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The following is a list of the longest-serving actors from soap operas all over the world. It details those actors with ten or more years spent on one year-round or stripped soap opera, despite itinerant breaks and in some cases with the actor portraying multiple roles.
- 10 John Aniston - 40 Years
- 9 Kate Linder - 41 Years
- 8 Eric Braeden - 42 Years
- 7 James Reynolds - 42 Years
- 6 Jackie Zeman - 42 Years
- 5 Deidre Hall - 43 Years
- 4 Melody Thomas Scott - 43 Years
- 3 Bill Hayes - 44 Years
- 2 Susan Seaforth Hayes - 47 Years
- 1 Suzanne Rogers - 49 Years
As far as Days of Our Lives vets go, the late John Aniston was one of the most beloved actors who played one of the most hate-to-love characters. The notable father of Friends alum Jennifer Aniston started on Daysin 1970 as a minor character named Eric Richards after having auditioned for the role of Doug Williams. It wasn't for 15 years later that...
While the character of Katherine Chancellor's sweet but sassy maid Esther Valentine has gone from major to minor over the years, actress Kate Kinder has portrayed her for over four decades on Young and the Restless. Linder joined Y&R in 1982, a role that was originally supposed to last for one day. But her loveable portrayal of the iconic Estherhas...
Despite roles in Titanic and The Rat Patrol, Eric Braeden has been best known for playing the Newman family patriarch Victor on Young and the Restlessfor 42 years and counting, a role that won the actor a Daytime Emmy Award in 1998 and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. Braeden arrived in Genoa City in 1980 where his character created an...
James Reynolds is one of very few actors to consistently remain on Days of Our Lives. He originated the character Abe Carver in 1981 and portrayed him for the last 42 years and counting, either in contract or recurring statuses. RELATED: Celebs You Didn't Know Guest Starred On 'Days Of Our Lives' Abe has gone from police chief to Mayor of Salem ove...
Starring alongside the likes of Anthony Geary, Genie Francis and rockstar Rick Springfield, Jackie Zeman has portrayed Bobbie Spencer on General Hospital on and off for 42 years after short stints on canceled soaps One Life To Live and The Edge of Night. As the sister of the infamous Luke Spencer, Bobbie has been known for getting into a tiff or tw...
While she may not have resided in Salem consistently, or even always played the same character, Deidre Hall still remains one of the longest-running soap stars with 43 years and counting on Days of Our Lives in a role that earned her three Daytime Emmy Award nominations. Hall made her Days debut in 1976 when she originated Marlena Evans, the legend...
Melody Thomas Scott has had a long and illustrious career spanning film and television, but to soap opera fanatics, she'll always be daytime darling Nikki Newman on Young and the Restless,a role she's held consistently for over four decades. Scott was new to daytime when she joined the soap in 1979 when she took over for actress Erica Hope, and has...
Bill Hayes has had Days of Our Lives to thank for a lot over his 44-year career on the soap. Not only has he played legacy character Doug Williams for over four decades, but the actor met his real-life wife Susan Seaforth Hayeson the show, who also doubles as his on-screen wife Julie Williams. RELATED: The All-Time Best Soap Opera Love Triangles, R...
It was only a few years before her future husband Bill Hayes joined Days of Our Livesthat actress Susan Seaforth Hayes scored the role of Julie Williams, the fourth but longest-running actress to play the part, which she's held on and off for 47 years. The actress remains the only cast member still on the soap to appear in all seven decades it's be...
Suzanne Rogers remains both the longest-running actor on Days of Our Livesand on any soap opera still on air with 49 years as Maggie Horton under her belt. With only three other credits on her resume, Rogers will always be best known for her work on daytime. The actress originated the role of Maggie in 1973, most memorably known for her super-coupl...
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- Patricia Greene as Jill Archer (The Archers) First appeared: July 1957. Greene made her debut in the role of Jill Archer in July 1957. Upon arriving to Ambridge, the character caught the eye of Phil, who was recently widowed after the death of his first wife Grace.
- William Roache as Ken Barlow (Coronation Street) First appeared: December 1960. Roache has been playing Ken Barlow on Corrie since 1960, with a short break between 2013 and 2014.
- Barbara Knox as Rita Tanner (Coronation Street) First appeared: December 1964. Knox first joined the ITV soap as Rita Tanner (then known as Rita Littlewood) in 1964 before returning in a regular capacity in 1972.
- Brian Hewlett as Neil Carter (The Archers) First appeared: February 1973. Hewlett has been voicing Neil Carter since 1973. First introduced to the radio show as a teenager, his character went on to become a key player in Ambridge with his work at the farm.
- Susan Seaforth Hayes. The only Days of our Lives cast member to appear on the NBC soap opera in all six decades of its existence, Julie Williams’ portrayer has been a resident of Salem for a whopping 52 years!
- Bill Hayes. The one person currently working in daytime who’s served longer in their role than this 95-year old soap icon, who’s played Doug Williams on Days of our Lives since 1970, just happens to be his better half!
- Suzanne Rogers. You would think that 47 years in one role would be enough to set a record. But nope, the veteran actress who brings to life Maggie Kiriakis on Days of our Lives is beaten by not one but two of her castmates!
- Deidre Hall. An occupant of Days of our Lives’ frontburner since 1975 — give or take a couple of breaks now and then — Marlena Evans’ beloved portrayer celebrated her sapphire anniversary as a Salemite in 2020.
Find out who are the 10 longest-serving soap opera actors by reviewing our photos-filled list of daytime TV's lifers.
- Charlie Mason
Nov 12, 2020 · The programme, which became the world's longest-running TV soap opera in 2010, will officially turn 60 on 9 December. Roache, who has played Ken Barlow since Corrie's 1960 debut, said...
Longest-serving TV soap star. Actor William Roache (UK) has played Ken Barlow in the Granada Television soap opera Coronation Street (UK, ITV) since the show's first episode, which aired on 9 December 1960. He most recently appeared in episode 10,000 on 7 February 2020, giving him a run of 59 years 61 days.
