Helen Wagner

Actress

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In her two-hour 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 well-known, "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 evolved over the years. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 6, 2004 in Mt. Kisco, NY.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"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."

People Talking About ...

Helen Wagner

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

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shows

As the World Turns

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