Introduction:
Eileen Fulton, Iconic Soap Star and Trailblazing Villainess, Dies at 91
Eileen Fulton, the indomitable actress who redefined the daytime drama landscape with her unforgettable portrayal of Lisa Miller on As the World Turns, passed away peacefully in Asheville, North Carolina, at the age of 91. Her death marks the end of a golden era in which soap operas were a daily ritual for millions — and Fulton was one of its brightest, most complicated stars.
With a tearful farewell recorded before her passing, Fulton left fans with a heartfelt message:
“I just hope with all my heart that I have given you half as much as you’ve given me.”
Born Margaret Elizabeth McClardy on September 13, 1933, in Asheville, she was the daughter of a schoolteacher and a Methodist preacher. From a young age, Fulton knew the stage was her destiny. After earning a degree in music and drama, she moved to New York City, trained under Sanford Meisner, and eventually carved a place for herself on television history.
In 1960, she was cast as Lisa Miller — a role originally intended to last just three months. But Fulton, refusing to remain the sweet “girl next door,” evolved Lisa into a sharp, seductive schemer who quickly captivated viewers. Her nuanced portrayal ushered in a new kind of female character: unapologetically ambitious, morally gray, and impossible to ignore.
Her character’s infamous resume? Eight husbands, multiple name changes, courtroom brawls, and legendary feuds. As Lisa Miller Hughes Eldridge Shay Coleman McCall Mitchell Grimaldi Chedwyn, Fulton embodied the wildest of soap twists — yet always with humanity and flair. She became a fixture of American television for nearly 50 years, earning a place in the Soap Opera Hall of Fame and receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys.
But it wasn’t just Lisa’s life that was dramatic. Fulton’s fame blurred the lines between fiction and reality. She once had to hire a bodyguard to protect her from fans enraged by Lisa’s schemes. Strangers stopped her in airports, sang “Release Me”, and even slapped her in department stores. “That’s when I knew I’d made it,” she quipped.
Between soap arcs, Fulton showcased her range — starring on Broadway, writing novels, recording cabaret shows, and even designing a clothing line. She authored two memoirs and never allowed herself to be boxed in — famously negotiating a clause in her contract forbidding her from playing a grandmother.
In her personal life, Fulton remained grounded. She was married three times, close to her family, and in her final years, returned to Asheville, where her journey began. She continued to meet fans at conventions and through social media, always proud of the character she created.
Eileen Fulton didn’t just play Lisa Miller — she was Lisa Miller, the trailblazer who changed how women could be seen on daytime television. Bold, flawed, glamorous, relentless — and beloved. Her legacy lives on in reruns, in the careers she paved the way for, and in the hearts of fans who, for decades, couldn’t look away.
She was television’s original “bad girl” — and she made it gold.
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