General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Controversial Luke and Laura Rape Episode: Writer Sheri Anderson Reveals Behind the Scenes Decisions and Admits ‘I Was Wrong’ to Defend It (Exclusive)
It’s one of the most controversial storylines in soap opera history, when Luke (the late Anthony Geary) raped Laura (Genie Francis) back in an episode that aired in 1979. In the story, one fateful night while believing his latest assignment for the mob would get him killed, Luke drank heavily, and confessed his love to Laura. She had been working at the disco at the time and tried to comfort him.
Luke said, “I’m not going to die without holding you in my arms just one time. Dance with me.” As Herb Alpert’s “Rise,” played in the background, Laura tried to leave as she was getting fearful of Luke. The camera panned away as Luke forced himself on her and Laura screamed, “No!” The aftermath also became a huge problem for the series years later. GH tried to pass it off as a seduction, while viewer outcry, and as the world evolved over the decades called it then and now what it was, “rape.”
The script writer for that episode was prolific soap opera writer and three-time Emmy winner, Sheri Anderson. The popular scribe is best-known for her work on Days of Our Lives and also her tenure as its co-head writer, but she also spent a few years at General Hospital smack dab in the late 70s and early 80s, under then legendary executive producer, Gloria Monty.
Photo: JPI
During her visit last week to the Michael Fairman Channel, where Anderson opened up about a specific moments throughout her storied writing career, as well as the state of the soaps now in our culture, she recalled the events that transpired before and after that led to her scripting the infamous rape episode on GH.
ABC NETWORK EXEC DECIDES LUKE SHOULD RAPE LAURA
Sheri began, “What happened was Pat Falken Smith (then head writer, GH) came in from a meeting and she was stoned-faced, and we said, ‘What’s going on?’ She said Jackie Smith, who was head of the network, wants Luke to rape Laura and we were like, ‘What? We can’t do that!” She said that’s what we were going to so, because we were exploring ‘date rape’ at the time.”
“So, on General Hospital, or any show that I’ve been involved with, we would get as much research as we could on the subject, especially when I was writing,” explained Anderson. “I would always send the script to a therapist and say, ‘is this accurate? Is this emotionally correct?'”
Anderson shared from the writers viewpoint what the story was about at that time: “Luke was from the wrong side of the tracks. He was trying to prove himself to the mob and they said to prove it, you have to go kill a senator Mitch Williams. Luke couldn’t go through with it, which meant he was a dead man. He went back to the Campus Disco which he owned and Laura was there. She was waiting for her husband (Scotty Baldwin). So, when Laura was trying to comfort Luke, things started to get out of control.”
THE COINED “SEDUCTION”
“The script which I wrote was 110 pages, which was typical at the time. Gloria Monty, who was a brilliant executive producer and director who changed daytime, was the director of that episode,” explained Anderson on the writing for the soap back in the late 70s. “They probably cut 30 pages of material, because she was so intent on the rape and making it as brutal as she could. So, we were just going forward and thinking, ‘Oh, my God! That was really awful.'”
Over decades, the moment was called as aforementioned, “a seduction,” a “date rape,” and then as GH viewers recalled, it was in 1998 that Luke admitted to his son Lucky (Jonathan Jackson) that he actually raped his mother, Laura.
Photo: ABC
ANDERSON COULD NO LONGER DEFEND THE STORY POINT
It is not lost on Anderson, how GH at the time, tried to pass off the on-screen incident, “In retrospect, and I believe Michelle Val Jean (creator, head-writer, executive producer of Beyond the Gates) once said that it upset her, that we would say it was really a ‘seduction’ and all of those things, because it was not. It was rape, and (back then) I would try to, in a sense, defend it, and frankly, I was wrong,” revealed Sheri.
“I wrote the rape episode and I actually wrote the episode after it and we had Emily McLaughlin who played nurse Jessie Brewer who came to me later and said, ‘thank you.’ Because she said, ‘I wrote the aftermath of it so poignantly for her and Genie,’ recalled Sheri. “Then, we had Irene Kassorla, the real-life therapist come in, and on the show do group therapy sessions. So, it was really fascinating for me I thought that we were doing it extremely well, and I still think we did it extremely well. But, yes, it was rape, and it was wrong.”
Photo: ABC
GLORIA MONTY SWORE SHE WOULD NEVER MARRY LUKE AND LAURA
In an ironic twist, when Pat Falken Smith and Sheri left General Hospital to return to Days of Our Lives, suddenly Luke and Laura were getting married, after Gloria Monty swore she would never let them tie the knot. As soap fans know, the wedding remains the most-watched episode in soap opera in history with over 30 million people tuning-in on November 16 and 17 of 1981.
“People talk about that story thinking Luke raped Laura, and then they got married. No! Luke raped Laura, but it destroyed their lives with the secrets that they carried. Laura would not tell anybody that Luke was the one who raped her, and their lives were altered in so many ways. It took a long time to bring them back as a couple because they had such chemistry personally, so it was just the obvious way to go,” explained Anderson of the writers mindset at the time. “Gloria Monty said to us, ‘We’ll never marry them.’ Then, when as a writing team we left and went to Days of Our Lives, she married them two months later.”
You can catch our full informative chat with Sheri Anderson below.
So, what did you think about what really went on behind the scenes at General Hospital when the decision came down to have Luke rape Laura in the controversial scenes? Did you appreciate the insight provided by Sheri? Is it still one of the more troubling plot points in the storied history of Luke and Laura to you? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
Laura and Luke should have never been a love story, ever. Rape is not love. And I’m glad Sheri is no longer apologising for it, either. Good on her and good on Genie Francis, as well.
If Genue Francis was under age 18 at the time, her father should have spoken up and not allowed that storyline to happen, but I don’t know how contracts worked back then. Why would ABC even do that with an underage actress?They would never allow that storyline today , and I personally think it was a bad decision and I agree with gloria monty , they should have never married them.
Genie has spoken up in recent years about how it all came to be. Actually, Gloria Monty took Genie’s dad, veteran character actor Ivor Francis, out to dinner to discuss her plans for Genie and Tony. She had to. Genie was only 17 (Tony was in his early 30s.). Gloria had been charged with saving GH (Which had been flailing in the ratings) and ABC gave her 13 weeks to do it. I was never a fan of this pairing and the love story made me sick. Offstage Tony tried to be as protective of Genie as he could be in light of the situation, but it was hard on her. She had to boast the party line…how it was a seduction; and they passed that off for years! Tony received 8 emmys for his work, but Genie bore the brunt of the audience reaction, and didn’t receive her sole emmy for her work as Laura til almost 20 years afterward. In recent years she’s spoken up. All the people who demanded this story are long gone. She doesn’t have to toe the line anymore.
Do not blame TG he was very upset over this storyline it bothered him for a long time and he loved Genie but he hated the story ! TG struggled to keep his personal life secret and I for one supported him 100 percent now why don’t we get past this and move on. I was a teenager when he and YR came and did a fan club people yelling rape me Luke ! He was very upset I was in the audience he hated it
General Hospital shamefully allowed and did not protect either Genie or Tony from the effects of this horrid storyline. They had already allowed Genie to be placed in a relationship with David Hamilton, one adult male that ended with his murder, so why not continue to put her in other sexualized situations. Genie stated in her Lifetime interview, that GH “strongly encouraged ” her to drop out of high school so that she would not be bound be the hour restrictions for acting minors. She stated by the time she was 16, she was working full time, supporting her family, dropped out of high school and by 17 in her own apartment and in an off camera dating relationship with Kin Shriner. When Tony and Genie were put together she was 17 and he was 27. The writers and producers misused Tony and Genie to carry the blame, audience/public perception, shame without any consideration of how this one scene would effect their careers as actors, themselves as actors and as humans forever. They allowed Tony to be tortured so badly that he chose to relocate to Amsterdam decades ago for peace of mine and mental security. Genie chose to relocate with her husband and children as far way from LA as you could go and in an interview angrily commented that she refused to answer any more questions about that storyline in the future. GH should be ashamed of how they treated Genie and Tony.
I remember the poignant scenes between Emily McLaughlin who played Nurse Jessie Brewer and Genie Francis’ Laura. Laura was in a GH hospital room after she was raped, crying and telling the Nurse she would never be clean again. Nurse Brewer told Laura that was nonsense, because she’d never been dirty. Nurse Brewer gently cleaned her up and was very calming to Laura. These scenes are what I remember from that period, not the stuff in the disco.
You are correct. The whole storyline is on YouTube, in chronological order. It starts out as a responsibly-written date rape story. It was actually before it was called date rape. The phrase they kept using in those counselling sessions was acquaintance rape. Then they spend well over a year unfolding it as a redemption story for Luke. The “let’s lie to ourselves and say it was a seduction” starts to happen when they are coming back to each other after their break-up after the left handed boy story. There’s literally a scene where they’re at the Floating Rib and Luke says something about the night at the disco “where we made love.”. And Laura says “You mean the night you raped me.”. And Luke brushes her off with “Oh Laura.”. It was ridiculous. The big problem was Laura was already in love with and fascinated with Luke before he ever raped her. Due to her young age and her David Hamilton trauma, it really wasn’t love. But when your LnL audience is mostly impressionable teenagers and they’re saving your show from cancellation, the show runners ran with it. It put Genie, Tony and GH on the map. But sadly, it was a double edged sword for Genie and Tony.
I missed those scenes. Would love to find them. Will never forget how much I enjoyed watching Emily and John Beradino. I started watching in the late 70s, but immediately respected the legacy that they represented.
I am so glad that soaps are no longer displaying rape as seduction or having the two people fall in love. DAYS did this with EJ and Sami. She believed him to be her friend, and then revealed his true self by demanding sex or he wouldn’t help her save Lucas, who was injured. There was no misunderstanding what that was and later they had them fall madly in love, become soul mates and eventually marry. Totally sending the wrong message.
Oh please. Every one in the aftermath of me too wants to rewrite the past. At the time this storyline was written rape like the casting couch was not taken as seriously as it is today. Girls grew up reading bodice rippers as teenagers in books where rape fantasies commonly played out. Soaps mirrored the trend. Days had a story where rape victim Susan Martin fell in love with and married her rapist. Bill Horton raped his sister in law, impregnated her and later married her. Rapist Roger Thorpe was an anti hero. Even my gold standard soap of the 1970’s Ryan Hope had a scene where married Frank Ryan raped wife Delia in their bed because she was nagging him and he was fed up. There were dozens of other instances on soaps that played out that I can’t remember. General Hospital is egregious because it had used a sexualized minor teen Laura in the David Hamilton story that caused the soap to rise in the ratings. That forgotten storyline is equally egregious as it involved a child rape and is usually only viewed as a murder mystery instead of the rape of a minor child. The show was near the top of the ratings before Luke and Laura’s rape. They used the Luke and Laura rape scenario to cement the ratings lead. They played that Luke and Laura rape scene with the music theme Rise hundreds of time and knew exactly what they were doing. That music was so popular it became known as the theme from Laura’s rape. The people who objected like John Bernardino were blackballed. 40 years later it all looks different now. I’d have a lot more respect for everyone if they would tell the truth, acknowledge the culture of the time, admit that they having been educated view the world much differently now and express remorse about promoting a storyline that taught millions of young girls there is such a thing as good rape.
Preach! Yes, they most certainly flashbacked to the rape scene daily. Herb Alpert’s Rise feels like the soundtrack of my youth it was played so much. Along with the fog horns and the ship bells during every docks scene. But I digress.
All I know is that 47 years ago, I adored Luke & Laura and was glued to my TV at 3 pm Monday-Friday from approximately 1978-1982. (My college years)
I refuse to apologize or feel guilty about it.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ethan Lovett Hightails Out of the Country, Christian Howard Wraps His Stint
That was quick! Christian Howard, who now looks to have literally stepped in for Nathan Dean to wrap up a few episodes for the character of Ethan Lovett made a quick exit on Friday’s July 31 episode of General Hospital.
GH viewers were stunned earlier this week on the Monday, July 27 episode when a voiceover announcer shared that Christian Howard was now playing Ethan Lovett. Next, Ethan hits the sheets with Ava Jerome, played by three-time Daytime Emmy-winner, Maura West. All seemed to be moving forward when suddenly at the end of the Thursday, July 30 episode, Ethan spots newcomer Hudson (Troy Lennon Appel) at the Metro Court Pool, and makes a quick getaway.
Then, it’s revealed after packing his bags at Lulu’s (Alexa Havins) house, that out of nowhere, Ethan received a lead on an incredible opportunity so he has to say goodbye to Lulu and run out of town and was leaving Port Charles.
Courtesy/ABC
RUNNING OUT OF TOWN
In fact, Ethan was in such a hurry, he forgot to say goodbye to Ava who had been waiting for him at the Metro Court pool. There is clearly a connection to Hudson and baby Phoebe after Ethan spotted the guy, because Ethan also glanced over to the baby and Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) at the Metro Court pool, before he ran to Lulu’s to pack his things. All of this points to Howard being an emergency recast for Dean.
It’s definitely been a week of change on-screen on the ABC soap with the news of Maxie, Spinelli, James, Georgie and Bailey all suddenly leaving Port Charles for Australia, after Spinelli got an offer he could not turn down.
That exit was written because Kirsten Storms is at this time,, and the very foreseeable future, not returning to General Hospital and is living in Tennessee. As she had documented via her Instagram stories and posts, she has been going through several personal ordeals. In addition to Storms, Ryan Paevey also exited the series earlier this month when he ended his run as Cassius Faison, while leaving the door open for his return down the line.
So, will newcomers Kelly Kruger (Serena Baldwin), Dean Geyer (Tristan Roberts) and Troy Lennon Appel fill the void of the multitude of exits? What are your theories on Christian Howard’s departure as Ethan Lovett on GH? Let us know via the comment section below.
Donna Mills, who at 85-years-old is still turning heads, booking film and TV roles and co-hosting the We’re Knot Done Yet podcast with her Knots Landing pals, Michele Lee (ex-Karen) and Joan Van Ark (ex-Valene), is now joining the world of Only Fans.
The news came Mills herself in a statement, where she shared to Variety, “I’ve always appreciated the incredible support and encouragement I’ve received from my fans over the years. Social media has been a wonderful way to stay connected, but I’m excited to join OnlyFans because it offers the opportunity for a more personal and direct connection.”
While OnlyFans is primarily known for its steamy content, Mills is taking a different approach, explaining that she will be “sharing moments from my daily life, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and engaging with fans in a more meaningful way. It’s simply another platform to spend quality time with the people who’ve supported me throughout my career while staying true to who I am.”
Photo: JPI
WHY DID DONNA MILLS JOIN OTHER CELEBRITIES ON ONLYFANS?
Andy Bachman, CEO Creators INC who presides over OnlyFans also shared in a statement, “This is not about changing who she is. It is about giving her longtime fans more access to the personality, style and behind-the-scenes moments they already love. Donna has always been fearless and ahead of her time. She told me, ‘YOLO — let’s do it,’ and that perfectly captures her attitude. She is approaching OnlyFans on her own terms and creating a space that feels authentic, personal and completely true to her.”
Mill’s move to OnlyFans comes on the heels of others in Hollywood who are pivoting to the platform not only for its revenur, but to control their own narrative of what they want put out into the world about themselves. One example is Shannon Elizabeth of American Pie and Scary Movie fame, who told Variety that since April she has earned more than $1.2 million in seven days via her OnlyFans account.
Photo: JPI
FROM THE CUL DE SAC AT SEAVIEW CIRCLE TO PORT CHARLES
While Donna Mills is best- known for her role as Abby Cunningham Ewing on Knots Landing from 1980-1989, 1993, she also won a Daytime Emmy for her role of Madeline Reeves on General Hospital. Mills played the evil mother to Nina Reeves (then Michelle Stafford) and sister to Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) from 2014-2015 and again in 2018.
The veteran actress also had a leading role in the soap opera, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, where she and GH’s late, great sister, Leslie Charleson (ex-Monica Quartermaine, GH) played sisters Laura and Iris Donnelly from 1967-1970. Mills began her soap career on The Secret Storm back in 1966.
So, what do you think of Donna Mills joining OnlyFans? Do you think the once exclusive provocative content platform, which is going more Hollywood, will ultimately be where big named celebrity post their own content? Share your thoughts via the comment section below, and in case you missed it, you can check out the Michael Fairman Channel’s most recent chat with Donna Mills from earlier this year and our livestream with Donna, Michele and Joan from 2025 below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Troy Lennon Appel Makes His Debut as ‘Hudson’: Is He a New Love Interest for Josslyn? Baby Phoebe’s Bio-Dad?
Towards the conclusion of the Thursday, July 30 episode of General Hospital, Troy Lennon Appel made his debut asa “mysterious and shady businessman” going by the name of “Hudson.”
The person who first saw Hudson was none other than Ethan Lovett, who is now played by another soap newcomer Christian Howard, who replaced the exited Nathan Dean in the role.
From the looks of things, Ethan was not at all happy to see Hudson at the Metro Court Pool. It looks as though Ethan doesn’t even want Hudson to know he is in the same town. So, how do these two know each other? Is Hudson the father of baby Phoebe? Is Hudson possibly a Quartermaine? Like Dillon Quartermaine … or someone else from the Q clan? Stay tuned.
Photo: ABC
TROY LENNON APPEL JOINS KELLY KRUGER AS THE LATEST ARRIVALS ON-SCREEN TO GH
Meanwhile, for his premiere airdate, which also marked the first on-screen episode of Kelly Kruger as Serena Baldwin, Troy spoke to TV Insider and shared a bit about the character he’s playing and more.
Appel expressed, “Hudson is a shady businessman, and you’re not clear as to his motives, He goes one way, but then leans the other, and so he kind of keeps you on your toes. So far, what I’ve played, this guy is way cooler than I am, so it’s been so cool to play him. But he’s just been a force to be reckoned with so far, and I’m not even entirely sure as to all of his intentions in Port Charles. I’m excited to see where his journey goes, because I’m very lucky to be playing this character.”
As GH casting lore goes, Troy actually read for the role of Joe Fitzpatrick that went to Jonathan Bennett, but the producers were impressed by him that they created the role of Hudson with Appel specifically in mind. And stand by … according to Appel, he screen-tested with Daytime Emmy-winner, Eden McCoy (Josslyn).
So, is Hudson the new man for Josslyn? All Appel would say was, “I did a chemistry read with Eden much later when I kind of cemented that I was going to be playing another character, and it all just happened and I’m insanely grateful that it did.”
With Troy Lennon Appel, Kelly Kruger, Christian Howard, and Dean Geyer (whose character of Tristan was revealed to have ties with the WSB) all appearing on the latest episode of General Hospital, was it jarring for you, or are you excited for what’s to come? Weigh-in via the comment section.
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ethan Lovett Hightails Out of the Country, Christian Howard Wraps His Stint
‘Knots Landing’ Favorite Donna Mills Joins ‘OnlyFans’
Y&R Alum Brenda Dickson Breaks Silence On Her Arrest, ‘Everyone in the LAPD Knows Who Jill Abbott Is’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Troy Lennon Appel Makes His Debut as ‘Hudson’: Is He a New Love Interest for Josslyn? Baby Phoebe’s Bio-Dad?
‘The Young and the Restless’ Eric Braeden Talks Daytime Emmy Nomination, State of Nikki and Victor’s Marriage, and His Co-Stars (Exclusive)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie is Disowned By The Logan Sisters
‘General Hospital’ Writes Maxie Jones and Her Family Off The Show
GH Alum Nicholas Alexander Chavez Lands Role in Paramount’s Remake of ‘Possession’
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Reveals His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy-Nominated Reel Did Not Contain Monica’s Funeral
‘General Hospital’ Ethan Lovett Recast: Christian Howard Replaces Nathan Dean
‘Knots Landing’ Favorite Donna Mills Joins ‘OnlyFans’
Y&R Alum Brenda Dickson Breaks Silence On Her Arrest, ‘Everyone in the LAPD Knows Who Jill Abbott Is’
‘The Young and the Restless’ Eric Braeden Talks Daytime Emmy Nomination, State of Nikki and Victor’s Marriage, and His Co-Stars (Exclusive)
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