‘The Young and the Restless’ celebrates 50th anniversary with cast photo: ‘It’s like a high school reunion’

The cast of “The Young and the Restless” got together to celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary.

All 38 of the show’s current cast members were present for the photo shoot, something they all acknowledged as a historic moment. Part of what made the photo shoot so special is that as Peter Bergman explained, “You never see the entire cast together,” with Eileen Davidson saying that this was “not like any other” cast photo they’ve ever taken.

“Never mind that we’re all kind of dusted off and looking our very best, it’s unbelievable to have this much companionship and the years of watching each other grow,” cast member Beth Maitland said, with Kate Linder adding, “They’ve watched me grow up, and I watched them grow up.”

The show’s official 50th anniversary date is March 26; the show premiered in 1973.

The current cast of "The Young and the Restless" got together for a cast photo shoot to celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary.
(Sonja Flemming / CBS ©2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc.)

‘THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS,’ ‘GENERAL HOSPITAL’ STARS DISH ON WHY SOAP OPERAS REMAIN SO POPULAR

“The Young and the Restless” was created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell and focuses on the residents living in a fictionalized version of Genoa City, Wisconsin.

The photo features some actors who have been on the show for many decades, if not from the beginning, including Melody Thomas, Davidson, Eric Braeden, Maitland, Jess Walton and Christian Le Blanc.

Along with the show’s veteran cast members, newer members of the cast such as Christel Khalil, Linder, Bryton James, Melissa Claire Egan, Kelsey Wang, Conner Floyd, Cait Fairbanks and Courtney Hope were also in the photo, with James saying that “half a century of bringing joy to people’s lives is a great thing to celebrate.”

Davidson called the event “a huge celebration,” saying while it may look like just any other cast photo, it’s special because it’s to commemorate the anniversary. Joshua Morrow soaked in the novelty of having everyone on the cast in one place, saying, “It’s like a high school reunion because our show is an enormous cast.”

"The Young and the Restless" was created by husband and wife duo William and Lee Bell and first aired on March 26, 1973.
(Sonja Flemming / CBS via Getty Images / File)

Although many things have changed over the course of the show, including characters, actors and storylines, one thing that remains the same is the feud between the characters Jill Abbott and Katherine Chancellor, one of the longest-running rivalries on any American soap opera.

Throughout the show’s 50 years on the air, it has won a total of 56 Daytime Emmy Awards, seven of those being in the outstanding drama series category – the first in 1975, just two years after its initial premiere, and then again in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2004 and 2007.

Longtime cast member Braeden, who has been with the cast since 1980 and has been featured in more than 3,900 shows, said, “I consider myself to be extraordinarily fortunate. It’s something new every day. It’s never the same, so I’m completely grateful.”

Meanwhile, Sharon Case couldn’t believe how much time had gone by, saying, “The 50th anniversary, wow! I remember the 25th!” 

Tracey Bergman is grateful for her time on the show, saying, “To know that I’ve been there through four decades, it’s an extraordinary experience.”

Sharon Case can’t believe she’s celebrating another milestone anniversary on the show, saying she remembers being there for the 25th anniversary.
(Monty Brinton / CBS via Getty Images / File)

In 2019, on the 46th anniversary of the show, Thomas spoke with Fox News Digital about why she thinks soap operas, more specifically “The Young and the Restless,” have managed to remain relevant and popular in a world in which streaming services have slowly taken over and network television is not as popular as it once was.

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Throughout the show’s 50 years on the air, it has won a total of 56 Daytime Emmy Awards, seven of those being in the outstanding drama series category.
(Monty Brinton / CBS via Getty Images / File)

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“It’s always been the finest and looks the most luscious, I think, than any other show,” Thomas said at the time.