
Beloved star who played iconic role for incredible 50 years as the first soap ‘vixen' dies aged 91
Eileen Fulton, best known for her on and off portrayal of Lisa Miller in the popular show As the World Turns, died on July 14 in her hometown of Ashville, North Carolina.
4
4
Her tragic passing came "after a period of declining health", Groce Funeral Home 's obituary for her said.
Fulton popularised her character Lisa with a "bad girl" aesthetic, winning the hearts of many at home - from 1960 all the way until 2010.
The star previously revealed that her character had been written as a more innocent "sweet girl next door" figure.
But after delivering her lines in a more "conniving" manner to make Lisa more interesting, the writers picked up on the idea and played into it.
Her character was renowned for her "vixen" vibe - and Time magazine once described Fulton's interpretation of Lisa as a "superb****h".
Later on in the show, Lisa became a more gentle dame, with her personality maturing as both the actress and character grew older.
At one point during the show, Fulton famously had a "grandma clause" locked into her contract.
This would have prevented the character of Lisa from having grandchildren - out of fear that it would make her seem old or irrelevant.
Her iconic portrayal of Lisa on As the World Turns earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1988 and 2004.
Fulton and Don Hastings - who played her first husband on the show - were also both given Lifetime Achievement honors at the Daytime Emmys.
Eighties TV star with A-list actress daughter and famous ex passes away aged 78 after year-long battle with cancer
Eileen Fulton was born as Margaret McClarty in Asheville in 1933.
She moved homes frequently as a child due to her dad's vocation as a Methodist priest.
By the age of two, she was already keen on acting.
She interrupted one of her dad's services by singing the old folk song Shortnin' Bread - and the endured the resulting spanking, she told the Washington Post.
Fulton majored in music at Greensboro College and her dad got her a job in a church choir.
But she was dead-set on moving to New York City - with big dreams of "being the greatest actress on Broadway".
She studied under renowned acting teachers Sanford Meisner and Lee Strasberg, as well as modern dance pioneer Martha Graham.
And her journey continued after embarking on a showbiz career that finally took off in 1960 - when she was cast on As the World Turns.
For the next 50 years, she repeatedly left the show.
But she always wound up coming back - on one occasion commenting: "I've quit forever three times."
Early on in the show, Fulton worked tirelessly to juggle the soap and the stage.
She would film by day - acting in such shows as The Fantasticks - and act by night, in the Broadway production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? for example.
Her most enduring role, however, will always be known as her chic and ruthlessly conniving portrayal of Lisa on As the World Turns.
Fan-favourite Lisa made a whopping eight thousand appearances on the show - cementing herself as a core presence on the soap opera.
She was known for her quick-thinking improvised quips while performing live - and her character even got a brief spin-off called Our Private World in 1965.
Alongside her soap work, she performed a touring cabaret act.
She one said: "I love to sing. I love to make the audience cry. Of course, then I have to cheer them up."
Fulton also wrote a string of novels during the 1980s and 1990s - including six murder mysteries and a roman à clef called Soap Opera.
She is survived by one of her two brothers, both of her sisters-in-law and her niece, as well as a grandnephew and grandniece.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Jimmy Kimmel reveals blistering reason he wants Trump to compete on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Jimmy Kimmel has revealed the blistering reason he wants Donald Trump to compete on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The 57-year-old, who has been serving as host since 2020, told Extra he'd like to see exactly 'how much the genius' really knows. Celebrity contestants get their intelligence tested as they're quizzed on a variety of topics in the hopes of winning $1M for a charity of their choosing. Asked about his dream contestant, Kimmel told the outlet: 'Boy, wound't it be fun to put Donald Trump in that hot seat, see how much that genius knows? 'I would say, "Please, have a seat. I would love to — you know what? Any time you spend on a game show is another hour you're not being president, so I'm in support of that."' Kimmel - a vocal critic of the president - admitted he has a lot of respect for any celebrity who does take part. He added: 'I admire anybody that does sit down and come on the show because they're really risking their reputation.' Kimmel's comments about Trump come after the US President claimed he and Jimmy Fallon could be 'next' to have their shows cancelled after news that the Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026. Trump wrote on his own Truth Social platform: 'The word is, and it's a strong word at that, Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented Late Night Sweepstakes and, shortly thereafter, Fallon will be gone. 'These are people with absolutely NO TALENT, who were paid Millions of Dollars for, in all cases, destroying what used to be GREAT Television. 'It's really good to see them go, and I hope I played a major part in it! (sic)' In response, Kimmel posted on Instagram: 'I'm hearing you're next. Or maybe it's just another wonderful secret.' His contract for Jimmy Kimmel Live! - which airs on ABC - is set to expire in 2026. Meanwhile, Colbert has questioned CBS' statement claiming the decision to end the show was a 'purely a financial decision' move. Celebrity contestants get their intelligence tested as they're quizzed on a variety of topics in the hopes of winning $1M for a charity of their choosing Kimmel's comments about Trump come after the US President claimed he and Jimmy Fallon could be 'next' to have their shows cancelled after news that the Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026; Kimmel and Colbert in 2024 He asked: 'How could it be purely be a financial decision if The Late Show is No. 1 in ratings?' The announcement his show was ending came after the network's parent company Paramount Global settled a $16 million lawsuit with Trump after he alleged Kamala Harris' 60 Minutes interview was deceptively edited. On his show, following the settlement, Colbert described the move as a 'big, fat bribe' as Paramount awaits FDA approval for its merger with Skydance.


Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Vanessa Kirby leaves Fantastic Four fans bemused as she affectionately strokes co-star Pedro Pascal's face in latest intimate gesture
Vanessa Kirby sparked inevitable confusion on Thursday by affectionately stroking Pedro Pascal 's face during a new interview on behalf of their latest film. The co-stars have been on a press run in recent months on behalf of new film Fantastic Four: First Steps, in which they play married couple Reed Richards and Sue Storm. And spending time together has seemingly brought th pair closer, with Vanessa, 38, and Pedro, 50, spotted showing each other support in public on a number of occasions. The latest example of such affection occurred during an interview with Buzzfeed this week, where the actress, clad in a blue dress, moved her arm around Pedro and began stroking his beard. It's far from the first time the film stars have displayed their strong friendship, with the duo again appearing almost peculiarly close as they answered questions for Heart this week. And just a couple of weeks ago during Fantastic Four's premiere in Los Angeles, Pedro was pictured stroking his co-star's baby bump as they posed up a storm on the red carpet. The very public displays of affection have however sparked discourse on social media, with some eagle-eyed fans branding their relationship slightly 'weird'. But other supporters were quick to point out that Vanessa is merely trying to ease Pedro's anxiety. One wrote: 'Guys calm down. Pedro suffers from some type of anxiety disorder. He needs to touch or be touched by people to make him calm down and feel comfortable.' It's something Vanessa and Pedro have been open about, with the actress speaking about helping her pal through anxious moments in an interview last year. Talking after they were spotted holding hands on-stage at San Diego Comic-Con last year, Vanessa told Vanity Fair: 'What happened is we were both incredibly nervous going out in front of thousands of people who love this comic. 'He wanted me to know that we were in this together, and I found it a lovely gesture and was very glad to squeeze his hand back.' The Gladiator 2 star has indeed been candid about his struggles with anxiety throughout his career. During a chat with Men's Health last month, Pedro revealed exactly how he copes with anxiety in difficult moments. 'I noticed, especially during the period of summer 2020, and kind of isolation and how long my FaceTimes were and my phone conversations, that I had started to make an effort to engage more, having previously lost that options in many ways,' he said. 'I remember back in high school I was always such a good talker with friends... and then I don't know how many days had gone by where we stopped doing that. 'It's something I've held onto very much. I was always one to reach out when I'm facing something that is challenging or making me anxious.' Vanessa and Pedro's latest endeavour together, Fantastic Four: First Steps, released on Thursday. It's the 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the second reboot of the Fantastic Four film series. Directed by Matt Shakman, the movie sees the Fantastic Four protect their 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic world from the planet-devouring cosmic being Galactus. Leading lady Vanessa, who stars alongside Ozark actress Julia Garner, has looked every inch the glowing mum-to-be at the film's many premieres during recent weeks. In particular. at the German premiere last month she looked effortlessly stylish while displaying her baby bump in a sleek black dress. She teamed her fashionable, high-necked gown with towering black heels and dazzling silver drop earrings. Vanessa first revealed she was pregnant with her child last month as she showed off her bump at The Fantastic Four photocall in Mexico. Last December it was reported she was engaged to her boyfriend Paul Rabil after two years together. The beauty, who starred as Princess Margaret in Netflix's The Crown, was allegedly set to head down the aisle with lacrosse player love, 39, after he popped the question, according to Page Six. MailOnline contacted representatives of Paul and Vanessa for comment. Vanessa and Paul first sparked dating rumours walking hand-in-hand through New York City in October 2022. However, they didn't make their romance Instagram official until November 2023. At the time, American Paul - who is the co-founder of the Premier Lacrosse League - shared a series of photographs of the couple including one of them embracing on a beach. 'From the very minute we first met in Des Moines, around the world and back, life is far better, more purposeful and more beautiful with you,' he wrote about the film star. The couple have been spotted on several occasions together since 2022, but had kept quiet about their blossoming romance.


Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
GloRilla is arrested for felony drug possession in Georgia... a year after her DUI
Rapper Glorilla was arrested in Georgia earlier this week for drug possession. The 25-year-old Memphis-bred music artist was taken into custody in Forsyth County and booked on two counts: possession of a scheduled controlled substance and possession of marijuana over one ounce. According to a TMZ report, the TGIF hitmaker — who sparked dating rumors with an NFL star in June — was released on the same day after posting $22,000 bond. Both counts are felony offenses under Georgia law. The outlet noted that other details around the arrest are unknown at this time. It comes a little over a year after the star, real name Gloria Woods, was arrested in Georgia's Gwinnett County on DUI charges. At the time, the entertainer had been arrested in Suwanee, Georgia for suspicion of driving under the influence and consuming/possessing an open alcoholic beverage container. She was pulled over by authorities at 4:00 a.m. ET after they saw a vehicle make a U-turn at a red traffic light, according to police. (She also faced a separate traffic charge, police said.) The Yeah Glo! performer told police that she had drinks earlier in the night, police said in their report, noting that her vehicle smelled like alcohol and marijuana. GloRilla performed poorly on a field sobriety test officers conducted with her, authorities said. Police said that GloRilla, who's been linked to NBA star Damian Lillard, was unable to follow a target with her eyes, walk steadily, and balance on one leg. The F.N.F. (Let's Go) rapper declined to take a breathalyzer test, police said, at which point she was taken into custody. GloRilla had an associate retrieve her vehicle from the scene, authorities said. Earlier this year she hit the road in March and April for her Glorious Tour, which had stops stretching from the east to west coasts. Last month football star Xavier Legette appeared in a racy music video for her single Typa, sparking dating rumors. GloRilla made headlines in 2023 after three people died in a stampede at her March 5, 2023 concert in Rochester, New York at the Rochester Main Street Armory. 'I am devastated & heartbroken over the tragic deaths that happened after Sunday's show,' she wrote online in the wake of the tragedy. 'My fans mean the world to me. 'Praying for their families & for a speedy recovery of everyone affected,' she added.