Legacy As of December 2020, Bell holds the distinction of having created the largest number of soap opera characters that are still appearing, with over 25 characters on either The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, or Days of Our Lives such as: Doug Williams (Days of Our Lives) - 1970–1984, 1986–1987, 1993–1996, 1999–present (played by Bill Hayes) Jill Foster Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1973–present (currently played by Jess Walton) Maggie Horton (Days of Our Lives) - 1973–1984, 1985–present (played by Suzanne Rogers) Paul Williams (The Young and the Restless) - 1978–present (played by Doug Davidson) Nikki Newman (The Young and the Restless) - 1978–present (currently played by Melody Thomas Scott) Victor Newman (The Young and the Restless) - 1980–2009, 2010–present (played by Eric Braeden) Jack Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1980–present (currently played by Peter Bergman) Esther Valentine (The Young and the Restless) - 1982–present (played by Kate Linder) Ashley Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1982–1995, 1996–2007, 2008–2012, 2013–present (currently played by Eileen Davidson) Traci Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1982–1996, 1999, 2001–2002, 2006, 2007–present (played by Beth Maitland) Victoria Newman (The Young and the Restless) - 1982–2003, 2005–present (currently played by Amelia Heinle) Lauren Fenmore (The Young and the Restless) - 1983–1995, 2000, 2001–present (played by Tracey E. Bregman) Christine Blair (The Young and the Restless) - 1983–2001, 2002–2006, 2009–present (played by Lauralee Bell) Eric Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987–present (played by John McCook) Ridge Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987–2012, 2013–present (currently played by Thorsten Kaye) Brooke Logan (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987–present (played by Katherine Kelly Lang) Donna Logan (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987–1994, 1996–1998, 2000–01, 2004, 2006–present (currently played by Jennifer Gareis) Katie Logan (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987–1989, 1991–2004, 2007–present (currently played by Heather Tom) Nicholas Newman (The Young and the Restless) - 1989–present (currently played by Joshua Morrow) Chloe Mitchell (The Young and the Restless) - 1990–1991, 1994, 2008–2017, 2019-present (currently played by Elizabeth Hendrickson) Rick Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1990–2006, 2007–present (currently played by Jacob Young) Michael Baldwin (The Young and the Restless) - 1991–1993, 1997–present (played by Christian LeBlanc) Nate Hastings (The Young and the Restless) - 1992–2002, 2011, 2019–present (currently played by Sean Dominic) Billy Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1993–2003, 2006,