The Young and the Restless' 5 longest serving cast members
Soap operas just wouldn't be the same without long-time characters. It wouldn't feel like you're watching the ups and downs of people living in a community if at least a few didn't stick around for more than a few years.
When it comes to The Young and the Restless, some of the residents of Genoa City have been there since the late 1970s. That means some actors have been on the show for more than 40 years, an incredible achievement in any job but especially in the cutthroat showbiz industry.
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Here are the five actors (and characters) who have been on The Young and the Restless the longest:
Doug Davidson (Paul)
While Doug Davidson seems to only make brief appearances on Y&R these days, he has the record of having the longest run on the soap after joining the cast in 1978. The character's early years were most memorable for Paul's romance with Nikki but in later years he became a detective and fell in love with and married Christine, an attorney.
Despite his long legacy on the show, there has been confusion among viewers over whether he has left the series or not. Fans noticed Paul was absent from screen for some time and reached out to the actor on social media. In 2018, in response to a fan asking if he'd been "let go" he replied, "It seems so."
Then in 2019 he was back on screen in a few episodes only to disappear again. "This would have been September and I think my last episode was taped somewhere in mid-to-late July, so it had been a while," he said in an interview. "Because being on the show was such a constant, it was more of personal suffering for me because I had known nothing other than The Young and the Restless professionally for pretty much my entire adult life."
Paul made a brief reappearance on episodes that aired in the US late 2020. But fans are still hoping he will make a permanent and regular return in the future.
Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman)
Davidson's record might one day be eclipsed by Melody Thomas Scott. She has been on Y&R since 1979 and celebrated her 40th anniversary on the show in 2019.
While looking back on her incredible achievement, Thomas Scott revealed she was cast in a sitcom pilot at the same time she was offered Y&R. Her agent encouraged her to take the soap role instead, leading to an incredible career as well as meeting her husband, soap producer Edward J. Scott.
As for the character of Nikki, she arrived in Genoa City as a stripper from the wrong side of the tracks. She went on to fall in love with businessman Victor, who transformed her into someone fit for high society. Nikki and Victor have since been married four times.
Eric Braeden (Victor Newman)
He's been on Y&R just one year less than his on-screen wife but Eric Braeden is no less iconic. Braeden took the role of Victor on Y&R after encouragement from his tennis partner, and movie star, Dabney Coleman.
However, after only a few months on the soap Braeden wasn't entirely happy with the experience and considered quitting. He changed his mind after meeting with show creator and writer Bill Bell, who fine-tuned the character of Victor for Braeden.
Over the past 40 years Victor has been known for his ruthless approach to business, high expectations of his children, romances with both Nikki and Ashley and a scene-stealing presence.
Kate Linder (Esther Valentine)
Kate Linder began playing Katherine Chancellor's maid Esther in 1982 in a role that was supposed to last for the day. For a long time the character didn't have a name until actress Jeanne Cooper randomly started referring to her as Esther, then viewers chose a surname as part of a contest.
While Esther is not a regular character, these days she still makes brief appearances each year. Given the casual nature of the role, it's no surprise that Linder has continued to work as a flight attendant when not on the Y&R set.
Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott)
He's not the original Jack Abbott, but Peter Bergman has played the character since 1989 when he took over from Terry Lester. That means he's been on Y&R for 31 years, scoring three Daytime Emmy Awards in the process.
RELATED: Peter Bergman's best moments as Jack Abbott on The Young and the Restless
Jack is known for his rivalry with Victor and romance with Phyllis as well as being replaced by his evil doppelgänger. The character has also made appearances on The Nanny, King of Queens and Y&R spin-off The Bold and the Beautiful.
Stream episodes of The Young and the Restless for free on 9Now.