THE BUTLER DID IT

The Nanny's connection to soaps is well known. Not only was Charles Shaugnessy a daytime vet (ex-Shane, DOOL; ex-Alistar; GH) and Nicholle Tom the sister of Heather Tom (ex-Victoria, Y&R; ex-Kelly, OLTL; Katie; B&B), but star and creator Fran Drescher was such a fan that she cast Eric Braeden (Victor, Y&R), Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki, Y&R), Stephen Nichols (Patch, DOOL), Lauren Koslow (Kate, DOOL), Maree Cheatham (Stephanie, SFT), Lesley Anne Down (Jackie, B&B), Lane Davies (ex-Mason, SB; ex-Cameron, GH), Christopher Rich (Sandy, AW), Ian Buchanon (ex-Duke, GH; ex-James, B&B, ex-Greg, AMC), Brian Bloom (ex-Dusty, ATWT), Sean Kanan (ex-AJ, GH; ex-Deacon, B&B) and Joan Collins (ex-Alexandra, GL), among others in various roles throughout the series' six seasons.

Less well known, however, is that co-star Daniel Davis, who played the oh-so-English butler, Niles, not only hailed from a Southern US state (Arkansas), but also appeared on a daytime drama about one - Texas!

In addition to guest shots on primetime shows as diverse as Cheers, The A Team and Highway to Heaven, Davis spent 1980-1982 as Texas' Eliot Carrington, heroic Vietnam vet and dupe (to be fair, who wasn't?) of Iris Cory. She'd let him believe and almost singlehandedly raise their son, Dennis, only to later reveal that the boy was actually Alex Wheeler's biological child.

To watch Eliot deal with Iris' betrayal, tune in to the AOL/PGP Classic Soap Channel's broadcast of Texas! (It will make a nice birthday gift for the actor, who turns 62, today!)