Helen Wagner as Nancy Hughes
Biography
Helen Wagner has played the role of Nancy Hughes on the daytime drama AS THE WORLD TURNS since it premiered on CBS on April 2, 1956. She is the program's sole original cast member and holds the Guinness World Record for the "Longest Time in Same TV Role."
After making her television debut in the role of a queen in a fairy tale that General Electric produced on its experimental station in Schenectady, NY, Wagner appeared in numerous dramatic television roles including live productions of Studio One, Philco Radio Television and Suspense. Later, Charlie Ruggles selected her to play his daughter in the series The World of Mr. Sweeney, a role she played for five years.
Wagner's Broadway credits include: the Sigmund Romberg/Oscar Hammerstein musical "Sunny River", Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!", "The Bad Seed", "My Name Is Acquilon" with Jean Pierre Aumont and Lilli Palmer and "Love of Four Colonels" with Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer.
She toured as Blanche in "A Streetcar Named Desire" with Lee Marvin, and appeared in regional theater in Illinois as Eleanor in "The Lion in Winter" and in all of the women's roles in "Lovers and Other Strangers." She has performed in many Off-Broadway as well as summer stock productions, at hospital benefits and in Gilbert & Sullivan tours. She also sang with the St. Louis Municipal Opera.
Wagner studied at Monmouth College in Illinois, earning degrees in dramatics and music. In New York, she continued her voice and piano training, gaining experience as a soloist in various church choirs. In 1988, her college alma mater awarded Wagner an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Wagner chaired a national committee that raised more than one million dollars to build a new theater at her college. At the new theater's opening night, Wagner reprised her role as Eleanor in "The Lion in Winter" in a production directed by her husband, Broadway producer Robert Willey.
Wagner received the prestigious Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 2001. In 2002, Wagner was inducted into the "Buddy Holly Walk of Fame" in Lubbock, Texas. In 2004, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored her with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her role on As The World Turns.
Wagner and Willey live in a suburb north of New York City. She enjoys reading, needlepoint and knitting. Wagner was born in Lubbock, TX.
Her birthday is September 3.
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As The World Turns Full Episodes
As The World Turns - 11/21/2008
38:09
As The World Turns - 11/20/2008
38:26
As The World Turns - 11/19/2008
38:26
As The World Turns - 11/18/2008
38:24
As The World Turns - 11/17/2008
38:38
As The World Turns - 11/14/2008
38:41
As the World Turns - 11/13/2008
38:27
As The World Turns - 11/12/2008
38:23
As The World Turns - 11/11/2008
38:20
As The World Turns - 11/10/2008
38:35
As The World Turns - 11/7/2008
38:30
As The World Turns - 11/6/2008
38:30
As The World Turns Promos
As The World Turns - Sneak Peek: This Week
0:11
As The World Turns - Cyndi Lauper Visits the Set
1:35
As The World Turns Behind the Scenes
As The World Turns - Behind the Scenes - Mick Hazen and Meredith Hagner
1:37
As The World Turns - Behind the Scenes: Austin Peck with Terri Colombino
2:27
As The World Turns - Behind the Scenes: Tom and Margo's Anniversary
4:19
As The World Turns - Behind the Scenes: Marnie Schulenburg & Dylan Bruce
4:34
As The World Turns: Behind the Scenes - Catching up with Billy
1:52
As The World Turns - The Green Perspective with Jon Prescott
3:03
Cast of As The World Turns
As The World Turns
