Guiding Light, which premiered on radio (see entry under 1920s—TV and Radio in volume 2) in 1937 and later migrated to television (see entry under 1940s—TV and Radio in volume 3) in 1952, is the longest running soap opera in broadcast history. The series was created by Irna Phillips (1901–1972) and Emmons Carlson and has remained one of the genre's leading and most influential programs. The show's title and logo—a revolving lighthouse beacon—reflect its initial primary character, Reverend John Ruthledge, played by Arthur Peterson (1912–1996). Reverend Ruthledge provided spiritual consul and practical advice to the inhabitants of the fictional town of Five Points. Guiding Light, like other soap operas (see entry under 1930s—TV and Radio in volume 2), relies heavily upon melodramatic plots, but it has also been willing to bring controversial topics to daytime drama.

On radio, Guiding Light was a popular drama in which characters encountered...