Classic daytime American soaps to be released on DVD

Episodes of classic daytime soaps Guiding Light, Another World, The Edge of Night and Search for Tomorrow are set to be released on DVD.

The Proctor and Gamble soaps are set to have classic episodes released on DVD. A boxset of 20 episodes from now defunct CBS soap As The World Turns has recently been released on DVD in America by Soap Classics and the company is set to release episodes of other soaps such as Guiding Light, Another World and The Edge of Night on DVD too.

Guiding Light was the longest running soap in the world having clocked up an incredible 72 years on-air when it ended on CBS in 2009. The Guiding Light, as it was originally known, first started on NBC radio in 1937 before moving to CBS radio in 1947. Television episodes of the soap started in 1952 but the soap also continued on radio until later in the decade, 1956. It was created by Irna Phillips who went on to create, or co-create, a number of other soaps such As The World Turns, Another World and Days of our Lives.

As The World Turns and Another World were created as ‘sister shows’ to Guiding Light and regularly featured crossover plots. As The World Turns only ended last year on CBS when it was cancelled after 54 years on-air. Another World was a NBC soap, produced by Proctor and Gamble, which ran between 1964 and 1999 and was notable for producing several firsts during its time – such as two spin-off series’ Somerset (1970 – 1976) and Texas (1980 – 1982).

The Edge of Night originally aired on CBS between 1956 and 1975 when it was cancelled by the broadcaster but saved by ABC were it moved to and remained until 1984 – just under ten years after it was originally axed. The Edge of Night mixed traditional soap elements in with more mystery and crime elements.

Not all of its episodes remain in the archives though with the CBS aired episodes suffering heavily from wiping – a policy of destroying tapes after they were broadcast and sold abroad. It was a policy that was wide-spread at the time and not just in America but also in other countries such as the UK with popular programmes such as Doctor Who, Dad’s Army and daytime soaps Crossroads and General Hospital (UK) all missing episodes from their respective archives.

As yet there’s no clear indication when episodes of Guiding Light and the other soaps will be released on DVD. However, the fact there are plans to release episodes will no doubt please fans of the American daytime soaps a genre which is in danger of disappearing from television all together over the next ten years due to dwindling audiences and changing viewing habits.