Q: Are there many major television stars that got their start on soaps? — Tandy in Durham, N.C.

A: It's not just TV actors who got their start on soaps, even a famous singer started out with a featured role on a soap. Ricky Martin was seen as Miguel on "General Hospital." In the story, Miguel was the friend of Sonny's first wife, Lilly. At the time, Martin, who is now an international singing sensation, had very little command for the English language. He has admitted in many an interview that the cast was very kind. He wasn't sure why they were so understanding. He recalls one scene that they had to reshoot 15 times. The line was, "I'd like some mustard on my ham sandwich." He kept saying, "I'd like some ham on my mustard sandwich." Finally, they cut the line so that they could shoot the scene.

Judith Light played Karen Wolek on "One Life to Live". Light was the replacement in the role. She was very different from Kathryn Breech, the first actress, who was petite. Judith Light is tall, and while she is thin now, when she was on "One Life to Live," she would describe herself as zaftig.

Light was one of the most amazing replacements on the soap. The actress won a Best Daytime Emmy for her scene on the witness stand when she admitted to being a prostitute. After leaving "One Live to Live," she went out to Hollywood. She co-stared with Tony Danza on "Who's the Boss," has played a hard-as-nails DA on "Law and Order," and had several other regular TV roles.

We also have Tom Selleck. Selleck got his first major role as Jed, a literary agent on "Young and Restless." There was a time on "Young and Restless" that a character would write a biography on Monday, have it published on Tuesday and watch it hit he New York Times best-seller list on Wednesday. That's because Jed was such a great agent.

The powers that be on "Young and Restless" did not think he had sex appeal, however. He went to the studio one day, and the guard looked at him and said: "Didn't they tell you? You are no longer on the show."

This is the man who starred in "Magnum P.I.," is seen on the CBS series "Blue Bloods" and made many a movie where he played a sex symbol.

Marg Helgenberger, who just left the television series "CSI" after a decade on the show, began her television career as Siobhan Ryan on "Ryan's Hope." Siobhan was the sassy Ryan's sister. She spoke her mind, got in trouble and didn't care.

Other stars who had roles on soaps include Meg Ryan on "As The World Turns," Ray Liotta on "Another World," Kelsey Grammer on "Another World," Tommy Lee Jones on "One Life to Live," Christopher Reeve on "Love of Life," Susan Sarandon on "Search for Tomorrow" and Demi Moore on "General Hospital."

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.