These Are My Children

1949 American soap opera, considered the first to be broadcast on television

These Are My Children is an American television soap opera, or novella, that ran on NBC from January 31 to March 4, 1949.[1] The show was broadcast live from WNBQ[2] in Chicago, Illinois, airing 15 minutes a day, five days a week, at 5 p.m. EST. It is widely credited as the first soap opera broadcast on television.[3][4] It may be more accurately described as the first daytime drama or the first soap opera strip, as it was preceded by DuMont series Faraway Hill in 1946 and Highway to the Stars in 1947, both of which are described as soap operas but aired later in the evenings and broadcast only once a week; Guiding Light had also been in production for 12 years once These Are My Children debuted, but only as a radio series - its TV version did not debut until 1952.[5]

Created by Irna Phillips and directed by Norman Felton, the show was based in large part on Phillips' early radio soaps Today's Children and Painted Dreams.[6]

In addition to critical opinions, the immediate factor in NBC's cancellation of These Are My Children was the decision by AT&T Corporation to end use of its coaxial cable for weekday eastbound distribution of programs originating in Chicago. Simultaneously executives of NBC "had found fault with the program" while they wanted to have more shows originate in New York rather than in Chicago or on the West Coast.[7]

Phillips later created many popular daytime dramas,[8] and Felton produced primetime soaps Dr. Kildare and Executive Suite.[9]

## Premise

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Children centered on an Irish widow, Mrs. Henehan and her struggles to run a boarding house, as well as help her three children and her new daughter-in-law, Jean.[citation needed]

## Cast

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* Alma Platts as Mother Henehan[1]
* George Kluge as John Henehan[1]
* Joan Arlt as Jean Henehan[1]
* Jane Brooksmith as Patricia Henehan[1]
* Martha McClain as Penny Henehan[1]
* Margaret Heneghan as Aunt Kitty Henehan[1]
* Eloise Kummer as Katherine "Kay" Carter[1]
* Mignon Schreiber as Mrs. Berkovitch

## Critical response

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A review in the trade publication Variety described These Are My Children as "visualization of an ordinary actionless daytime drama"[10] It said that the program differed from soap operas on radio only in that "the actors have memorized lines and have to look sad most of the time."[10]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f g h McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 829\. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
2. ^ "WBNQ Kicking Off Four Chi Tele Shows" (PDF). Billboard. January 22, 1949. p. 12. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
3. ^ "Soap Comes to TV". Pathfinder News Magazine. February 9, 1949. p. 51\. Archived from the original on March 7, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019 - via oldmagazineaticles.com.
4. ^ "On This Day: First TV Soap Opera Debuts". Finding Dulcinea. January 31, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
5. ^ Copeland, Mary Ann (1991). Soap Opera History. Publications International. p. 277\. ISBN 0-88176-933-9.
6. ^ Schemering, Christopher (1987). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 228\. ISBN 0-345-35344-7.
7. ^ "Chi Dimout as TV Origination Center". Billboard. March 12, 1949. p. 17. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
8. ^ Schemering, Christopher (1987). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Ballantine Books. pp. 279–281\. ISBN 0-345-35344-7.279-281&rft.edition=2nd&rft.pub=Ballantine+Books&rft.date=1987&rft.isbn=0-345-35344-7&rft.aulast=Schemering&rft.aufirst=Christopher&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:These+Are+My+Children" class="Z3988">
9. ^ Newcomb, Horace, ed. Encyclopedia of Television (2nd ed.). Routledge (Taylor & Francis), 2013, p. 756-757. ISBN 978-0-203-93734-1.
10. ^ a b "These Are My Children". Variety. February 9, 1949. p. 34. Retrieved January 22, 2023.

## External links

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* These Are My Children at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Daytime television soap operas in the United States

Current|

* Beyond the Gates (since 2025)
* The Bold and the Beautiful (since 1987)
* Days of Our Lives (since 1965)
* General Hospital (since 1963)
* The Young and the Restless (since 1973)

1940s debuts|

* Faraway Hill (1946)
* Highway to the Stars (1947)
* These Are My Children (1949)
* A Woman to Remember (1949)

1950s debuts|

* A Time to Live (1954)
* As the World Turns (1956–2010)
* The Bennetts (1953–1954)
* The Brighter Day (1954–1962)
* The Edge of Night (1956–1984)
* The First Hundred Years (1950–1952)
* First Love (1954–1955)
* Follow Your Heart (1953–1954)
* For Better or Worse (1959–1960)
* From These Roots (1958–1961)
* Golden Windows (1954–1955)
* The Greatest Gift (1954–1955)
* Guiding Light (1952–2009)
* Hawkins Falls (1950–1955)
* Kitty Foyle (1958)
* Love of Life (1951–1980)
* Miss Susan (1951)
* One Man's Family (1954–1955)
* Portia Faces Life (1954–1955)
* The Road of Life (1954–1955)
* The Secret Storm (1954–1974)
* Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986)
* The Seeking Heart (1954)
* Three Steps to Heaven (1953–1954)
* Today is Ours (1958)
* Valiant Lady (1953–1957)
* Woman with a Past (1954)
* The World of Mr. Sweeney (1954–1955)
* Young Doctor Malone (1958–1963)

1960s debuts|

* Another World (1964–1999)
* Ben Jerrod (1963)
* Bright Promise (1969–1972)
* The Clear Horizon (1960–1962)
* Dark Shadows (1966–1971)
* The Doctors (1963–1982)
* A Flame in the Wind (1964–1966)
* Full Circle (1960–1961)
* General Hospital (1963–present)
* Hidden Faces (1968–1969)
* Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1967–1973)
* Moment of Truth (1965)
* Morning Star (1965–1966)
* Never Too Young (1965–1966)
* The Nurses (1965–1967)
* One Life to Live (1968–2012)
* Our Five Daughters (1962)
* Our Private World (1965)
* Paradise Bay (1965–1966)
* Peyton Place (1964–1969)
* Where the Heart Is (1969–1973)
* The Young Marrieds (1964–1966)

1970s debuts|

* All My Children (1970–2011)
* The Best of Everything (1970)
* Bird of the Iron Feather (1970)
* How to Survive a Marriage (1974–1975)
* Lovers and Friends/For Richer, For Poorer (1977–1978)
* Return to Peyton Place (1972–1974)
* Ryan's Hope (1975–1989)
* Somerset (1970–1976)
* A World Apart (1970–1971)
* The Young and the Restless (1973–present)

1980s debuts|

* Another Life (1981–1984)
* The Bold and the Beautiful (1987–present)
* Capitol (1982–1987)
* Generations (1989–1991)
* Loving (1983–1995)
* Rituals (1984–1985)
* Santa Barbara (1984–1993)
* Texas (1980–1982)

1990s debuts|

* The City (1995–1997)
* Passions (1999–2008)
* Port Charles (1997–2003)
* Sunset Beach (1997–1999)
* Swans Crossing (1992)
* Tribes (1990)

2000s debuts|

* Spyder Games (2001)

2020s debuts|

* Beyond the Gates (2025–present)

Web series|

* All My Children (2013)
* Anacostia (2009–2018)
* As the Cookie Crumbles (2008)
* The Bay (2010–2015)
* Beacon Hill (2014)
* The Cavanaughs (2010–2011)
* DeVanity (2011–2014)
* East Los High (2013–2017)
* EastSiders (2012–2020)
* Miss Behave (2010–2012)
* One Life to Live (2013)
* Ragged Isle (2011–2014)
* River Ridge (2012)
* The Spot (1995–1997)
* Tainted Dreams (2013–2014)
* They Go On (1997)
* Venice: The Series (2009–2014)
* What If... (2010)
* Winterthorne (2015)
* Youthful Daze (2012–2016)
* Days of Our Lives (2022–present)

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