8 Things You Didn’t Know About Days Of Our Lives
Published on May 3, 2017.The NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives (DOOL) first hit the airwaves in 1965, and fans have delighted in the trials and tribulations of Salem residents. The larger-the-life characters that come out of this soap entertain and thrill audiences with the adventures they embark on, the romances they share, and the mysteries they solve on a weekly basis. In celebration of our favorite soap opera, here are eight things you probably didn’t know about Days of Our Lives!
8. First Time For Twins
We all know Deidre Hall, who plays the legendary Dr. Marlena Evans on DOOL and some long-time fans might be familiar with the fact that her twin sister, Andrea Hall, played Samantha Evans on the show from 1977 to 1982. What some fans may not be aware of is that this was the very first time two real-life twins were on a daytime drama show, together … at the same time!
Photo by NBC7. Mike Horton Has Been Recast … A Lot!
Who else misses Dr. Mike Horton? The Mike Horton character has seen many changes over the years. In fact, the character has been played by 16 different actors, making him the most recast DOOL character in the show’s history. Horton has also been de-aged and aged over the years to suit storylines around the character. Horton has had quite a run!
Days of Our Lives Wikia6. DOOL Set
DOOL has evolved incredibly over the years and while some things have changed, one thing has stayed the same. An interesting tidbit for DOOL fans to sink their teeth into is the fact that the famous Horton’s foyer and living room are the original set from the start of the show. Unless you count the walls which have since been painted a lovely mint-green to be exact.
NBC5. Take It Outside …
Days has dived into many ‘firsts’ over the years and revolutionized daytime drama with some incredible storylines that have gone into issues such as same-sex relationships and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Another first to note of was the fact that DOOL was the first soap to film scenes outside with an outdoor set. Salem Place was introduced in 1992 and was decked out appropriately with a café, movie theatre, and clothing store … and DOOL characters were then able to interact outside. Curious about the location of the outdoor set? None other than the NBC Burbank Studios.
TV Megasite4. Stan/Sami Saga
Generally when the women of daytime are expecting, a replacement actress will come in during their maternity leave or the character will be briefly written out of storylines. Sami Brady is a unique character on the show that deserved a bigger plotline when she headed off to have a baby. In 2005, the actress, who played Sami (Alison Sweeney), was replaced by Dan Wells. This was the first time a male took over a role to replace a female actress in this situation. Thus, the Stan storyline was introduced on DOOL making soap opera history!
3. Same Show, Same Actor, Different Roles
DOOL audiences are quite familiar with resident cop, Josh Taylor, also known as Roman Brady. What some may not know is that Josh Taylor had a role on Days well before he slipped into this part in 1997. From 1977 to 1981, Taylor played the role of Chris Kositchek on DOOL, a good-natured bartender who had quite a run with some of the ladies in Salem.
YouTube2. Real-Life Baby Momma Drama
The storylines in Salem can sometimes seem larger-than-life, and couples struggling with fertility is not a new issue either in real-life nor the land of Salem. When it comes to Dr. Marlena Evans, it seemed that soap opera storylines may have spilled into her own life at one point. Deidre Hall, actress who plays Evans, struggled with fertility for about two decades – an issue that nearly caused her to fall into a coma. This story does have a happy ending though! In 1992 she welcomed her first child into the world. All’s well that ends well.
NBC1. Where IS Salem, Exactly?
While it has never been confirmed exactly where Salem lands within the United States, DOOL characters will sometimes refer to Chicago being close by … teasing that Days’ Salem is located in the great state of Illinois. There have been times in the past when characters have noted they were Cubs or Bears fans – two great teams that come out of Chicago, Illinois. Interestingly enough, in October of 2015, Illinois was confirmed as the home state of Salem during a guest appearance on The Today Show. Even more interesting, there is a town called ‘Salem’ in Illinois that hosts a Days-fest event annually, where some DOOL cast members attend at times.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES/NBC