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Genie Francis Tweets Heartfelt Message: "I Would Like To Thank All My Wonderful Fans For Their Support."

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/ABC

\Courtesy/ABCAfter the last 36 hours of outpouring on social media by daytime soap fans and more, soap icon Genie Francis has finally spoken in a brief tweet to all who have rallied around her since the news broke that her contract was not renewed by General Hospital.

The actress who has played Laura on and off since 1977, tweeted: “I would like to thank all my wonderful fans for their support. It has made me feel so much better. ”

Nicolas Bechtel who plays Genie’s on-screen grandson, Spencer Cassadine, tweeted back to her: “Grandmother, you’re all that and a bag of chips. There’s nobody better … #GH”

Meanwhile Robin Strasser  (Ex-Dorian, OLTL) tweeted: “Bad Decision in High Places! #GenieFrancis is a fixture in our hearts-We of a certain age, remember exactly where we were for #LukeAndLaura‘s marriage:) (#OLTL actors stood watching in the make-up room…Cheering for the “I DO”s:)”   To which Genie replied via a tweet: “Also, a very heartfelt thank you to Robin Strasser. I love actresses who support actresses.”

So, what do you think of Genie’s tweets? Are you happy to hear from her via social media? Comment below.

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“…I love actresses who support actresses.” ”

OF COURSE – this reeks of women in this business being given the shaft for so many other reasons… outside of the size of a mans piece

IN YOUR FACE : Frank Valentini, Maurice Benard, Steve Burton

the writing is on the wall.

if this is all @GH / TPTB / want for this show

cest la vie

It’s ridiculous to blame Maurice and Steve for this. Frank’s fucked up priorities were fully on display last Wednesday, when an entire episode was devoted to a dragonshit character with ZERO relevance to the history of General Hospital.

And that character – as far as I know – doesn’t have a penis. So it’s not a gender thing, it’s an agenda thing. And the Valentini agenda, from day one in February 2012 has been obvious to anybody who cared to pay attention…..

Destroy everything good about classic General Hospital and replace it with Zombie OLTL.

Thank you, Satan!….(Wow, that sounds strange…..LOL) Even though I would never express the sentiment as starkly as you have, I totally agree that this is not a gender thing. For many of us who have followed Genie’s “Laura” during her various GH tenures and witnessed the repeated struggles with GH to get the love and respect they both deserve, we recognize this travesty for the highly-personal issue that it truly is….she’s experienced this all-too-familiar unfair treatment for decades on end from the ungrateful soap and network to whom she dedicated the best years of her career—-this is simply the latest example, so quite frankly, I find those with a broader political agenda attempting to co-opt her current individual woes as a part of their own campaign both disngenuous and exploitive, to say the least! By all means, I suppport Genie and the groundswell of fans who have come to her defense with their variety of efforts to reverse this unacceptable decision and return her to her rightful place on the Port Charles canvas, but this particular situation has nothing in common with the other more widespread grievances that have made their way into the daily newsfeeds. This brouhaha is all about one beloved actress named Genie Francis and no one else! Let’s not allow those running GH or ABC to forget that!!!!

Hi… i’m coming from the point of pay disparity…. it’s gnawing at me the post that was said about Sarah Browne.. ex Carly who catapulted GH.. in her own right… WON THREE EMMIES.. and was .. per post was still payed that much less than her male counterparts

I will STAND up and HOLD ON : Steve Burton and Maurice Benard ARE NOT GOOD actors

The fact that Michelle is on the canvas also speaks volumes. Friends of Frank, not, Longtime beloved cast of GH.

A lot of people are supporting her she is going to be great,,,

Frank probably never anticipated this PR nightmare. Very likely he’ll have to eat crow and reinstate her contract or have his canceled by ABC.

GH fans should be grateful for Frank taking over when he did in 2012. However, it’s time to move on.

If he didn’t anticipate that viewers would be upset, he needs a reality check stat and should be checking into GH for real.

Totally, agree, Mo. Love Frank, but hate this decision. I watched GH yesterday for the first time since this news broke (I record it) and was sickened, I was so angry. It will be a long, long while before I can watch and not feel anything but anger for what TPTB did to Genie, and in turn, the viewers.

What kills me is that he refused to speak to her about it. What boss does that? What type of corporation allows someone in management to get away with that? Becky Herbst also said that she had no opportunity to talk to Frank after she learned he wanted to fire her. And yet the man touts the fact that he rehired ME in the grocery store, and that he hired Laura Wright’s boyfriend after running into them in a parking lot! The man seems to make erratic decisions and then acts completely unprofessionally to boot. He needs to go.

Gh and Frank need to wake up over there. I dont know what the hell is going on over there. Why are we losing all our GH vets??? Steve, Tyler, Tristan Jt, CW and many others and now Genie??/ Fans want our GH pple not Frank’s pets from OLTL.

It’s simple: age and sex discrimination with the actors who are over 20. LOL!
And, I guess, money was the motive in Tyler’s case.

Happy to hear from her but the news sucks!!! ABC is putting the final nail in the coffin of its soaps. We all know OLTL was the higher rated soap but ABC chose to keep the horrible GH because of brand recognition. The only thing that keeps me watching in Maura West, the Bervelee McKinsey of out modern soaps.I will not watch the Carly & Sonny show anymore.

I too adore Maura West and each time I watch her in scenes, I think of the late Beverly McKinsey. She’s one of the best in daytime today.

OLTL was only the higher rated soap after they announced their end date. Wasn’t higher rated before that.

My heart goes out to her. Who we really need to hear from is Frank Valentini. He owes us that much

Bobby “Franco” Frank is still on contract and getting big story during sweeps next month.

What is wrong with this picture GH?

I miss GF. I wanted Laura as mayor.

Feel horrible. Started watching GH in the 70’s in the summer and after school. 57 now. Record it and watch every night. It’s been so wonderful watching Laura with Spencer, Valentine,Kevin, Lulu. The mayor story line was thrilling…and then not. So sad.

Genie you’re a better person than me, right now I would be so mad. How could they do that to you or anyone else. I’ve been watching GH since it started some of the actors/actresses I didn’t much like but you are different. You bring so much passion to the show you are a joy to watch. I really wanted to see you and Ned debate for mayor it is a better story line then Michael and Nell.
Wishing you the best in what ever you decide to do. Your fans are behind you 100%.

only better things to come,,,all happens for a reason,im glad genie is off the sinking ship they call entertainment,
shes class all the way,,which is what keeps her fans coming back to support her,,,
i wish genie the very best,
and to all her fans and if you truely are a fan please turn off general hospital,,lets teach these ungrateful people at the top a lesson or 2 on ignoring the fans

Genie, I have signed every petition, written on every FB page, asked everyone in charge to change their mind and stop this ridiculous decision. You are a treasure at GH. You had a great storyline, a great new husband, a new name (enough with the Spencer anchor) and I was so looking forward to you fighting with Ned politically and being the new mayor. You were going to rise to greatness, character-wise. And then… nothing? Frank and the PTB need to recind this disgrace of a decision and put you back on top where you belong. I thought you signed a 3 year contract? We love you and can’t bear GH without you. Much Love, Trish

Trish, can you provide us with the petition info? I called the GH fan line but haven’t seen the legit petitions… this is just disgusting. She IS GH! WTH are they thinking?

They won’t let me put in the links.

One is on SoapHub and is titled “Petition to bring Genie Francis Back” (can be googled)

the other is on Change.org and is titled “Bring Genie back to GH as Contract Character.”

Between the two they are up to about 27,000 signatures so far.

I’m very angry. She was onto a roll as Mayor. COME ON! Don’t want to hear that her character was going no where. Or, Her character has come to an end . Having her pop in once in a while. Isnt going to please us. We watched her grow, even go thru a catatonic stage to marry Luke again.. this is so sad. Genie we love you!

It’s certainly nice to hear from Genie, but we can’t let it stop there! The ABC Daytime brass and Frank Valentini need to hear our constant support for Genie and our outrage on a very bad decision until that decision is reversed. It happened for Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth) several years ago, and it also happened for Robin Mattson when she played Janet on AMC. Keep tweeting and e-mailing your outrage, make phone calls, whatever it takes! Genie Francis as Laura is the heart and soul of GH, and I thought they finally figured that out when Genie was given a 3 year contract in 2015. Never did I think they’d not renew it, especially when Laura and Kevin just got married, and Laura was running for mayor! What were they thinking? Frank never would’ve done this to Erika Slezak, the heart and soul of OLTL! Give Genie back her contract!

I posted the petitions (the two that I know of) a couple of posts above this one. Check it out and add your signature!

This is a huge mistake. They just started a story line with Laura running for mayor. I thought that was so perfect! Big umbrella story with history and consequences. This is a big fail for GH. Boo. Not sure that I will keep watching. DOOL is on fire. Just saying.

what a mistake taking her off of the program wake up people
stop bringing back the old and create new adventures for the best that you have
Jason is so boring I for one do not like him taking over Billy Millers spot getting to the point I don’t even want to watch anymore

Of course, she is a total kind, beautiful, classy Lady, as always…

Genie Francis is by far the BEST actress on daytime , I have watched her on GH since 1981 and all her appearances since. Big mistake of TPTB of GH. Wish you the best Genie!!

Makes me cry at her courage under pressure and her legendary composure. I’m just so sad. Genie, does this mean you are no longer a part of GH? I just don’t want to believe that. 🙁

I sure hope the brass at ABC think it was worth the bad press and bad will that they have generated with this decision. Most people would have known this was a bad idea (and not done it); what on earth is wrong with TPTB at ABC? Hard to believe people that stupid could be given responsibility for supervising a lemonade stand, much less a long-running program on a big TV network.

Kudos and more kudos to Ms. Strasser for chiming in. She’s tops in my book.

YES! She’s fabulous! So want her back as a key character on GH ASAP!

Keep Genie at General #makeherthemayor #welovekevinandlaura

I’m sure she’s heartbroken. She’s given a lot to GH and to be treated like this is not right. I don’t watch GH, but as a viewer of other soaps, I want to see the vets on screen and in story. They can still drive great story and they have a lot of legacy to draw from.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time. Genie has been disrespected many times over the years while they cater to her male co-stars, many of which are not as talented. She usually goes quietly, but I really wish she’d speak up. #TimesUp!

Poor decision. I think GH is writing for its demise. You will be missed Genie Francis.

I’m glad to hear she knows what and how we feel about her. The writers have lost their minds making such a bad decision. There are far more actors on this show they could have cut to leave her in place. Shame shame shame on you!!!

Genie is a class act! No word from TPTB except for FV’s unfortunate and insensitive tweet yesterday?!. I hope they get a clue before they ruin our beloved GH!

I like that it seems that Genie Francis is trying to take the high road.Plus since this isn’t the first time she has left GH over the years maybe Genie Francis doesn’t want to burn any bridges because she may know there’s always the chance she could return to GH again.

You are like the light that shines above all the others, and this is a sad day and a step backwards for women of any age!

Even after the complaints & petitions,nothing will change.Genie will still be fired& not reinstated.The higher ups don’t care what the viewers think; their mind is on the budget.

Thank you Genie Francis for sharing your tremendous talent with us fans and for always being a lady of class and dignity. You have always deserved much better from this employer.

Robin Strasser hit the nail on the head. “Bad Decision in High Places!” There have been a lot of those since the mouse company took over the alphabet network.

I was watching a classic episode from the early 80’s when Genie reprised her role as Laura, and “Think of Laura” was being played in the background during the episode. That is when daytime television was enjoyable and “can’t miss.” Valentini is void of tradition and respect. When I look at the roster of actors and the on-slaught of new and recurring characters with no legacy to Port Charles, it’s just so pointless to let Genie go-and in the middle of her storyline.

We will not stop till Genie returns as Laura! What the hell is Frank trying to do to GH. You can push your fans just so far. For those of you who watched GH from the beginning,It was Luke and Laura that brought back GH. To disrespect such a fine actress is a shame. Frank you have so much dead wood on the show right now that no more cares about. Amy, storyline dead and buried, Nelle whom everyone loathes, to name a few.

This is so disgraceful. It’s not like there was no storyline for her. I wanted hundred her to be mayor. I am so heartsick I signed whatever petitions I could. I can’t believe what a stupid decision that GH is making! Not only is she a memory from the past but her current acting is terrific. Besides she is still magnificently beautiful. I really I really don’t know what to say anymore. You need to change your minds and reinstate her. I love you Genie. Just know we all love you.

Genie was really sad to see your leaving GH you had such a great story line. Wishing you great happiness, hope to see you back soon so much more of your families stories need to be finished, fan forever

OK–
Which soap reporter will break the story of the actual reason of Genies Sudden departure from GH ..
Stay tuned, folks ..

Yeah, and you said that Frodd & Drew were twin brothers.

Stop reading the fan fiction sites. There’s no secret hidden agenda here… just the obvious agenda of destroying General Hospital, which has been ongoing since February 2012.

The best thing about Genie’s acting is that it is based on telling the story and revealing the character. Gen Hosp needed to use Genie much much more not less.

In contrast, the over-use of Maura West seems designed just to showcase how much she can chew the scenery and over-emote in acting out a vile character that shows so little redemption and no development. Ava is not even a good villain anymore.

Sad for Gen Hosp.

I agree, Anne! If you look at most of the females who consistently have front burner status on GH, it’s always all about them with as many ridiculous scene-stealing antics and hideous over-acting efforts that they can muster….the storylines are secondary, they are merely the means to repeatedly forcefeed these same three or four actresses to the audience. None of their obnoxious, trashy characters can compare to Genie’s beloved Laura, who she skillfully portrays with a natural grace and subtlety that speaks for itself, yet we are constantly subjected to these all-too-familiar femmes of a certain age who obviously curry favor with the show-runners above all others. (And for the record, I don’t place Finola Hughes in that category….her Anna is much like Genie’s Laura in that whilst she always delivers the goods, it’s done in a most exquisitely understated fashion…she is sheer perfection!)

Well, Shay you know I couldn’t agree with you more on this subject. I have friends who are actors and they will tell you that it’s the subtle scenes which are harder to play then the over-the-top dramatic scenes. Mugging it up in a fit of histrionics is way easier than playing something subtle like self-consciousness or that deep inner sadness for which we cannot put into words due to the limitations of language. Genie was always able to play those quiet moments and for that, I think she’s underrated.

Shay, I love Genie, but I have not enjoyed what she has been given with her return at all. I know many love her and Kevin-I did not. They have turned her into mama bear/granny/scenery. Ruth Martin or Kate Martin- loved both, but they don’t put mama bears on contract anymore. Plus, she is too young to be relegated to granny-in my opinion. I was over the top furious when I first heard of this but when Genie thanked actresses who support actresses-she was silent on Rebecca Budig- don’t remember a word from her when it happened to Monica and Bobbie- or any other GH actors that have been fired and not offered recurring. None of them really ever say anything when another is fired -out of fear for their own jobs, I would think. She left Gh of her own volition a few times- Monica and Bobbie never did. They took the recurring and I think she should have as well- she could have then looked for another job or fought for better story- I know she is soap royalty and all her history but these days that does not seem to count for much on the soaps.

There are no words as to how disrespectful this has been to Ms. Francis and her fans. She is the heart and soul of GH. The fact that she has been dropped to recurring is most probably because of money and the return of “Jason”. I would have to say it is nice to see him on our screens again but it is a delight everytime “Laura” is given juicy material. I love all the characters on the show and as a former OLTL fan, I am delighted to have ME and RH on my screen. I feel bad that folks are picking on actors that have nothing to do with this decision. This seems to be Frank V.’s decision and while I am grateful for all that he does to keep GH afloat it is time to truly appreciate the amazing actresses that are a part of this show. I love the Kevin and Laura pairing that are magic! This is sad sad sad.

hi Terri Skarzynski ..
I have not seen anyone being disrespectful towards Genie, no one.
She was treated as all other’s before her that was put on recurring.
Genie was not disrespected she was simply put on recurring.

Suoo, I do disagree. Why do the new actors who play Jordan, Kim and that new guy (Laura Wright’s boyfriend, don’t know his name) all have contracts?
To me, being put on re-occurring status is an insult to Genie and her fans alike.

You don’t find it disrespectful that she found out she was fired on the day she shot the scenes about withdrawing from the mayoral race, then asked to see Frank and he said he had no time to meet with her? That says a lot….

And recurring with a guarantee for one episode per month, yeah, that is being fired. By any and every stretch of the imagination.

What a terrible decision!! Laura is the heart of GH. Her character saved the show from cancellation back in 1978. She is the reason GH is still on the air and that Valentini still hsa a job!

What was Mr. Valentini thinking when he made that insensitive tweet about Laura’s announcement?

Was Maurice Benard’s tweet about air time vs episodes aimed at Genie and her fans. How would he have felt if his contract wasn’t renewed but told he could go on recurring and do about a dozen eps. a year?

Good for Robin Strasser for supporting Genie. Too bad none of her fellow GH actresses are following suit. I guess they are afraid for their jobs?

Exactly. What kind of lucrative, valuable storyline can one have when airing in maybe a dozen episodes a year? That’s Tuesday and Wednesday filler for when Laura would go visit the insipid Lulu or Elizabeth. She would be another Bobbie or Felicia-with no real character focus or story, just there to prop up her annoying kid!

She will do just fine she has a great family it will be fine I have no idea why they dropped her but obviously they do let it go I love her respect her but she will be fine

Vanessa Marcia and Sarah joy brown have both come out with less then half pay then the cue card reader and the blank stare guy

we should all make a big stink about this. It’s disrespectful to not Only Genie, The History of Th, The character of Laura but the longtime fans. Anthony Geary had his ass kissed for years while she was locked out. The Laura character is integral to the show and moreso than any other character on the canvas. #timesup #shameful

I am on vacation but as soon as I’m home on Friday, I will be making a call. This is not OK. Frank Valentini must go. Genie Francis must stay.

Genie Francis is as always a class act! Frank Valentini, on the other hand, should never have been allowed to make this decision. The only reason I will continue to watch GH is Maura West and only the episodes that feature her. I don’t care about Sonny, Carly, Cesar Faison, Drew, Sam, Jason or any of that lot. Genie and Maura are the only reasons I watched GH.

Totally disgusted by this news. It’s an insult to GH fans and Genie. Very, very poor decision. I can’t support this show anymore by watching it. I’m totally disgusted by this.

I stopped watching this show when it became the Sonny and Carly Show and I stopped again when Ron favored Sonny and Carly over everyone else. If frank is too stupid to see the story potential for Laura as Mayor, then I guess it’s time to stop again. It’s so dumb. Just two weeks ago I was excited by this show for the first time in years… and now this. It really is like they are trying to kill the show. Frank Valentini seems like a miserable person. How do we get him fired?

This is not just any actress nor does she play just any character. BOTH are the CENTER of the GH universe!!! There is no character, male or female that connects to just about everyone on the canvas and commands the respect that Laura does, and the show looks, feels and smells incomplete when she’s not there. Karma can be a real b#tch though, and I trust and hope the universe/God balances the scales anywhere and everywhere that she and others on GH were treated unfairly. Frank Valentini is at the top of the list. I don’t trust anyone who hires actors in the parking lot.

Well Genie Francis fans we have not heard from ABC studios or Frank Valentini to get Genie back to General Hospital full time and show her respect. We need to show them that we are not going to sit back and do nothing. We have to STOP watching GH and bring the ratings down. If ratings do not plumage they will say that Genie was not worth keeping. I for one have not watched GH since I read about Genie being put on recurring. I’ve read on various soap sites that there is a lot happening on GH but this cannot stop from proving our point that fans mean business and we should be listened too! STOP WATCHING IMMEDIATELY and lets make it clear they made a huge mistake and need to fix it!!

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric

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Dominic Zamprogna

General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).

On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.

Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”

Courtesy/ABC

HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT

Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”

Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”

Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”

Dom and Liz

Photo: ABC

DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES

In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”

Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”

You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.

Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guy  for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.

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General Hospital

GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

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Patrick J. Gibbons

At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.

However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.

Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Photo: ABC

FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG

Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!

Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”

MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL

Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).

Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”

Photo: JPI

PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY

Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”

It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”

A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”

Photo: PGibbons

IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS

As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”

He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”

Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.

So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Admits That He Didn’t Expect the Role of Michael Corinthos to be Recast, and Would Consider Working on Another Soap (Exclusive)

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Chad Duell, the Daytime Emmy-winning actor, who stepped away from the pivotal role of Michael Corinthos on General Hospital, opened up about: his previous decision to leave the series after nearly 15 years, where’s he’s at now after time away from the demands of a daytime soap opera, and took a stroll down memory lane with some of Michael’s most-acclaimed storyline during his run, during a livestream chat on August 19 on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.

Viewers last saw Duell on-screen as Michael in January of 2025, and with his successor in the role, Rory Gibson making his debut at the GH Nurses’ Ball in episodes that aired later in May. It was clear that during the conversation, Chad was a bit surprised that the GH brass decided to recast him when he thought he was just taking some much needed time off.

Burn-out of the daily grind of being on a soap was definitely a part of Chad’s decision to take a break. Duell explained “People know when you’re doing something for so long or your character is kind of in the same place for so long or doing the same stuff over and over again, you do get a a little burnt out, you get a little stiff, stale, a little stiff at times. I didn’t want that to be any sort of lasting impression. I have 15 years of a body of work of I’ve done on that show, which is fantastic.”

Chad Duell

Photo: ABC

WHILE CHAD WAS AWAY GH RECAST MICHAEL CORINTHOS WITH RORY GIBSON

Chad shared, his mindset when leaving GH was, “I’m taking some time away, we’ll see what happens.” Then he added, “Obviously, they decided to go in a different direction with Michael when I was gone. I didn’t think they were going to bring somebody back in my place. But you know, it’s the business. You never know what can happen.”

Duell also shared he has not watched a single episode of General Hospital since he left the series, but now feels he reenergized following the loss of his father and stepping away from the GH, “I’m in a place now mentally, where I’m ready to sink my teeth into it again.”

Courtesy/ABC

Even though he is no longer Michael on GH, Chad was very happy with his final storyline where Michael was set on fire when a bomb exploded at Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) penthouse. “It was fun to put him in a dangerous situation, because I was wanting Michael to be in something scary instead of trying to be a hero character or just things happening around him, but to be the center point of tragedy happening to him. (I always saw) Michael as the heart of the (Corinthos) family.”

When Michael was badly burned the show chose not burn his face, which normally a soap does when they are recasting role and switching actors. Chad weighed-in, “They didn’t burn my face because I told Frank Valentini (EP, GH) I’m willing to come back. It was just a little bit of a break. So, I assumed that if they would have burned my face, they could have brought somebody back looking different than me… if that’s what their plan was.”

Courtesy/ABC

MEMORABLE MICHAEL STORYLINES

One of Chad’s most memorable performances was the in the storyline of Michael’s rape while he was sentenced to prison in 2010 and the confession of it in 2011. “It was so well-written and I was very nervous,” recalled Chad. “When I get really nervous about something, it ends up being really good when I do it, because it just means I care a lot about it”

“I have to put a lot of effort and work into it, and I really want it to be good.  I was working with Dominic  Zamprogna (Dante) and Steve Burton (Jason) a lot during those scenes, and Laura Wright (Carly). It was great working with Steve and Dominic, especially, during that storyline.

A NEW SOAP ROLE FOR CHAD?

As to a future soap opera role, Chad is open to the idea and would love to jump back in to a juicy role, “I know people over at The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Young and the Restless. They know that if they’re interested, I would love to come in for a screen test or something, and they can see what I’m doing.”

Meanwhile, Chad has been busy putting out new music under the moniker Duelly and during the interview he explains how he creates his EDM tracks and much more. You can stream his latest single, Static in the Quiet Room on Spotify, Apple Music and You Tube Music.

You can check out the full conversation with Chad Duell below.

Now let us know: what show would you like to see Chad cast on down the line? BTG, DAYS, B&B, Y&R, or a new role on GH? What did you think of his thoughts on the casting switch while he was away in the role of Michael? What was your favorite Michael storyline during Chad’s 15-year run on the ABC soap opera? Let us know via the comment section.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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