Soap opera characters tend to come and go with casts growing by the day. Some only appear with a handful of lines, some run out their contracts, and some become daytime legends for their portrayals of beloved, long-lasting characters.
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From notable doctors in Port Charles and Salem to a supercouple from Genoa City to leading ladies from across the genre, soap operas have been serving up legendary characters played by veteran actors on daytime for decades.
Steve Hardy (General Hospital)
Dr. Steve Hardy was the heart and soul and star ofGeneral Hospitalduring its August 20, 2025 premiere onABC.Steve led the black-and-white scenes as Chief of Staff of General Hospital during his 33 years in Port Charles.
The actor behind theGHlegend wasJohn Beradino,who played the part for the entire three decades until he fell ill in 1996 and passed less than a month after retiring from the soap. To honor the actor, the show kept Beradino’s image in its opening credits for a year and a half after his death.
Tom Horton (Days Of Our Lives)
The Horton family patriarch Dr. Tom Horton was part of the ultimate soap supercouple onDays of Our Livesfor decades and is still honored with his wife Alice Horton every Christmas on the soap with beloved, monogrammed ornaments on the tree.
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Tom was portrayed byMacdonald Careyfrom the show’s debut onNBCin 1965 until his passing in 1994, causing the show to write about his character’s death later that year. In 2015, Chad and Abigail name their son Thomas after his great-great-grandfather, keeping the character’s name present on the show.
Viki Lord (One Life To Live)
Not the redeemed Todd Manning, the lovable Bo Buchanan, or even the infamous Dorian Lord can outshineOne Life To Live’strue legend: Viki Lord. The character is remembered for her strength during times of hardship — from divorces and health scares to time in jail and her memorable battles with Dissociative Identity Disorder.
While the character was made famous by her portrayer of 41 yearsErika Slezak,the role was originally played in the 1968 pilot byGillian Spencer,who maintained the role for four years before being recast with Slezak in 1971.
Nikki Newman (Young And The Restless)
Nikki has gone by several last names in the more than four decades she’s been in Genoa City, but the most notable has always been Newman. From stripper to business exec to murderer, Nikki Newman has seen and done it all onYoung and the Restless.
The character was first portrayed byErica Hopefor a year before being played by soap vetMelody Thomas Scott,who has held the role for over 40 years and became one half of theY&Rsupercouple Nikki and Victor.
Marlena Evans (Days Of Our Lives)
FromBill and Susan HayestoJohn Aniston,theDays of Our Livescast is filled with longevity, andDeidre Hallhas a nonconsecutive 46 years under her belt playing Salem’s most popular — and usually only — psychiatrist.
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Marlena was originally supposed to be a guest character when she arrived in Salem in 1976, but after both the character’s and Hall’s popularity with the viewers, Marlena turned into a major character who became famous for the1994 possession storylinethat rockedDaysonce again with its return in 2021.
Victor Newman (Young And The Restless)
Every soap has a head business mogul/mobster, and onYoung and the Restless,that title has always gone to the infamous Victor Newman. As the sometimes-villain that viewers hate to love, Victor’s most memorable storylines always involved his arch-enemy Jack Abbott or the love of his life, Nikki.
The role has been played byEric Braedensince 1980, and the character that won the actor a Daytime Emmy Award in 1998 and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 remains a staple on theCBSsoap to this day.
Laura Spencer (General Hospital)
Despite appearing onYoung and the Restless, Days of Our Lives,All My Children,andLoving,it’s the character Laura Spencer onGeneral Hospitalthat shotGenie Francisto soap superstardom when she took over the role in 1977.
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Laura has appeared on and off the show ever since, with storylines surrounding four marriages, an illegitimate child, a bout with catatonia, and her grandson’s Cassadine ways. But her most famous storyline was her 1983 wedding toAnthony Geary’sLuke Spencer.
Katherine Chancellor (Young And The Restless)
WhileYoung and the Restlesshas always been full of legendary characters, no one compares to the one and only Katherine Chancellor. Katherine was best known for her comedic rivalry with Jill and hergroundbreaking facelift storylinein 1984.
The character was played byJeanne Cooperfor 40 years until the actress' death in 2013, just afterY&R’s40th anniversary, causing the show to write in Katherine’s death and celebrate both the character and her portrayer in a memorial episode that summer.
Erica Kane (All My Children)
Erica Kane is one of the most well-known names in daytime, not only for her antagonist start and socialite presence for over 40 years onAll My Children,but for her famous portrayerSusan Lucci.
Lucci brought Erica Kane to life in 1970 and held the role until the soap’s cancellation in 2011. Despite playing a soap opera legend, Lucci became known as theLeonardo DiCaprioof the Daytime Emmy’s due to getting beaten out of her first 18 nominations until her memorable win in 1999.
Luke Spencer (General Hospital)
After owning a jazz club, becoming Mayor of Port Charles and, most memorably, marrying Laura in what was themost iconic soap weddingof all time, Luke Spencer was the star ofGeneral Hospitalsince 1978 and is still remembered on the show today.
In what was supposed to be a short stint on daytime, Anthony Gearymade his character a soap opera legend for almost 40 years until his retirement in 2015. Geary later made a surprise cameo in 2017 for his on-screen loverJane Elliott’sfinal episode.
