A Guide to the Best of Southern California : AT HOME : Soapy Insider Trading

SOAP OPERA LOVERS are as rabid about their passion as sports fans are about theirs. And if actor Jim Warren, creator of Soap Star! trading cards, has his way, you may soon be hearing, “I’ll trade you a Billy Warlock for a Melissa Brennan.”

A Soap Star! set ($6)--which includes 12 full-color cards, one of which is a soap alumnus who’s made it big--features such popular performers as Kin Shriner (Scott) of “General Hospital” and Robin Mattson (Gina) of “Santa Barbara” and provides bios and little-known facts about the stars. “Surprisingly,” Warren says, “one of every 10 orders is from a man.”

Soap Star! cards: $6 and SASE to Red Star, P.O. Box 3555, Hollywood, Calif. 90078.