General Hospital
Genie Francis on her decision to go to Y&R & her disappointment in GH!
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
The newest cast member of The Young and the Restless, soap superstar, Genie Francis opened up to EW.com on how the move to come to the number one soap came about, and how her appearance on Oprah really was the beginning of a new chapter for her, and yet it felt like her General Hospital life may have come to an end. Here are a few excerpts from the interview from the fantastic Francis!
Genie on how she was offered the role of Cane’s mom on Y&R: “I got a call from [Y&R Executive Producer] Maria Bell three or four weeks ago. She explained to me that she had seen me on Oprah and liked the idea of what I wanted to play, and she had an idea of how to write that, how to incorporate that into A story on Young and the Restless. She would create a new role for me. I wouldn’t be coming in to replace someone. She called me personally to ask me if I was willing to listen to an offer, and I said, yes, I’m willing!”
Genie on how she thinks her fans will respond of her moving away from GH: ” What I have found is that my fan base will follow me to whatever I’m doing. They gave me a big tune-in for Hallmark. They were just happy to see me working again, and my job is not to disappoint them, not to cheat them. And I feel like the last little appearance on GH cheated them. I welcome the opportunity to do something new to continue to entertain my audience. What I loved about Laura — and what people loved about Laura — is that she is a terrific memory, but it’s just not there anymore. [GH] cannot conceive a Laura who is 48 years old, a grown woman. So that’s that. I’m a little surprised, too, since this year is the 30th anniversary of Luke and Laura’s marriage. (The wedding aired on Nov. 17, 1981.)”
Genie on her Oprah Show comment where she stated, “there is nothing in me that is willing to play a victim anymore.” when Oprah asked whether she would ever return to GH: “I guess I didn’t really think about how it would be received. I just felt like it was time to talk from my heart, and tell the people that yes, I’d love to come back to work, but I want to work in a way that uses all of me so I’m not just cheating my audience. I felt for a while with the GH appearances, they were kind of using me as a media trick, bringing me on for three or four weeks, saying I was back on the show, but not really writing for me. And then I would be gone. I just didn’t like that anymore. I guess it was me putting my foot down. I would have loved to come back to [General Hospital], but I needed them to write a real role for who this woman would be now. They didn’t respond. I didn’t hear anything. And that’s a shame. I was willing to put it out there, see what could be done. But I did receive a lovely call from Maria!”
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Max Gail Turns In Another Emmy-Worthy Performance As Mike’s Battle With Alzheimer’s Takes Its Toll
For any of us who have seen our loved ones deteriorate right before our eyes, due to the horrific affects of Alzheimer’s, and have been witness to their confusion, dementia, angry outbursts, frightened looks, and uncontrollable tears, yesterday’s episode of General Hospital brought with it a stark reminder of how this disease is a gut-punch to those afflicted and their family members.
For several months, GH viewers saw a bit less of Mike; played brilliantly by recent Daytime Emmy Supporting Actor in a Drama Series winner, Max Gail. And smartly, the writers have taken the time to advance Mike’s condition …. as at this point he doesn’t recognize his son, his family, his friends, and more. For Mike, he is living in the past spirally backward and downward.
When Dev (Ashton Arbab) and Josslyn (Eden McCoy) go to visit Mike at Turning Woods, it’s clear how much he is suffering. When Dev plays a checkers game with Mike it seems to calm him down, but when Sonny (Maurice Benard) enters, all hell breaks loose. Mike thinks his son is actually one of their mortal enemies Joe Scully.
Earlier, at the Corinthos home, Michael (Chad Duell) sees that Sonny is considering entering his father in a clinical trial. Sonny says he knows it won’t cure the disease, but hopes the drugs in the trial can slow its progression. In a key question, any family member needs to ask themselves, Michael asks Sonny to think first, if this is the man Mike would want to be? Michael shares that Mike is no longer himself and sadly, there is no coming back from that.
All this becomes more poignant when Sonny sees first-hand how far Mike has slid. Will Sonny be able to come to terms with losing Mike to Alzheimer’s? How will he deal with it? Gail’s partner in this entire storyline has been GH icon, Maurice Benard, who delivers poignant work throughout this story in very contained, emotional moments of deep hurt and pain, as Sonny watches the father he knew become lost in himself and to others.
Watch the key scenes below from yesterday’s GH below featuring Gail. Then, let us know, do you think Max could end up in the running for another Daytime Emmy for his work? Comment below.
WATCH: Mike confuses Sonny with Joe Scully and brings Josslyn’s game night to a grinding halt. @MaxGail @MauriceBenard #GH pic.twitter.com/eOOfu54cA5
— General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) December 13, 2019
General Hospital
A Friz Holiday Miracle On GH?
ABC and General Hospital released a promo for the week of December 9th which features Franco (Roger Howarth) undergoing the mind-mapping reversal procedure that would restore his memory from that of Drew Cain’s back to Franco Baldwin.
But, as viewers saw on last Friday’s cliffhanger, Peter (Wes Ramsey) is trying to stop Dr. Maddox (Anthony Montgomery) from performing the procedure on Franco by ordering a hit on him.
In the promo, Elizabeth (Rebecca Hersbt) waits by her husband’s side hoping he will return to her and remember the love they share. As well, Cameron (William Lipton) prays with her that Franco will come back to them so they can be a family again in time for the holiday season.
Watch the teaser below.
Then, let us know if you are hoping Franco returns and that he is no longer Drew Cain in the comment section, or are you hoping for a different procedural outcome when he wakes up?
General Hospital
Paging Dr. Griffin Munro! Matt Cohen Makes A Return Visit To GH
Looks like a medical crisis will bring Matt Cohen (Griffin Munro) back to General Hospital today on Friday’s episode and next week on upcoming episodes of the ABC daytime drama series.
In addition, we wonder if Cohen might appear in scenes with Maura West, who’s Ava Jerome is checked into Shadybrook trying to deal with her emotional state, which unbeknownst to her is being caused by Nikolas Cassadine (Marcus Coloma).
As GH fans know, Cohen first came on to the GH scene back in 2016, but departed the series earlier in 2019.
Meanwhile, Matt has landed a gig on Entertainment Tonight as one of their correspondents and anchors while continuing to do directing, and acting projects.
What will bring Griffin back to Port Charles? Happy to see Matt again on GH? Comment below.
Greek Soap Star Andreas Georgiou To Appear On The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamron Hall Talk Show Gets Second Season Renewal
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Max Gail Turns In Another Emmy-Worthy Performance As Mike’s Battle With Alzheimer’s Takes Its Toll
OLTL Alum Renée Elise Goldsberry Says: “I Just Think The Best Actors In The World Are On Daytime Television”
DYNASTY’s Rafael de La Fuente Reflects On Being Out and Proud After Conquering His Fears
Days of our Lives to Air in the UK Beginning In January
‘Empire’ Actress Amanda Detmer Arrested For DUI And Fleeing The Scene
Stephen Nichols On His DAYS Return As Stefano: “I Knew I Didn’t Want To Be A Cheap Imitation.”
A Friz Holiday Miracle On GH?
DAYS Head Writer Ron Carlivati Talks On: Ben Weston, Soap Amnesia, Doppelgängers, and the Time Jump
Stephen Nichols On His DAYS Return As Stefano: “I Knew I Didn’t Want To Be A Cheap Imitation.”
WATCH: Steve Burton & Bradford Anderson Take On Grammy-Nominated Hit ‘Old Town Road’ With A GH Twist
DAYS Head Writer Ron Carlivati Talks On: Ben Weston, Soap Amnesia, Doppelgängers, and the Time Jump
A Friz Holiday Miracle On GH?
DYNASTY’s Rafael de La Fuente Reflects On Being Out and Proud After Conquering His Fears
Noted Soap Opera Producer Lisa de Cazotte Has Died; Daytime Community Mourns Her Passing
Paging Dr. Griffin Munro! Matt Cohen Makes A Return Visit To GH
Alison Sweeney Reveals She Is Making A Return To DAYS In 2020
WEDNESDAY: GH Stars Set To Perform Acoustic Holiday Concert On Facebook Live
TONIGHT: Rick Hearst Makes His AMBITIONS Debut
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Max Gail Turns In Another Emmy-Worthy Performance As Mike’s Battle With Alzheimer’s Takes Its Toll
A Friz Holiday Miracle On GH?
WATCH: Steve Burton & Bradford Anderson Take On Grammy-Nominated Hit ‘Old Town Road’ With A GH Twist
Rob Scott Wilson and Victoria Konefal Interview – Day of Days 2019
Freddie Smith and Chandler Massey Interview – Day of Days 2019
Camila Banus Interview – Day of Days 2019
Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall Interview – Day of Days 2019
Eric Martsolf and Stacy Haiduk Interview – Day of Days 2019
TONIGHT: GH Alum Ryan Paevey Stars In Hallmark’s ‘Christmas at The Plaza’
Stephen Nichols Returns To DAYS In Cliffhanger As ‘The Phoenix Always Rises From The Ashes’
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Days Of Our LivesDecember 10, 2019Stephen Nichols On His DAYS Return As Stefano: “I Knew I Didn’t Want To Be A Cheap Imitation.”
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General HospitalDecember 6, 2019WATCH: Steve Burton & Bradford Anderson Take On Grammy-Nominated Hit ‘Old Town Road’ With A GH Twist
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Days Of Our LivesDecember 8, 2019DAYS Head Writer Ron Carlivati Talks On: Ben Weston, Soap Amnesia, Doppelgängers, and the Time Jump
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General HospitalDecember 9, 2019A Friz Holiday Miracle On GH?
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DynastyDecember 11, 2019DYNASTY’s Rafael de La Fuente Reflects On Being Out and Proud After Conquering His Fears
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Days Of Our LivesDecember 8, 2019Noted Soap Opera Producer Lisa de Cazotte Has Died; Daytime Community Mourns Her Passing
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General HospitalDecember 6, 2019Paging Dr. Griffin Munro! Matt Cohen Makes A Return Visit To GH
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Days Of Our LivesDecember 6, 2019Alison Sweeney Reveals She Is Making A Return To DAYS In 2020
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Ring My Bell!! Good For Genie Y&R is going into May Sweeps Full Speed Ahead!!!!!
Good for Genie and good for Y&R.
No wonder Y&R is #1 they are so frickin smart over there. Thanks for posting this, GH can be sooo stupid sometimes, this is so one of those times.
What a smart woman. Y&R are lucky to have such a talented actress. Gh is hopeless!
Yay Genie! 🙂
I agree with YOU, Genie! GH should have had the intelligence to write Laura as a smokin’ hot Cougar who’d recovered physically & mentally through some soap opera miracle. She could have arrived back in Port Charles with a “boy toy” in tow and put the entire town on its collective ear. Ignoring Luke, after finding him married to the shrewish Tracie, she could also have come into money somehow and just had a blast with the entire cast. She could have been written so completely opposite of the victim she once was and now be the strong, determined and beautifully avenging angel, taking no prisoners for all those who had betrayed or wronged her in the past! Wow, it makes me dizzy thinking of what the GH writers (are they really?) could have created with a grown up and dangerouslly beautiful Laura. Oh, well…. Y&R is #1 for a good reason—–Maria Arena Bell and thank God she was INSPIRED to call Genie! I cannot wait for the fun to begin when GENIE HITS GENOA CITY!!!
Boy, do I agree…GH has hired writers fromOLTL which was cancelled. I guess GH will be the next to go. Love you Genie
You tell em honey! Kudos to you! Stupid is as stupid does, and GH is nothing if not stupid.
Go and kill it over on YR!
She hit the hammer on the head. They don’t know how to write a 48 year old Laura. Shameful the way Frons and GH treated Genie. It was Luke AND Laura’s wedding that was the daytime high water mark. Frons and ABC forget that.
genie i am so glad you put your foot down with gh – i was glad to see you back on gh but so disappointed the way they wrote for laura – your fans deserved much better than that – best of luck on y&r – can’t wait to see you in genoa city!!!
I am so excited ! I will follow her to Y and R ! She will be great with Tristan Rogers. They had great chemistry on GH!
Absolutely correct Ms. Francis they never appreciated you GH is always about the male characters! Thank you Y&R if Genie had went back to GH I would have had to start watching that poor excuse of a soap again!!!!
genie is so rite general hospital does not know how to write they did the same thing to Emma samms also when she came back and when Kristen Wagner and robin mattson .abc should just cancel general hospital !!
But, but…she will be playing the mother of a 37 year old man!!!
Hi Genie,
I love watching you on Y & R and was really surprised that you have a shop in Belfast, Maine. I live in Canada but only about a three hour drive from there. We go down that way often to Bangor and Portland shopping and am excited to stop by your shop. Do you live in Belfast too?
Have a great year and hope to see you on Y & R for a long time to come!
Wendy
GH and I go way back to its roots. I have watched on and off thru the decades. Luke and Laura were my super couple. Now retired, I’ m again hooked. Luke and Tracy don,t do it for me. I have waited for Laura to reappear because ther is so much reference to her in the script. I guess they write for the youger generation but look how many boomers are about to retire and would watch to see L&L celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary!! I watched Y&R just by chance and saw Genie! So I seached her out. No chance for a GH comeback…boohoo