As The World Turns' Helen Wagner Dead at 91
As The World Turns is mourning the loss of series matriarch Helen Wagner (Nancy Hughes), who passed away Saturday, May 1. She was 91. With ATWT ending its run this September and wrapping production in June, this news couldn't come at a sadder time for the cast, crew and fans of the soap opera.
"All of us at As The World Turns are deeply saddened by Helen's passing," said ATWT executive producer Christopher Goutman in a statement. "She is loved by generations of fans and while we will miss her greatly, Helen will always remain the heart and soul of As The World Turns."
Wagner's character, Nancy Hughes spoke the serial's first lines. The native of Lubbock, Texas was discovered by the legendary Oscar Hammerstein, while Wagner was performing at the St. Louis Municipal Opera. Wagner went on to star in Hammerstein's Broadway hit Sunny River.
Wagner also starred on Broadway in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!,The Bad Seed, My Name Is Acquilon and Love of Four Colonels. She also toured as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire with Lee Marvin.
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Comments
8 November 2009
1 year 2 weeks
Damn, I'm suprised she's gone. I'm gonna miss her. She lived an awesome long life though. What a lady.
12 February 2010
3 days 10 hours
This is so sad. Daytime television has lost another irreplaceable matriarch!!! I hope that this will finally PENETRATE Chris Goutman's head, and he'll decide to refocus the final few months of this show around the VETERANS-----Lucinda, Lisa, Bob, Kim, Tom, Margo and the MEMORY of Nancy Hughes!!! It's sad that I won't get to hear Nancy Hughes speak the final lines of this show when it goes to soap heaven in September, but her Guiness Book of World Records legacy (as TV's longest running character/actress----not only on a soap opera, but on ALL of television, in ALL countries across the world!!!) will never be bested by anyone. Furthermore, her legacy as the Queen of CBS Daytime will never be bested by anyone!! RIP, Helen Wagner.
23 July 2008
2 weeks 2 days
Nooooo! Not Nancy :/ This cannot be. She just needed to make it to September to speak the last lines of the show. Nooo my poor Nancy Hughes. You will be missed so so so much. You were ATWT, and it will not spin the same without you. Here's to you Nancy. The best. I will be praying for the cast and your family.
1 January 2010
34 weeks 6 days
R.I.P.
7 February 2009
2 weeks 2 days
So sad. Helen was an amazing woman. May she rest peacefully
maybe for the last episode they can have it as Nancy's funeral with the last words being said by her voiceover.
4 February 2009
9 weeks 3 days
Although I have not watched As THe World Turns, but for maybe 10 years and I have grown to Love this lady. I just wish I would have started watching this show YEARS AGO. I love you MRS HELEN WAGNER and thank you for all the MEMORIES. I have grown to thank of you as a grandmother. Please let Chris Goutman the Ex. Producer of As The World Turns Honor this true legendary Actress and her memory. I hope they bring back many of the former stars to honor this legend. If not I will beyond upset at this show and Chris Goutman.
4 February 2009
9 weeks 3 days
RIP MRS HELEN WAGNER and please don't have to much fun up there in the big sky with
Douglass Watson
Frances Reid
Macdonald Carey
and the rest of the gang
Much love always for
you
Helen Wagner and your character Nancy Hughes
9 September 2009
1 year 30 weeks
Deeply sadden on Helen passing, she will always have a place in history. She is everyone's Grandma. God Bless her.
Helen Wanger http://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/01/flashback-helen-wagner-1994.html
http://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/05/classic-clips-helen-wagner.html#more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oiznn7id7zg
http://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/05/flashback-world-has-turned-more-than....
14 April 2009
1 day 12 hours
How sad, first Frances Reid and now Helen Wagner...not a good way to start out 2010.......crys a little.....
11 December 2008
10 weeks 4 days
R.I.P. Ms. Wagner. I loved Nancy Hughes. My grandma loved Nancy and Chris, so I loved them, too. I miss the Hughes being such an integral part of ATWT.
22 October 2009
1 year 40 weeks
Agreed ... RIP.
9 September 2008
8 hours 22 min
Alstonboy,
With all due respect, is it possible to just once find a way to put a cork in your unrelenting negativity toward anything in the soap world that meets your disapproval and simply express condolences to the cast, crew and family of Helen Wagner?
You are right in your praise of the actress, and in these situations it is often — if not always — better to leave it at that.
Helen Wagner will be deeply missed.
8 April 2010
2 years 17 weeks
Ms. Wagner was the living embodiment of what made As The World Turns once the best daytime serial on American television: continuity and respect for the past. My condolences to her family, castmates, and fans.
12 February 2010
3 days 10 hours
J Bernard,
Yeah, perhaps I shouldn't have gone off on that tangent about Chris Goutman. I find that "execs" like him are barely worth the time and energy that it takes to insult them. Old habits die hard, though. I simply found myself thinking about how little airtime Helen Wagner received the past few years of her life, and I find that to be almost criminal. I am not sure if it was her choice or not, but in general, I find it proposterous to waste the talents of good veteran actors.
I do wish the cast and crew of ATWT, as well as her friends and family, the best of luck through their recovery periods, but I sometimes find it hard to jump down from my soapbox. It's just a part of my nature.
I'm rambling again.....well, anyway, I will simply reitierate my condolences. Have a good night.
12 February 2008
10 hours 33 min
I was not ready for this today...damn.
RIP, Helen.
19 August 2009
1 year 23 weeks
This is truly sad news. She will definitely be missed. Rest In Peace, Miss Wagner.
5 July 2008
7 hours 56 min
I am So sad But At The Same Time Helen had Such A Long rich life
6 December 2009
1 day 20 hours
I would like to send out a heart felt condolences to the cast and crew and all the many actors and actresses that have passed through ATWT's studio and helped them know their craft. That is a true matriarch and leader. RIP, Helen we the true fans of ATWT over so many years wish your family our deepest sorrow.
30 March 2009
1 day 16 hours
RIP to Helen Wagner!!!
Sad day for daytime....My condolensces go out to her family and the ATWT family. I know this is a terrible time for them all.
27 January 2008
1 year 30 weeks
I was so sad to hear this this morning. It's ironic and really sad that she dies the same year as ATWT "dies"... I had hoped she would've been there at the end in September.......
18 September 2009
1 day 18 hours
My heart is officially broken today. I love Helen Wagner and now to not see her grace the screen (and even end with ATWT) is upsetting. May she RIP. Such a fine actress that can never be replaced.
7 December 2009
1 year 24 weeks
it is so sad she was a great actor i love this show and everytime she was on it she was amazing
6 January 2010
12 hours 38 min
She was still lovely and beautiful at 91 years, as well. Articulate in her recent scenes at Kim and Bob's anniversary, and with the Casey character. May she rest in peace - daytime's last icon.
4 May 2009
1 hour 26 min
Oh my God no... First thing Monday morning and this is what I see. Damn it. I had hoped she would have been the last image of when the show wraps.
I am so sad about this.
Nancy and Helen were both dynamite.
In recent years, Nancy's scenes with Katie were always the sweetest.
Once again: damn it.
RIP classy lady.
9 July 2009
1 year 2 weeks
Like all of you, I too am deeply saddened by the passing of Helen Wagner. When I learned of it yesterday on soapcentral.com, my heart just sank. I'm still trying to absorb the fact that Helen will not be with the show until the end of its run when filming wraps in June.
However, we all should (for those that have watched the show for years, like myself) remember the wonderful storylines that Helen was involved in when she played Nancy Hughes on ATWT. I especially loved the storyline with Dan Frazier who played Det. McClosky (I think that's right). I really didn't care for the way that the show just abruptly ended that storyline and ended up killed Nancy's husband off at that point. They really could have gone a long way with the Alzheimers storyline but chose to take the easy way out. I started watching this show back in either 1980 or 1981. I've been watching it ever since. Other than that, I've enjoyed the show up until recently. The show was getting its groove back late last year when CBS opted to cancel the show. But lately, eh, I haven't been liking it.
Looks like we'll all be having a box or two of kleenex out when the show pays tribute to her at some point, I just don't know when that will be. This news certainly will throw a major monkey wrench into the writers' time of having to come up with a very fitting and loving tribute to not only Helen but Nancy as well.
God as gained an angel and we've lost a fabulous actress who graced both stage and screen for well over 60 years.
My prayers are with the cast, crew, family, and friends of Helen's as they grieve and we grieve along with them.
Michael
12 April 2010
13 weeks 16 hours
I have watched ATWT since the early 1960's & have always felt that Helen Wagner's portrayal of Nancy Hughes was flawless. She was the heart and soul of the show
and I am deeply saddened by her passing. I so hoped that she would be prominently featured in the series finale. I can only hope that they do justice to this grand lady by acknowledging Nancy's passing on the show and having a huge memorial service for her, including lots of old faces from the past and tons of wonderful clips! Are you listening, Chris Goutman?? Thanks for so many incredible years of Nancy Hughes, Helen! Rest in Peace.
9 September 2009
1 year 30 weeks
There are tons of old photos on this site of Helen Wagner.
http://www.welovesoaps.net/
31 March 2008
38 weeks 3 days
My heart sank when I heard the news. RIP Mrs. Wagner!
Anybody remember when she spoke sang RESPECT? That was my favorite Nancy moment. It occurred early in the 2000's during Hogan's era. I have to find it on youtube.
31 March 2008
38 weeks 3 days
ROFO,
I would love for that to be the series finale. A celebration of the matriarch and clips from the past. I hope ATWT goes out with class and not crap.
6 May 2009
41 weeks 4 days
Here are a few Nancy Moments.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=atwt+nancy+hughes&aq=0