Don Hastings

Donald Francis Hastings (born April 1, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American actor, singer, and writer best known for his decades-long portrayal of Dr. Robert "Bob" Hughes" on the soap opera As the World Turns.

He played Captain Video's teenaged sidekick, The Video Ranger in the DuMont television series Captain Video and His Video Rangers, which ran from 1949 to 1955. In this role, he played one of television's first superheroes designed to appeal to young children.

From 1956 to 1960, he played the role of Jack Lane on the soap opera The Edge of Night, and since October 1960, he has portrayed Bob Hughes on As the World Turns; he is third in line to co-star Helen Wagner and Eileen Fulton in having the distinction of playing the same role for the longest period of time on television.

Hastings currently holds the record for longest continuous actor in the history of television serials. William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow on the British soap Coronation Street is widely believed to be the record-holder, but Don Hastings has portrayed Bob Hughes for two months longer than Roache has played Ken. Neither actor has taken a break during their respective tenures. The Guinness Book of Records states that the non-continuous record is held by Helen Wagner, who has played Nancy Hughes on the same soap opera, As the World Turns, since April 1956. Wagner made only sporadic appearances between 1981 and 1985. Eileen Fulton has also left the series three times, only to return in later years.

As a writer, he wrote dialogue for As the World Turns and The Guiding Light using the name C. C. David.

Don is the younger brother of actor Bob Hastings. He is currently married to his second wife, actress Leslie Denniston.

Active in show business (on television) since 1949. In 2009, he celebrates two big milestones, his 75th birthday and 60 years on television.

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