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General Hospital’s Jacklyn Zeman Passes Away at 70

Photo: ABC

In just heartbreaking news on Monday evening, General Hospital’s beloved Jackie Zeman (Bobbie Spencer) has died at the age of 70.

Zeman’s passing was first revealed by current GH executive producer, Frank Valentini, who tweeted: “On behalf of our General Hospital family, I am heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Jackie Zeman.  Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and true professional that brought so much positive energy with her to work. Jackie will be greatly missed, but her positive spirit will always live on with our cast and crew. We send our heartfelt sympathy to her loved ones, friends and family, especially her daughters Cassidy and Lacey.”

Photo: ABC

Details of her death have not been released, although ABC7 in Los Angeles is reporting that her family revealed Jackie died following a short battle with cancer.  Recently, she celebrated her 45th anniversary with the long-running ABC soap opera.

The official General Hospital Twitter account also shared: “Jacklyn Zeman has been a beloved member of the General Hospital and ABC family since she originated the iconic role of Bobbie Spencer over 45 years ago. She leaves behind a lasting legacy for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of the bad girl turned heroine and will always be remembered for her kind heart and radiant spirit. We are devastated by the news of her passing, and send our deepest condolences to Jackie’s family, friends and loved ones.”

Before coming to General Hospital for her iconic run as Nurse Bobbie from the wrong side of the tracks who made a life for herself, Zeman played troublemaker Lana McClain on One Life to Live from 1976-1977. Later in 1977, she joined GH.

Photo: ABC

Throughout her daytime career, Jackie received four Daytime Emmy nominations, one for Lead Actress and three for Supporting Actress. She has also had a continuing role on the Daytime Emmy-winning digital series, The Bay where she played the role of Sofia Madison.

Jackie is survived by her daughters, Cassidy and Lacey, and grandchildren, Kennedy and Decker.

Michael Fairman TV will continue to share reactions and updates on the death of Jackie Zeman, GH’s Nurse Bobbie Zeman, in the hours to come.

Share your thoughts, condolences and remembrances for Jackie in the comment section below.  But first, watch Jackie’s message from last month acknowledging GH’s 60th anniversary and the ongoing support of the fans, followed by a special tribute package with a few retrospective clips honoring Nurse Bobbie for her 45-years during this year’s GH Nurses’ Ball episodes.

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shocking sad, heartbreaking, simply sad, my condolences to her family and the GH family.

So sad…
Jackie do not RIP you go onward on your blessed journey into your new forever.
There is an astounding journey for you..

They saw losses come in threes… first Sonya, then N’neeka and now the biggest gut punch.

Jackie and I came from the same town in North Jersey (albeit at different times). For that, I always felt a special connection.

When she returned back in 2013, it sunk in what we had been missing – a comforting presence. How wonderful that she got a special tribute at this year’s Nurses Ball.

Jackie often brought out the best in Tony Geary. With her, Luke cut out all the noise and was just a protective brother.

From the battered wife story with first husband, Brock to Daytime’s Finest Hour (BJ’s death) to being at Tony’s bedside when he passed, Jackie made us cry many times. She was also quite comical in long running “feud” with Lucy.

My first reaction when I heard this incredibly sad news was the same as Felicia when hearing of BJ’s accident… “Not Barbara Jean!”

RIP to a Port Charles legend. And sympathies to the cast and crew of GH. Too many losses in a short time.

It is so sad I’ve watch gh since the beginning I’m 68 now. And never go anywhere till my show goes off I adore everyone on the show I’ve lost several in the past three yrs back to back within a couple of months I’ll sure miss seeing Bobbie on there and I miss aphianie she is a angle now her and Bobbie are together in our fathers arms condolences to her family

Shocked to hear this news. The original OG Spencer has left the building. Little did they know when they brought this nurse in for a small part in 1977 that it would be the start of one of Port Charles’s most legendary families.

RIP Bunny Jackie…..

When I read this news last night on goldderby I had to google search her name because I couldn’t quite believe it was true. I will treasure all of my memories of her work as Bobbie Spencer over the past 45 years. Even though her role diminished in these later years she just had a presence at the Nurse’s Ball and at Michael and Willow’s wedding. I hope GH does yet another beautiful tribute episode for her in time. She will surely be missed by all of us GH fans.

Very sad and shocking. RIP

Totally heartbroken to read this super sad news. Every day she was on was a great one for me. I will miss her.

I’ve been watching GH for a little more than 15 years now and “Bobbie” was what I considered an anchor character; one that connected the past with the present.

My condolences to her family, both in real life and on GH.

People throw the word “iconic” around for anything now but Jackie was a true true icon of the soaps I can’t believe it I loved her so much. Very sad news.

So sad to hear. I have watched her since she was Lana on One Life to Live and of course, Bobbie on General Hospital. She was amazing during the BJ storyline. She will be missed. My condolences to her daughters and the GH family.

I’m shocked I loved Jackie!
I remember when she was nominated for Lead Actress she was wearing this enormous strapless green dress she looked like an enormous cabbage but I loved her! RIP Bobbie.

Very sorry to hear this. Been a Bobbie (Jackie) fan since I was 5 years old. Prayers to Miss Zeman’s daughters and the rest of her family and friends.

Michael, I always think of you first when I hear of as soap opera actor passing. I’m sorry for the loss of your friend, but you are one of the lucky ones. You got to not only meet and interview, but become a trusted friend. I hope those memories get you through being heartbroken.

Heartbroken & shocked beyond words. I had chills when I read this. She was so beautiful on the anniversary show, I loved the clips of Bobbie’s history. She will be so missed. I just cannot believe it! She is a mainstay of GH! This is terrible.

Awful news to wake up to today! Jackie was a pillar and icon of General Hospital, of daytime TV really. Such an iconic role as Nurse Bobbie Spencer. To have lasted for going on 46 years, what an incredible run!

Jackie was a very talented actress, she should have won an Emmy for the BJ’s death storyline in 1994. And such a lovely lady. I had the pleasure of interacting with her on Twitter a few times, and she was as lovely and kind as you would imagine.

A huge loss for GH, first Sonya Eddy and now Jackie. Just terrible. I’m really heartbroken over this news. She looked as beautiful as ever in her recent scenes at Michael and Willow’s wedding, you would have never known that she was sick.

RIP Jackie, go up there and run that Nurses station in the sky with Sonya like we know only you can. My condolences to Jackie’s family, friends and co-workers.

GH’s nursing station is now very empty with Sonya and Jackie’s passings… Hopefully everything is okay with Leslie Charleson and Monica isn’t next. She’s been absent for a while now, it would be great to see her again.

I am stunned. Jackie Zeman’s Bobbie Spencer is part of the fabric of GH. Jackie is a huge loss for everyone. I just cannot believe it. My heart is broken. My deepest sympathy to her family.

Thank you Jackie Zeman for everything you brought to GH and for sharing your talent with all of us. Rest in peace.

Wow!! I will definitely miss seeing Bobbie and Epiphany, they played their roles very well!! Praying with and for her family!!❤️

I am saddened by the death of Jacklyn Zeman. She was a delight. I have liked her ever since.

Not watched in years but she was so good and very sad for her family and the cast she was very loved obviously. I guess they caught the cancer too late very sad .

I heard this this morning on CBS Sunday Morning . I scanned back to make sure I had seen what I thought I saw. Very sad news .
Of course, she was a legend on General Hospital. I actually remember an episode where Bobbie was at the nurses station with Amy Vinning. It was one of her 1st episodes, I think.
Also, Jackie was absolutely fantastic on The Bay.
RIP Jackie Zeman.

Breaking News

George Cheeks, CBS President & CEO, on Timeline to Launch New Daytime Drama, ‘The Gates’: “We’re So Focused on Getting it Right”

March 2024 will be remembered in the TV and soap world when the news broke that CBS is prepping a brand new daytime drama. Many had thought a major network would never bring a new daytime soap into the world, given that the last time it was attempted was 25 years ago when the now defunct Passions bowed on NBC.

However, The Gates is definitely in development and moving forward with some major players associated with it including: Michele Val Jean as The Gates writer, showrunner and one of its executive producers, and Sheila Ducksworth from NAACP Venture

Now, for the first time since its announcement, George Cheeks, the president and CEO of CBS and chief content officer for news and sports at Paramount+, spoke on the project that will feature a Black family as its central focus who live in a wealthy gated community.

Photo: NAACP

Speaking with Vulture, and when asked if The Gates is really something that truly has a chance of getting on the air, Cheeks clarified, “It’s super real. And just to give you a little bit of the backstory,  when we hired Sheila Ducksworth to run the NAACP Venture, she and I had multiple meetings talking about what different genres she was going to lean into, and we talked a lot about daytime.”

Cheeks added, “One of the things that the data made very clear to both of us is that daytime soap operas over index with Black women, and yet when you look at soap operas, it’s usually sort of a white-led family with supporting characters that reflect more of our society. So we just thought, wouldn’t it be interesting to flip that and make the core anchor family a Black family, and then make the other characters reflect more the broader scope of society?”

Photo: JPI

The CEO gave props to Michele Val Jean,  and how Ducksworth came to the table with the former B&B and GH writer. “She found this great writer, Michele Val Jean, who’s been in the soap opera space for 30 years. She came up with a pitch, and we loved it,” shares Cheeks. “We brought Procter & Gamble into it as well, because if there were going to be (product) integrations, we could do it more holistically and organically. All of that is to say, we did a lot of work on the front end to put this together. So while yes, it’s development, it’s accelerated development.”

When prodded on the timeline of when The Gates could come to full fruition, Gates related, “The actual timeline and when we’re going to do it is still uncertain, because we want to get this right. I mean, there hasn’t been a new soap opera launch since I can’t even begin to tell you when. But we have great success with Bold and the Beautiful and Young and the Restless, and so we think we’re the right folks to be launching a new soap. I wish I could tell you more about exact timing, but we’re so focused on getting it right, and that will dictate when we’re ready to launch it.”

The CBS exec also shared that whether The Gates will wind up an hour soap or half-hour is not yet determined, but that it is being developed as an hour show.

So, after reading what George Cheeks, the CBS President & CEO had to say about ‘The Gates’, are you even more excited for what looks to the first new network soap in 25 years? Comment below.

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Breaking News

Robyn Bernard, ‘General Hospital’s’ Terry Brock, Dead at 64

Former General Hospital star, Robyn Bernard, who played aspiring singer Terry Brock has died. She was 64-years-old.

Bernard’s body was found Tuesday in San Jacinto, California. A Riverside County Coroner told TMZ they identified the actress’ body using her fingerprints after deputies responded to a death investigation call on Tuesday March 12th.

Sources told the outlet that Bernard’s body was found in the wee hours of the morning. The cause of death has yet to be determined.

Photo: ABC

Bernard joined General Hospital back in 1984 as Terry Brock, the daughter of the abusive D.L. Brock (played by David Groh). Robyn remained on the ABC soap opera for six years before making her exit in 1990. At one point, Terry’s stepmother would become Bobbie Spencer (the late Jackie Zeman) when the nurse married her father.

Terry was involved in the Laurelton Murders storyline and after first setting her sights on Frisco Jones, wound up with killer Kevin O’Connor. Later, Terry was blamed for several murders and in the end killed Kevin in self-defense. In addition, Terry had a relationship with Dusty Walker played by none other than Shaun Cassidy.  She eventually left Port Charles after landing her own recording contract.

Photo: ABC

The last time GH Fans may have seen Bernard was in 2014, when she appeared at the GH Fan Club Weekend Past Cast event. Robyn is pictured below with the late Susan Brown (ex-Gail) at the fan gathering. She has been out of the limelight for several years.

Photo: JPI

In addition to her role on GH, Bernard was featured throughout her TV career on primetime’s Simon & Simon, Tour of Duty and The Facts of Life.

Share your remembrances and condolences for GH alum Robyn Bernard and her loved ones via the comment section below.

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Breaking News

51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Announce Broadcast Date on CBS

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) revealed on Tuesday, that the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on Friday night, June 7th (8 – 10 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+*.

This year will mark the 18th time CBS has broadcast the Daytime Emmy Awards, which is more than any other network.

The 2024 Daytime Emmys will take place at the Westin Bonaventure in downtown Los Angeles. Back in December of 2023, the delayed 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were also held at that venue. The June 7th date for the upcoming ceremony will be the first time in several years that the event is scheduled a few weeks earlier than normal; excluding last year’s revised date to the actors and writers strikes.

Photo: NATAS

Lifetime Achievement honoree, nominations, host, and additional information will be announced in the coming weeks.

In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS noted, “We eagerly anticipate our return in June as we once again partner with CBS to recognize the exceptional and talented individuals who make daytime television great. We’re thrilled to kick off our second half-century of the Daytime Emmys.”

The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of categories, including daytime dramas, talk shows, instructional programming, hosting, culinary, and legal/courtroom programs. In 2021, NATAS and the Television Academy jointly announced plans to realign the Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards to be organized by content genre, as opposed to program airtime.

Photo: JPI

The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will once again be produced by NATAS and Associated Television International (ATI), which produced Daytime Emmy Award ceremonies on The CW in 2009 and on CBS in 2010, 2011, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Adam Sharp and Lisa Armstrong are executive producers from NATAS, while David McKenzie is executive producer from ATI.

So, glad to know that the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards honoring performance and shows in the 2023 calendar year, will be held in early June this year, and once again broadcast on CBS? Comment below.

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