Guiding Light Guiding Light Guiding Light (known as The Guiding Light before 1975) is an American television soap opera. It is listed in "Guinness World Records" as the longest-running drama in television in American history, broadcast on CBS for 57 years from June 30, 1952, until September 18, 2009, overlapping a 19-year broadcast on radio from 1937 to 1956. With its run of 72 years of radio and television, "Guiding Light" is the longest running soap opera before "General Hospital" and the fifth-longest running program in all of broadcast history; only the American country music radio program "Grand Ole Opry" (first broadcast
The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (Waggett book) The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (Waggett book) The Soap Opera Encyclopedia is a 1997 reference book by Gerard J. Waggett which assembles comprehensive information about American daytime soap operas. "The Soap Opera Encyclopedia" features commentary, analysis and criticism of every American daytime soap opera that had aired prior to the book's publication. It also discusses background, significant storylines and impact of each program, and lists performers and characters. Waggett includes "The Soap Opera 100," his look at "Daytime's 100 Most Noteworthy Actors, Writers, and Producers." The book also gives overviews and background for the Daytime Emmy Awards and "Soap Opera Digest"