 2005 2008 Preston Fm
Clara, Lu, and Em United States 1930 1942 Louise Starkey, Isobel Carothers and Helen King [3]
College Road Ireland 2009 2009 MightyStudent [3]
Dan Harding's Wife United States 1936 1938 Ken Robinson [3]
David Harum United States 1936 1950 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
Doc Barclay's Daughters United States 1939 1940 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
The Doctor's Wife United States 1952 1956 Manya Starr
Family Skeleton United States 1953 1954 Carlton E. Morse
Front Line Family United Kingdom / Canada 1941 1948
Front Page Farrell United States 1941 1954 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
Girl Alone United States 1935 1941 Fayette Krum [3]
The Goldbergs United States 1929 1950 Gertrude Berg [4]
The Guiding Light United States 1937 1956 [5] Irna Phillips [3]
Helpmate United States 1941 1944 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
Her Honor, Nancy James 1938 1939 [4]
Hilltop House 1937, 1948 1941, 1957 Edward Wolf [4][6]
Home of the Brave United States 1941 1941 [4]: 326-327 
Into the Light 1941 1942 Larry Bearson [4]
Jane Arden United States 1938 1939 [4]
John's Other Wife 1936 1942 Frank and Anne Hummert [4]
Joyce Jordan, M.D. United States 1938 1956 [3]
Judy and Jane United States 1932 1935 Frank and Anne Hummert [4]
Just Plain Bill United States 1932 1955 Frank and Anne Hummert [4]
Kate Hopkins, Angel of Mercy 1940 1942 Gertrude Berg and Chester McCracken [4]
Kitty Foyle United States 1942 1944 [3]
Kitty Keene, Incorporated United States 1937 1941 Day Keene and Lester Huntly
The Life and Love of Dr. Susan 1939 1939 Edith Meiser [4]
Life Begins 1940 1941 [4]
Life Can Be Beautiful United States 1938 1954 Don Becker and Carl Bixby [4]
Life of Mary Sothern 1934 1938 Don Becker [4]
The Light of the World United States 1940 1950 [3]
Linda's First Love 1939 ca. 1950 [4]
Lone Journey 1940 1952 Sandra Michael [4]
Lonely Women United States 1942 1943 Irna Phillips
Lora Lawton United States 1943 1950 [3]
Lorenzo Jones United States 1937 1955 [3]
Ma Perkins United States 1933 1960 Frank and Anne Hummert [3]
Matysiakowie Poland 1956 present Jerzy Janicki
Mrs Dale's Diary United Kingdom 1948 1969 Jonqil Antony
My True Story United States 1943 1956 Margaret Sangster [3]
Myrt and Marge United States 1931 1942 Myrtle Vail [3]
Newarkers United Kingdom 2013 2013 Radio Newark
The O'Neills United States 1935 1943 [3]
One Man's Family United States 1932 1959 Carlton E. Morse [3]
Our Gal Sunday United States 1936 1959 [3]
Painted Dreams United States 1930 1943 Irna Phillips [7]
Penny For Your Thoughts United Kingdom 2018 present Marion Hartley (Script) Brian Curtis (Producer) on Vectis Radio (104.6FM & www.vectisradio.com)
Pepper Young's Family United States 1932 1959 Elaine Sterne Carrington [3]
Perry Mason United States 1943 1955 Erle Stanley Gardner [3]
Portia Faces Life United States 1940 1952 [3]
Pretty Kitty Kelly United States 1937 1940 [3]
The Right to Happiness United States 1939 1960 Irna Phillips [3]
The Road of Life United States 1937 1959 Irna Phillips [3]
The Romance of Helen Trent United States 1933 1960 Frank and Anne Hummert [4]
Rosemary United States 1944 1955 Elaine Sterne Carrington [3]
The Second Mrs. Burton United States 1946 1960 [3]
Silver Street United Kingdom 2004 2010
Sounds of the City United States 1973 1975 Shauneille Perry [8]
Staying Well in Camberwell United States 2011 2011 Cheryl L. Davis [9] [10][11]
Stella Dallas United States 1937 1955 [3]
The Story of Mary Marlin United States 1935 1952 [3]
The Strange Romance of Evelyn Winters United States 1944 1952 [3]
This Is Nora Drake United States 1947 1959 [3]
Today's Children United States 1933 1938 Irna Phillips [3]
Today's Children (second series) United States 1943 1950 Irna Phillips (Dialogue by Virginia Cooke) [3]
Valiant Lady United States 1938 1952 [3]
Waggoners' Walk United Kingdom 1969 1980
We Love and Learn United States 1942 1956 [3]
Wendy Warren and the News United States 1947 1958 [3]
Westway United Kingdom 1997 2005
When a Girl Marries United States 1939 1957 Elaine Sterne Carrington [3]
The Woman in My House United States 1951 1959 [3]
Woman in White United States 1938 1948 [3]
A Woman of America United States 1943 1945 [3]
You Me Now New Zealand 2010 2012 Radio New Zealand and All The Way Home Productions [3]
Young Doctor Malone United States 1939 1960 Irna Phillips [3]
Young Widder Brown United States 1938 1956 Frank Hummert and Anne Hummert [3]
Your Family and Mine United States 1938 1940 [4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Bowles, p. 118
  2. ^ "PGP". proctergambleproductions.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc Lackmann, Ronald W. (2000). The Encyclopedia of American Radio: An A-Z Guide to Radio from Jack Benny to Howard Stern. Facts On File. ISBN 0-8160-4137-7.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-time Radio. United States: Oxford University Press. pp. 14, 17. ISBN 0-19-507678-8.
  5. ^ The radio show The Guiding Light was dropped in 1956 in favor of the television version, which premiered in 1952 and ended in 2009.
  6. ^ Thurber, James (June 12, 1948). "Soapland III - Sculptors in Ivory". The New Yorker. pp. 48–58. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  7. ^ Cox, Jim (2003). Frank and Anne Hummert's radio factory: the programs and personalities of broadcasting's most prolific producers. McFarland.
  8. ^ Bellafante, Ginia (October 24, 2021). "He Set the Template for Black Media". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "Cheryl L. Davis". cldplay.com. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  10. ^ "Staying Well in Camberwell". Staying Well in Camberwell. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  11. ^ "Local radio soap operas address Alabama's health problems in true soapy fashion". AL.com. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
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