With just a weeks of shows left to air, Guiding Light was honored with an Emmy Award last night. Interestingly, the ceremony wasn’t the soap’s last chance at being recognized.
Jeff Branson, who plays Shayne Lewis on the venerable soap, tied for Outstanding Supporting Actor in the first award presentation of the night. Branson tied with Vincent Irizarry of All My Children who coincidentally received his first Emmy nomination for his work on Guiding Light in 1985.
Both actors took the opportunity to reflect on Guiding Light’s contribution to their lives.
On stage, Branson said, “Number one, I want to thank all of my family at Guiding Light — 72 years! I give this [award] to all of us. Thank you guys. I love you with all my heart; cast crew, wardrobe, production, hair, make-up, everybody. And all the fans, 72 years, thank you!”
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Backstage, Irizarry said, “I have such affection for that show. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of television history… What other medium is producing product that lasts 72 years? It has entertained not only generations, but employed generations of people.”
The Emmy broadcast also paid tribute to Guiding Light with a special segment. It was introduced by actress Betty White who quipped, “I’ve been watching Guiding Light ever since it first went on the air in 1776.” After the tribute, more than 30 past and present Guiding Light castmembers took the stage and were given a standing ovation.
Though Guiding Light was given a nice send-off, the show and its cast and crew could still be nominated for awards next Summer as well. The awards that were given last night were for the 2008 calendar year. By the time the last episode airs on September 18th, there will have been more than eight months of material that could be nominated.
Some believe that the show has been better than ever lately. What do you think? Will the Guiding Light cast and crew return to the stage next Summer to accept some more Emmys?
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20 Comments on "Guiding Light: Daytime Emmys Pay Tribute to Cancelled Soap Opera"
Please bringback the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guiding Light is the best…………………And Mike if u knew anything you would know the are plenty of other ethnic groups on GL! I miss Guiding light everyday and I think it’s cancellation is nothing short of a tragedy! Hope GL will be back one day and certainly hope to see it honored at the emmeys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guiding Light Is The Best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If You Have A Good Thing :Don’t They Know If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It! I Hope To See Your Show Again But If Not Your Show Will Be Greatly Missed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought it was boring and routine. Besides, most of the daytime soap opera’s are boring and rarely have new ntory-lines. Oh! and than there’s the diversity(fact) all the actors are white,
There are other ethnic groups in the U.S. (Black, Hispanic, Asian, Etc). That’s what is going to happen to all the shows eventually if they don’t include different ethnic groups.
Bottom line everyone buys products from the sponsors of the soaps, so therefore, both the shows and sponsors need to think about (inclusion not exclusion) when it comes to story-lines and actors.
is there going to be a dvd of the last show?
@janice taylor: I haven’t heard anything about one being released.
Guiding Light kept me from feeling ungodly lonely during growing up in an alcoholic home…Holidays would be sometimes missed in my house BUT we could always turn onto the “Bauer Barbeque on the 4th of July or Danny and Michelle or Reva and Josh celebrating Thanksgiving or Christmas. The christmas story from long ago of Phillip seaching for Beth at a cemetery, thinking she’d died….Kuddos to the happy endings of couples like Phiilip and Beth and Josh and Reva. We have enough uncertainty in this increasingly devisive world we live in….The Light…will be missed…..
My family is made up of the soap actors.i will miss them
My great grandmother started with this soap on the radio. As soon as it went on the tv my mother and I stated watching. I’m very sad to see this end. I feel like I’m loosing family. The other soaps can’t compare to guiding light. No spin-off of this soap??
Goodbye Guiding Light!!! I will miss you I am eighty years pold and have been listening and watching for 62 years I feel a great loss is about to happen.
Very Bery sad to see you go!
I was watching the Guidling Light with my Grandmother before I even started kindergarten. That was 42 years ago and I still watch every day. I’m so sad the show is going off the air. I wish all cast members the best and hope to see them in other shows in the future.
omg so bloody what i know guiding light was on for 72 years but it doesnt matter they still snubbed passions passions was on for 9 years it still had a fan base still had viewers it should of got a tribute doesnt matter what people say who knows maybe the emmys snub nbc shows cause days of our lives never gets nominated or win anything except for the past 2 years
love of life, search for tomorrow,from these roots
Brighter Day,secret storm, edge of night, young doctor malone,(my personal favorite
tied with guiding light; don’t tie up all storylines in a nice, neat package. that is not reality;many viewers wilo not live happily rverafter. bot even at disney which always keeps
a sharp eye on profits first