A TRIBUTE TO NANCY HUGHES (As The World Turns)

For over a half a century, Nancy Hughes has been the beloved matriarch of the Hughes family of Oakdale, Illinois. Helen Wagner has played the character since AS THE WORLD TURNS premiered on April 2, 1956. She uttered the first line of dialogue when Nancy said "GOOD MORNING, DEAR" to her husband Chris (Don McLaughlin). This is a tribute to one of daytime's most beloved actresses. Longtime ATWT viewers will recognize the music. It is the 1973-81 orchestrated version of the soap's original theme song.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF HELEN WAGNER
(September 3, 1918-May 1, 2010)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• AS THE WORLD TURNS
• Helen Wagner
• Nancy Hughes
• 1956
• 2010
• Oakdale
• CBS
• Soap Opera

[laminage]

This was such a beautiful tribute to watch. What I loved was the picture at 1:27 that featured Four Generations of Hughes Men. William "Pa" Hughes, Chris Huges, Bob Hughes and young Tom Hughes Father of Adam, Casey, Daniel, and An-Li.

[Soapking1965]

@laminage

Tom's daughter's name was Lien (played by Ming-Na in the 1980s and Lea Salonga in the early 2000s).

[Soapking1965]

R.I.P. HELEN WAGNER (Sept. 3, 1918-May 1, 2010)

[ThorneAstor]

I wish the show appreciated her as much. Sad she's hardly ever on. Hopefully she's in the final episode though.

Wonderful tribute. Where did you get the clip that aired at 0:47?

[Soapking1965]

@ThorneAstor

It was from the Christmas 2000 episode. Bob, Kim, Lisa, Chris and Penny gathered at the Lakeview for Christmas. Nancy and Bob recalled one Christmas in the mid 1960s.

[blozier2006]

i thought the original Charles Paul theme was in D major... this is in C major...

[TimsDale4ever]

@mrob75 OMG you said it about blaming the writers. I also blame the EPs as well. It always cracked me up whenever I read a post anywhere where someone was hating CBS or Proctor & Gamble for the cancellation. I NEVER blamed any of those people. I blamed the people that were actually creating the episodes for putting on a show that couldn't hold my ( and apparently anyone's) interest for more than 30 seconds. The last decade was beyond horrible to try and watch and GL's last years were worse.

[TheJetsfanatic]

If only she could have lived only a couple of months more so she could say the last words for ATWT!!!

[scottptv]

Wonderful tribute to Helen. She was a lady til the end. In 1986 i wrote to her on ATWTs 30th anniv. and she wrote me back same for the 50th and last march i wrote to say how sad of the cancellation. she took the time to answer and that shows she was a great lady and understood her fans.

[TheCheyannepretty]

The last of the great women of the soaps! A class act!

[47matazza]

This theme song was the best. Lovely tribute to a lovely lady. This was way better than the crappy memorial they gave her on the show.

[waynebrasler]

A remarkable actress who created this complex character as much or more than the scriptwriters did. Never lost her beauty or her focus.

[mrob75]

Notice how all of those stupid modern writers of ATWT (and other soaps) let go of the classic story lines that contained such depth and viewers could easily associate with the characters problems as well as joys. Now the soaps deal with sensationalized vulgar plots using young actors/actresses that can't hold a candle to the veteran actors! I blame today's writers for letting Guiding Light and As The World Turns go.