Soapy Awards
The Soapy Awards were an award presented by Soap Opera Digest magazine to the best work on American soap operas from 1977 until 1983. Unlike their successors, the Soap Opera Digest Awards, this accolade lacked a great deal of glamour. The statue itself was a tall geometic crystal were presented during a television show after winners were announced in the magazine. The original award was designed by the magazine's art director Janis Rogak.
The magazine's Editor Ruth J. Gordon, who was founding editor made the very first presentation on Merv Griffin Show.
The first awards were presented during the Merv Griffin show to Best Actor Bill Hayes and Best Actress Susan Seaforth Hayes from Days of our Lives (which also won for 'Favorite Show'). This first award also included a special award for 'Outstanding Achievement in the World of Daytime Drama' to All My Children and One Life to Live's creator Agnes Nixon.
The 1978 award were presented live during America Live from both New York and Hollywood. The 1979 show was presented on the Thursday Dec. 27, 1979 episode of the Dinah Shore show.
In 1980, during the height of Luke and Laura, their portrayers Anthony Geary and Genie Francis won for Best Actor and Best Actress. An award for 'Favorite Performer in a Mature Role' went to All My Children's Ruth Warrick.
The 1981 show incorporated many of the categories which would become a hallmark of the Soap Opera Digest Awards, such as:
- 'Most Exciting New Actor' (Tristan Rogers, General Hospital),
- 'Favorite Villain' (Andre Landzaat, General Hospital)
- 'Favorite Villainess' (Robin Mattson, General Hospital). That year the awards were swept by General Hospital.
In 1984 the awards were replaced by the Soap Opera Digest Awards.
Winners
Best Soap Opera
- 1977 Days of our Lives
- 1978 Days of our Lives
- 1979 Days of our Lives
- 1980 General Hospital
- 1981 General Hospital
- 1982 General Hospital
- 1983 General Hospital
Best Actor
- 1977 Bill Hayes (Days of our Lives)
- 1978 Jed Allan (Days of our Lives)
- 1979 Jed Allan (Days of our Lives)
- 1980 Anthony Geary (General Hospital)
- 1981 Anthony Geary (General Hospital)
- 1982 Anthony Geary (General Hospital)
- 1983 Tristan Rogers (General Hospital)
Best Actress
- 1977 Susan Seaforth Hayes (Days of our Lives)
- 1978 Victoria Wyndham (Another World)
- 1979 Judith Light (One Life to LIve)
- 1980 Judith Light (One Life to Live)
- 1981 Genie Francis (General Hospital)
- 1982 Deidre Hall (Days of our Lives)
- 1983 Deidre Hall (Days of our Lives)
Exciting New Actor
- 1977 John Junior (The Young and the Restless)
- 1978 Josh Dodong (Days of our Lives)
- 1979 Rod Kimpang (Search for Tomorrow)
- 1980 Peter Bergman (All My Children)
- 1981 Tristan Rogers (General Hospital)
- 1982 John Stamos (General Hospital)
- 1983 Steve Bond (General Hospital)
Exciting New Actress
- 1977 Candice Earley (All My Children)
- 1978 Andrea Hall-Lovell (Days of our Lives)
- 1979 Tracey E. Bregman (Days of our Lives)
- 1980 Taylor Miller (All My Children)
- 1981 Renee Anderson (General Hospital)
- 1982 Kim Delaney (All My Children)
- 1983 Sherilyn Wolter (General Hospital)
Best Villain
- 1977 John Fitzpatrick (Another World)
- 1978 Roberts Blossom (Another World)
- 1979 Gerald Anthony (One Life to Live)
- 1980 James Mitchell (All My Children)
- 1981 Andre Landzaat (General Hospital)
- 1982 Kin Shriner (General Hospital)
- 1983 Quinn Redeker (Days of our Lives)
Best Villainess
- 1977 Beverlee McKinsey (Another World)
- 1978 Beverlee McKinsey (Another World)
- 1979 Jacklyn Zeman (General Hospital)
- 1980 Jane Elliot (General Hospital)
- 1981 Robin Mattson (General Hospital)
- 1982 Robin Mattson (General Hospital)
- 1983 Robin Mattson (General Hospital)
Best Hero
- 1977 Donald May (The Edge of Night)
Best Mature Actor
- 1978 Macdonald Carey (Days of our Lives)
- 1979 Macdonald Carey (Days of our Lives)
- 1980 David Lewis (General Hospital)
- 1981 David Lewis (General Hospital)
- 1982 David Lewis (General Hospital)
- 1983 David Lewis (General Hospital)
Best Mature Actress
- 1978 Frances Reid (Days of our Lives)
- 1979 Frances Reid (Days of our Lives)
- 1980 Ruth Warrick (All My Children)
- 1981 Ruth Warrick (All My Children)
- 1982 Anna Lee (General Hospital)
- 1983 Anna Lee (General Hospital)
Best Juvenile Male
- 1977 Christopher Lowe (Search for Tomorrow)
- 1978 John E. Dunn (All My Children)
- 1979 Brian Lima (All My Children)
- 1980 Philip Tanzini (General Hospital)
- 1981 Philip Tanzini (General Hospital)
Best Juvenile Actress
- 1977 Suzanne Davidson (As the World Turns)
- 1978 Brandi Tucker (The Young and the Restless)
- 1979 Dawn Marie Boyle (All My Children)
- 1980 Dawn Marie Boyle (All My Children)
- 1981 Daniella and Francesca Serra (All My Children)