“The Story of Soaps,” A Two-Hour Television Event from ABC and People, Debuts Tuesday, May 19, at 8:00PM [VIDEO]

ABC and PEOPLE present “The Story of Soaps,” a two-hour prime-time television event highlighting the iconic impact of the soap opera. Featuring an incredible panel of experts and voices, “The Story of Soaps” airs Tuesday, May 19 (8:00-10:00PM EDT), on ABC.

“The Story of Soaps” explores how no genre of television has laid deeper roots into our cultural consciousness and serialized storytelling than the soap opera. In today’s shifting television landscape, “The Story of Soaps” traces how female creators migrated from radio to television to become the dominant force in daytime for more than three decades.

Today, that legacy is alive and well all over prime time and reality, and much of what propels modern television traces its roots back to those first sprawling, steamy storylines. “The Story of Soaps” takes an extensive look at this iconic, impactful genre and the cultural phenomenon its massive impact has had on the world at large.

“The Story of Soaps” brings together an impressive company of experts and familiar voices to help illustrate this remarkable story (listed alphabetically by first name):

· Abigail De Kosnik, author

· Agnes Nixon, creator of “All My Children”

· Alec Baldwin, actor

· Allan Sugarman, co-founder of Soap Opera Festivals Inc.

· Andy Cohen, creator

· Angela Shapiro-Mathes, executive

· Brad Bell, executive director

· Bryan Cranston, actor

· Carol Burnett, actor

· Chandra Wilson, actor

· Chris Van Etten, writer

· David Jacobs, creator

· Deidre Hall, actor

· Denise Richards, actor

· Donna Mills, actor

· Drake Hogestyn, actor

· Eddie Mills, actor

· Eileen Davidson, actor and reality star

· Erika Jayne, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”

· Erika Slezak, actor

· Finola Hughes, actor

· Genie Francis, actor

· Greg Vaughan, actor

· James H. Brown, writer

· Jill Farren Phelps, executive producer

· John Aniston, actor

· John McCook, actor

· John Stamos, actor

· Jon Hamm, actor

· Jonathan Murray, executive producer

· Joyce Becker, co-founder of Soap Opera Festivals Inc.

· Kate Coyne, editorial director, entertainment, PEOPLE

· Ken Olin, executive producer

· Krista Smith, consultant

· Laura Wright, actor

· Lorraine Broderick, head writer

· Marc Samuel, actor

· Marc Cherry, creator

· Mark Teschner, casting director

· Mary Crosby, actor

· Maurice Benard, actor

· Melody Thomas Scott, actor

· Shelly Altman, head writer

· Susan Lucci, actor

· Susan Sullivan, actor

· Vivica A. Fox, actor

· Yhane Smith, creator of “Harlem Queen”

“The Story of Soaps” marks the third time that ABC and PEOPLE have partnered on a documentary event. In August 2017, they teamed up for “The Story of Diana,” a two-night prime-time event that commemorated the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana’s tragic passing at 36 years old and, in August 2018, for “The Story of the Royals,” a prime-time television event that documented the fascinating lives of the British royal family. “The Story of Diana” drew a combined cumulative audience of 12.7 million Total Viewers over the course of its two-night event, and “The Story of the Royals” pulled in 10.1 million viewers over the course of two nights.

“The Story of the Soaps” is produced for ABC by the television production division of Meredith Corporation with executive producers Bruce Gersh, Bruce Robertson and Dan Wakeford; and by Maggievision Productions with executive producers Maura Mandt and Rebecca Gitlitz.