Veteran daytime drama “Days of Our Lives” is celebrating 60 years. It debuted on November 8, 2025.
Corday Productions
Like sands through the hourglass… so are the Days of Our Lives.
In the seemingly quiet town of Salem, life is never quite as peaceful as it appears. On November 8, 1965, Days of Our Lives premiered on NBC, drawing viewers into a world where love, betrayal, and family secrets intertwined seamlessly with the everyday lives of its residents. At the time, eleven other network dramas were competing for attention: ABC offered The Nurses, Never Too Young, and A Time for Us; CBS aired As the World Turns, The Guiding Light, Search for Tomorrow, The Edge of Night, The Secret Storm, and Love of Life; and NBC had Morning Star and Paradise Bay.
In other words, daytime television was bubbling with soapy drama, and Days of Our Lives eventually carved out its place.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES — Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Dick Colla as Tony Merritt, Marie Cheatham as Marie Horton — (Photo by: Gerald Smith/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
From the early episodes of Days of Our Lives, we met the Hortons, the Bradys (not the blended, laugh-track version complete with Ann B. Davis as housekeeper Alice), and the scheming DiMeras — whose relentless plots constantly threatened the occupants in Salem. Over the decades, Salem has been a stage where passion collides with deception, and every quiet street hides secrets waiting to explode.
Even as the daytime drama landscape has thinned, Days of Our Lives — now streaming original episodes on Peacock — proves that some stories, like sand through the hourglass, never truly end.
Memorable Storylines
Over the years, Days of Our Lives has been home to legendary storylines: university scandals, DiMera schemes, and Horton family triumphs. Tragic romances like Maggie and Mickey Horton’s, Stefano DiMera’s dangerous obsessions, and shocking twists involving presumed-dead characters returning years later have all become part of the town’s living history. From murders and passionate affairs to betrayals that split families apart—and moments of redemption that healed them — there was never a dull moment in not-so-peaceful Salem.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES — 13,000th Episode Celebration — Pictured: “Days of our Lives” cast and crew — (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Generations of characters have carried the drama forward, bringing fresh romances, conflicts, and adventures. Key actors include:
The mainstays: MacDonald Carey (Tom Horton), Frances Reid (Alice Horton), Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Olson Williams), Deidre Hall (Marlena Evans), Drake Hogestyn (John Black), Peter Reckell (Bo Brady), Kristian Alfonso (Hope Williams Brady), Wally Kurth (Justin Kiriakis), Alison Sweeney (Sami Brady), Joseph Mascolo (Stefano DiMera), Thaao Penghlis (Tony DiMera), Eileen Davidson (Kristen DiMera), Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts), and Stephen Nichols (Steve “Patch” Johnson).
Notable alumni and guest stars: John Stamos (Blackie Parrish), Josh Taylor (Chris Kositchek), Billy Warlock (Frankie Brady), Debbi Morgan (Angie Hubbard).
DAYS OF OUR LIVES — “Day of Days 2024” — Pictured: (l-r) Deidre Hall, Susan Hayes, Stephen Nichols at the Peacock Theater on November 2, 2024 — (Photo by: Todd Williamson/Peacock via Getty Images)
Todd Williamson/Peacock via Getty Images
Many actors returned decades later in the same roles, cementing Days of Our Lives as a show that could revive “dead” characters in classic soap fashion.
Six decades later, Salem’s stories continue to captivate audiences, proving that some dramas never truly end. From the Hortons to the Bradys to the DiMeras, from love lost to secrets revealed, Days of Our Lives remains a reminder that some stories, like sand through the hourglass, are timeless. Happy 60 years!