Erica Kane The Soap Opera Queen

Yes she is ! Susan Lucci OWNED that role, it was never recast nor did I ever see a replacement actress when Susan was on maternity leave or out making prime time movies. Compare:

Marlena or Julie (DAYS)
Joanne (SEARCH FOR TOMORROW)
Rachel (ANOTHER WORLD)
Nikki Newman (YOUNG & RESTLESS)
Brooke (BOLD & BEAUTIFUL)
Lisa or Kim (AS THE WORLD TURNS)
Reva (GUIDING LIGHT)
Vicky or Dorian (ONE LIFE TO LIVE)
Laura (GENERAL HOSPITAL)


Joanne would run a close 2nd place, her show & character reigning for 35 years consistently.

The others were either re-casts or the actresses left for extended periods in search of prime time, leaving their characters to "come back from the dead" or something.

Ann Flood deserves attention and respect. She reigned supreme as Liz Frazier on FROM THESE ROOTS for four years and then created Nancy Pollack (who became Nancy Karr) on THE EDGE OF NIGHT with a short maternity replacement from 1963 through 1984. Of course Helen Wagner would be queen mother for guiding the Hughes family on AS THE WORLD TURNS for its entire length.

Thank you, grantch, Nancy Karr was one of the most beautiful, memorable ladies in my childhood soap viewing.

Well, the reason I didn't mention her, nor Nancy Hughes, Bert Bauer, nor Grandma Alice Horton is because Erica had grown up on AMC from teen to grandma and she was always a front-burner villainess/heroine/vamp.

Joanne on SFT was a single mother with lots of romantic intrigue and adventure, married several times, suffered and agonized. Joanne was not your typical established matriarch like Nancy Hughes, Mary Matthews, Alice Horton, Bertha Bauer, Elizabeth Stoddard Collins, Ellen Grant, etc.

Nancy Karr had her share of excitement and suspense on THE EDGE OF NIGHT, just like castmates who played Nicole. Similar to Marcy Walker's Eden on SANTA BARBARA. But Nancy was more stable, Mike's 2nd wife, very maternal to Laurie Ann and the young folk of Monticello.

When I think of Soap Opera Queen, it's the romantic / adventure type. Erica fills the bill. As do the ladies I mentioned in my prior post.

So for longevity, popularity, consistency, and drama, Erica still reigns.