Soap Opera icon Eileen Fulton known from 'As The World Turns' dies at 91

Eileen Fulton, known for her role as the popular character Lisa Miller, later Lisa Grimaldi, in the superhit soap opera As the World Turns, recently passed away in Asheville, North Carolina. As per the family obituary on the Groce Funeral Home website, Fulton passed away on July 14, 2025, at the age of 91, due to declining health.

Fulton introduced the trope of the Bad Girl, also known as the Vixen, in soap opera storylines with her role, and also became one of the longest-serving soap actors. She has also appeared in films and other TV shows, including The Life Zone and Naked City.

More on this in our story.

Remembering Eileen Fulton

As mentioned above, Eileen Fulton was 91, and as per her family, she passed away due to her deteriorating health.

Eileen Fulton, born as Margaret Elizabeth McLarty in 1933, the daughter of a clergyman, knew from a young age that she would be a film star. Fulton later fulfilled her dream by acting in her college days and on stage, and then got her big break when she was cast in a role in the film Girl of the Night.

It didn't take much time after that, as she was offered the role of Lisa Grimaldi in As the World Turns, thanks to her manager, who suggested her for the part. As per the Hollywood Reporter, Fulton was sure of getting the role as she said:

"I knew I was going to get that part. There were 250 other girls there [at the audition], but I just knew."

It was also later revealed that Eileen Fulton’s character, Lisa, was initially supposed to be a good girl with a "girl next door" vibe, but Fulton did not want that. She wanted the character to be the scheming girl, and said:

"Lisa was supposed to be the sweet girl next door. I said, ‘I’m tired of being the sweet girl next door.’ I can’t change the lines, but I can change my intention once we’re on the air. I just thought of little conniving things I could do to Bob."

Her decision to make the character a villain proved successful, as she became a soap opera icon with the character and also won several accolades for her portrayal. In addition to being a renowned Hollywood actor, Eileen Fulton was also a singer who performed on Broadway.

She was also a popular author who wrote murder mysteries such as Take One for Murder, Dying for Stardom, and Fatal Flashback, among others, and also co-authored autobiographies.

Trending

Keep reading Soap Central for more such stories.

Also Read: Untamed: What really happened to Naya Vasquez’s son's father? Details explored

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback