Eileen Fulton is a name synonymous with daytime drama and television history. Known best for her groundbreaking role as Lisa Grimaldi on the long-running soap opera As the World Turns, Fulton’s contribution to the entertainment industry spans over five decades. Her influence helped redefine the archetype of the “soap opera diva” and paved the way for generations of strong, complex female characters on television.
In this comprehensive article, we explore Eileen Fulton’s early life, rise to fame, career milestones, and lasting legacy in the world of entertainment.
Early Life and Background
Eileen Fulton was born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty on September 13, 1933, in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Raised in a conservative Southern family, her early life revolved around school, church, and music. She exhibited a passion for performance from a young age, especially in singing and acting.
After graduating high school, she attended Greensboro College and later moved to New York City to study music and pursue a career in the arts. Fulton’s decision to venture into acting paid off handsomely, though not without years of persistence and hard work in off-Broadway shows and television bit parts.
The Breakthrough Role: Lisa Grimaldi
In 1960, Eileen Fulton joined As the World Turns (ATWT), a CBS soap opera that had already been running since 1956. She was cast as Lisa Miller, a seemingly innocent young housewife married to Dr. Bob Hughes. What began as a standard character quickly evolved into something far more compelling.
Lisa was one of television’s first “vixens” — manipulative, seductive, and unapologetically independent. Audiences were both fascinated and outraged by her boldness, and Fulton quickly became one of the most talked-about actresses on daytime TV. Her character’s popularity helped boost the show’s ratings significantly and ensured Lisa Grimaldi’s place as a soap opera legend.
Over the course of nearly 50 years, Fulton portrayed Lisa through marriages, divorces, scandals, and redemption arcs, making her one of the longest-running television characters in American history.
Career Beyond Soap Operas
While As the World Turns remained her home base, Fulton was far from a one-role actress. She appeared in stage productions, including cabaret shows and Broadway performances. Her work in theater included roles in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Fantasticks, and various regional productions.
In addition to acting, Fulton explored singing. She released several albums, often performing cabaret-style songs in New York nightclubs and venues. Her vocal talent allowed her to bridge the worlds of musical theater and television effortlessly.
Fulton also authored several books, including autobiographical accounts and novels. Titles such as “How My World Turns” and “Soap Opera” provided fans a behind-the-scenes look at her life and experiences in the entertainment world.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout her career, Eileen Fulton earned numerous accolades. Though the Daytime Emmys were slow to recognize soap opera actors in earlier decades, Fulton received several Lifetime Achievement Awards and Soap Opera Digest Awards for her contributions to the genre.
She was honored by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for her long-term impact on the industry. Her influence was not just artistic but cultural — Lisa Grimaldi became a role model for many women who saw her character as a symbol of resilience and complexity.
In 2006, TV Guide listed Lisa Grimaldi among the *Top 50 Greatest Soap Characters of All Time—a testament to Fulton’s impact on television storytelling.
Personal Life and Challenges
Despite her glamorous public persona, Eileen Fulton led a relatively private personal life. She was married once but never had children, choosing instead to focus on her career. Like many actors, she faced challenges such as typecasting and ageism, particularly in later years.
In interviews, Fulton often spoke candidly about the difficulties of being a woman in the entertainment industry. Her commitment to maintaining control over her image and career decisions earned her respect among her peers.
In the later years of As the World Turns, she expressed frustration over limited screen time, advocating for older characters to be given meaningful storylines. Her activism extended beyond entertainment, as she also supported causes related to women’s rights and the arts.
The End of an Era: ATWT’s Final Episode
In 2010, As the World Turns aired its final episode after 54 years on air. Eileen Fulton had played Lisa Grimaldi for 50 of those years — a staggering feat in any medium. The end of the show marked the close of a major chapter in television history, and for many fans, the farewell was bittersweet.
Fulton was one of the few original cast members still active when the show concluded. Her last scenes served as a tribute to the soap’s golden era and to her own enduring role in it.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
Eileen Fulton’s legacy is multi-faceted. She is remembered as:
- A soap opera trailblazer who helped shift how female characters were portrayed.
- A theater and cabaret performer who captivated live audiences.
- An author and speaker who shared her journey with honesty and humor.
- An advocate for aging actresses, pushing for more visibility and respect in the industry.
Her portrayal of Lisa Grimaldi changed the perception of women on TV. Lisa wasn’t simply a villain or a saint — she was deeply human, with strengths, flaws, and emotional depth. In this way, Fulton helped set the standard for complex storytelling in daytime television.
Where is Eileen Fulton Now?
As of recent reports, Eileen Fulton lives in New York. Though she is largely retired from acting, she occasionally appears at fan conventions, interviews, and tribute events. She remains an active member of the artistic community and is regarded as a living legend by soap opera aficionados.
Fulton continues to be honored in retrospectives and documentaries about the history of daytime TV. Her contributions are studied by aspiring actors and writers who seek to understand the evolution of serialized storytelling.
Conclusion
Eileen Fulton’s name is etched in the annals of television history. From a small-town girl in North Carolina to a national icon, her journey is one of passion, resilience, and innovation. Her portrayal of Lisa Grimaldi changed how viewers saw women on screen and established new benchmarks for performance in daytime television.
In an ever-changing media landscape, Fulton’s legacy endures — not just in reruns and retrospectives but in the DNA of every complex female character who followed in her footsteps. As fans and scholars continue to revisit As the World Turns, the name Eileen Fulton will always be celebrated as a cornerstone of the golden age of soap operas.