TVSquad

Did you know that double Oscar winners Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro acted in soap operas? It's true. Many of today's biggest stars honed their craft by doing New York soaps like As the World Turns and Another World. Before she was Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar was Susan Lucci's daughter on All My Children.

Hollywood soaps like Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless also produced stars. Tom Selleck, for instance, was a Y&R hunk before becoming Magnum, P.I. There are a lot of current stars right now on hit shows who were daytime characters just a few years ago. After the jump, we count down the top ten primetime stars who started in soaps.

While ABC, NBC, and CBS have historically remained in a cutthroat battle for viewers, each network has shared one common trait: come the season of network promotional campaigns, all actors must be prepared to look absolutely ridiculous.

After the jump ... Remember this pop cultural gem (video below) that gained traction on the Net not too long ago? The sheer oddity of the clip alone forces us to ask ourselves several questions: do these people all live together? Why is Marla Gibbs dressed like an astronaut? Does Bea Arthur do everybody's shoppingl? CAN'T NELL CARTER JUST SIT DOWN AND REST HER FEET FOR A SECOND? (Seriously, give her a break!)

Here come two more lists of the ten actors and actresses that are finalists for Emmy nominations in the supporting comedy categories. As with the other awards, there are some surprises on the list, and some notable omissions. For the ladies, the headline is that last year's winner, Jaime Pressly (My Name Is Earl), didn't make the cut. Surprise finalists include Conchata Ferrell (Two And A Half Men) and Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live). I don't mind seeing Conchata on the list because she is consistently funny on the show, but I don't know that there is enough to her role for her to actually garner a nomination when you consider the competition.

On the other side of the coin, the defending champ, Jeremy Piven (Entourage), is back. None of the boys over at SNL managed to make the leap from Variety to Comedy that Poehler did.

Ugly Betty definitely avoided the sophomore slump, but something was missing from the show's post-strike episodes. Elements that made the first season great were left out of the second part of season two. Fortunately, Ugly Betty only needs to make some small changes to return to its former glory. Feel free to add your own suggestions to my list.

Bring Cliff back - It's nice to see Marc do something besides taunt Betty or do Wili's bidding. Season one's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" proved that Marc has a heart, and his relationship with Cliff continued to explore that sensitive side. Marc found love by looking beyond surface beauty, which is what the show is all about. The post-strike episodes favored Betty's love triangle at the expense of the other characters' relationships. Why have so many well-written relationships if you're only going to focus on one or two? The fantastic ensemble cast had better get more screen time in season three.

(S02E13) It might not have been an official season finale (a faux-nale?), but this week's Ugly Betty could be the last one we see for a very long time. I miss the show already. So many issues are up in the air! What will happen with the Henry-Betty-Gio triangle? Will Wili's baby scheme succeed? Is Ignacio ever going to get another storyline? For now, we'll either have to use our imaginations or content ourselves with the Season One DVD. I've never been big on fanfic, so I'm going with Option B.

(S02E12) Courtroom drama! Perfume that makes you crazy! Baby-making schemes! This week's Ugly Betty had all the telenovela angles covered. In the grand tradition of fictional court proceedings, Claire's murder trial was over and done with in a couple of days. Don't you love that about TV? There was even time to spare for Gio, Wili, and Christina. Good thing, too, because there's only one episode left. Better get your fill of Suzuki St. Pierre now, folks.

(S02E11) Many weeks ago (man, it's been a while since we've had a new episode) I shared my dream of a Dixie Carter-Vanessa Williams showdown. This week, Amanda visited a psychic played by another Designing Women cast member, the wonderful Annie Potts. So close! It's great to have Ugly Betty back, at least for now. The sad truth--that there are only two episodes left--is beginning to sink in. Who's panicking?

(S02E10) Even with her Mode days behind her, Wilhelmina had another Betty to contend with. The fabulous Betty White was on hand to take advantage of Wili's bad PR and contempt for the elderly. There were no St. Olaf stories, but it was still one of the funnest Ugly Betty episodes I've seen in a while! I mean, come on--Betty White and a paintball war? It's like Christmas came early!

(S02E09) Thanks to the Medusa X virus, Wilhelmina Slater nearly changed Mode and Ugly Betty forever. Wili's plans for Slater magazine didn't come to fruition this week, but something tells me that she won't stop trying to destroy Mode. While Wili was busy trying to get money from her father, Alexis, Daniel, and Betty were trying to honor their dead parents. I guess we all have different priorities around the holidays!

(S02E08) There have been a lot of sad episodes of Ugly Betty this season, and this week was no exception. Don't let the above photo fool you; the wacky antics were few and far between. For the most part, "I See Me, I.C.U." dealt with the fallout from the disastrous Meade-Slater wedding. Guest star Mo'Nique (as the cleverly named L'Amanda) did her best to lighten the mood, though.

(S02E07) This week's Ugly Betty was all about the lavish, star-studded Brad-elmina wedding. Fashion guru Vera Wang was on hand for Wilhelmina's final dress fitting, and Posh herself nearly stole the spotlight from poor Wili. Back in Queens, Ignacio was preparing for a ceremony of his own. The Suarez sisters' inability to keep secrets nearly ruined both events.

(S02E06) Ugly Betty made it to Broadway this week! Half the cast went to a performance of Wicked, Betty and Henry ended up onstage, and Justin broke out his collection of Playbills. That boy snapped out of his delinquent phase just in time. Wili and Marc busied themselves with wedding arrangements, and Hilda got a surprising new job. The biggest surprise? Gio made another appearance and managed to be less abrasive.

(S02E05) Love was in the air, courtesy of Ugly Betty's newest phony website, bachelosity.com. Betty found a date, Amanda found a new way to tease Betty, and someone from Christina's past found her. Even Marc found romance! While some characters made significant progress, others (thankfully) went back to basics. Alexis remembered what being a Meade is all about, and Justin's dreaded rebellious phase is officially over! I just hope he didn't throw out his old clothes.

(S02E04) I felt like I was watching a bizarro version of Ugly Betty this week. Betty was a cheater, Justin belched, and the guy from Dawson's Creek was an insensitive jerk! What's next--Hilda dressing conservatively? There were several unpleasant surprises in this episode, but Gio's absence probably made some of the viewers happy. It's always difficult to watch the episodes where obstacles are set up for each character, but how else can there be a happy ending later on? Still, it took a while to get over the shock of seeing Justin wearing his Dad's leather jacket and hearing him say things like "Whatevs."

(S02E03) I've been waiting all season for it (OK, just three episodes), and it finally happened. Gio, the rumored new love interest for Betty, made his way into the Mode offices and Betty's heart. While it wasn't love at first sight, Gio made a strong impression on our green girl. Lunch will never be the same! Let's save the juiciest development for last, though. On to the rest of the Mode-Suarez saga!