The final scene of the final broadcast of As the World Turns, 54 years old:
Don Hastings ("Bob Hughes") holds the record as the longest continuous actor in the history of soap operas. He began his role in 1960 and never took a break from the series. Eileen Fulton ("Lisa") had started earlier, but she left the show on three different occasions.
Helen Wagner ("Nancy Hughes"), who was there at the beginning clear back in 1956, almost made it to the end of the series. She died on May 1, age 91.
I watched the soap off and on for 35 years. The best thing about it was the number of actors who had stayed on the show for decades, even if they were not on contract.
Interesting to note that with the death of Helen Wagner, Kathryn Hays ("Kim Hughes," appearing with Hastings in the above clip) was the oldest cast member. The four most senior cast members in age, Hays, Hastings, Fulton, and Elizabeth Hubbard ("Lucinda Walsh"), were born in 1933-34 over a period of less than nine months. Hastings is the youngest of the four.
It's been mentioned elsewhere the very first words spoken on the serial were "Good morning," by Helen Wagner. It is appropriate the very last word spoken would be "goodnight."
Some scenes that didn't make the final broadcast are here.
Here is an episode from 50 years ago (there are many, many clips and old shows up on YouTube). I'll just post the first part, which features original cast member Don McLaughlin (Chris Hughes):
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