General Hospital
GH and ATWT Alum Martin West Dead at 82
On New Year’s Eve, former General Hospital and As the World Turns star Martin West passed away at the age of 82. Longtime GH viewers will recall he was the last actor to portray original series character of Phil Brewer. West’s run lasted from 1967-1975.
During West’s years on GH, in story: Phil was presumed dead in a plane crash and returned with amnesia as “Harold Williamson.” Throughout the years, Phil’s great love was Nurse Jessie Brewer (Emily McLaughlin). But when he returned, he took up with Diana Maynard (Valerie Scarrett). Eventually, Phil was killed-off and Jessie was accused his murder. Lo and behold it turned out the murderer was Augusta McLeod (Judith McConnell).

Photo: ABC
After his time on GH, West headed to Oakdale and As the World Turns as the replacement for the part of Don Hughes. He played that role from 1977-1978. He also appeared on primetime’s Dallas in the role of Phil McKenna in 1981.

Photo: IMDB
West’s other television credits included: Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, Ironside, Highway to Heaven, Matlock, and LA Law. In addition, Martin appeared in many motion pictures from: The Andersonville Trial, Hitchcock’s Family Plot, and Mac and Me.
He is survived by his life partner, Ann Chernow and his three children, and two stepchildren.
Share your condolences and remembrances for Martin via the comment section below.
I wish his whole story as Phil wasnt missing…
Me, too, Jimh… Please see my other, lengthier comment here.
I remember him very well as Phil Brewer. He played the role the longest. May he rest in peace.
Phil Brewer.. .wow that’s going way back. I can barely remember him, except for the way he died by somebody bashing his head in with a big geode rock.
And Wally from Leave it to Beaver being the cop who investigated the murder.
My heart is heavy at this sad news…
I started watching GH in 1969, as Martin West played Phil Brewer and the lovely, popular, mesmerizing Valerie Starrett created the role of Diana Maynard. — I only wish a picture of Martin West with Valerie Starrett had accompanied this feature. And @Jimh, I will give some storyline details here. I know you and I have been down this road before… — Of course, Phil was involved with Jessie Brewer as well.
In story, Phil was working at a diner (as a cook, I think), with the alias of “Harold Williamson,” and Diana was a waitress at the diner. They started a love affair, but things went sour (to say the least) over time, as Phil raped Diana, after she became involved with Dr. Peter Taylor. If memory serves, Phil fathered both of Diana’s children: Tracy (boy) and Martha. Peter offered to marry Diana to give her unborn baby a name, even though they weren’t in love at the time of their nuptials.
The Phil Brewer murder mystery was quite engrossing. Jessie was arrested for Phil’s murder (via geode, as mentioned by @Satan), as she was found with Phil’s body. But there were a total of 5 suspects: Jessie, Diana, Peter, Jim Hobart (Audrey’s husband), and Augusta McLeod (revealed to be the murderer).
My memory of some of the storyline details is a bit hazy, but to this day, Valerie Starrett reigns supreme as my all-time favorite soap star. Years ago, I opined (perhaps ad nauseam?) my fandom for Starrett on these pages. (She played the role from 1969 until 1977.) Some storylines I remember vividly. Peter and Diana Taylor were a “supercouple” before the term was coined.
But Martin West as Phil (Harold) was Valerie Starrett’s first screen partner and love interest before Diana became a nurse and met her soulmate Peter Taylor.
So for the dearly departed Mr. Martin West, in my small way, I thank you and honor you for your impressive, entertaining work on GH. Like Starrett, you are not only an unsung hero of GH’s rich history but also a source of much nostalgic appreciation from this fan (and, I’m sure, many others). Your storyline hooked me into a decades-long viewership of GH. Those early days are ingrained in my mind. Rest in peace, Dear Sir…
my memory of the show is a bit fuzzy.from this era..used to watch it with my gram when at her house in the 60s/early 1970…do recall her as a waitress tho…i had a feeling you would be writing here!!!
Great to hear back from you, Jimh! Glad we share fond remembrances of those times… Take care, Friend!
Thanks for sharing this! Phil was dead and buried by the time I started watching but Diana was around and was a favorite character of mine from the get-go. I definitely heard the name Phil Brewer over the years though and appreciate his (and Mr. West’s) part in the history of GH.
John, thanks a million for your reply! Glad to read that Diana was a favorite of yours as well. I feel fortunate being able to remember so much of the GH story of that time, particularly all the ups and downs to the Diana and Peter relationship. And Martin West was so good at playing a villain; that particular triangle provided such a compelling dynamic. Best to you, Friend!
Thank you for the words on Valerie; she was my fav too.
Hello Louise W! Great to hear from another Valerie Starrett fan! And you’re right about those black-and-white days. So sad to hear about Martin West… Take care, Friend.
Thank you
Thank you for posting this; hadn’t heard this news. That picture says it all: GH in it’s black and white days; they were the best. Loved all those actors. RIP Martin!
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Cynthia Watros Honors Former ‘Titus’ Co-Star Stacy Keach Following His Passing

General Hospital star Cynthia Watros, who can currently be seen in on the ABC soap opera in the role of Nina Reeves, has had a enduring career in television. That included her time on the 2000-2002 Fox sitcom, Titus.
In Titus, Watros starred along with Stacy Keach as Erin Fitzpatrick and Ken Titus, respectively. After the November 10th news that Keach had passed away at 85 while living in Poland, Cynthia took to her Instagram on Thursday, November 12 to pay tribute to the great actor.
Watros expressed, “My first prime time show was along side Stacy. I loved him instantly. What an amazing talent and man.❤️”

Photo: ABC
In Titus, Stacy played stand up comedian Christopher Titus’ heavy-drinking, chain-smoking, five-times-divorced father who frequently pulled cruel pranks and tried to toughen his kids up. Cynthia played by Christopher’s level-headed, big-hearted girlfriend trying to build a normal life with him. In fact, Cynthia’s role on the sitcom was first series regular role after her Daytime Emmy run of Annie Dutton on Guiding Light which ran from 1994-1998.
STACY KEACH’S WIFE ON HIS PASSING
Keach’s wife, Malgosia shared the news of the actor’s death publicly in a statement with PEOPLE. Malgosia expressed, that Stacy had, “a long and difficult battle with a serious heart condition and heart failure.”
She added, “Stacy peacefully departed this world. He fought for so long, with extraordinary courage, determination and strength. He was a true warrior, facing his illness with the same remarkable spirit and resilience that defined his life.”
Małgosia continued, “Stacy was not only a legendary actor, admired and loved by audiences the world over, but also my beloved husband, my companion and the heart of our family. His passing leaves an immeasurable emptiness in our lives. But his extraordinary spirit, his unforgettable voice and the love he gave so generously will remain with us forever.”
Now, let us know do you remember when Cynthia made her sitcom debut in Titus? Share your thoughts via the comment section on Cynthia’s many TV roles and the passing of Stacy Keach in the comment section. But first, check out the very first episode of Titus with Cynthia Watros below!
Beyond the Gates
RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Inches Closer to ‘General Hospital’ in Total Viewers

The latest ratings are out for the week of October 26-30, 2026 and the big takeaways include: that CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates was separated by only 23,000 viewers behind third place (of the soaps) General Hospital! For the last several weeks, Beyond the Gates has been closing the gap on this year’s winner for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, and continuing to best GH in the key demos.
According to the latest Nielsen ratings breakdown from Soap Opera Network, the final week of October brought Beyond the Gates 1.790 million on average tuning-in and the show set a season high in total viewers. Meanwhile, General Hospital hit a new season low! The long-running ABC soap had 1.813 million for the week, and once again the series did not go over the 2 million mark.
Meanwhile, in the key Women 18-49 demo, Beyond the Gates was firmly ahead of GH with a rating share of 0.21, while General Hospital had 0.17 rating share.Then, in the key Women 25-54 demo, Beyond the Gates was once again ahead of the ABC soap with a ratings share for that demo at 0.30 while GH came in with 0.26.

Photo: CBS
MORE BY THE NUMBERS
In addition and comparatively, Beyond the Gates +22,000 viewers week-to-week, and had the largest gains in viewership year-to-year in daytime TV with +267,000 from this in 2025.. However, General Hospital seems to be going in reverse. The show was down -56,000 viewers week-over-week and down -22,000 year-over-year .
BEYOND THE GATES
Let’s take a look at some of the storylines that had people tuning-in to Beyond the Gates during the ratings week:
Hayley (Marquita Goings) attempted a massive shocker regarding her pregnancy and tried to use it to extract money from Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett). Although, Bill saw right through her game, he demanded a paternity test, and made it clear he has no intention of raising the child—planning instead to pay her off to take the baby and leave. Meanwhile, Hayley confided her plan to her cousin Randy (Maurice P. Kerry).
Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi Hamilton (Arielle Prepetit) clashed over Jacob’s ongoing investigation into The Impaler, causing significant strain in their marriage. At the same time, Smitty (Mike Manning) considered taking matters into his own hands—including potentially heading to Mexico for evidence—while Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) worried about what comes next.

Photo: ABC
GENERAL HOSPITAL
Over at General Hospital for the ratings period, the story served up included:
Carly (Laura Wright) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) teamed up to investigate what really happened to Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). Later, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) leads them to Jack’s dead body.
Jude (Wil Traval) dropped a bombshell claim to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn); that he is Phoebe’s father, while Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) signed their divorce papers.
Then, Danny caught Rocco (Finn Carr) and Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarski) sharing a kiss, plus the shocking return of Heather Webber (Alley Mills) capped the week.
Now the questions become; without having much promotional synergy in the ABC day-part to draw more eyeballs it is not helping but hurting General Hospital. It seems Beyond the Gates is also a benefactor of a one-two-three punch of CBS soaps (Y&R, B&B and BTG) and promotion.
However, that still doesn’t take away the fact that Beyond the Gates is close to besting GH in all ratings category as they go head-to-head in some markets across the country.
So, are you excited to see Beyond the Gates climb in the ratings? Are you concerned for General Hospital? Do you think they can stave off Beyond the Gates in total viewers or will the upstart soap overtake them in the next ratings report? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
General Hospital
Antonio Sabáto Jr. Breaks Silence on His Son’s Arrest for Fatal Hit-and-Run

Antonio Sabáto Jr., the former Jagger Cates of General Hospital and GH: Night Shift, and the former Dante Damiano of The Bold and the Beautiful has issued his first public statement since the incident involving his son, Jack’s arrest in Alaska for a fatal hit-and-run.
Jack is the son of Sabáto Jr. and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, and according to court documents obtained by KTUU Jack, was allegedly driving a white Chevy Tahoe when he hit and killed Carl Simmonds, 42, near an intersection in Anchorage around 5:35 a.m. on Monday, November 9.
The reports indicated that Jack fled the scene — but later decided to called the cops to say he hit “something” that “suddenly appeared in the road” while he was “doing late-night DoorDashing.”

Photo: NBC
Now, Antonio has taken to his Instagram breaking his silence on the situation, sharing, “At this time, my family and I are navigating an extremely sensitive and deeply personal matter.”
He added, “As a father, my love for my children remains unconditional, and my priority is the well-being of my family. We ask that the public and members of the media honor our privacy during this difficult time and keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.”
The soap alum concluded, “I also wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the gentleman who tragically lost his life. My thoughts and prayers are with them as well. We sincerely appreciate your compassion, understanding, and respect for the privacy of everyone affected.”
Jack Sabáto was arraigned in court on Tuesday, November 10 with bail set at $5,000, and a no-driving order and the potential of $5,000 penalty fees if he fails to attend future court appearances.
Antonio is the father to Jack, 34, daughter, Mina Sabato, 24 and son, Antonio Sabáto III, 15.
This is a developing story. You can check out Antonio’s official statement below.
So, let us know your thoughts on this tragic hit-and-run, which claimed the life of another man, and Antonio’s statement, via the comment section below.
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