Helen Wagner

Actress

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In her two-hour Archive interview, actress Helen Wagner (1918-2010) describes breaking into acting on the New York stage and in experimental television. She talks about her appearance as a regular on the short-lived Charlie Ruggles sitcom The World of Mr. Sweeney. She discusses the role for which she is most associated, that of "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns, a role she has played for nearly fifty years, the longest running character to date in the history of television. She describes the production of As the World Turns including its transition from "live" to tape, story plot lines, and working with her longtime co-stars. She talks about various moments from the show from uttering the series' very first line ("Good morning dear, what would you like for breakfast?") to playing a scene "live" while unbeknownst to her CBS broke in to announce the shooting of President Kennedy. She talks about her continued work on the series and how the show has evolved over the years. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 6, 2004 in Mt. Kisco, NY.

"Irna Phillips wanted to show people as they were with 'As the World Turns.' In all our various forms: the good, the bad, and the indifferent. She felt that this was what was interesting about people. That was her goal, and that is why the show has worked for nearly fifty years."

Highlights

Helen Wagner on advice to aspiring actresses

01:16

Helen Wagner on the sets, costumes, and hair of As the World Turns

04:03

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On her early life and influences; on deciding she wanted to be an actress and her early stage experience; on the first time she appeared on television: a 1946 experiment to test what colors worked for black and white

15:47

On appearing on various live television shows early in her career and her character type; on mishaps that happened on live television

06:17

On appearing in Reynolds Wrap commercials on Mr. Peepers; on appearing on Guiding Light as a tryout for As the World Turns; on co-starring in the NBC 15-minute sitcom The World of Mr. Sweeney

04:23

Chapter 2

On co-starring in The World of Mr. Sweeney and not continuing when the series moved to Hollywood; on how she came to be cast on As the World Turns; on the development of her character "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns

08:43

On working with Don MacLaughlin as "Chris Hughes" on As the World Turns and on the difference between her and "Nancy Hughes"; on the beginning of As the World Turns and the standards and practices of the day; on working with As the World Turns creator Irna Phillips

07:44

On the pilot for As the World Turns; on the early cast of As the World Turns; on the death of Don MacLaughlin and how it impacted As the World Turns

10:49

Chapter 3

On working with the cast of As the World Turns; on As the World Turns producer Ted Corday; on the day-to-day production of the show in the '50s as opposed to the then-present

13:34

On the sets, costumes, and hair of As the World Turns; on the writers of As the World Turns and on dealing with sponsors and executives; on the topics covered by the show

08:08

On As the World Turns and the Kennedy assassination; on the more recent storylines of As the World Turns; on how her As the World Turns character "Nancy Hughes" changed over the years and on the fan mail she gets

06:19

Chapter 4

On being recognized by her fans; on her lack of Emmy nominations over the years and having the longest running character on television; on continuing to work and her acting style

08:20

On advice to aspiring actresses; on how television has changed since she started; on how As the World Turns changed during her tenure and why the show has been so successful; on her career highlights and regrets

06:02

Shows

As the World Turns

Helen Wagner on how she came to be cast on As the World Turns

02:02

Helen Wagner on the development of her character "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns

05:05

Helen Wagner on working with Don MacLaughlin as "Chris Hughes" on As the World Turns and on the difference between her and "Nancy Hughes"

02:54

Helen Wagner on the beginning of As the World Turns and the standards and practices of the day

02:37

Helen Wagner on working with As the World Turns creator Irna Phillips

02:13

Helen Wagner on the pilot for As the World Turns

00:58

Helen Wagner on Ronnie Welch as "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns

01:21

Helen Wagner on Bob Hastings as "Chris Hughes" on As the World Turns

02:28

Helen Wagner on Eileen Fulton as "Lisa Grimaldi" on As the World Turns

01:29

Helen Wagner on Rosemary Prinz as "Penny Hughes" on As the World Turns

00:38

Helen Wagner on Richard Holland as "Donald Hughes" on As the World Turns

00:30

Helen Wagner on Santos Ortega as "Grandpa Hughes" on As the World Turns

02:15

Helen Wagner on the death of Don MacLaughlin and how it impacted As the World Turns

01:08

Helen Wagner on working with Don MacLaughlin as "Chris Hughes" on As the World Turns and on the difference between her and "Nancy Hughes"

02:54

Helen Wagner on Ruth Warrick as "Edie Hughes" on As the World Turns

01:23

Helen Wagner on Patricia Bruder and Wendy Drew as "Ellen Lowell" on As the World Turns

01:02

Helen Wagner on Mark Rydell as "Jeff Baker" on As the World Turns

01:29

Helen Wagner on Henderson Forsythe as "David Stewart" and Marie Masters as "Susan Burke" on As the World Turns

00:45

Helen Wagner on the more recent cast members of As the World Turns

04:03

Helen Wagner on As the World Turns producer Ted Corday

01:21

Helen Wagner on the day-to-day production of As the World Turns in the '50s as opposed to the then-present

03:31

Helen Wagner on the sets, costumes, and hair of As the World Turns

04:03

Helen Wagner on the writers of As the World Turns and on dealing with sponsors and executives

01:45

Helen Wagner on the topics covered by As the World Turns

02:20

Helen Wagner on As the World Turns and the Kennedy assassination

01:21

Helen Wagner on the more recent storylines of As the World Turns

02:30

Helen Wagner on how her As the World Turns character of "Nancy Hughes" changed over the years and on the fan mail she gets

02:28

Helen Wagner on how As the World Turns changed during her tenure and why the show has been so successful

02:00

Guiding Light

Helen Wagner on appearing on Guiding Light as a tryout for As the World Turns

01:18

Mister Peepers

Helen Wagner on appearing in Reynolds Wrap commercials on Mr. Peepers

01:27

World of Mr. Sweeney, The

Helen Wagner on co-starring in the NBC 15-minute sitcom The World of Mr. Sweeney

01:36

Helen Wagner on co-starring in The World of Mr. Sweeney and not continuing when the series moved to Hollywood

01:36

Topics

Advice

Helen Wagner on advice to aspiring actresses

01:14

Bloopers

Helen Wagner on mishaps that happened on live television

02:37

Characters & Catchphrases

Helen Wagner on the development of her character "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns

05:05

Historic Events and Social Change

Helen Wagner on As the World Turns and the Kennedy assassination

01:21

JFK Assassination and Funeral

Helen Wagner on As the World Turns and the Kennedy assassination

01:21

Pop Culture

Helen Wagner on the development of her character "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns

05:05

Technological Innovation

Helen Wagner on the first time she appeared on television: a 1946 experiment to test what colors worked for black and white

07:35

Television Industry

Helen Wagner on advice to aspiring actresses

01:14

Helen Wagner on how television has changed since she started

01:29

Professions

Actress

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Helen Wagner on her advice to aspiring actresses

01:14

Helen Wagner on her advice to aspiring actresses

01:14

Performers

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Helen Wagner on her advice to aspiring actresses

01:14

Helen Wagner on her advice to aspiring actresses

01:14

Genres

Comedy Series

Helen Wagner on co-starring in the NBC 15-minute sitcom The World of Mr. Sweeney

01:36

Helen Wagner on co-starring in The World of Mr. Sweeney and not continuing when the series moved to Hollywood

01:36

Commercials

Helen Wagner on appearing in Reynolds Wrap commercials on Mr. Peepers

01:27

Daytime/Primetime Serials

Helen Wagner on appearing on Guiding Light as a tryout for As the World Turns

01:18

Helen Wagner on playing "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns

25:40

Helen Wagner on playing "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns (Pt. 2)

28:01

Helen Wagner on how As the World Turns changed during her tenure and why the show has been so successful

02:00

People

Patricia Bruder

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Helen Wagner on Patricia Bruder and Wendy Drew as "Ellen Lowell" on As the World Turns

01:02

Ted Corday

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Helen Wagner on As the World Turns producer Ted Corday

01:20

Henderson Forsythe

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Helen Wagner on Henderson Forsythe as "David Stewart" and Marie Masters as "Susan Burke" on As the World Turns

00:45

Eileen Fulton

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Helen Wagner on Eileen Fulton as "Lisa Grimaldi" on As the World Turns

01:29

Helen Wagner on Eileen Fulton as "Lisa Grimaldi" on As the World Turns

01:29

Don Hastings

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Helen Wagner on Don Hastings as "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns

02:28

Helen Wagner on Don Hastings as "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns

02:28

Irna Phillips

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Helen Wagner on working with As the World Turns creator Irna Phillips

02:15

Helen Wagner on working with As the World Turns creator Irna Phillips

02:15

Mark Rydell

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Helen Wagner on Mark Rydell as "Jeff Baker" on As the World Turns

01:29

Ruth Warrick

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Helen Wagner on Ruth Warrick as "Edie Hughes" on As the World Turns

01:22