Five Things That Happened On September 9 In Soap History

In 1991, Wally Kurth (l., pictured with Stuart Damon as Alan Quartermaine, debuted as General Hospital's Ned Ashton, who now goes by Ned Quartermaine. Kurth, who had previously played Justin Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives (and has subsequently returned to), assumed the role from Kurt Robin McKinney. Kurth recalled to Soap Opera Digest in 2021 that Jane Elliot, who plays Ned's mother, Tracy, and had been his love interest on DAYS as Anjelica Deveraux, "helped me get the part" along with Casting Director Mark Teschner. "I went in with a hunger to make this role my own and Jane was there, right outside [then-Executive Producer] Gloria’s [Monty] door at the audition, and I immediately relaxed. She said, ‘Wally, whatever you do, do not tell her that we worked together on Days of Our Lives. Gloria likes discovering actors.’ Jane and I were dear friends and we’ve remained friends all these years. She was a mentor. She was someone who knew more than I did and I was wise enough to trust her and just watch and listen.”