A look at daytime divas

Kim Zimmer looks modern, confident and elegant here with costar Robert Newman. We've noticed Diane Sawyer sporting a similar hairstyle of late. The soap ended in 2009 after 72 years on the air.

Kim Zimmer looks modern, confident and elegant here with costar Robert Newman. We’ve noticed Diane Sawyer sporting a similar hairstyle of late. The soap ended in 2009 after 72 years on the air.   (Robert Voets / Associated Press)

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Venerable soap “All My Children” is entering the final countdown to the end of its 41-year run on network TV, with only days to go until its Sept. 23 finale. In January, “One Life to Live” will also exit the airwaves.

Though both are slated to live on via new webisodes, their passing from television makes us stop to appreciate daytime’s divas. Here’s to 40-plus years of the bold and beautiful women of daytime and some of their memorable looks.

-- Alene Dawson, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Judith Light: Karen Wolek, 'One Life To Live' 1977-83

Long before Judith Light was a drama queen on “Ugly Betty,” she played gold-digger Karen Wolek, who married her cousin, became a “housewife prostitute” and subsequently killed her pimp -- your average story arc in soap-opera land. Moreover, she did this while wearing hair that was often overly shellacked, coiffed, highlighted and bleached to straw. But here, arriving at 2007’s Daytime Emmys, she wears sexy, touchable disco hair done right. Break out your hot curlers -- this look goes well with the 1970s vibe that’s back in vogue.   (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)