- Soaps
- News
Revered Veteran Soap-Hopper Dead at 99
Wednesday, January 5th, 2022

Joan Copeland passed away on January 4, 2022, just six months shy of her 100th birthday.
Only longtime daytime fans are likely to remember Joan Copeland. But if you do, your recollections are sure to be vivid. She was the kind of actress who made an impression.
The sister of playwright Arthur Miller, Copeland was primarily a stage star and, as such, was best known for her work in The American Clock in 1981 and the revival of Pal Joey that was staged four years earlier. But throughout her career, she lathered up time and again, crossing from one sudser to another with ease.
Copeland made her daytime debut in 1959 on The Edge of Night as Mary Appleman, whose husband Dick was struck blind following a concussion. But that role was but a blip compared to what was to come. Copeland went on to appear on Love of Life as twins Maggie and Kay Logan, she played Monica Courtland for the entire brief run of How to Survive a Marriage, she was Greta Aldrin on As the World Turns, and she embodied the mother-in-law from hell as Andrea Whiting on Search for Tomorrow.
More: Tribute to the stars we lost in 2021 [PHOTOS]
In fact, Copeland was such a soap mainstay that she didn’t just tackle one role on One Life to Live, she landed two. In the late 1970s, she passed through Llanview as Viki’s aunt, Gwendolyn Lord. Decades later, she returned, this time playing Nora Buchanan’s mom, Selma Hanen.
On this somber occasion, cheer yourself up with a review of hilarious bloopers from high-glam soap photo shoots.
Most Popular
Advertisement
<p>As these 2017 images of <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Billy Flynn (Chad) suggest, the trickiest part about playing enigmatic on camera is how does <em>anyone</em> keep a straight face?</p>
<p>… to <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> MVP Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy) for even <em>thinking</em> that she could hide her light — no matter how far down over her head she pulled her cap.</p>
<p>’Cause back in 2002, <em>Days of Our Lives</em> supercouple Jason Cook (ex-Shawn) and Kirsten Storms (ex-Belle) were adorably gouda to go!</p>
<p>Ooh! They almost had it. But in the end, taking intense shots as <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Mason and Summer in 2013 cracked up Lamon Archey (now Eli, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>) and Hunter King.</p>
<p>Sadly, the 2010 marriage of <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> sweethearts Whip and Taylor lasted less time than it took to snap this playful pic of Rick Hearst and Hunter Tylo.</p>
<p>Before returning to <em>General Hospital</em> as Robert, Tristan Rogers had a few laughs as the conniving Colin on <em>The Young and the Restless.</em></p>
<p><em>The Young and the Restless</em>’ Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren) and Christian Jules LeBlanc (Michael) struck not just a pose but a <em>yoga</em> pose at their 2013 session.</p>
<p>At a 2000 shoot, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Peter Reckell (ex-Bo) and Kristian Alfonso (ex-Hope) demonstrated our reaction to the idea of them ever taking a bad photo.</p>
<p>At a 2012 shoot for <em>The Young and the Restless</em>, Christel Khalil took the roundabout route to the picture-perfect portrait of herself as Lily.</p>
<p>Long before <em>General Hospital</em> tapped her to play Lulu, Emme Rylan was an old pro at being photographed from her stints as Abby on <em>Young & Restless</em> and here, Lizzie on <em>Guiding Light</em> (back in 2008).</p>
<p>Pictured: just one of the reasons <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Kristoff St. John (Neil) is so missed by castmates like Bryton James (Devon). St. John brought joy to every room that he entered.</p>
<p>We said <em>drama</em>, not <em>comedy</em>. But there was no containing the tomfoolery that was on tap when <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Freddie Smith (ex-Sonny), Chandler Massey (Will) and Christopher Sean (ex-Sean) got together to memorialize their on-screen love triangle in photos.</p>
<p>Eat your heart out, Victor Newman! <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> leading man Jack Wagner (ex-Nick) tried out a new look during a 2006 shoot with Lesli Kay (ex-Felicia). We kinda like it, actually.</p>
<p>If a picture says a thousand words, these two say over and over again that <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Arianne Zuker (Nicole) and James Scott (ex-EJ) had a blast posing together in 2008.</p>
<p>No way, no how could <em>General Hospital</em> have decided that Finn was Chase’s father, not his brother — not when portrayers Michael Easton and Josh Swickard are so good at goofing around like siblings.</p>
<p><em>Young & Restless</em>’ Joshua Morrow wasn’t just game for his 2012 photo shoot as Nick, he was game for <em>anything</em> — karate, jazz hands… You name it!</p>
<p>In 2013, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> castmates Lawrence Saint-Victor (Carter) and Texas Battle (ex-Marcus) spoke a little “sign language.”</p>
<p>He is <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Shawn Christian (ex-Daniel), hear him roar.</p>
<p>As you can see, absolutely no fun whatsoever was had at the 2010 shoot at which the subjects were <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Billy Miller (ex-Billy) and Amelia Heinle (Victoria).</p>
<p>No one can say that <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> star Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy) doesn’t make a splash wherever she goes — including this 2011 shoot on location in Cabo.</p>
<p>In 2015, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Camila Banus (Gabi) and A Martinez (ex-Eduardo) were clearly gearing up to deliver performances that were, ahem, <em>knockouts</em>.</p>
<p>Hitting the photo studio in 2009, <em>General Hospital</em> scene stealer Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) raised more than the spirits of co-star Kirsten Storms (Maxie) — he swept her right off her feet!</p>
<p>If only <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Adam and Chelsea were able to resolve their differences with as much goofy good humor as Mark Grossman and Melissa Claire Egan brought to their 2020 shoot.</p>
<p>Real-life besties Kim Matula and Linsey Godfrey (Sarah, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>) couldn’t contain their glee at being paired for a photo op in 2013, when they were <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> castmates as Hope and Caroline.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe) wasn’t about to let Alison Sweeney (Sami) or Arianne Zucker (Nicole) get a hand in edgewise once she got a hold on James Scott (ex-EJ).</p>
<p>If the question was, “Where’s the camera?” <em>General Hospital</em> castmates Sofia Mattsson (Sasha) and Chad Duell (Michael) <em>nailed</em> the answer.</p>
<p>Prior to becoming <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ new Sonny, Zachary Tinker threw side-eye like nobody’s business as <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Fen opposite on-screen rival Michael Mealor (ex-Kyle).</p>

Previous in News
On the 52nd Anniversary of All My Children’s Premiere, a Tribute to Its Glorious Past… and Our Most Recent Updates of Its Pine Valley Reboot FutureNext in News
On the 25th Anniversary of Its Debut, We Look Back at the Soap That Was Supposed to Take Daytime by Storm… But Didn’t — WTH Went Wrong?