> At a Glance
> – Susan Lucci marked 56 years since All My Children debuted on ABC
> – She thanked late creator Agnes Nixon for “creating Pine Valley and Erica Kane”
> – Lucci played Erica Kane for 41 years until the show’s 2011 finale
> – Why it matters: The tribute highlights the enduring legacy of a soap that redefined daytime TV
On January 5, 1970, ABC introduced viewers to Pine Valley-and Susan Lucci still remembers the moment everything changed.
Lucci’s Instagram Tribute
Posting on the 56th anniversary, Lucci shared vintage stills of Erica Kane and wrote:
> “Thank you to Agnes Nixon for creating Pine Valley and for Erica Kane. To all the cast and crew, I love you, always. And to the fans-Thank you for watching-and for your passion!!! Thank you for keeping us on the air for forty-one years!!! ❤️🎉🎊”
Erica Kane’s Groundbreaking Role
The show broke daytime conventions by centering on a teenage anti-heroine.
- Erica evolved from high-school troublemaker to iconic diva
- She spoke the words Nixon “wished she could” say
- Viewers loved her because she was “feisty and beautiful”
| All My Children Milestones | Date |
|---|---|
| ABC debut | January 5, 1970 |
| Expanded to 1-hour | 1977 |
| Network finale | September 23, 2011 |
| Web revival | 2013 |
Nixon’s Vision
Agnes Nixon, who died in 2016 at 93, wanted a character women could relate to and men could admire. Former executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers told News Of Los Angeles in 2011 that anchoring a soap around a teen girl “was unheard of at the time.”
Key Takeaways
- Susan Lucci starred as Erica Kane from 1970-2013
- Agnes Nixon created the character as her on-screen alter ego
- All My Children aired 41 consecutive years on ABC
Lucci’s post salutes both Nixon’s creative daring and the loyal audience that kept Pine Valley alive for more than four decades.
