Days of Our Lives has been entertaining (and shocking) us for well over 50 years now — and it’s no secret that the constant scandals and surprising character deaths lead to a revolving door of cast members. People come, people go, but one thing remains the same: our obsessions with all the crazies of Salem.

DOOL seeps into our lives outside of watching the show, too. How many times have we lost sleep, wondering what tragedy will befall the Horton, Brady and DiMera families next? A ton. And then there are the instances we are watching another show or movie that isn’t Days of Our Lives, and we see an actor that we remember from somewhere… but we can’t put our finger on where.

Chances are, we’re remembering them from DOOL! There’s a bevy of famous actors who actually got their start on soaps. These performances may have slipped our minds, but they’re super fun to look back on now.

Originally published November 2015. Updated July 2017.