Irna Phillips

Irna Phillips (July 1, 1901 – December 22, 1973) was an American actress and most notably writer who created and scripted many of the first American soap operas.

Phillips created (and co-created) radio and TV soap operas including:

• Painted Dreams (radio 1930–1932)
• Guiding Light (radio 1937–1956, television 1952–2009)
• The Road of Life (radio 1937–1959, television 1954)
• Young Dr. Malone (radio 1939–1960, television 1958–1963)
• The Brighter Day (radio 1948–1956, television 1954–1962)
• These Are My Children (1949)
• As the World Turns (1956–2010) a sister show to Guiding Light (character crossovers)
• Another World (1964–1999) a sister show to As the World Turns (character crossovers)
• Our Private World (1965) a spinoff of As The World Turns
• Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1967–1973)

Phillips also was a creative consultant on Peyton Place (1964–1969), and was an unofficial consultant on A World Apart, which was created by her adopted daughter Katherine. Irna Phillips was also a story editor on Days of our Lives.

She was also the mentor to Agnes Nixon, the creator of All My Children and One Life to Live, and William J. Bell, the creator of The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.