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General Hospital Turns 59 Today

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: ABC

Today on Friday, April 1st, General Hospital celebrates its 59th anniversary on the air and continues to be the longest-running American soap opera.  It debuted on ABC back on this day in 1963.

The show, which has told the story of the lives of the doctors, nurses and patients at GH, and later expanded into a soap about the town of Port Charles and its families, citizens, and mobsters has won a record 14 Daytime Emmys as Outstanding Drama Series.

Photo: ABC

It was created by Frank and Doris Hursley, and is currently written by co-head writers, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor and executive produced by Frank Valentini.

Original series stars John Beradino (Steve Hardy), and Emily MacLaughlin (Jessie) were the mainstays of the show back in the 60’s and were joined a year later by Rachel Ames (Audrey Hardy).

Photo: GH

Nowm the core families of the Quartermaines, Corinthos, Cassadines and more provide the romance, lust, high stakes drama, danger, mystery, love, and more, making GH one of the finest in its genre.

Happy 59th anniversary to the cast, crew and creatives for keeping GH a must-see for all soap opera fans and TV viewers for 59 years.

Now, share your congratulations to everyone at General Hospital via the comment section below, and if its your favorite soap on the air let us know why, too!

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Happy bday GH, I’m so glad your part of my daily life, and here’s to many many more.

I am 59 this year too. I cannot recall a time in our house without GH. I think about the characters and stories from the half-hour episodes I saw after school. The excitement of Luke and Laura was unforeseen. I have not fully enjoyed the heavy mob-influenced stories or the eye-rollingly impossible resurrections but in six decades, there is more to celebrate than to deride. My other favorites, All My Children and As the World Turns should still be with us too.

Ok lakovos, how I miss ATWT! I used to love watching when we’d visit my feisty Scottish grandma…she’d spot a character on a show and just blurt out, “She’s a slut!” Or words to that effect. What memories of Nancy’s kitchen, the old Oakdale hospital, Bob and Lisa, Lisa and Grant, Lisa and…well, you get the picture. Golden days!

Congratulations to “General Hospital” on its 59 years, but a slight correction to the post. GH is the longest-running American soap opera ON TELEVISION. The distinction is important because “Guiding Light” remains the longest-running American soap opera overall. 72 years, starting on radio in 1937 before moving to TV. We loyal fans still miss it (but I’m very entertained by GH these days).

Yes and I watched that premier episode. I was immediately hooked by Jessie Brewer and Steve Hardy and Lucille March and even Phil Brewer. Those were the good old days. Happy Anniversary General Hospital and many, many more!!!!!!!!!!!!

LlAnview717
Just FYI. Lucille March, aka Lucille Wall played on two radio shows at the same time in the 40s thru the 50s. Probably wasn’t that hard to do as they were only on for 15 min.She played an attorney, reminds me of Alexes. Was called Portia Faces Life and she also played Lorenzo Jones wife Belle.

Kudos to the current cast members who’ve been part of the show for at least half of those 59 years…

Leslie Charleson
Kin Shriner
Genie Francis
Jackie Zeaman
Tristan Rogers
Finola Hughes
Kristina Wagner
Lynn Herring
John J York
Wally Kurth
Jon Lindstrom
& Maurice Bernard

Steve, thank you for that documentation. I like virtually all of the characters played by these actors, and their tenure is quite an achievement.

Wow. GH is only 4 months younger than myself! Hopefully more good years to come as GH remains the No 1 soap with writing. Just figure out what to do with Sonny and Carly please! And bring back Steve Burton as woke ABC made a big mistake.

I bet Sonny and Carly wish they looked like that old picture. Especially Sonny who seems to like and admire his grey hair and grizzled beard.

Hey Violet

Got to chime in and say that I usually appreciate when a performer embraces the gray. John York went natural and Mac still looks fantastic. Kudos to Benard for doing the same. On the female side, Jane Elliot rocks the gray/white.

Steve
I agree with you thoroughly, except for M.B and Michael on Y&R as he’s let it get so long and unbecoming. Sonny’s hair looks oily and sorry, but its nothing I’d want to run my fingers through, coupled with the nasty old beard. .Now take Gregory Harrison, and Michael E. Knight. They know how to sport that silver grey hair.

Violet, my friend, don’t get me started on Sonny’s recent appearance. It’s pretty sad when a confrontation with so lowly a character as Esme ends with our fearing for SONNY! That silly grin and Grizzly Adams look just ain’t working for him.

Congratulations! So happy GH is still going strong. I started watching It from the beginning, when I was in high school, and the story line was about Angie and Eddie. Loved Jessie, Phil, Steve and all the others. Especially, Audrey’s sassy-mouthed sister, Lucille. It got me through both, the good and challenging times. Loved it even when the writing wasn’t always stellar. Will continue to watch as long as it continues.

Happy Birthday General Hospital started watching soaps sence I was 9 my dad committed suicide my mother had my brother 2 weeks later so we moved to Michigan to live with my grandparents. My grandpa got me into soaps. I’m 70 and still watching so happy birthday many many more.

Lynn
So glad you had the Soaps to help you through such a bad time. They have been there for me most of my life and are like extended family. I’ve tried to stay loyal to most of them save DOOL which I’ve gone without watching due to the crazy Devil story line they have been pursuing for months.Maybe some day they will get back to normal, I miss the real show.r

Did anyone else not get the show today, the 14th? I had to watch it on Utube. If you missed it, nothing happened, boring.
B&B was not shown yesterday and thought we’d see the rooftop scenes with Sheila and Taylor today,, Wrong! They just showed Thurs.show.

Violet
I’ve had this issue a few times (always on the 2nd day after a preemption). It seems ABC, or whoever controls the DVR listing, makes an adjustment on the 1st day after (in this case Wednesday) so that records, but the 2nd day after (Thursday), the DVR thinks is a repeat because it had the same description as the original Wednesday show.

Confusing and annoying indeed. I catch it on the ABC app on those days (and “suffer” through commercials).

I’ve had the same issue, Steve. I tried revising the recording instructions to record all episodes, first run AND repeats. That works for Y&R but for some reason, not with GH. Go figure.

Steve
Thanks so much. I’ve been calling my Cable Co. when this happens blaming them.My goodness, how did you ever figure all that out?

This is why I’m happy we have Hulu in Hell, and I just happened to catch their “Black Friday” special last November so I’m only paying $1/month for a full year. No more worries about news interruptions… unless they preempt the whole show….. though I’m not entirely sure that there should have been a national pre-emption because of what was essentially a local news story in NYC

Iam realizing they inserted those scenes into today’s show and think I might change my mind about Sheila saving Taylor’s dumb butt! It’s nice to be grateful for having had someone save your life, and then to throw all your brains out in the process is beyond me. I wonder if Taylor will stand up for her when she finds out she tried to murder her daughter, after killing her own son.

Since Jason left and sonny has turned soft towards nina the show is getting boring. I have watched it for 50 years and now I am wondering if it is worth my while for first time I have fell asleep watching it this week. Bring the sunny jason duo drama back

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.

Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark

Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”

In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.

It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.

Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.

You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.

So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.

 

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‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?

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On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.

As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.

Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC

Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.

BROTHERLY LOVE?

Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”

With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”

BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE

Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”

So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair

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After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!

In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.

Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.

MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP

Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!

At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.

Courtesy/ABC

BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY

Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”

LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER

In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?

So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.

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