The Edge of Night (1956–1984)

It is more than likely that most soap operas are watched by housewives, even after all these years and changes in the medium. But for most of it's existence, "The Edge of Night" was an exception to that rule. It was always near the top of the ratings for afternoon shows, from 1956 to 1970, when CBS showed it at 4:30 pm. Sadly, when CBS shuffled their daytime lineup, in the 1970 - 71 season, "The Edge of Night" was shown earlier and lost ground. The show was a murder mystery serial and was great at showing the inner workings of both crime organizations as well as showing the inner workings of both the police and the courtroom. It had some really great names going through it's door, as alumni, including Dixie Carter, Larry Hagman and even John Travolta as a delivery man. The show was edgy, just as the name applied, and had a great ability to show whodunits. Actress Talluhah Bankhead was an early fan of the show and not even a call from President Harry Truman could get her away from the show. It even had the balls to kill off a really popular character, Sara Karr very early on.