Series Description

All My Children soap opera was a daytime drama series that premiered on January 5, 1970 on ABC and aired its final episode on September 23, 2011. It centered around a woman named Erica Kane and her numerous husbands. Of course like most soap operas there were no lack of shocking affairs, intense arguments and even killings. The episodes were 30 minutes in length until April 25, 1977 when they were expanded to one hour.

All My Children Cast

Susan Lucci .... Erica Kane (1970-2011)
Cameron Mathison .... Ryan Lavery (1998-2011)
Michael E. Knight .... Tad Martin (1983-2011)
David Canary .... Adam Chandler (1984-2011)
Alicia Minshew .... Kendall Hart (2002-2011)
Thorsten Kaye .... Zach Slater (2004-2011)
Eileen Herlie .... Myrtle Fargate (1976-2008)
Jacob Young .... JR Chandler (2003-2011)
Melissa Claire Egan .... Annie Lavery (2006-2011)
Bobbie Eakes .... Krystal Carey Chandler (2003-2011)
Walt Willey .... Jackson Montgomery (1987-2011)
Aiden Turner .... Aidan Devane (2003-2009)
Vincent Irizarry .... David Hayward (1997-2011)
Rebecca Budig .... Greenlee Smythe (1999-2011)
James Mitchell .... Palmer Cortlandt, Sr. (1979-2010)
Jill Larson .... Opal (1989-2011)
Darnell Williams .... Jesse Hubbard (1981-2011)
Chrishell Stause .... Amanda Dillon (2005-2011)
Debbi Morgan .... Angie Hubbard (1982-2011)
Kal Cauthen .... Kal (1997-2004)
Ricky Paull Goldin .... Jake Martin (2008-2011)
Alexa Havins .... Arabella "Babe" Carey Chandler (2003-2007)
Ray MacDonnell .... Joe Martin (1970-2010)
Cornelius Smith Jr. .... Frankie Hubbard (2007-2011)
Julia Barr .... Brooke Allison English Cudahy Chandler Martin (1980-2011)
Eden Riegel .... Bianca Montgomery (2000-2010)
Cady McClain .... Dixie Louise Cooney Chandler Martin Bodine Martin #2 (1989-2011)
Lucy Merriam .... Emma Lavery (2006-2010)
Denise Vasi .... Randi Hubbard (2008-2011)
Jamie Luner .... Liza Colby (2009-2011)
Colin Egglesfield .... Joshua Madden (2005-2009)
Amanda Baker .... Babe Carey (2007-2009)
Andrew Jackson .... Dr. Stephen Hamill (1991-1993)
Brittany Allen .... Marissa Chandler (2009-2010)
Adam Mayfield .... Scott Chandler (2009-2010)
Justin Bruening .... James Edward "Jamie" Martin (2003-2007)
Sabine Singh .... Greenlee Smythe (2007-2008)
Leven Rambin .... Ava Benton (2004-2010)
Kelly Ripa .... Hayley Vaughan Santos (1990-2008)
John Callahan .... Edmund Grey (1992-2005)
Jeff Branson .... Jonathan Lavery (2004-2007)
Brianne Moncrief .... Colby Chandler (2008-2010)
Sydney Penny .... Julia Santos Keefer (1993-2008)
Shannon Kane .... Natalia Fowler (2008-2011)
Marcy Walker .... Liza Colby Chandler Chandler #1 (1982-2005)
Ambyr Childers .... Colby Chandler (2006-2008)
Billy Miller .... Richie Novak (2007-2008)
James Kiberd .... Trevor Dillon #2 (1989-2000)
Kelli Giddish .... Di Henry (2005-2007)
Beth Ehlers .... Taylor Thompson (2008-2009)
Mark Consuelos .... Mateo Santos Sr. (1995-2010)
Ben Eckstein .... Spike Lavery (2007-2009)
Stephanie Gatschet .... Madison North (2009-2011)
J.R. Martinez .... Brot Monroe (2008-2011)
Alex Eckstein .... Spike Lavery (2007-2009)
Pat Skelton .... Wally McFadden (1980-1984)

All My Children Trivia

Agnes Nixon created All My Children in the 1960s while working as head writer on "The Guiding Light". She took the project to NBC and CBS but both networks turned the show down. She managed to secure guaranteed sponsoring from "Procter and Gamble" for the show but when she went back to NBC with that backing they still refused to buy the show. Eventually, ABC saw the potential and the rest is soap opera history!

The drama on All My Children takes place in the fictional town of Pine Valley, Pennsylvania which is supposedly a suburb of Philadelphia.

All of the episodes of All My Children were recorded from the very beginning but, unfortunately, the early ones on film were tossed out! The ones that were videotaped are luckily stored away for posterity.

As of 2010, Susan Lucci (Erica Kane) and Ray MacDonnell (Joe Martin) were the only two original Cast on All My Children who remain on the show. Ray then retired in 2010 leaving Susan as the sole remaining member of the cast.

A couple of years before the series expanded to 60 minute long episodes ABC tried the hour long format for one week beginning on June 30, 1975.

In the opening credits there are some words show that apparently were written in the photo album. They are: "The great and the least, The rich and the poor, The weak and the strong, In sickness and in health, In joy and sorrow, In tragedy and triumph, You are All My Children.

Even if you aren't a fan of All My Children or soap operas in general, you may have heard of some of those who appeared on the show. Among them are Kim Delaney ("NYPD Blue"), Sarah Michelle Gellar ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), Stacy Haiduk ("SeaQuest DSV"), Lee Meriwether ("Barnaby Jones") and Mario Van Peebles ("Damages").

ABC began broadcasting All My Children in high definition on February 3, 2010!

One atypical statistic for the series is that in the mid 1970s, the male viewers comprised 30% of the total audience! Due to the fact that many viewers are at work when the show airs, it is one of the most recorded series on television.

All My Children also made soap opera history in 1978 when it became the first American soap to shoot abroad for Tom and Erica's honeymoon on Saint Croix.