Beloved soap star Eileen Fulton, who played Lisa Miller in As the World Turns, has died at 91

Beloved soap star Eileen Fulton has died at the age of 91, she will be best remembered for playing the role of Lisa Miller As the World Turns, her character has been described as ‘one of the first “bad girls” of daytime television.’

Eileen Fulton’s character Lisa Miller married eight times in the soap, whilst three of the marriages ended in divorce, and one was annulled, four resulted in death!

The Hollywood Reporter reported that “Inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 1998 and given a lifetime achievement award from the Daytime Emmys in 2004, Fulton was one of the first soap actors to have her own publicist.

“She also employed a bodyguard to protect her from angry viewers who disapproved of what Lisa was up to. “They had a great love/hate thing [with me], it was amazing,” she said.”

In 2000, Eileen Fulton gave an interview to the Los Angeles Times and she discussed why in 1973 she refused to sign her contract unless producers included a ‘granny clause,’ the clause meant that writers would be unable to turn her character into a grandmother.

Eileen Fulton explained in more detail about the clause and said: “At that time, grandmothers had no romance at all--and I wasn’t about to let that happen to me.”

Although Eileen Fulton wasn’t married eight times like her character Lisa, she married and divorced three times, and had no children. When it comes to her third marriage, she told the Los Angeles Times that “I went to a political benefit and found a cute man to propose to,” and then revealed that “But it was over the day after we were married.”

Eileen Fulton’s name at birth was Margaret Elizabeth McLarty, she was born on September 13, 1933, and her mother Peggy was a school teacher, whilst her father, James was Methodist preacher. After playing the part of a prostitute in the 1960 movie Girl of the Night, Eileen’s manager was called by someone from As the World Turns to find out if one of his clients, actress Lois Smith, would be able to play the part of Lisa.

Lois Smith, who starred in East of Eden, was not available, so Eileen was suggested instead. According to Eileen, the character of Lisa “was supposed to be the sweet girl next door.” However, Eileen decided she didn’t want that and said: “I can’t change the lines, but I can change my intention once we’re on the air. I just thought of little conniving things I could do to Bob.”

Eileen was referring to Bob, the character Lisa Miller’s first husband, played by actor Don Hastings.

According to an online obituary, Eileen’s funeral is taking place on August 9 at Central United Methodist Church in Asheville, N.C. The family has asked people attending in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Reverend James B. McLarty Music Scholarship at Brevard College in Brevard, N.C., or the Margaret Glenn McLarty ’28 and Eileen Fulton Music Scholarship Fund at Greensboro College in Greensboro, N.C.