General Hospital
‘General Hospital 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling’: What Did You Think of The Primetime Special?
For any daytime soap opera to have a primetime special is a big deal. Rarely, do the networks offer them the real estate to try to entice new viewers to the show, or the lapsed viewers to return, and give the show you once loved another try.
As we know, growing audience numbers exponentially through recent years is extremely difficult for any network soap opera.
Thursday’s ABC special General Hospital 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling served up, sort of an overview of the soap through the years, and what is at its foundation as told by current cast, some former cast who went on to other kinds of famous, and special guests.
Photo: ABC
While John Stamos, Emma Samms, Chandra Wilson, Rick Spingfield, Amber Tamblyn, Stephen A. Smith, and Sheryl Underwood brought in some name recognition, the current and core cast made appearances led by Genie Francis (who was missing all the way till the very end. Thank God, she was there or there would have been outrage!), Maurice Benard, Laura Wright, Finola Hughes, Tristan Rogers, Lynn Herring, Kin Shriner,Jane Elliot, Brook Kerr, Donnell Turner, Rena Sofer, Josh Swickard, Dominic Zamprogna, Rebecca Herbst, Jon Lindstrom, Maura West, Cynthia Watros, Cameron Mathison, and more.
Photo: ABC
There was even a surprise and touching return by Max Gail, when Maurice Benard and Nancy Lee Grahn discussed the social topics GH has tackled through the years including the Alzheimers storyline. It was actually Max and Maurice’s clip package as Mike and Sonny that reminded us of the power of the show.
The special was not heavily clip driven. Those expecting to see iconic moments such as Robin and Stone’s death, or the BJ heart transplant storyline would be disappointed. However, they did include a moment from Luke and Laura’s iconic wedding vows in 1981, and Elizabeth Taylor’s famous “My curse on you Luke and Laura” moment as Helena Cassadine.
Photo: ABC
When Rick Springfield returned to the halls of GH, he was the person who remembered those who had passed, and spotlighted his beloved friend and former co-star, Jackie Zeman (ex-Bobbie). Rick expressed: “Jackie Zeman was not only an incredibly talented actress but she had a huge heart.”
Classic weddings were also touched upon when Kristina Wagner donned the wedding dress she wore for Frisco and Felicia’s wedding, Rebecca Herbst wore the dress she had on when Elizabeth married Lucky Spencer, and Lynn Herring came to the set in the red dress sans the giant red had, she wore in Lucy’s wedding to Alan.
Photo: ABC
One of the more touching clip packages featured Stuart Damon as Alan Quartermaine who meant so much to his former scene partner, Amber Tamblyn. At 10-years-old, Amber took on the role of Emily Bowen-Quartermaine. And in the retro clips, Alan and Monica were shown asking Emily if she would let them adopt her.
The special did include, and kudos to them, for placing the unforgettable scene where Tracy withholds her father Edward Quartermaine’s heart medication, while he is having a heart attack into the show. In story, Tracy wants her father to change his will in her favor, and if he does, she will give him his pills. Still an amazing scene from Jane Elliot and the late, great David Lewis.
Kelly Monaco reunited with her Dancing with the Stars pro dance partner (and former GH guest star) Val Chmerkovskiy for a quick interstitial dance bit.
Photo: ABC
Maura West and Cynthia Watros introduced the GH bloopers. It was if we were just getting started seeing some of the guffaws and mishaps that went down behind the scenes when the segment ended. Maybe one day, the show can release some more bloopers?
Photo: ABC
At the conclusion of the special, cast members, one by one, came out from different corners of the various GH sets, each weaving the tapestry of what makes the show so unique and loved by millions of viewers for over 6 decades. When they all converged at the Nurses Station, Genie Francis was revealed and led a toast to the show and to its fans, as balloons rained down in celebration. Suddenly, we are next transported to a different set.
Photo: ABC
There, we find three doors. The left one in which Laura Wright walked through, the right one in which Kelly Monaco walked through and the middle one where Steve Burton walked through and revealed he is returning to GH as Jason Morgan.
As the credits rolled, it should be noted that General Hospital executive producer, Frank Valentini was also the EP of the network special.
Photo: ABC
So, what did you think? Did you enjoy the GH primetime special? Did you find moments that touched you, or brought back fond or emotional memories? Instead, did you find yourself disappointed? And if so, what do you think you wanted to see more of? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Absolutely loved the special! Congratulations GH on 60 incredible years. So excited for Steve Burtons return
Enjoyed the show but can an older viewer inform me if Tracy actually let her father die or not. Was not watching it then.
Edward survived, and disowned Tracy due to her heartlessness. She was banned from the Quartermaine mansion, and I believe that was the first time she left Port Charles.
She withheld his medication and Edward collapsed but did not die.
Edward was faking the heart attack to test Tracy. He was always one step ahead of her (kind of like she is with Lucy these days).
As I recall, Mr Q was faking it to test his daughter.
I hoped for more clips as BJ’s death and Stones AIDS story. But a thrill to see Tracy deny her father his meds as her had that heart attack. Classic! I recall watching that first run. Also more connection to history… No Jessie Brewer? No Brenda? Watching, you’d think the show only started in 1995! Still, I appreciate the celebration. Why daytime has diminished is beyond me. Do we really want endless local news, excessive talk, and courtroom shenanigans? No!
The show did an admirable job with clips. We must note that residuals need to paid to any actor whose speaking role is replayed. That’s why there was a heavy focus on the 1990s through today.
Few clips exist from the pre- one hour episodes as the network reused the tapes as was the practice in daytime at that point. ABC has the entire first episode from 1963 but far less clips available until 1978.
With Bobbie’s memorial next week, I’d hope we’d get a flashback or two to BJs death (especially the Felicia “not Barbara Jean” moment when Bobbie consoles her).
Thank you, OG Steve. I didn’t think of those factors. Still, that we have GH is worth celebrating no matter what form the special took. I remain upset over losing my other faves, AMC and ATWT.
Sorry but that is not true. General Hospital actually has most of the episodes from the early years, preserved on kinescope.
I have also read that there was a period where soaps were video taped, then the tapes were re-used, which is why certain time periods are not available.
News, talk, and court shows are much cheaper to produce. Soaps are expensive. There’ll never be new ones, so enjoy the ones we have because sadly, one day, they’ll be no more. My guess is that Days isn’t long for this world unless it really drove subscribers to Peacock.
I loved the anniversary special. I did think that after we saw the clips of Lois and Ned’s romantic history, featuring the newly returned Rena Sofer (of whom I’m very fond), we might have instead seen Lisa LoCicero do a little more of the talking later, rather than have Rena be featured so prominently while Lisa was standing silently by. On the anniversary special I wanted to see a real mix of the actors I’ve come to love over the fifty+ years I’ve been watching.
That so called iconic Luke and Laura wedding should not have happened. Talk about completely negating what was done to Laura!
Congrats GH!
It was well done and clearly intended to thank the fans for their success. I personally would have preferred more clips of Anna, Robert, and Robin, but obviously they can’t fit in every fan’s favorite clips.
With regards to Steve coming back, I’m ok with it, despite believing he was justly fired. (The greater good was more important than his singular comfort.) But now that those conditions have been lifted, I don’t have an issue with his rehiring.
I wished they hadn’t killed off Britt as their relationship was intriguing. I don’t want Jason with Carly, it never worked for me.
Was it just me or was the background music so loud it made it difficult to hear what the actors were saying?
No Joel it wasn’t just you. I too found the background music to be louder than the speaking voices.
I agree. The background music was very distracting. It was so loud that it was hard to hear what the characters were saying.
I thought the same thing, so that was very disappointing about the show.
Same for me–exactly, and tweeted the same.
YES! This is the first mention of the background music. I wanted it to stop the music was so loud I had to turn on the Closed Caption text on my TV.
It happened throughout the show. They must have dubbed it incorrectly over the voices.
If the 3 door surprise ending with “Jason Rising” had not happened i think the music might be the only thing people talked about it was horrible.
Disappointment here – too much wasted time with unnecessary guest stars babbling about nothing.. Expected real comments not scripted comments from the cast trying to be “cute” and “funny”….
I’ve watched it, & I loved everything about it. I loved seeing the entire cast, the guest stars, the flashbacks, and etc. It was such a cool thing to see.
Nice numbers! Glad so many tuned in.
And it’s streaming now on Hulu and on the ABC website.
I really enjoyed it. Loved seeing Amber Tamblyn again, John Stamos, Max Gail, Emma Samms, and god bless Rick Springfield. 74 years old and he still looks great. The opening with Donna Mills and Morgan Fairchild was fun. Loved their little wink to soaps with the line about “You never know” when talking about how Donna’s character Madeline was killed off.
They had a good representation of the current cast, and got in as many of the beloved vets as they could. I was hoping Leslie Charleson would be there, but she obviously wasn’t back on set yet when they filmed this. I was wondering where Genie Francis was, but glad they saved her for the end. I loved seeing the bloopers. Kin Shriner is a hoot. Wish they would show bloopers more often in some forum. Put them on their Facebook page, YouTube, something.
I was impressed that they still have video from the very first episode in 1963. It was great to see John Beradino.
The ending with the actors walking on screen from various GH sets, leading to everyone standing around the nurses station, with Genie Francis front and center, was very touching and well done.
My one criticism is I wanted to see more clips. I get the whole “they have to pay residuals to the actors that appear in the clips” thing. So pay them, do what you have to do. That shouldn’t be a reason not to honor the rich history of the show. Nothing from Robin and Stone, nothing from the BJ’s death story, arguably the two best storylines in the history of the show. The lack of clips is the one area of the show that was severely lacking.
Overall, they did a good job with the time they had. And the fact that ABC gave GH a weeknight primetime slot should answer questions about the show’s future that everyone loves to speculate about, and the disgusting way some people seem to take glee in wishing for the show to be canceled. The way I look at it, you don’t give a weeknight primetime slot to a show you’re thinking of canceling.
Too much John Stamos and not enough clips, give it a B
Loved that the show ended with that 3 Door twist and the “Jason Rising” moment.
I felt like there were too many guest stars and not enough current cast members participating. Although I loved seeing Blackie/John Stamos, Rick Springfield, and Amber Tamblyn.
Wishing there were more clips. One I think GH could have done very quickly – Robert and Mac’s first meeting that made a total splash. Adding that despite a 32 Career on the show there were absolutely no clips or mention of Mac. The one at his Wedding to Felicia where he fell from the balcony due to Ryan showing up would have been another one.
Clips: At least one of BJ’s heart and the Aids story with Stone and Robin. Robin was barely mentioned.
It seemed to me like there was a lot of talk about how Iconic GH is/was and not enough showing us why. There was way too much emphasis on the Emmys. Hey, one scene with all of those is enough – although I liked the one with the cast members telling everyone how many they had – that was fun.
This special was fantastic! I loved the mix of legacy characters, storylines and newer characters. Especially loved the flashbacks to the very beginnings of GH with Dr. Steve Hardy. The cast, crew and Frank Valentini should all be proud. Well done.
I really enjoyed the Tony Geary tribute segment. 5 minutes was too short! As the iconic character who put GH on the map, it was so nice to see him so prominently featured in the show.
(SARCASM INTENDED!!!!)
I enjoyed Jane’s segments. And Kin’s bloopers made me laugh.
Well done !! Long time !! fan and I really enjoyed it . Classy not sappy The ending was a great surprise and a HAPPY ONE .
I give it a C- at best. It should have been very clip-heavy. The Emmy presentation to Stephen Smith made no sense. Maybe add a quick recap of what’s been going on to get fans who don’t usually watch the show an incentive to start watching. Too much John Stamos. Bring back other cast members who may have been popular on the show but never became huge stars lice Stamos.
As a long-time viewer of GH, I was disappointed with the special.
Why did Dr. Steve Hardy, a prominent doctor of GH, only appear mere seconds during the special, while Sonny, a Port Charles mobster, and his family appear for minutes.
Where was Jessie? Where was Lucille Weeks? Where was Lesley and Rick?
If it weren’t for those iconic characters, there would be no Sonny, Michael, Willow, Dex or Josslyn today.
BaxterM, you mentioned some good names. I was surprised there were no Jessie, Rick and Lesley scenes also. I was impressed they at least showed a picture of Lee and Gail Baldwin. All of them were heavily featured players when the show was making ratings history.
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.
The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.
Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.
Photo: JPI
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST
Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”
Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”
Photo: JPI
KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL
Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”
You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.
So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!
The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.
TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.
That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.
Photo: ABC
STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES
GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.
Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).
Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.
GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS
Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.
Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.
So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?
On the Friday, September 11 episode of General Hospital, Jason (Steve Burton) and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship becomes strained to potentially the point of no return.
Things take a turn when an unglued Britt having been traumatized by almost being killed by Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) asks Jason to back her up with the PCPD when she reports Anna for attempted murder.
However, Jason told Britt, he can’t. Jason shares that he does not believe Anna would have gone through with shooting her. Therefore, Britt was not in any real imminent danger. Britt is flabbergasted and hurt that Jason is refusing to tell the police what he actually witnessed for himself on Mount Emerson.
Courtesy/ABC
BRITT WANTS BACK UP FROM JASON
Jason counters that he can’t believe that Britt would want Anna punished. or sent to prison, or a mental facility after the trauma she endured while being locked up and mentally tortured while at Wyndemere.
He asks Britt, “How could you even say that you want her locked up or prosecuted for what she did when you knew she was being held prisoner and you did nothing to save her?” Britt is stunned by Jason’s response.
Coming up, official General Hospital spoilers share that on the upcoming Monday, September 14 episode, Jason confides in Carly (Laura Wright), while Britt is stung. In the video preview that aired at the end of the Friday, September 11 episode for this coming Monday, Britt says to Jason, “You don’t believe me. Do you?”
General Hospital head scribes, Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte previously teased in their fall preview of the soap, “Britt and Jason have come a long way and fought a lot of enemies to be together. But the most stubborn obstacle to their happiness isn’t without, it’s within. Decisions Britt made to stay alive while under Cullum’s thumb will come back to haunt her and may prove too difficult for this unlikely couple to survive.”
So, what do you think will happen? Will Jason and Britt break-up over Britt’s lies and Jason’s unwillingness to report Anna’s crime against her? Do you want Jason and Britt to go their separate ways? If they do, will Britt become romantically involved with Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) ? If so, who do you pair Jason with? Anyone? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?
Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
‘General Hospital’ to Rebroadcast Special Episode in Tribute to Anthony Geary
‘General Hospital’s’ Tabyana Ali Song ‘Pray’ Now Available on Major Streaming Platforms with Music Video Forthcoming
‘General Hospital’ Icon Genie Francis to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards
Vivica A. Fox Exits ‘The Young and the Restless’ For Now to Film Netflix’s ‘Women Like Us’
Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
‘Beyond the Gates’ vs. ‘The Young and the Restless’ in a Soap Opera Showdown on ‘Flip Side’ Season 3 Premiere
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Heather Tom Talks Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and What’s Behind Katie’s Deep-Seated Issues with Dylan (Exclusive)
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