Todd Manning is a fictional character from the American daytime drama One Life to Live. Created by writer Michael Malone, the role was originated in 1992 by actor Roger Howarth, recast with Trevor St. John in 2003, and given back to Howarth in 2011. Todd became part of a groundbreaking storyline in which Marty Saybrooke was gang raped. Todd's popularity with the audience and critics, even after the rape, persuaded the writers to retain the character. While keeping aspects of his personality dark and violent, they had Todd exhibit a conscience and compassion. They took steps to redeem him, borrowing from nineteenth- century melodrama, Gothic traditions, and literature such as Frankenstein, despite Howarth's objections to a redemption storyline for a rapist. Todd has been the subject of many scholarly feminist studies. He has remained a popular and controversial figure since his creation, and is considered one of soap opera's breakout characters. The main players in the rape storyline—Howarth, Susan Haskell (Marty), and Hillary B. Smith (Todd's lawyer Nora Hanen)—won Emmys in 1994, as did Malone and his writing team.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Manning

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1258:

George Mouzalon, regent of the Empire of Nicaea, was assassinated as part of a conspiracy led by the nobles under future emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mouzalon

1537:

The Honourable Artillery Company, currently the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army, was formed by Royal Charter from King Henry VIII. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honourable_Artillery_Company

1920:

Polish forces under Józef Piłsudski successfully forced the Russians to withdraw from Warsaw at the Battle of Warsaw, the decisive battle of the Polish–Soviet War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Warsaw_(1920)

1942:

Second World War: Japanese forces attacked the Australian base at Milne Bay on the eastern tip of New Guinea. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Milne_Bay

2001:

American singer Aaliyah and various members of her record company were killed when their overloaded aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Marsh Harbour Airport in Marsh Harbour, The Bahamas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaliyah

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

unchecked: 1. Unrestrained, not held back. 2. Not examined for accuracy, efficiency, etc. 3. (chiefly computing) Of a check box: not checked (ticked or enabled). 4. (crossword puzzles) Of a square: part of only one entry (that is, across or down, but not both). https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/unchecked

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

In my experience of fights and fighting, it is invariably the aggressor who keeps getting everything wrong.   --Martin Amis https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Martin_Amis