As the World Turns star Eileen Fulton dead at 91: Actress played iconic ‘bad girl’ for half a century

Actress Eileen Fulton, known for her roles on the iconic daytime drama As the World Turns, passed away at the age of 91 after a long career spanning nearly five decades.

In a performance that endeared her to audiences, Lisa Grimaldi, known for her dramatic portrayals as the ‘villainous’ character, first brought this role to life in 1960 and bid farewell to it during the series finale in 2010.

It’s been disclosed that despite Fulton initially conceiving Lisa as an ordinary, charming neighbor-type character, she found the role lacked depth. Consequently, she decided to portray her lines with a hint of cunningness, which unexpectedly influenced the writers to rethink their approach and transform Lisa into a more sinister figure.

Over the years, her personality evolved from a spirited young woman, who was once referred to as exceptional by Time magazine, into a more refined and gentle matriarch.

During the course of the program, there was a time when Fulton inserted a provision into her agreement known as the “grandma rule” to ensure that Lisa wouldn’t have any grandkids. This was done out of concern that if her character became perceived as outdated or irrelevant due to age, she might be removed from the show.

On July 14, she passed away in her native town of Asheville, North Carolina, following a prolonged spell of deteriorating health, as stated in an obituary released by the local Groce Funeral Home.

Born in Asheville in 1933, she spent her childhood wandering due to her father’s occupation as a Methodist minister.

From the tender age of two, she developed a passion for performance, boldly stepping onto her father’s stage to sing the traditional tune Shortnin’ Bread. This act earned her a subsequent spanking, an experience she later shared with the Washington Post.

At Greensboro College, Fulton studied music as her major. Her father arranged for her to work in a church choir, yet she yearned deeply to relocate to New York City. She nurtured ambitions of becoming the most renowned actress on Broadway.

Having had the privilege of learning from the legendary acting masters Sanford Meisner, Lee Strasberg, and dance innovator Martha Graham, I ventured into the world of entertainment. My big break came in 1960, when I was given the opportunity to grace the screens on As the World Turns, marking the start of my successful career in show business.

For the following fifty years, she intermittently departed from the program. On one occasion, she quipped, “I’ve resigned permanently three times.” However, she eventually returned every time.

During the initial phases of the series, Fulton maintained a hectic schedule by balancing both the soap opera and the New York theatre scene. He appeared in productions like The Fantasticks and took over from the original cast in the Broadway play, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on stage in New York.

However, the role that solidified her place in television history and became synonymous with her career was portraying the sophisticated and cunning Lisa on As the World Turns.

Through a rapid series of marriages that eventually totaled eight, she was always an intriguing figure, keeping audiences captivated on the program.

In the initial concept, Fulton portrayed Fulton as a sweet girl. However, over time, Fulton transformed this character into the flamboyant, scene-stealing antagonist that she eventually became.

Because the show was broadcasted live, she explained to the Television Academy that while she couldn’t alter her scripted lines, she could adjust her intentions during the live broadcast.

While delivering my lines during the livestream, I subtly incorporated some cunning strategies to bring more depth to my character’s relationship with her first husband, Bob Hughes, portrayed by Don Hastings.

Irma Phillips, the producer and head writer, was quite taken aback by Fulton’s quickness, expressing her admiration in this manner: “Look at that! That young one sure knows how to act!

In brief periods of 1965, Lisa’s character was adored yet despised by fans, leading to a short-lived spin-off titled “Our Private World.

Throughout her occasional stint on the program, Fulton gained some level of infamy due to the “grandmother provision” she incorporated into her contract back in the 1970s.

In my line of work as a lifestyle expert, I’ve learned that change is an inevitable part of any production. Recently, I found myself reflecting on a cast member, Barbara Berjer, who had to bid farewell to our show. The producers made the decision to write off her character due to a significant life event – she had evolved into a great-grandmother. It’s always bittersweet to see such changes, as we wish her the best in her new chapter while also acknowledging the impact she left on our series.

Fulton firmly decided, “That won’t be my fate,” and consequently, when her character’s child grew older and started to have romantic subplots, she requested and secured an update in her contract stating that her character, Lisa, wouldn’t be turned into a grandmother.

The news about the ‘granny clause’ created quite a stir in the media, and it sparked a significant controversy surrounding the character Fulton when her on-screen daughter-in-law suffered a miscarriage during the show in the 1980s.

At that stage, the ‘granny clause’ was no longer part of Fulton’s contract, yet some viewers, uninformed about this change, assumed that the plot involving miscarriage was her fault. Consequently, she ended up needing a bodyguard due to the influx of hateful letters.

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2025-07-20 08:18

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