First soap opera
Who
Painted Dreams
What
first
Where
United States ()
Soap operas began life on American radio in the 1930's and the name alluded to the soap manufacturers that most often sponsored these continuing dramas that captivated many of the at-home female audience. The mother of the soap opera was Irna Phillips (USA) who created the first radio soap Painted Dreams and would later go on to create three giants in the field The Guiding Light (USA, NBC Radio from 1937-1956, CBS TV from 1952-present) As the World Turns (USA, CBS TV 1956-present) and Another World (USA, NBC TV 1964-present).