Nancy Hughes McClosky is a fictional character from the CBS Daytime soap opera As the World Turns. Portrayed by Helen Wagner for 54 years from the soap's inception in 1956 until 2010, Nancy served as the core family's and, by extension, the town's matriarch. Wagner was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as being the longest-running character portrayed by one actor on television, and held the title until her death on May 1, 2010. Wagner spoke the very first lines, "Good morning, dear," on the series debut on April 2, 1956.