General Hospital
A Genie Francis Return In The Works At GH? Soap Icon Says Of EP Frank Valentini: "I Don’t Believe He Took Any Pleasure In Seeing Laura Diminished"

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I do think a story is being planned for Genie and I bet several stories are being thought out too concerning Laura. Of course the folks were going to be upset if she was off the canvas if she hadn’t planned on leaving herself. Can’t wait to see what Laura will be up to next.
Best news ever! I’ll start watching the day Genie returns! And she is such a decent person–seemingly fairminded and positive. Nice to see. She’d be a nice person to meet, for sure! I love her measured tweets and responses–and her honesty. Come on home, Genie–with that great (neverending :)) story line!
This is good news as I stopped watching the show since they essentially dropped her. If it wasn’t Vallenti that was responsible for this, it must have been the high up clowns that have the big ABC focus on its shows being heavily into violence and sex. Such a pitiful mentality at that network.
hi James R. Poissant..
Genie was offered recurring and a deal..
She turned it down and walked out..
Seems now she has accepted, or whatever happened.
I wouldn’t count on her being given a lot of on-screen time after whatever is planned for her return. Someone wanted her gone, less screen time, why dunno.,,perhaps the finacial dept was involved.
( Ihope for her fans she was given a beter deal.. time will tell..
Genie is ever the class act,and deserving of a great story line.
Hope to see her back on the canvas soon.
My question is, if Frank didn’t have anything to do with taking her off contract, why was the story that HE is the one who refused to speak with her when she asked to, when she was informed her contract was not renewed. She was told FV didn’t have time to speak with her when she found out she was being let go.
hi Sue McGee..
It is ‘gossip” without sound facts..
Nobody knew what actually went down and by whom..
Soap boards are full of false information ..
To know the truth one would have needed to be there. I have read more false junk gossip on soap boards then one would think possible.
“Soap boards are full of false information,” eh Sue? 🙂
The question that should be asked is WHO told Genie that FV didn’t have time to speak with her at the time. The decision to put Genie on recurring status was made at the Corporate level by those who have much more power than FV. Now those decision makers have come to realize they have made a huge mistake and FV is the one who has to make peace.
Nathan Varni and ABC upper brass who never wanted Laura/Genie to have a prominent story. Makes no sense. The show has no moral center. She could be it.
She should be that moral center. Well said! Daytime dramas demise is because there are too many cooks. I think if producers/writers could be allowed to craft as long-term bible for their series, there would not be this to and fro-ing. Fans too need to accept conventions as recasts and that some decision cannot be reversed. We sometimes get in our own way of progress in continuing evolution of story. That said, Genie Francis belongs on GH and Laura Spencer is a legacy character that should remain on canvas.
I have always believed that the ABC upper brass have never seen Laura/Genie as separate from Luke/Tony. They would not allow Laura to grow and come into her own without Luke at her side. I would not be surprised if the ABC upper brass doesn’t offer Tony Geary thousands of dollars to come back for a month or so just to let us know how necessary Luke is to Laura.
In total agreement with each of you—the lack of a moral center for the show, virtually abandoning the character of Laura, the inability to write Laura as anything other than an adjunct to Luke. And while Genie chooses to be classy, dignified, and now diplomatic (in defending Frank), I still apportion the blame to Frank. It’s his name and title that rolls with the credits at the beginning of each episode and it’s under his tenure that the character of Laura has been relegated to window dressing. He misread the room on this one and was woefully out of touch… Read more »
Very well written! I concur.
You nailed it right on the head Reed.
im sorry but after so many promises from general hospital to give laura story line and a big build up just to have her exit again ,,the last time was the last time for me ,,i tuned out g,h,,,couldnt stand to watch one more hour of the jason carley hour,,,like i said before even the amazing maura west couldnt keep mme tuned in,,,i always feel so suckered going back to g,h when i hear genies returning only to find out yes i was suckered,, sorry g,h and sorry genie wont be returning with you,,,even if its true,,and some how i… Read more »
So hope that’s not true–but I can’t quarrel with you skepticism.
I understand the skepticism also. If I get excited for her return, the writers will just end up having her working at Kelly’s one day each month, making the occasional salad for Roxie the bearded dragon. 🙂
I would like to see Laura and Lucy finally start that company…and that Jim guy becomes obsessed with her…also Jim is interested in the Q mansion and tries to take it from Monica-Jim is another Q…both Monica and laura could get stories…Valerie Spencer was an epic fail as a character as none of the writers did anything to make her more connected to the Spencer clan!!!!
What bugs me…how Peter and Valentin meet so publiclly where anyone can see them together
Yes, everyone can see Valentin’s Peter!!
They should meet in the MetroCourt parking lot and Valentin can offer him a contract. Wait, sorry, that would be Valentini 🙂
If she really believes that about Valentini not sure why she didn’t tweet support for him sooner.
If she’s back, great. Just hoping it’s a good story because no matter the actress/character boring is as boring does. Meaning, is she’s still going to be dressed as granny goose and have little walks in the park, I’m fast forwarding.
Good question I smell a rat just do not know who the rat is ?
Genie is tactful and diplomatic perhaps.
who knows k/kay. people have to kiss up and make nice where they work. IF they WANT to work. gotta play the game….
Kay, I blame AJ.
don’t be touching my AJ, Harry!
Too funny the show will survive and I have fond memories but you never put your eggs in one basket ensemble cast let them all do their magic I would live to enjoy the show again I will give them credit the Alzheimer’s story line is being done very well and with a recast ! Kudos
What they ate:
Genie: Seafood Salad
Frank: Crow
🙂
Ha! Love it!
I wonder if “Crow” is among the Nutrisystem meals that Genie is hawking during the GH commercial breaks? It’s sad that’s the only way we get to see her these days, but maybe there’s hope after all. Still waiting for the “Killer V’s” (Vicki [Dummer, if you can believe it], Varni, and Valentini) mea culpa and that “Laura-centric story.”
Love to see Laura back – if it actually happens. Now they can quit giving all the air time to Frodd & Ava.
Hopefully Laura found her son Lucky while wondering the planet, and he can come back with her, take his job back, and they can lose the idiotic new cop, who apparently was only brought in to prop McVampire 5.0.
I removed GH from my Hulu watch list just this past weekend. I’ll believe it when it happens. GF is a class act. TPTB not so much.
She’s coming back with a SORAS’d Spencer Cassadine for his summer run. In related news, Cameron and Jake will also be aged to interact with Josslyn and Oscar at camp, etc. They will need to limit interaction with Charlotte and Emma though.
Frank can stick up for himself. You don’t need to kiss up. And please tell us, who is to blame for your contract being unfairly and abruptly ended? And when will the power brokers at GH (whoever they are) realize that the fans can make them or break them? If we stop watching, their jobs are over. Soaps are on a tightrope as it is. And there aren’t 1000 other soaps to go to for another job anymore. Bring Genie back, and Rebecca Budig, too. And don’t sign people to long term contracts and then break them because you don’t… Read more »
I’m still pissed that Laura Wright boyfriend, is hired AND given contract
there he was … just as naked as Nathan … as Maxie “has no one else to turn to”
as she’s outside his hotel room.
what was it : no harm no foul… said that twice.
okey dokey whatever… STILL
can’t stud
There is something we are missing here. Genie is in a front burner story getting married to Kevin and running for the mayor, then it is announced that she is taken off contract and abruptly the story changes and she goes off to Spencer. Then you have Frank and Nathan saying that she deserves a front burner story worthy of her talent. So if they are not making the decisions who is? I know networks always say they don’t comment on contracts but there are comments, I don’t get it, does not compute.
I’ll take a Laura storyline any day over a Jason one, after a great start where everyone was included, the jason return is now a total bore, now it’s bout Sam Jason and sorry but together they are a bore , it hurts seeing them on screen and what ever chemo they have is lost on me, plus peter August being Anna’s son is a total bust, Finola is awesome I’m so glad she has a storyline but this one I’m not feeling it.
“…Peter August being Anna’s son is a total bust ”
I just don’t see it either… no matter how they try to give him an “image”
he can’t even act with the ditzy chicks… Lulu and Maxie… NO MATTER how many inroads he makes with these two.
he’s got to act with Finola Hughes and get the audience to buy him
NOT
he sure makes me wish it was Griffin after all… as her long lost son
I would much rather have Tony/Luke back..
Laura is hoo hummm I never cared for the character and she was newbie to me .
Seems she changed her mind, after quitting, then not quitting, because she wasn’t needed so now she most likely has accepted the limited time/appearances she was offered.
(something is better than nothing)
(( and– not everything that goes on behind the curtain, that we’re not privy to, is Frank’s doing.))
A newbie? YOU must be the newbie, su0000! 🙂
Are you privy to the back channel? How? Just curious.
Tony? Luke? Who is he? 🙂 🙂
I don’t think so, su. She’s back and they’re going to make sure she gets a better story than the one they even had planned. Apparently they thought there wouldn’t be much outcry over her “demotion.” Well, after 20,000 signatures on a petition to bring her back they had no choice.
It’s not Genie who quit and changed her mind; she just had to much pride to accept less than she was promised. Now, she’s the victor.
We shall see….
Hi Harry..
No worries.. I felt the love in your post, yes I felt the love ahaa..
thing is.. As most all herein, they have watched GH since day one, Not me..
So, my opinions are not of the same mind-meld.
I react to what is now and not from 5 decades in the past(I wasn’t yet born)
Just keep on trying to understand me lol and know that Laura was a newbie to me, indeed.
And, Laura, bored the bejesus outta me,, 🙂
And, Harry,, enjoy the return of Laura… and I’ll keep you informed of my most valued opinions 🙂
Hey su…
Just so you know. I get why you feel the way you do about Laura. If I didn’t have “history” with her she wouldn’t be must-see TV for me either; as it was her recent stories bored me so I’m hoping they come up with something better/more vital for her character.
My comment to you was about her “quitting/not quitting” changed her mind because of nothing better…THERE I don’t agree.
For the reasons I gave…
We know Su0000, you take every opportunity to remind us that you don’t like Genie. It’s unfortunate that you don’t know the shows history and her contribution to it, but continue to voice your opinion.
hey Justian.. I know absolutely nothing about Genie.. I don’t know if she’s married with kids what size shoe she wears or what she eats for breakfast or where she lives, I have no knowledge of Genie to have an opinion of her…. I said Laura the character, I don’t care for the character.. And, when Laura appeared she was a newbie to me, and many others.. And, the history of Laura is so far in the past that it would not even hold interest to me.. I’m futuristic 🙂 I know the Laura character has many fans and I’m… Read more »
Forgive SUooo, for she knows not of what she speaks…..or she doesn’t know for whom she speaks….um….better yet, SUOO doesn’t know what the hell she is talking about. Ignore her, for the sake of your sanity, IGNORE HER!!
Sorry, SUOO, I have grown fond of you much as one would grow fond of festering blister, but really, it’s clear you like to come in here and kick sand in our faces.
No offense., you know I love you.
Su, we agree!
hi Timmm , where yah been lol
We agree! now we can wear matching T’s !
To use your own words, we are not privy to all that goes on behind the scenes – so I do not know where you are getting the information that she has changed her mind accepted the offer of a few episodes that was reported back in January. So you think she’s only going to do 12 episodes in the next year? That’s hardly a major story and it would not satisfy the legions of fans that protested her being taken off contract. As for Luke – there were times that I liked and admired him but those times are… Read more »
hi Bostonncc ..
My exact words were;
”Seems she changed her mind” seems= having the appearance of, not factual ..
Something changed, she is back 🙂
I was nowhere near a soap opera when Laura was ” catavating fans” lol
I hope for her fans the original deal was changed..
She’s getting a major story?
I can’t imagine what that could be, Spener or Nikols returning with her is all I can think of for a major story ..Nope, that would need a recast of Nikols and no mention of a recasting.
A major story, hmm no idea what that could be about.
It amazes me that we have GH fans that QUIT watching the show because Genie is off the show. The show is not “Genie Hospital!” I watch for ALL the characters, good or bad. I’m a fan of the SHOW. Secondly, what makes Genie interesting now? So she was running for mayor, so what! What, after that? It hasnt helped Ned’s screen time. Heres the thing, I love Tristan Rogers but if he comes back to chew a couple scenes and leave, foget it, dont waste my time. Until Genie is given a good story, dont waste OUR time! PS:… Read more »
hey Timmm ..
I agree with you !
Timm, you seem angry. Try decaf!
I see his point, Harry. And I agree. Laura did nothing for me this time around. I was bored. She’s always “welcome” on my screen. But she’s not who I tuned in for and her stories were not compelling. Fact is, with everything that’s happening now with Drew/Franco, Liz/Franco…Sam/Jason, Sam/Drew, Alexis, Julian, Kim, Mike, Anna/Peter/Valentin…I’m interested in these stories. .they’re the stories that I’m loving! I think GH has been great; lots of drama and damn fine acting!
Unless they come up with some story for Genie/Laura that can match those, she’s back burner for me.
It doesnt taste the same!
Hi, Harry!
I quit not only because of how they treated Genie, but because of how they favour the male stars–financially, in terms of story–and over a soap icon. None of them have been on time magazine, yet the show is written around these two men for the most part. And throw in Carly. Since I have grown to detest these characters, why watch a show that doesn’t value the stars that many of us love as much if not more? Genie was fired–12 episodes after breaking a 5 year contract, refusing to speak to her–incredibly disrespectful. If this is truly “General… Read more »
Genie has been partly to blame over the years. Plus, Genie doesnt drive a front burner story anymore. Lulu sucks and Lucky is gone. Sonny, Jason and Carly are connected to many characters with different stories. And, they have focused more on the hospital but the problem is they pull these doctors away from the hospital. Finn and Griffin, are examples. And they need to cleanup the crap and dump Amy. Felix was a much better character.
Timmm…I guess it’s all in how you see it. But out of curiosity why is Genie “partly to blame over the years?” You can only be front burner if the writers give you interesting stories to work with. The way I saw it, it was the Luke and Laura show with he emphasis on Luke. Laura seemed to be second fiddle to a man who at one time raped her. Other times she had to be on the run with him (during which she could be pretty resourceful), or trying to make a home for Luke, Lucky and Lulu. Then… Read more »
Rose, Genie wanted to do other things after her huge success as Laura. It had been written that they wanted/needed her on the show and she declined several times. Every Batman needs a Robin. She was Luke’s sidekick. He was a leading man, she was not a leading women. NOW, she could do that role but honestly, what can she do? If her kids were around it would help. If she were with Jim Harvey versus Kevin, it would be way more interesting.
Timmm…Thanks for the background. Maybe at an early time she wanted to have the Anna and Robert relationship instead of the sidekick they gave her. Who knows what really goes behind tptb vs actress scenes. But II would rather she assumes being Bruce Lee instead of Kato, and goes after Jim Harvey in her own Laura way. :))
I agree, why not tweet that before she had this meeting with Frank. To me, it seems like Genie is sucking up to Frank to get her job back.
or after as a thank you; gotta play the game to stay in it!
I really hope something is in the works to have Genie return as Laura! I’m also happy to hear that she doesn’t blame Frank and that she considers him her champion. That being said, I wonder if Laura couldn’t return to PC after the earthquake to really shore things up for those hit hardest by the quake and become the social activist for the under dogs, etc.??? Just a thought.
Tony Geary has sold his home in Los Angeles and moved permanently to Amsterdam.
This entire situation is a mess! If Frank Valentini is not the demon here…and I’m still not convinced that he isn’t…then who is? ABC has treated Genie Francis and the viewers of General Hospital like dirt. It’s unacceptable. Who are these morons running ABC Daytime? They have no clue.
The lizard will get more air time then she will my dear Genie close the door move on!
lol
” FRANK ” this is nothing more than an about face. HIS trio of Jason / Drew / Sam has -TANKED- unless Steve Burton bares all… shows his worth. 3 years of paycheck. GEEZUS. let’s truly see what he’s about. this Peter August as Anna son. like all his pets… another one who cannot act. Carly and Sonny are so done. PEOPLE : its amazing any one finds Sonny of interest. WATCH him in scenes with Max Gail… Maurice Benard is passing the buck… like he ever had any. to Laura Wright to go down that trail of emotion. as… Read more »
Who knows, maybe someday Maurice Benard and Laura Wright will be shown the door, like Genie was-Luke and Laura were once the focal point of the show for quite some time. I have always been a fan of Maurice, since his All My Children days. I loved when he first entered into Port Charles. Loved him with Brenda, in the ’90’s. As for Laura Wright, could do without the teenage angst/drama/theatrics. I think she’s beginning to believe the hype.
My dream storyline for Maurice is for Sonny to finally meet his maker in a major whodunit storyline. After the funeral, Maurice walks into the MetroCourt lobby to check in. When the clerk asks his name, Maurice replies “Nico Kelly”.
teh-heh
He’s the Executive Producer. He had a say in the matter. So many dropped storylines-all over the canvas, as for Genie (long ago, before Frank) reviving Deception, and of course the Mayoral election. I think Genie is playing the political card.
So happy for Genie and all of us Genie fans I will start watching again this fall.Wooo hooooooooo!
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