The Guiding Light
The Guiding Light began as a radio serial in 1937 before becoming a long-running daytime television soap opera, making it one of American broadcasting's longest-running dramas.
Guiding Light is an American daytime soap opera. It aired for 57 years on television between June 30, 1952, and September 18, 2009, but it began even earlier as a radio serial on January 25, 1937. With 72 years of radio and television runs, it is the longest-running American soap opera, ahead of General Hospital.
Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Updated Jul 25, 2026.
Original schedule
- 19383:45 PM ETNBC Red · afternoonSuMoTuWeThFrSa
- 194011:45 AM ETNBC Red · morningSuMoTuWeThFrSa
- 19422:30 PM ETNBC Red · afternoonSuMoTuWeThFrSa
- 19442:00 PM ETNBC Red · afternoonSuMoTuWeThFrSa
- 19471:45 PM ETCBS · afternoonSuMoTuWeThFrSa
C
Charles Stark
Announcer
C
Clayton 'Bud' Collyer
Announcer
F
Fort Pearson
Announcer

Gene Baker
Announcer
G
Greg Donovan
Announcer
H
Herb Allen
Announcer
L
Louis Roen
Announcer

Martin Block
Announcer

Mike Wallace
Announcer

Adelaide Klein
Cast
B
Beverly Ruby
Cast
C
Constance 'Connie' Crowder
Cast
D
Donald 'Don' Kraatz
Cast
D
Donald Thompson
Cast
D
EDora Johnson
Cast
Ethel Owen
Cast
G
George O. Petrie
Cast

Gertrude Warner
Cast

Gloria Blondell
Cast

Grace Matthews
Cast
H
Harriette 'Harriet' Widmer
Cast
H
Helen Buell
Cast
H
Herbert 'Herb' Nelson
Cast

Hope Summers
Cast
H
Howard Caine
Cast
J
JJanet Lane
Cast
Janet Logan
Cast
J
Jeanne Juvelier
Cast
J
Jerry Walters
Cast
J
John Gannon
Cast
J
Judith Lowery
Cast

Karl Weber
Cast
L
NLois Zarley
Cast
Nancy Douglas
Cast

Olan Soule
Cast
P
Peggy Fuller
Cast
P
Philip 'Phil' Lord
Cast
R
Robert Ellis
Cast
R
RRuth Rau
Cast
Rye Billsbury
Cast

Staats Cotsworth
Cast

Stefan Schnabel
Cast
C
Carl Wester
Director
C
Charles Urquhart
Director
G
Gil Gibbons
Director
G
Gilbert Ralston
Director
G
Gordon Hughes
Director
H
Harry Bubeck
Director
H
Howard Keegan
Director
J
Joe Ainley
Director
T
Ted MacMurray
Director
A
AAlma Samuels
Sister Ada
Ann Shepherd
Bert Bauer
A
Annette Harper
Sister Lillian

Arnold Moss
Ted White
A
Arthur 'Art' Peterson
Rev. John Ruthledge
B
Bernice Yanocek
Organist
B
Betty Arnold
Iris Marsh

Betty Lou Gerson
Charlotte Wilson

Bill Bouchey
Charles Cunningham
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“RADIO PROGRAMS SCHEDULED FOR BROADCAST THIS WEEK.” New York Times, January 4, 1931.
“RADIO PROGRAMS SCHEDULED FOR THE CURRENT WEEK New York.” New York Times, October 6, 1929.
“Today's Radio Program.” New York Times, January 1, 1927.