"The Guiding Light" (1952) TV series 1952-2009

Creator:

Irna Phillips

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

30 June 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Life happens here.

Plot:

Guiding Light takes place in the fictional Midwestern town of Springfield. In its early years the stories centered on the middle class Bauer family...

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | Soap Opera | Beautiful Woman | Fictional City | Husband Wife Relationship

Awards:

96 wins & 368 nominations

Cast

Kim Zimmer	...	Reva Shayne / ... (562 episodes, 1983-2009)
Robert Newman	...	Joshua Lewis / ... (522 episodes, 1981-2009)
Lia Yang	...	Susan (507 episodes, 1993-2007)
Ron Raines	...	Alan Spaulding / ... (430 episodes, 1994-2009)
Beth Chamberlin	...	Lorelei Hills / ... (427 episodes, 1989-2009)
Bradley Cole	...	Jeffrey O'Neill / ... (385 episodes, 1999-2009)
Beth Ehlers	...	Harley Davidson Cooper Spaulding Mallet Spaulding Aitoro / ... (374 episodes, 1987-2008)
Justin Deas	...	Buzz Cooper / ... (372 episodes, 1992-2009)
Marcy Rylan	...	Lizzie Spaulding / ... (372 episodes, 2006-2009)
Frank Dicopoulos	...	Frank Cooper / ... (366 episodes, 1987-2009)
Gina Tognoni	...	Dinah Marler / ... (363 episodes, 2004-2009)
Crystal Chappell	...	Olivia Spencer / ... (359 episodes, 1999-2009)
Mandy Bruno	...	Marina Cooper / ... (349 episodes, 2004-2009)
Robert Bogue	...	A.C. Mallet / ... (324 episodes, 2005-2009)
Nicole Forester	...	Cassie Winslow / ... (298 episodes, 2005-2008)
Bonnie Dennison	...	Daisy Lemay / ... (268 episodes, 2007-2009)
Michael O'Leary	...	Rick Bauer / ... (265 episodes, 1983-2009)
Daniel Cosgrove	...	Bill Lewis / ... (248 episodes, 2002-2009)
Jordan Clarke	...	Billy Lewis / ... (243 episodes, 1983-2009)
Murray Bartlett	...	Cyrus Foley (241 episodes, 2007-2009)
Jessica Leccia	...	Natalia Rivera / ... (233 episodes, 2007-2009)
Grant Aleksander	...	Phillip Granville Spaulding / ... (231 episodes, 1983-2009)

Also Known As:

Guiding Light (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

15 min (1952-1968) | 30 min (1968-1977) | 60 min (1977-)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1952-1967) | Color (1967-)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (1952-1987) | Stereo (1987-)

Certification:

USA:TV-14

Filming Locations:

CBS Broadcast Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP)

Trivia:

The show's first color broadcast was on September 11, 1967. The first half-hour broadcast was on September 9, 1968. The first hour-long broadcast was on June 16, 1975. It was also the first broadcast to have the title of the series changed from "The Guiding Light" to "Guiding Light". The CBS staff announcer referred to it as "The Guiding Light" until 1981, when it was referred to as "The award-winning Guiding Light" until 1983.

Quotes:

Beth Raines Spalding LeMay#2: Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Alan is gone.
Jeffrey O'Neill: So?
Alexandra Spaulding #2: So, we were waiting for him.
Jeffrey O'Neill: And your hearts are broken because you miss him. Guess what, ladies, Mr. Alan Spaulding is no longer under the care of the state. He is all yours.
Alexandra Spaulding #2: Well, maybe the state will take him back.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: As the Will Turns (#5.20)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Die Springfield Story

Was Great, But Getting Mediocre

I first got hooked on this show when I was in high school and I still keep up with it. Unfortunately, it is becoming so repetitive that it is getting boring. Of course, the one person that will keep me coming back to it is Kim Zimmer and her wonderful portrayal of Reva. Reva Shayne probably is the strongest female character on soaps next to Susan Lucci's portrayal of Erica Kane. However, the main beef I have against it is that it now the show is beginning to lose touch with reality and everything has to revolve around some mystery that involves every major family in town. I hope one day that this show will regain its focus and that it will get back to being the great show that it was.