Boomer Stars Who Got Their Start in Soaps

Susan Sarandon Actress Susan Sarandon got her start on soaps in the early 1970s. Sarandon, now 64, spent a year playing Patrice Kahlman on the short-lived soap opera A World Apart. Sarandon went on to other television roles before films like Bull Durham and Thelma and Louise shot her to stardom. Sarandon drew on her soap opera roots later in her career when she guest-starred on Friends, as a soap star being replaced by Joey Tribbiani. As always, Sarandon was pitch-perfect, and her appearance on the show earned an Emmy. Thank goodness for soap operas!

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones has one of the most recognizable voices in the world, but before he gained international recognition, Jones paid his dues on soap operas. Jones played Dr. Jim Frazier on The Guiding Light in 1966. Jones played another doctor, Jerry Turner, on As the World Turns that same year. Jones went on to star in the acclaimed television adaptation of Alex Haley’s Roots and earn an Oscar nomination for The Great White Hope. Jones, now 80, also became the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars trilogy, and has countless stage credits under his belt as well.

Tommy Lee Jones Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones seems to show up in almost every movie, but he spent several years on a soap opera before making it big in Hollywood. Jones played Dr. Mark Toland on ABC’s One Life to Live for four years. Jones first appeared on the show in 1971, just one year after he starred alongside Ryan O’Neal in Love Story. Now 64 years old, Jones spent the two decades after One Life to Live working constantly, becoming a fixture of Hollywood films.

Marisa Tomei Actress Marisa Tomei, 46, had big college plans before landing a role on As the World Turns on CBS. She was studying at Boston University when she was cast as Marcy Thompson on the CBS soap in 1983. Tomei stayed on As the World Turns until 1985, and several years later, won an Oscar for her memorable role in 1992’s My Cousin Vinny.

Kelsey Grammar Before Kelsey Grammer was known as Dr. Frasier Crane, he was just a struggling actor trying to make it in California – albeit one with two years of Juilliard drama training under his belt. The 56-year-old actor’s first role in television was uncredited, but one well known to struggling actors – Grammer played a waiter on the soap opera Ryan’s Hope. He landed the role of Dr. Canard on Another World in 1984, and managed to stay on the show for another year. Grammer left to become a central cast member on Cheers playing Dr. Fraiser Crane, a character he would play for another 20 years.

Teri Hatcher Teri Hatcher launched her career on The Love Boat before spending a year as a regular on the Washington, D.C.-based soap opera Capitol. Though the show didn’t last, Hatcher became a staple of television, putting in appearances on MacGyver and Murphy Brown before returning to the soap opera genre – this time on the big screen. Hatcher starred alongside Sally Field, Whoopi Goldberg and Robert Downey, Jr. in Soapdish, a comedy about the on and off-screen drama of a typical soap opera. Hatcher, 46, currently stars in the ABC drama Desperate Housewives.

Kevin Bacon Kevin Bacon’s first big role was a memorable one – he played fraternity pledge Chip Diller in Animal House – but it wasn’t enough to make him a major star. So Bacon, now 52, took a small role as Todd Adamson on the soap Search for Tomorrow. He then spent a year playing the second T.J. ‘Tim’ Werner on the Guiding Light. A few short years later, Bacon was one of the busiest actors in the business, and the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” was born.

Meg Ryan Before Meg Ryan, 49, became America’s Sweetheart, she was a soap opera star. Ryan spent two years playing Betsy Stewart on As the World Turns before hitting big with roles in Top Gun and When Harry Met Sally. Ryan carved a niche for herself by taking roles in romantic comedies, but she’s been out of the spotlight for a few years now. We’re hoping Ryan will come back with a bang soon.

David Hasselhoff David Hasselhoff’s career trajectory isn’t necessarily one most actors would want to follow, but the Hoff has made quite a career for himself. Hasselhoff, now 58, launched his American television career on The Young and the Restless on CBS. He started in 1975, playing Dr. William “Snapper” Foster, Jr. for six years. Hasselhoff left the soap to star in the TV hit Knight Rider, then starred in several incarnations of the Baywatch franchise. He reprised his role on The Young and the Restless for several episodes in 2010.

Kathleen Turner Just before she shot to stardom in Body Heat, Kathleen Turner got started on the soap opera The Doctors. Turner played Nola Dancy Aldrich for a year before being cast in Body Heat, the sultry drama which changed her life. Now 56, Turner has been a sought after sex symbol ever since.

Demi Moore Demi Moore had a few small films roles before landing the soap opera job that made her famous. Moore was cast as Jackie Templeton on General Hospital in 1982, a role which brought her more attention. Moore moved on a year later, and soon became a member of the infamous “Brat Pack” of young, hot 1980s stars. Moore has worked continuously since then, and at 48, she looks better than ever.

Kelly Ripa Before Kelly Ripa became Regis Philbin’s final (and beloved) co-host, she starred on All My Children. Ripa quit college (to her parents’ chagrin) in 1989 and moved to New York City to become an actress. It wasn’t long before she landed her first role playing Hayley Vaughan on the long-running soap. Ripa stayed on All My Children for 12 years, and even met her husband, Mark Consuelos, on the show. She joined Philbin’s talk show in 2001 and her role on All My Children was phased out, but she’s always been proud of her soap roots, and was devastated to learn of the show’s cancellation. “’All My Children’ was more than a job – it was my family,” Ripa, age 40, recently said in a statement. “It was there that I met my husband; it was there when my first two children were born; it was there where I met many of my life-long friends. It was the greatest training ground ever. I feel heartsick.”