The hallmarks of daytime TV are easy to recognize鈥攖he operatic score that swells as an evil twin is revealed on an afternoon soap opera, the comforting chatter of early morning talk shows, and the exhilarating joy of catching an episode of听The Price is Right听on a day when some lucky soul gets to play Plinko. In an era where the medium of television is in a constant state of flux, daytime TV remains reliably familiar no matter when you tune in, and that's thanks in large part to the stars that have dedicated their careers to the sometimes thankless task of creating quality daytime programming. From career soap stars to the indomitable Oprah Winfrey, these men and women put their hearts and souls into work that's been appreciated for years by everyone from stay-at-home parents and retirees to kids stuck on the couch during sick days.
爆料TV has compiled a list of the 50 most prolific stars in daytime TV history. Their scores are based on the amount of Daytime Emmy Awards they've been nominated for and their number of wins. These two scores have been weighed against one another to create a 爆料TV score that decided their spot on the list. The end result is a list of 50 TV legends that deserve major kudos for making daytime TV an entertaining and enduring part of the cultural landscape in an era where it feels like nothing stays the same.
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Total nominations: 8
Total wins: 1
爆料TV score: 19.23
Eric Braeden has been playing the great Victor Newman on听The Young and the Restless听蹿辞谤听. As Victor, Braeden is one of the genre鈥檚 greatest villains听and听heroes; a self-made tycoon capable of unthinkable evil grounded by a tempestuous love story with ex-stripper Nikki Newman.
Total nominations: 6
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 19.23
Child actors who join soap operas generally know that their time on the show is limited due to the genre's time-honored tradition of "" or "SORAS." Kimberly McCullough is the exception to the rule. She joined听General Hospital听as Robin Scorpio at age 7, and has continued playing the role on and off ever since, even winning a Daytime Emmy for a heartrending story about her teen character contracting HIV.
Total nominations: 6
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 19.23
Jess Walton is the third actress to play Jill Fenmore on听The Young and the Restless, but there鈥檚 no doubt that she made the rags to riches, social climbing executive her own. However, it鈥檚 impossible to mention Jill without discussing Katherine Chancellor. The women's volatile onscreen feud lasted until Walton鈥檚 scene partner,听.
Total nominations: 4
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 19.23
There is no daytime TV couple more famous than听, and Julie Marie Berman played their only daughter, Lulu Spencer from 2005-2013. During that time, Lulu became the听.
Total nominations: 4
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 19.23
Chandler Massey broke down a major barrier for听Days of Our Lives听with his beautiful performance as Will Horton, an openly gay young man. Massey took home the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series three years in a row (2012-2014) and became the听.
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Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 1
爆料TV score: 21.15
Although she鈥檚 most famous for playing Lucinda Walsh on听As the World Turns听鈥� a role that netted her听听鈥� Elizabeth Hubbard is one of daytime鈥檚 most prolific stars. In addition to听As the World Turns, she also had roles on听Guiding Light,听The Edge of Night,听The Doctors,听One Life to Live, and the Swedish soap听Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden.
Total nominations: 7
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 21.15
础蝉听General Hospital鈥檚 Jason Morgan, Steve Burton is a stoic, action hero who has been through it all 鈥� amnesia, a memory-mapping experiment, murder cover-ups, and dalliances with the mob. The character鈥檚 two constants are his passionate fanbase, and his ongoing love story with con woman turned private investigator, Sam McCall.
Total nominations: 7
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 21.15
Since 1992, there hasn鈥檛 really been a time when Meredith Vieira wasn鈥檛 a part of the daytime television landscape. She went from balancing hard news stories and fluff pieces on NBC鈥檚听Today Show听to serving as听, to hosting the recently canceled听Meredith Vieira Show,听and Vieira remains one of the most trusted names in news.
Total nominations: 7
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 21.15
Before some of the genre鈥檚 longest-running shows began to fall victim to network cancellations, Jerry verDorn was a permanent fixture in the daytime landscape. For more than 26 years the actor starred as听, before joining听One Life to Live听as Clint Buchanan from 2005-2013.
Total nominations: 7
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 21.15
The world was first introduced to Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2004 on听The Oprah Winfrey Show. It didn't take long for his unique way of dispensing medical advice to earn the doctor his own series,听The Dr. Oz Show.
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Total nominations: 5
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 21.15
Sarah Joy Brown originated the role of听General Hospital鈥檚 Carly Corinthos, a ruthless femme fatale with a taste for revenge. Carly met her match in mobster Sonny Corinthos, and the two characters become one of听.
Total nominations: 5
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 21.15
From 1979 until the show鈥檚 cancellation in 1989, Helen Gallagher starred on听Ryan鈥檚 Hope听as the show鈥檚 strong, Irish-Catholic matriarch, Maeve Ryan. The role earned her five Daytime Emmy nominations, and three wins.
Total nominations: 5
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 21.15
Gina Tognoni鈥檚 soap career began on听One Life to Live听when she took on the role of troubled teen Kelly Cramer. Soon the actress transitioned into more adult roles, first as听Guiding Light鈥檚 complicated Dinah Marler, and more recently as the mostly-reformed bad girl Phyllis Summers on听The Young and the Restless.
Total nominations: 10
Total wins: 1
爆料TV score: 23.08
Jeanne Cooper was without a doubt the听. During her 40 years playing Katherine Chancellor on听The Young and the Restless, Cooper had her听, proudly portrayed Katherine鈥檚 alcoholism as an ongoing struggle, and took part in a bitter rivalry with Jill Fenmore. While she passed away in 2013, Cooper was honored with a听Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys in 2004.
Total nominations: 8
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 23.08
If you need a heroine with a strong sense of justice for your soap, then Nancy Lee Grahn is the person to call. First, she played the determined lawyer Julia Wainwright Capwell on听Santa Barbara, before moving on to the equally fierce princess turned lawyer, Alexis Davis, on听General Hospital.
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Total nominations: 8
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 23.08
On听As the World Turns, Martha Byrne starred as Lily Walsh, one half of the soap鈥檚 hallmark couple,听. But while her role as good girl Lily made her famous, taking on the role of Lily鈥檚 less scrupulous听听solidified Byrne鈥檚 place in daytime TV history.
Total nominations: 8
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 23.08
From 1969-2004,听听辞苍听As the World Turns, a man with a working-class background and a major chip on his shoulder. He may have been one of the town鈥檚 most gifted doctors, but he was seldom a man who could be described as good.
Total nominations: 8
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 23.08
It鈥檚 not easy to be a scene-stealer when your primary scene partner is Susan Lucci, but Julia Barr more than held her own as听听辞苍听All My Children.
Total nominations: 4
Total wins: 4
爆料TV score: 23.08
Ellen DeGeneres is a true trailblazer in the world of daytime talk shows. The comedian effortlessly transitioned from primetime actress to host in 2003. Since then,听The Ellen DeGeneres Show听has broken听The Oprah Winfrey Show鈥檚听, while DeGeneres has gone on to show that there鈥檚 no end to her charity. In celebration of her 60th birthday,听.
Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 25.00
For four seasons, comedian Wayne Brady was the host of his own daytime chat show,听The Wayne Brady Show. However, it's his gig as the host of听Let's Make a Deal听that has earned him accolades and allowed his charismatic personality to truly shine.
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Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 25.00
Steve Harvey has to be one of the busiest entertainers in Hollywood. He currently has three shows airing on daytime television, and three more airing in primetime 鈥斕�Little Big Shots听and its two spinoffs. Thanks to听Family Feud, his talk show听Steve, and听The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Harvey has become one of the modern faces of daytime television.
Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 25.00
From 1990 to 2002, Kelly Ripa was stirring up trouble on听All My Children听as Hayley Vaughn, but in 2001, her career trajectory took a major turn when she became the co-host of听Live! with Regis and Kelly. Since Regis Philbin retired, Ripa has become the show鈥檚 primary host, and in 2014,听The Hollywood Reporter听named her听.
Total nominations: 7
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 25.00
Over the course of his career, Rick Hearst has appeared on five different soaps:听Days of Our Lives,听Guiding Light,听The Young and the Restless,听The Bold and the Beautiful, and most recently,听General Hospital. While all of his roles have been different, Hearst excels at playing men with a dark side that women can鈥檛 seem to resist.
Total nominations: 7
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 25.00
There are a precious few truly 鈥済ood鈥� characters in the world of soaps, but Michael E. Knight鈥檚 Tad Martin is one of the genre鈥檚 true heroes. Knight played the character off and on from 1982 until听All My Children听ended in 2011, becoming a soap legend in the process.
Total nominations: 7
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 25.00
Game shows are a familiar part of the daytime TV landscape, but there's only one that takes place inside of a New York taxi cab. As the host of听Cash Cab, Ben Bailey asks his unsuspecting guests trivia questions while simultaneously navigating the city's traffic.
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Total nominations: 5
Total wins: 4
爆料TV score: 25.00
Rosie O鈥橠onnell hosted听The Rosie O'Donnell Show听from 1996 to 2002, before joining听The View听in 2006. Despite exiting the series in 2015, O鈥橠onnell鈥檚 strong personality and willingness to always express her opinions on the state of the world has left a lasting impact on the genre.
Total nominations: 10
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 26.92
Michelle Stafford originated the role of Phyllis Summers on听The Young and the Restless听in 1994. Although she started out as a villain, Stafford鈥檚 go for broke performance made her a fan favorite, and one of the show鈥檚 most dynamic antiheroes. Stafford currently stars on听General Hospital听as another morally complicated woman, Nina Clay.
Total nominations: 6
Total wins: 4
爆料TV score: 26.92
Thanks to听Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee听(and later听Live! with Regis and Kelly) Regis Philbin was the undeniable face of daytime talk shows from 1988 to 2011. Despite leaving his morning show in Kelly Ripa鈥檚 hands in 2011, Philbin remains the Guinness World Record holder for the听.
Total nominations: 6
Total wins: 4
爆料TV score: 26.92
As the original host of听The Hollywood Squares, Peter Marshall became a fixture in homes across the country from 1966 to 1981.
Total nominations: 11
Total wins: 2
爆料TV score: 28.85
In addition to his 11 Daytime Emmy nominations and two wins, Kristoff St. John has earned an impressive听听for his role as Neil Winters on听The Young and the Restless. Since 1991, Neil has been a Genoa City stalwart and one of the town's few reliably good men.
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Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 28.85
Scott Clifton鈥檚 soap opera career began in 2003, and he has quickly established himself as one of the genre鈥檚 newest heartthrobs. As Dillon Quartermaine on听General Hospital听(2003鈥�2007), Schuyler Joplin on听One Life to Live听(2009鈥�2010), and Liam Spencer on听The Bold and the Beautiful, Clifton has grown up in front of viewers eyes, effortlessly moving from an aimless teen character to a romantic businessman.
Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 28.85
While she has starred on multiple soaps, Maura West will perhaps always be best known for playing听As the World Turns鈥� feisty antiheroine听.
Total nominations: 5
Total wins: 5
爆料TV score: 28.85
A modern-day domestic goddess, Martha Stewart crafted perfect tablescapes and cooked up delicious meals from scratch on听The Martha Stewart Show听from 1993 to 2005. Despite being convicted for听听in 2004, Stewart remains a respected businesswoman and a daytime TV fixture thanks to her PBS series,听Martha Stewart's Cooking School.
Total nominations: 10
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 30.77
He may be best known as the host of听American Bandstand, but Dick Clark鈥檚 charming persona as the host of听Pyramid听from 1973鈥�1988 led to him taking home three Daytime Emmy Awards.
Total nominations: 12
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 34.62
Christian LeBlanc joined听The Young and the Restless听in 1991 as Michael Baldwin, a stalker and attempted rapist who went after one of the show's most beloved characters, Christine Blair. His character was sent to jail, but he returned in 1997 a reformed man. Since then, Michael has become a fan favorite and wooed one of Genoa City's most respected businesswomen, Lauren Fenmore.
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Total nominations: 10
Total wins: 4
爆料TV score: 34.62
As Stephanie Forrester, Susan Flannery was the matriarch of the Forrester clan and the grand dame of听The Bold and the Beautiful听from 1987 until she retired in 2012. While she鈥檚 best known for playing the tough as nails Stephanie, Flannery actually got her soap opera start on听Days of Our Lives听in 1966 as Laura Spencer Horton.
Total nominations: 6
Total wins: 6
爆料TV score: 34.62
Before she was a living legend, Oprah Winfrey was a Chicago talk show host whose unique take on tackling subjects big and small led to听The Oprah Winfrey Show听听when it went national in 1986.
Total nominations: 11
Total wins: 4
爆料TV score: 36.54
Kim Zimmer has appeared on multiple soaps, but her most famous role is easily听. As one of the show鈥檚 primary matriarchs, Reva was a survivor who fans could relate to, even as they swooned over her love story with Josh Lewis.
Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 5
爆料TV score: 36.54
Although Jonathan Jackson has moved on to primetime roles in shows like听Nashville, he got his start as听. As the son of the legendary couple听, Lucky was destined to be a fan favorite, but Jackson鈥檚 winning performance certainly didn鈥檛 hurt.
Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 6
爆料TV score: 40.38
Until 2012, Justin Deas had more Daytime Emmy acting awards than any other actor. While听, Deas' soap history that began with听Ryan's Hope听and continued through his long-running turn as Buzz Cooper on听Guiding Light听has secured his place as one of the most reliable actors in daytime.
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Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 6
爆料TV score: 40.38
Erika Slezak spent a whopping听. Victoria is one of the genre鈥檚 most enduring heroines. Before听One Life to Live听came to an end, she dealt with the death of three husbands, breast cancer, jail time, and dissociative identity disorder.
Total nominations: 16
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 42.31
Wheel of Fortune听is one of America鈥檚 most beloved game shows, and although it has had other hosts, none are as synonymous with the series as Pat Sajak. While he first hosted the series in 1981, Sajak didn鈥檛 settle into the role permanently until 1983 when听.
Total nominations: 21
Total wins: 1
爆料TV score: 44.23
, Susan Lucci was always the bridesmaid at the Daytime Emmys until she finally took home the top prize in 1999. Her 21 nominations for playing听All My Children鈥檚 indomitable Erica Kane were well-deserved, as is her legacy as听America鈥檚 most famous soap star.
听
Total nominations: 9
Total wins: 8
爆料TV score: 48.08
The Phil Donahue Show听was on air for 29 years, and in the process, it introduced a new kind of talk show to the American public 鈥� the tabloid talk show. The man himself, Phil Donahue, seemed to believe no subject was off limits, leading to his series becoming a monster hit that would influence talk show hosts for decades to come.
Total nominations: 20
Total wins: 3
爆料TV score: 50.00
Peter Bergman has not one, but two iconic soap characters. From 1979-1989, he starred as Dr. Cliff Wagner on听All My Children听before moving on to听The Young and the Restless听as Jack Abbott in '89. Bergman remains in the role of Jack to this day, and from the moment he stepped into the wealthy playboy's shoes, the character has been locked in a feud with business rival Victor Newman.
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Total nominations: 16
Total wins: 5
爆料TV score: 50.00
David Canary had a lead role on听Bonanza听for many years, but in 1984 he took on the dual role of Adam and Stuart Chandler on听All My Children. He famously played both men almost continuously until 2013.
Total nominations: 17
Total wins: 5
爆料TV score: 51.92
Heather Tom has grown up on the set of soap operas. She began her daytime career in 1990 as听, and she continued to play the spoiled heiress until 2003. These days she鈥檚 continuing to garner accolades as Katie Logan on听The Bold and the Beautiful.
Total nominations: 16
Total wins: 8
爆料TV score: 61.54
No star has won more Daytime acting Emmys than听. 础蝉听General Hospital鈥檚 Luke Spencer, Geary holds the distinction of being one half of the most famous daytime couple of them all 鈥斕�Luke and Laura.
Total nominations: 28
Total wins: 4
爆料TV score: 69.23
Since听Jeopardy!鈥檚 revival in 1984, the man asking some of TV鈥檚 hardest questions has been Alex Trebek. The wry host has not only made his mark on daytime TV, he鈥檚 become a pop culture icon in his own right, appearing as himself on shows as far-ranging as听.
Total nominations: 24
Total wins: 14
爆料TV score: 100.00
From 1972 to 2007, Bob Barker hosted听The Price is Right, a game show that is as firmly embedded in pop culture as any program can get. Barker helped make听, and although he's retired, his animal activism still remains a part of the show as the current host, Drew Carey, still urges viewers to have their pets spayed and neutered at the end of every episode.
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