General Hospital
General Hospital names Shelly Altman New Co-Head Writer!
There is more shifting and changing going on behind the scenes in soaps these days than in the cast lists! News today out of Soap Opera Digest is that General Hospitalhas done another shake-up at the top of the writing regime! Shelly Altman has been named the new co-head writer, and she will work alongside already previously named new co-head writer, Garin Wolf.
Altman has previously written for One Life to Live and Another World, among other television projects. Altman won a Daytime Emmy award with the the writing team of One Life to Live in 2008, and has also received Best Writing nominations from the Writers Guild Of America.
So what do you think of this news, soapers? Many fans have been commenting recently and have been disgruntled with the show recently under Garin Wolf, and were previously disgruntled with the show under Bob Guza. Perhaps, Altman is the ticket? Let us know!
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Serena Sets Her Sights on Michael; Jason’s Emotional Exit from the Mob
This week on all-new episodes of General Hospital, new and old motivations come into play with dangerous consequences. According to the just released GH video spoilers video for the week of August 3-7, a bailiff calls out, “All rise!”
Now it’s Isaiah (Sawandi Wilson) vs. Curtis (Donnell Turner), as the surgeon is suing the owner of the Savoy for assault that ruined is ability to operate. At the end of the day, which of these men has enough evidence against the other? Portia (Brook Kerr) is by Isaiah’s side, while Jordan (Tanisha Harper) is with Curtis.
Next, Lucy (Lynn Herring) has a plan to get the controlling shares of Deception away from Michael (Rory Gibson). She wants her daughter, Serena (Kelly Kruger) to seduce Michael. She tells her, “Pick out your most seductive suit.” Soon, we see Serena in her bathing suit at the Metro Court face to face with Michael.
Later, there is a small baggie containing three blue pills. Nina (Cynthia Watros) ask Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), “What did you do?” We also see Michael asking the same thing of Jacinda (Paige Herschell). Leading into this week, viewers know that Willow doesn’t want the former escort anywhere near her children, Amelia and Wiley. Is this how she stops her, or is Jacinda up to old tricks and wants to frame Willow? Remember when Jacindsa drugged Drew (Cameron Mathison)? Stay tuned.
Finally, in the pick-up from last Friday’s cliffhanger, an emotional Jason (Steve Burton) continues to tell Sonny (Maurice Benard) that he cannot work for him anymore. Sonny ask, “So that’s it? You’re Out?” We fade to black.
Take a look at the official GH spoilers for the week below.
MONDAY, AUGUST 3
Jason makes a sacrifice for Danny. Elizabeth becomes privy to a secret. Carly is touched. Valentin has a warning for Nina. Josslyn cautions Brennan.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4
Brook Lynn and Chase celebrate a milestone. Trina gets an earful. Carly’s plan backfires. Curtis is skeptical. Michael is anxious about his family’s’ future.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5
Sonny wants answers. Ava is struck with inspiration. Curtis’ trial begins. Brook Lynn wrestles with a big decision. Lucy and Serena scheme.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6
Sonny makes a stunning announcement. Serena makes her move. Willow faces a new threat. Isaiah takes the stand. Lucy questions Laura.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
Josslyn is taken aback. Ava courts a new ally. Jordan and Anna catch up. Isaiah vents to Lucas and Elizabeth. Michael questions Jacinda.
Check out the latest ABC promo for General Hospital entitled, “What Did You Do?” below.
Now weigh-in: Do you think GH is about to pair Serena with Michael? Is it curtains for Jacinda? Can anyone stop Willow once and for all, or make her pay for her crimes? What will Jason do without Sonny and the mob? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital Fan Club Weekend brought out many of your favorites to the four day event; with the main cast gathering on Saturday, August 1. Fans near and far attended the weekend held this year at the Burbank Marriott Hotel. Whether it be the main cast event or the smaller more intimate events featuring two or three cast members a great time was had by all.
Some of the cast participating in the main cast event included: Cyrus Hobbi (Yuri), Gary James Fuller (James), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli), Viron Weaver (Wiley), Paige Herschell (Jacinda), Chris McKenna (Brennan), Josh Kelly (Cody), Kayden Brenna Tokarsi (Scout), Cassandra James (Terry), Laura Wright (Carly), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane), Rick Hearst (Ric), Adrian Anchondo (ex-Marco), and Chloe Lanier (ex-Nelle).
In addition to, Van Hansis (Lucas), Cameron Mathison (Drew), Ryan Paevey (ex-Cassius), Easton Rocket Sweda (Leo), Maurice Benard (Sonny), Kristen Vaganos (Molly), Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Kate Mansi (ex-Kristina), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth), Cynthia Watros (Nina), Kristina Wagner (Felicia) and more.
Take a look at some of the snaps from the main event arrivals below:
Photo: HutchinsPhoroi
GH’s Rick Hearst with on-screen daughter, Kristen Vaganos, plus Nancy Lee Grahn, and Kate Mansi.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Maurice Benard on-hand to meet the fans.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto.com
Jack Brennan in the house … Chris McKenna.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Adrian Anchondo, Van Hansis and Anchondo’s boyfriend, Days of Our Lives, Colton Little.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Josh Kelly and his gal, the former Nelle Benson of Port Charles, Chloe Lanier.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Who is James’ father? Not Cassius or Spinelli, actually. Actors Gary James Fuller, Ryan Paevey and Bradford Anderson!
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
One of General Hospital’s newest cast members, Kayden Brenna Tokarski attends her first GHFCW event.
Check out some more arrival images featuring: Laura Wright (Carly), Cassandra James (Terry), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane) and more in the gallery below.
Michael Fairman TV will be adding more images to this post in the day ahead.
So, were you glad to see so many of your GH favorites attending this year’s General Hospital Fan Club Weekend? Let us know via the comment section.
General Hospital
Vincent Pastore of ‘Sopranos’ Fame and ‘General Hospital’s’ Maximus Giambetti Dies at 80
Vincent Pastore, best known for his memorable role as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos has passed away.
The veteran actor was found dead on August 1st in his home in the Bronx, New York. Pastore was 80-years-old. The cause of death is yet to be determined.
As well as his role on The Sopranos, many soap fans will recall he played multiple smaller roles on the beloved One Life to Live from 1995 and 2004. However, in 2008, he landed the short-term role as Maximus Giambetti on General Hospital.
PASTORE WANTED TO BE ON GENERAL HOSPITAL
Maximus was the mobster father of Sonny Corinthos’ (Maurice Benard) bodyguards: Max (Derk Cheetwood) and Milo (Drew Cheetwood)
According to Soap Opera Digest, Pastore told Soaps In Depth back in 2009, after appearing in a SOAPnet promotional campaign as a celebrity fan of General Hospital: “‘I’d love to be on the show. So they called up GH’s casting director (Mark Teschner) and Bobby (Robert Guza Jr. ex-head writer, GH) and they wrote me in!”
Pastore was a huge General Hospital fan from way back, who at one point told producers that he would watch the ABC soap opera while working in bars and nightclubs in the 70s and 80s.
Throughout his decades long career, Pastore appeared in films including: Goodfellas, Carlito’s Way and Men of Respect, The Jerky Boys: The Movie and the 1996 HBO TV movie Gotti.
In TV, besides The Sopranos, Pastore’s credits included: Law & Order, The Practice, Son of the Beach, Queens Supreme, Hawaii Five-0, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, plus the miniseries The Last Don II. Most recently, Vincent was a series regular on Gravesend and guest starred on Yellowjackets.
Pastore is survived by his daughter, Renee, son-in-law and granddaughter.
Share your remembrances and condolences for Vincent Pastore on his memorable role on ‘The Sopranos’ and his time on ‘General Hospital’ via the comment section below.
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Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’m actually really enjoying Wolf’s writing. Lesser known characters are getting fleshed out (Matt, Steve), dialogue is more intelligent, history and veterans are better utilized, etc. Even Elizabeth, a character that I thought was utterly ruined by Guza, is back to her flawed but charming self. My favorite part of the transition is that the mob/hospital arcs are balancing out – not every episode feels like the Sonny show. I still wish they’d eliminate the Franco nonsense, but as it’s unlikely, I’ll just hope it’s less painful to watch 🙂
Interesting. So the fact that they are bringing on someone to help (isn’t she a breakdown writer for GH?) seems to mean that they are still willing to invest in this show and give it a chance to succeed. At least that’s how I would like to look at it. Viva la GH!
So this news + the Michelle Val Jean news makes for some pretty fun dot-connecting!
Can we please get some new writers on Y and R..I barely watch anymore..its really really bad.
After today’s discraceful episode, not amoment too soon!
*disgraceful. Sorry.
Hopefully the addition of Altman will give us somebody who can actually follow through on a storyline instead of just throw us a couple of tease. I like wolf a whole lot more than guza but so far he’s not delivering either. If you wanna really give the show a boost, don’t tell us what you hope to deliver but actually deliver. So far under wolf everything stilll feels like guza s gh. Its like everyone is in limbo. everything is prolong much longer, it feels like jason and sam have been on their honymoon forever, the maxie and spinneli storyline plays out the same way everyday, its like reset, repeat same problem, same everything , their storyline is going nowhere . the people we thought we would start seeing more of are still appearing like day players, i’m not seeing mac, monica, more under wolf then when guza was writing, and the lead players are still in their same boring storyline that guza had them under. hopefully Altman will bring a female touch that gh lacks under their head writers like guza and wolf.
Something – or someone – needs to happen, and, hopefully, Ms Altman will be to one to work with Wolf to realize some of the potential, On paper, many of the current stories look good, but the delivery is failing. Once promising dialogue has turned repetitious. Yes, Wolf has showing more balance in a wide use of characters, but his weekly balance isn’t working because of the “block” story telling. Dropping characters mid-story while focusing on another block of characters for a two-week story isn’t working. That is NOT the way to maintain interest. Hopefully, a co-writer will help GH get off the sandbar that Spinelli’s little boat became stuck on last week. Right now, the show has parallels to the agonizing slow-moving boat cruise story which is drifting without a captain.
IMO, yesterday’s GHepisode was a “slap in the face” to Claire Labine and Robin and Stone’s HIV/AIDS storyline. To have someone, a doctor no less, threaten to inject a HIV-person with HIV+ blood went way OTT even for GH. This totally belittles one of the greatest storylines GH has ever done to continue with a storyline that should’ve ended along with Guza’s departure.
Jason Thompsom, Kimberly McCullough and Brianna Brown were excellent in yesterday’s scenes. What bothered me was GH even went that route all because of obsession and jealousy.
Looks like part of Altman’s job will be to reign Wolfe in on making sense with stupid storylines.
I love GH and am a lonnnng time fan, and am in favor of the new, fresh turn it is taking, away from “mob activity” and back to more character driven storylines. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Jason and Sonny immensely, but the personal side of their characters, and how they interact with those they love, as opposed to mob killing and dealings all the time. That being said, as long as Garin Wolf and Shelly Altman have been brought in to truly help GH withstand and overcome the soap world decline, then I am thrilled and will back them 100 percent, but if they were put in place by Brian Frons, to help bring the show down (which I can see Frons doing), then I find that revolting. I guess time will tell. Long live General Hospital and the wonderful characters many of us have loved for years, and much good luck to Garin Wolf and Shelly Altman!!!!
sonny and brenda needs to reunite in 2012