10 longest-running actors in American soap operas

Soap operas are built on loyalty and routine. Fans tune in every day because they know exactly who they will see. The same faces appear year after year without fail. These shows depend on actors who stick around. They do not leave after one season or jump to the next big project.

They stay in one role and let the character grow over decades. That kind of commitment is rare in television. Primetime actors come and go but soap actors hold their ground. Some of them have played the same person for more than forty or fifty years. They have stayed through cast changes and wild storylines and still managed to keep their spot.

This list looks at ten actors who have done just that. Names like Susan Lucci and Eric Braeden stand out because they became the heart of their shows. They are not just actors but anchors for fans who keep watching.

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Here are the longest-running actors in American soap operas

1) Susan Lucci – All My Children (1970–2011)

Susan Lucci spent forty-one years playing Erica Kane on All My Children. She first appeared in 1970 and quickly became the show’s most talked-about character. Erica Kane was ambitious and often ruthless but always the center of attention. Over the years she married more than ten times and was rarely without scandal.

Lucci’s ability to keep Erica layered made her stand out. She could shift from manipulative to vulnerable without losing the audience’s interest. One of her biggest moments came in the early 1980s when Erica fought to keep custody of her daughter Bianca.

Viewers saw her soft side without losing her edge. Lucci stayed loyal to the role until the series ended in 2011. She won a Daytime Emmy after nineteen nominations which reflected how much she defined the show. Without Erica Kane, All My Children would never have held the same cultural weight.

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2) Ray MacDonnell – All My Children (1970–2011)

Ray MacDonnell played Dr. Joe Martin for forty-one years on All My Children. He appeared in the show's first episode and remained a steady figure until it ended. Joe Martin was the moral center of Pine Valley and rarely gave in to the chaos surrounding him. He worked as a doctor and led the Martin family through endless personal battles.

MacDonnell kept Joe believable as someone grounded in loyalty and responsibility. One major storyline showed Joe guiding his family after his wife, Ruth's death reinforcing his role as a stabilizing force. While other characters drifted in and out, Joe stayed constant. MacDonnell’s performance gave the audience someone to trust when the show’s plots turned wild.

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3) Frances Reid – Days of Our Lives (1965–2007)

Frances Reid played Alice Horton for forty-two years on Days of Our Lives. She appeared in the very first episode and remained a fixture of the show until 2007. Alice Horton was the matriarch of Salem and the one character who seemed to hold the town together.

She was known for her wisdom and steady hand during every family crisis. Reid never played her with exaggeration and that made Alice relatable. Fans always looked forward to scenes where Alice offered advice or simply made her famous homemade donuts to ease tensions. One key storyline had Alice supporting her granddaughter Jennifer through her relationship with Jack Deveraux which showed her constant strength.

Reid’s long tenure provided a clear sense of continuity as other cast members came and went. Without Alice Horton the heart of Days of Our Lives would not have stayed intact across decades.

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4) Suzanne Rogers – Days of Our Lives (1973–present)

Suzanne Rogers has played Maggie Horton for over fifty years on Days of Our Lives. She joined the show in 1973 and never stepped away from the role. Maggie began as a farm girl who lived with a physical disability and eventually became one of Salem’s most respected women.

Rogers brought depth to the role especially during the storyline where Maggie struggled with alcoholism. The plot unfolded slowly and treated Maggie’s battle realistically which made a lasting impact on viewers. Her marriage to Mickey Horton tied her into the core Horton family and after Alice Horton’s passing Maggie stepped into the matriarch role.

Rogers has kept Maggie steady while the show’s storylines shifted around her. For half a century she has provided stability and heart to the series.

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5) Deidre Hall – Days of Our Lives (1976–present)

Deidre Hall has played Dr. Marlena Evans for over forty-five years on Days of Our Lives. She joined in 1976 and became central to the show almost immediately. Marlena started as a psychiatrist but quickly became known for being pulled into some of the wildest plots on daytime television.

Hall handled everything from love triangles to demonic possession without making the character feel overdone. The possession storyline in the mid-1990s stands out the most. Marlena’s exorcism became one of the show's highest-rated arcs and is still talked about decades later. Hall balanced the over-the-top elements with a steady performance that kept Marlena grounded.

She was the character audiences could count on through constant chaos. Hall’s consistency gave Days of Our Lives a reliable figure across decades.

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6) Rachel Ames – General Hospital (1964–2007, guest 2009–2015)

Rachel Ames spent forty-three years playing Audrey Hardy on General Hospital. She joined in 1964 and quickly became one of the show’s key characters. Audrey worked as a nurse at General Hospital and remained closely tied to the hospital’s core storylines. Ames made Audrey more than a background character.

She showed Audrey’s strength, especially during her on-and-off relationship with Dr. Steve Hardy. Their relationship became one of the show’s longest-running love stories. One memorable storyline had Audrey struggling after Steve’s death which added depth to her role. Ames also helped establish the Hardy family as one of the show’s central families.

Her steady presence bridged generations of viewers. When she appeared for guest spots after leaving full-time in 2007 it reinforced how essential she remained. Without Audrey Hardy’s long-term role, General Hospital would have lacked one of its strongest original anchors.

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7) Erika Slezak – One Life to Live (1971–2012)

Erika Slezak played Victoria Lord for forty-one years on One Life to Live. She joined in 1971 and remained until the show’s final episode. Viki Lord was the wealthy and respected head of the Lord family but Slezak made sure she wasn’t one-dimensional.

Viki’s struggles with dissociative identity disorder became one of the show’s most defining storylines. Slezak portrayed multiple alters including Niki Smith and Jean Randolph with distinct personalities. This role required range and consistency as Viki shifted between different personas while still holding together the core of the character.

One standout storyline had Viki confronting her traumatic childhood which explained much of her mental health struggles. Slezak’s performance kept Viki relatable no matter how extreme the plot became. Her work won her six Daytime Emmys. Without Viki Lord’s central role, One Life to Live would have lacked the depth and emotional weight that kept audiences watching.

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8) Jeanne Cooper – The Young and the Restless (1973–2013)

Jeanne Cooper played Katherine Chancellor on The Young and the Restless for forty years. She joined the show in 1973 and stayed until her death in 2013. Katherine Chancellor wasn’t just wealthy—she was ruthless, sharp, and often involved in power struggles that shaped Genoa City. Cooper made Katherine memorable for her fierce confrontations and her complicated friendship with Jill Abbott.

Their decades-long feud remains one of the show's most recognizable rivalries. In one defining arc Cooper’s real-life facelift was written into Katherine’s storyline which broke ground in daytime TV. That decision showed how much Cooper herself influenced her character’s development. Over four decades Katherine’s presence shaped the show’s core family dynamics and business battles.

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9) Eric Braeden – The Young and the Restless (1980–present)

Eric Braeden has played Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless for over forty years. He joined in 1980 and built Victor into one of daytime TV’s most recognizable figures. Victor started as a self-made billionaire who often controlled Genoa City’s business scene.

Braeden’s portrayal made Victor both ruthless and complex. His long-running feud with Jack Abbott and on-again off-again marriage to Nikki Newman have remained centerpieces of the show’s drama. One standout plotline involved Victor’s battle for control of Newman Enterprises against his own children which showed how loyalty and ambition often clashed in his world.

Braeden kept Victor consistent even as the character shifted between villain and anti-hero. His presence anchored the corporate and family tensions that shaped The Young and the Restless for decades.

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10) Don Hastings – As the World Turns (1960–2010)

Don Hastings played Dr. Bob Hughes on As the World Turns for 50 consecutive years, from 1960 until the show ended in 2010. He became one of the longest-running actors in American television history. Bob Hughes was a dedicated doctor and family man, central to the Hughes family’s storylines.

Hastings kept Bob steady amid decades of shifting plots, cast changes, and evolving story arcs. One of his standout contributions was portraying Bob’s long, complex relationship with his wife Kim, navigating infidelity, family crises, and professional challenges without making the character feel repetitive.

Hastings’ calm, consistent performance provided stability to the show’s core, making him a familiar figure to generations of viewers. His fifty-year tenure made him a cornerstone of As the World Turns, ensuring the Hughes family remained central to the soap’s success and legacy.

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