As The World Turns - classic 54 year Soap Opera of family generational storytelling.
As Kim and Bob Hughes reflect on the future, the spinning globe reminds us that,
as the world turns, we should say "Goodnight not Goodbye".
Kim and Bob Hughes
As The World Turns Finale - or is it a new beginning?
So, a year has gone by since I last saw my Oakdale family. In one way, it seems like yesterday, since I have been trying to keep the memories alive with tribute scrapbooks, facebook pages and groups trying to get someone/anyone to help save the show from going off the air and then later trying to get it back. I have watched the last two weeks of episodes several times with the hope that I won't forget. But, I will. And I am sad - very sad, indeed.
And then our hearts were broken, when it was finally revealed that Nancy Hughes had passed away.
And then unnecessary tragedy struck again and our hearts were broken all over again.
As the world turns, life goes on.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2010
And so we say goodnight to the residents of Oakdale until we meet again - As the World Turns
Eileen Fulton was born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty on September 13, 1933 in Asheville, North Carolina. She is known for her role as Lisa Grimaldi on the CBS soap opera, As The World Turns, a role that she played almost continuously for 50 years from May 18, 1960 until the show's cancellation and finale on September 17, 2010. (Wikipedia)
My first introduction to As The World Turns was when my mother introduced me to incomparable, Lisa Miller. I was seven years old and my mother would tell me of all the antics that 'our adorable little minx' would get herself involved with. As a child, I didn't understand the innuendos and nuances of the unwise choices Lisa made. I really didn't see much of the daily discussions with her mother-in-law, Nancy and Bob's sister Penny. It was more what my mother said about Lisa that made me understand the unique personality that would celebrate 50 years as a character that will forever personify the very best of the daytime serial drama.
Lisa Miller was an intregal part of the Hughes family even after she and Bob divorced. It was Eileen Fulton who brought the character to life in Oakdale, Illinois. We loved Lisa because of her brilliant portrayal for 50 years.
Now, when Eileen Fulton was hired to play the young Lisa Miller, Irna Phillips only wanted Lisa as a distraction for Bob to date him while in medical school and to cause a bit of conflict when the Hughes family didn't approve of the relationship. But Eileen was so convincing and personable, she ingratiated herself with Iran and the entire cast, especially Helen Wagner. As Lou Grant in the Mary Tayler Moore says of Mary Richards, "she has spunk - I like spunk". It was the same in 1960 for Eileen Fulton.
What I enjoyed most about Lisa was that she was totally unpredictable, yet always sincere. She said what she thought, even though she would get in trouble for it. I would like to give you two testamonials to Lisa/Eileen which express how a remarkable lady was able to work her way into our hearts.
I honestly can't say there's one favorite memory. GL, ATWT, Another World, and Search for Tomorrow played an active role in my life since early childhood and continued until the "current" final curtain of ATWT. I've never chosen one particular episode over another, instead I was drawn to and guided by the characters. GL brought Reva with all her spunk, spit, fire and determination. She wasn't from the "right side of the tracks" financially, but she had the heart of lion and her sheer gut for succeeding, and demostrated the "True Southern Woman" in all our Glory, Class and Charm. ATWT brought to my world, Lisa. What a remarkable individual. She paved the path for business women and taught this "old girl", when it comes to men, how not to be anyone's doormat. You never had to guess where Lisa stood - she'd tell you in a minute. She fought many a fight and didn't always win the battle - but she always won the war.
These women never gave up on their goals. They fell down, pulled themselves up by their boot straps and tackled their problems with a renewed vigilance. The lessons learned from these women contributed to my life professionally and personally. Their value to my life is unmeasurable. They weren't "just entertainment", but a learning tool by which to measure integrity, understand the meaning of heartache, and learn the love of laughter. Dewanna Allgood
In September 1998 she was inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame. Fulton has also appeared in five independent films which earned her the Achievement in Television and Film Award at the Independent Filmmakers Award ceremony. In 2003, she was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the TV Academy during the 31st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.
Here is the 50th anniversary of Lisa in Oakdale - 2010
Among other roles (including the Broadway productions of The Fantasticks and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), Eileen Fulton is most famous for her role as Lisa Grimaldi on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, a role she has played almost continually (with two notable interruptions) since May 16, 1960. The character of Lisa has been married eight times, divorced three times and widowed four times (with her most recent marraige annulled) making her full name Lisa Miller Hughes Eldridge Shea Coleman McColl Mitchell Grimaldi Chedwyn. Her portrayal of Lisa created the strongest prototype of its time for the daytime vixen/bitch; the character and actress were, in Fulton's first decades on ATWT, very popular (to the point where, in the late 1960s, Eileen Fulton had to hire a publicist, the first soap actress to do so). And, despite her popularity, she run has not been without controversy; during the early 1970s, Eileen Fulton was noted for insisting it be written into her contract that her character could not become a grandmother. (She feared it would impede the glamorous, fast-paced storylines in which she was involved at the time.) As a result, the actress received enormous amounts of "hate mail" when Lisa's onscreen daughter-in-law, Margo, had a miscarriage in 1986. (It is unclear whether the "granny clause", as it became known as, was still in effect at the time.) Now in her seventies, Eileen Fulton no longer has the "granny clause" in her contract; her character has two sons -- a third son died a number of years ago -- and four grandchildren. 1990 TV Guide, featuring Eileen Fulton on the cover. She left the show twice - first in 1965 to bring her Lisa character to her own primetime soap spinoff, "Our Private World" (CBS's attempt to mimic the success of ABC's "Peyton Place"). "Our Private World" lasted less than a season, and she took several months off before returning to "As the World Turns" in early 1966. She left again in 1983 after a contract dispute with executive producer Mary-Ellis Bunim, returning the next year. Although the character of Lisa is still appearing on the show, Eileen Fulton has been vocal about her displeasure at not being more prominently featured. In particular, she lashed out in print at then-head writer Hogan Sheffer in 2004 about her lack of airtime. Eileen Fulton was prominently featured in April 2006 during the show's 50th anniversary episode, and from January 2008 to August 2008, was seen in at least two episodes per week. Her appearances dropped off after that time, although she was again featured in a two-part tribute episode in May 2010, and remained on the show through its cancellation, appearing in the final episode in September 2010.
Eileen Fulton has written two memoirs, 'How My World Turns' and 'As My World Still Turns'. She also wrote a mystery novel, called Soap Opera, loosely based on her experiences at As the World Turns. She is also a singer, and performs a number of cabaret and nightclub acts, in addition to her acting.
Eileen Fulton is a 1955 graduate of Greensboro College and was granted an honorary doctorate in 2005, on the fiftieth anniversary of her college graduation. She was the commencement speaker at Greensboro's graduation ceremony in 2005.
If we were going to crown a queen of daytime drama, Eileen Fulton would be the obvious choice. For 50 years, she brought life to the character “As The World Turns” audiences loved to hate - Lisa Grimaldi.
Fulton’s colorful, nuanced, richly textured performance made the character consistently fascinating for half a century.
