ABC Cancels “All My Children,” “One Life to Live”

Do you watch any of the daytime dramas on TV? Enjoy them while they last.

ABC has announced the cancellation of "All My Children" and "One Life to Live", leaving "General Hospital" as the network's only remaining soap opera. According to the LA Times, "All My Children" will end in September of 2011 while "One Life to Live" will air until January of 2012. EW.com reports that "enourmous costs" were the main reason for the move. Two new lifestyle shows will take their place.

"One Life to Live" premiered July 15, 1968 and "All My Children" debuted on January 5, 1970. The head writer for "The Guiding Light," Agnes Nixon, created the light-hearted soap opera "All My Children" with it's focus on social issues and young love. In 1973, an episode aired that dealt with legal abortion, the first time that subject was aired on American television.

I will admit to watching "All My Children" a few times, mostly for the evil Erica Kane played by Susan Lucci. She's the only original cast member left after the death of actor Larry Keith in 2010, he portrayed Nick Davis.

Only four soap operas will remain on network daytime TV after these shows are off-the-air; "The Bold and the Beautiful," "Days of Our Lives," "General Hospital" and "Young and the Restless." 

Over more than 40 years, many actors got their start on "All My Children" including Kelly Ripa who played Hayley Vaughan Santos for 12 years before joining "Live with Regis and Kelly," Sarah Michelle Geller was Kendall Hart and later became "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Amanda Bearse had a role as Amanda Cousins and went on to be the neighbor, Marcy, on "Married With Children," Josh Duhamel portrayed Leo du Pres on the soap and more recently was in the Transformers movies.

What are you going to do with your extra time when your soap's are gone? Here's an idea, listen to some music on 101.9 KING FM.