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GH EP Frank Valentini On Genie Francis' Return: "It's not a guest appearance. We've hired her, we've absolutely hired her!"

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/AccessHollywood

Courtesy/AccessHollywood

For those who have been wondering just what the return of General Hospital soap icon, Genie Francis (Laura) means for the Daytime Award winning actress, and the lone ABC soap that is about to celebrate its big 5-0, look no further than a new teaser of an interview from Access Hollywood with GH executive producer, Frank Valentini.

During the chitchat, conducted at the recent TCA’s (Television Critics Association) Winter Session, Valentini revealed a few interesting tidbits.  First, that part of the reason for Laura’s return is her daughter Lulu’s fertility issues ( and whose surrogate Maxie just lost Lante’s baby).  Valentini commented, “It will involve that and other things. And a big secret that she’s going to return with.”

The executive also revealed how Genie’s return came about stating:  “She’s really awesome, she looks fantastic and she’s a lot of fun and we sat down and said, ‘This is what we’re thinking,’ and she liked the idea and we’re gonna make it work!”

The big question on many GH fans minds has also been, just how long Genie would be sticking around? Would it just be for a just short story arc for the 50th Anniversary in April? Valentini admitted, “No, it’s not a guest appearance. We’ve hired her, we’ve absolutely hired her.”

So soapers are you excited by the fact that Genie will be sticking around for awhile? What secret do you think Laura will have when she returns to Port Charles? Let us know!

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I’m excited for Genie Francis, I’m excited for the Laura fans.

I like Genie Francis and I’m sorry she got the short end of the stick on Y&R. That is all I will say about that – I am just so sick and tired of all this infighting.

I really hope THIS time that Laura is more what she should be – a strong woman, mother, grandmother, and friend.

THE REASON GENIE EVER LEFT WAS , THEY ALWAYS MAKE HER A VICRIM ….SHE IS SO MUCH MORE THEN THAT ! ….SHE IS THE REASON I STARTED WATCHING GH IN 19 79 …GLAD TO SEE HER COME HOME ….DONT DO HER WRONG !!!

Ditto… Fans….. Genie Francis, knocked it out of the park at Y&R… she more than proved she’s just known as a GH ingenue…

This time around… let’s see her kick ass…..

Agreed!

agree she can be great if they dont make her all about Luke and poor poor me. She was tough when she was a teen would love to see a strong independent woman. Still concern about her abadonment of her children.

SIDEBAR: STAT! WHAT IS GH DOING TO lucy coe coe goes CUCKOO?

alright, her comedic talents meshed with Heather Webber… may be all that…

but, would this be like writing her in to a corner? yeah, i understand the “Port Charles Vampire” Lame????? I never watched that show… (ie: she’s only on for a short period of time)

I SO WANTED LUCY TO INTERACT WITH LAURA, SCOTTY, LUKE, KEVIN… AND W/THE QUARTERMAINES – normally…!?!? gives’ her longevity.

Frank Valentini is a true mensch!

all I can say is a huge WOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!

Yay!!! This warms my heart. Lucky ’13 is off to a great start! Ha, a rhyme.

As for “Lante,” is that official? I’d prefer Lulante, but would accept Dantulu.

Love ya, Michael.

Ciao, Marcello! 🙂

I don’t know about you, but I could do without these “smoosh” names or whatever they call them. I would like to see 2013 be the end of this. People need to start SPELLING things again. Everything is an acronym or abbreviation these days. I fear for our future generation.

And it all started with SoHo in Manhattan. The newest I know of is SpaHa (Spanish Harlem). Puhlease!

But the couple’s thing is so codependent. It’s as if two independent people cease to exist and one new entity takes over. Brad and Angelina are two different people, folks!

Haha, Christine….I’m with ya, girl… I’m not into the smoosh names either. I work with college students and let me tell you…the future, isn’t so bright.

It is like kindergarten speak ..
Grownups talking like uneducated children who never got beyond a coochiekoo or goo goo .. Or aged and living their second childhood lol
I always seen the smooch speak as coming from people who just never made it 🙂 LOL..
But to each their own 🙂

Oh Christine- don’t get me started on smooshing of names. Perhaps it is my age but it is hard enough remember real names, let only these smoosh ones. Since reading these posts I am getting better at figuring out who they are talking about, but I’m with you girl- it is one trend I would like to see end sooner rather than later. Also glad Genie got a new gig- she was wasted on y&r- though Cane has gotten really boring without his mama and daddy in town.

i for one, was never in to this ie: Lumi… stuff…. Lucas and Sammi!

guess i’m too slow… i have to stop and think what’s typed.

Yes, I’m thrilled she’s back. My guess is that she remarried Scotty. I always loved them together. Wouldn’t Luke just love that. Can’t you just hear their jabs at each other now. LOL Thank you, FV and RC for bringing back the GH I knew and loved growing up. It’s fun to watch again.

Yes, bring back Kin Shriner!

He is coming back also!

Yay! All the good ones are returning. Now, why can’t we see Jackie Zeman, considering she’s still recurring (right?)? Jill Farren Phelps is gone. She’s the one who got rid of Bobbie in the first place (without ever showing us why she’s only been seen once or twice in the last several years–rude!). I guess Zeman and Valentini are talking about it, so maybe. Cross your fingers.

The article I read said that Bobbie would be back for the Nurses Ball, also Audrey might make an appearance there. Now they need to bring back Holly, and Robin!

Finally, we’ll get to see Gran. I’ve grown tired of hearing about how she’s watching Liz’s kids. And, apparently, Holly is visiting Robert in that Swiss hospital, but they’ve only talked about her; we haven’t seen her–yet.

Ah, THANK YOU Frank Valentini!!!! So glad this is not just a guest appearance.

Have no idea about any secrets, but I’ll be delighted to see Genie back. Anything to get us away from “vampire history” will be welcome.

She will be an asset regardless. She did a great job on Y&R, but she needs to be where she is really appreciated. 🙂

Depends on how Laura returns!! (I agree with Christine above) But I’m so bored & over the Luke & Laura love story & their comings and goings. Either come or go LOL. Genie was actually an amazing character on Y&R!! Better than the Laura character by far & much more interesting. . Sad they cut her from Y&R!!

Thank you Rod! I agree with you and Christine. I said something like that about Luke & Laura and got reamed by other posters! “How dare I say that and everyone wants them back together” If Laura is a strong character this time, she won’t want Luke back!

In the words of Ricky Ricardo, aye yai yai yai yai!

Why do soap fans have to be so nasty to each other? It is like my beloved Yankees versus Red Sox!!

I wish people could just accept others have different opinions and be respectful of that and argue in a mature way instead of attacking.

CTwildheart, we don’t always agree on everything, 🙂 but I can always see your point of view. Not only do you always have something interesting to say, but you know how to spell and put sentences together and your posts do not contain foul language (as I am seeing increasingly more and more on this board – a SHAME).

Glad they hired her, and it’s a story Genie is excited about, because she said she got tired of her character playing the victim.

I don’t watch General Hospital, but have seen it in the past. I did catch an episode just before Quartermaine died. The show has really changed. Looks more realistic and up-to-date. I would be interested in seeing the return of Gene Francis and Ken Shriner. Just give me the date and I will watch.

Genei will be back in mid Feb. Kin also but not date on his has been announced.

I believe Genie starts SHOOTING in mid-February, I could be wrong though…

Yes i am excited for a laura return,I have watched since 1963 and am a fan of the old characters.

Diane, I’d love to spend an afternoon chatting with you some day.

It will be great to see Genie back but really frustrating to fast forward through most of what Carlavati writes to get to just her scenes as Laura, lol.
And like I said before unless we get a Luke and Laura reunion whats the point. I dont want to see Genie wasted on lame, sluttly Lulu’s paternity issues. She’s a daytime Icon and one of the best actresses in the show’s history. She deserves so much better than that.

I agree Laura should be used more than some fertility issues. this secret better have Laura with her own storyline.

Let’s hope she does not come home with a little sibling for Lulu!

If Genie is back, then they must be going back to Pre-Luke Laura but stronger. Look at Tracy, she is back and better without Luke. I hope Laura is Married and happy with Scotty (Maybe a child too). 😉

Hope she brings a boyfriend with her, over her & Luke. Hope she is a strong woman, not a zombie.

how bout you commit to putting her on as a contract player, and not use the line that she will be sticking around, isn’t the same line that was use for Kristina Wagner, as felicia, and We hardly see her now.

Excellent point. Yeah, what’s up with missing-in-action Felicia. Maybe they’re waiting for Jack Wagner’s return to give her some scenes?

I think Felicia is more recurring like Mac. I don’t think those two characters are ever going to be front burner unless Frisco comes back and tries to throw a wrench into their new-found love and then I think that will only be for a short while until it dies down again.

I hear a lot about how the cast is so huge … “bloated” comes up a lot. I think you can run a show with a huge cast, but people have to realize that their favorites are not going to be on every day. Take the Robin story for example. It is kind of like the movie PULP FICTION to me in that there are other stories going on right now, but eventually we will get back to that story and everything will tie in together. The trick is to not let too much time go before returning to said stories so that the audience does not lose interest and/or hope that these stories will ever have a resolution.

Woo Hoo!!! So glad to see her back on GH!!! Let’s get Luke back too! They are the best couple ever on GH!!! So glad she is not there for a short time! So glad we will have her back and out of that stupid comatose state she used to be in. I hope she is strong and maybe ready to take back some or all of what she lost! Would love to see her go head to head with Helena and win!

Love GF/Laura and congrats GH but I am over GH as a whole. It is better but not even my love for Laura will make me not FF douchebag Luke and tacky and loser Lulu. The Luke and Laura ship has sailed for me due to Luke. Laura should never be with the man who killed her grandchild.

I seriously doubt they plan on putting her back with Luke. With Luke she is always the damsel-in-distress and that is not at all what she wants to play. I hope you read the message boards and if you find out they aren’t together and she is strong that you might give GH another try…

That’s great, but can someone please ask him how long this crazy vampire thing is going to go on?

I love the flash back to Port Charles, it is fun and I like a bit fun mixed in with all the heavy drama..
I’m sure it will be short lived, but it is fun and I laughed and I like to laugh and I laugh way too seldom during the day/soaps ..

su000,

I liked the actual flashback Lucy had today of Caleb. Too bad he didn’t show off his fangs for those who did not watch PC back then it might have added something to what Lucy is dealing with, but they are probably going in another direction.

I’m curious myself. If they were to do it right, and have it more like an inside joke for those of us that watched PORT CHARLES, then they would have it as nothing more than Lucy mistaking John for Caleb, stabbing him, and then having someone get some sense into her thick head. 🙂

However, I fear that they will take this in another direction and truly make this more of an arc than just a few episodes … as it should be. We have already had the funny quips from Luke referring to John as “Lestat” and John not getting it. I think they should just look into some record books and see that John and Sam resembled Caleb and Livvie and leave it at that. Then again, this is how messed up ABC was all that time ago to allow two shows that took place in the same town were allowed to have two completely different things going on like this one did. I still applaud PC for taking the risk and trying to save itself, but looking back and now trying to put THAT story into the present day is quite a task to do so tastefully to the GH history and not making a complete mockery of the PC show and its fans.

I don’t find it to be that unbelievable for different things to be happening to different people in a small town let alone a city like Port Charles. That doesn’t bother me at all. Perhaps they will explain the whole vampire storyline as something that happened in Lucy’s head??? Just a thought

I don’t like the vampire stories on GH now. It was okay years ago.. But this day & time I don’t really want to see an on going story of this. I prefer Michael Easton as John McBain . I remember watching him as Caleb all those years ago and I liked at that time as the vampire. But I still like him as John McBain the best!

I bet she will end up being Starr’s mom, so she isn’t a Manning.

No. I like Blair being Starr’s mom….

With so many GHer’s returning… why hold the OLTLer’s hostage? Let OLTL have their characters back.

Prospect Park owns the rights to the characters of John, Todd and Starr. They will be back on OLTL. But the actors currently have contracts with ABC, so there are some things that need to be worked out…

Yes, I understand that. My point is that GH has a rich history of characters coming back, that they could easily write the OLTL characters out and back into OLTL.

I completely agree.

I agree Marcello! Speak should start learning to speak ENGLISH again. Enough of the damn short forms!!!

I love that Genie Francis is back on GH, and I so very much hope that Laura’s secret is that she is Mrs. Scott Baldwin ….. SOLAR!!!!!

(P.S. I like th squish names ….)

Genie is one the absolute best actresses on TV- can hardly wait to see her work.

Laura is coming home to “General Hospital.” What a wonderful feeling it is just to say that. Welcome back, Genie Francis, your fans can’t wait to see you back in Port Charles.

Finally Laura Spencer has come back to General Hospital!!!! 😀 I feel happy to see her back. YAY!!! Luke and Laura will be reunited once again!!! I can not wait next month and what’s plan for Scotty ? I hope there’s no more mobster in PC since 1986 Duke Lavery was clean and good decent man,not being mobster(was used to be). I will be watch give big bang on that day.. Long Live GH!!!! I apologized that I’m very so exciting all these great memories. Hurry back,robert Scorpio, We still need you back!!

Love Genie Francis! Will Tony Geary be staying on the show?

Tony has no plans to leave. But his schedule is always come and go…

I hope she comes back with some guy around 10-15 years younger than she is.

YEA!!! Being a LL fan from back in the day… I DO believe that the current show runners for GH – will do HER character justice. He has a passion for this, and it shows. Yea there are things I don’t care for …. but I watch WAY more than used FF thru.. I enjoy how the storylines are weaved in and out with each other…. I did not watch Port Charles…. BUT the throwback to the history and paying homage if you will…. even with Diane (trueblood) and pop culture ….. GREAT JOB…. I mean his pace and timing are FAST even for soapland (how fast did they get to Switzerland)… BUT take the good with the little bad…… At least we have GH.

Over the Moon with the news that she’s been hired, not just appearing. I’m hoping they don’t pair her back with Luke. I absolutely loved them together but feel like they got to a point of being trapped. I’d like to just see them co-exist with their children. Give Laura some good, fun, juicy scripts.

🙂

perfect……….GH is on its way to the #1 spot………I hope she is not wimpy Laura………..I want her strong for her kids and herself………Love Genie always have. I have watch GH since it started 1963 and fell in love with Genie when she replaced the original and became teen Laura, Loved her Momma too andrremember Denise Alexander on DOOL and Another World…..welcome back………..:>)

Incredible news!!

Cannot wait I just hope they write her a good story this time!

well we lost jason(steve burton) and now get laurie (genie francis) return.. what a great gift you could give to us GH fans… thank you.. she is a great actress and this should be a great pick me up to us as GH fans in sorrow of jason leaving.. were back…

I will take Genie Francis any way TPTB bring her back, but I am really trusting their words they they will honor the Laura history with Luke and her family. No better chemistry anywhere between any other actors–she and Tony are the tops. I know Genie cares about the show and will be shining and glorious. Welcome home, Genie. I can’t wait. We have waited so long–so I am so very excited to see you back. Great vindication for you. And your dignity and honesty I so much admire. You deserve the very best.

Exactly what she said

She is pregnant with Scotty’s baby and it will be a boy and will replace the son that Lulu killed , Logan or she will be Lulu’s surrogate. One of the two.

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Alum Colin Cassidy to Appear in Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Shards’

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Ryan Murphy‘s anticipated new series The Shards, based on Bret Easton Ellis‘ prep school thriller novel, will premiere August 5 on FX and Hulu, as well as Disney+ and a very familiar face is set to appear within the series, when General Hospital alum, Colin Cassidy (ex-Aiden Webber, formerly known as Aiden Spencer) took to his Instagram to reveal the exciting news.

Colin shared, “I’m super excited to share that I will be appearing in Ryan Murphy’s The Shards premiering August 5th on FX, Hulu and Disney+!  I will appear in episode 5 as Rohmer, a fun lovin’ party animal with a secret! I had a blast working on this project and I can’t wait for you all to see it!”

Cassidy played the role of Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Lucky Spencer’s (Jonathan Jackson) son on the ABC soap opera on and off from 2024-2025.

Colin Cassidy, Jonathan Jackson

Courtesy/ABC

The character was written off the canvas to explain Lucky’s sudden decision to travel abroad and leave Port Charles in June of 2025, Aiden went with his dad to get to know him better. During his run on GH, one of Colin’s most memorable scenes occurred when Aiden came out to Lucky after his father had been away for over a decade.

WHAT IS ‘THE SHARDS’ ALL ABOUT?

As for the The Shards, it’s a dark coming-of-age tale with semi-autobiographical facets for Ellis. Set in Los Angeles in 1981, the story follows a 17-year-old version of Ellis during his final year at the elite Buckley prep school. Upending the character’s world is the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose unsettling presence coincides with the activities of a serial killer known as The Trawler.

According to the official loglines: “Igby Rigney stars as Bret, an aspiring writer and keenly observant teenager whose reality begins to unravel with the arrival of a mysterious and magnetic new student, Robert Mallory (Homer Gere, the son of motion picture star, Richard Gere), Transferring in just before his senior year, Robert’s appearance coincides with the growing terror of The Trawler, a serial killer targeting teenagers across the city.

Alongside Bret is his elite social circle, which includes Susan Reynolds (Kaia Gerber), Debbie Schaffer (Hayes Warner) and Thom Wright (Graham Campbell), a glamorous and deeply entangled group drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties and excess. The promise of their youth is contrasted with the dark and cynical world of the adults surrounding them: Terry Schaffer (Wes Bentley), Liz Schaffer (Evan Rachel Wood) and Steven Reinhardt (Jordan Roth).

You can check out the 2nd official trailer for The Shards below,

So, are you looking forward to seeing Colin Cassidy in The Shards? Do you hope that General Hospital brings Aiden back to the canvas with or without his father, Lucky? Let us know via the comment section.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Tries to Help Rocco Move On; Nina Makes Last Ditch Effort to Silence Drew

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Steve Burton, Finn Carr

The Friday, July 24 episode ended with quite the cliffhanger with Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros), pushing a wheelchair-bound Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) into the lake surrounding the Quartermaine boathouse.

Previously, Nina received a call from Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) telling her that she received very bad news from Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna).

The WSB Port Charles Bureau Chief called the congresswoman to inform her that the black box containing the leverage he has over Drew has gone missing. Saying he owed Nina, Jack was willing to provide a plane out of town for her and her children, Wiley and Amelia, with passports for new identifies, but they must leave tonight.

Nina and Drew

Courtesy/ABC

Willow tells her mother she can join them if she wants to, but it’s up to her since she has a life in Port Charles, but she has to go and get ready and to let her know. Suddenly, Chase (Josh Swickard) shows up at Willow’s office telling her he has to take her down to the PCPD.

DREW PUSHED INTO THE WATER IN A WHEELCHAIR

After her call with Willow, Nina becomes desperate, so she unlocks the wheels of Drew’s wheelchair in horror, when suddenly Drew speaks (as had been in the ABC promo for GH released on Monday), “What’s wrong, Nina? Get some bad news?” A shocked Nina replied, “Bad for me. Worse for you.” Suddenly, she pushes Drew’s wheelchair with Drew in it into the lake.

Meanwhile, the heart of the episode was brought by Steve Burton and Finn Carr who finally had the scenes where Jason and Rocco talk about what happened the night on the pier, when Rocco shot Cullum and Jason took the blame and was carted off by the WSB for several months.

Jason attempted to ease Rocco’s guilt telling him he is indebted to him for saving his life and Britt’s. When Rocco questioned if Jason would do the same thing all over again knowing how much it cost him, he told Rocco, that they both have to find a way to move on with their lives. Jason tells Rocco its best for him to try to let this all go. Can Rocco? Can Jason?

BRITT IS A COMMON THREAD OF JASON AND ROCCO

Rocco becomes emotional when talking to Jason about going on the run with Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and how scared he was for her due to her “illness” with symptoms of Huntington’s.

Later, Jason comes to General Hospital and runs right into Britt, who is all smiles when she lays eyes on Jason. However, with Jason seemingly looking for a fresh start and a new outlook, is there any future for Britt and Jason after all that has happened? Stay tuned for the Monday, July 27 episode for some answers/

Now below, and in case you missed it, check out the scenes between Jason and Rocco from today’s GH.

Then let us know, what did you think of the performances of Steve Burton and Finn Carr? Do you think Nina just made everything 10,000 times worse, and Drew will be swimming around in no time in the water revealing he is A-OK much to the chagrin of Willow and Nina? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writes Maxie Jones and Her Family Off The Show

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Kirsten Storms

The answer to what General Hospital fans have been speculating about for months has come to a conclusion, for now.

On the Thursday, July 23 episode of the ABC daytime drama series it was revealed in story that Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms), along with her man, Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) and her three children, Georgie (Lily Fisher), Bailey (Miley and Riley Plonski) and James (Gary James Fuller) are headed to Australia to live after Spinelli received a job offer he couldn’t refuse.

However, the message of the status of Maxie and her clan, came from none other than Cody (Josh Kelly) during a conversation where he explained that they were all packing up to head to the land down under the following night and they were just “itching to get out of Port Charles.” In addition, Maxie has divested her shares of Deception Cosmetics and sold them to Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson).

Kirsten Storms

Photo: ABC

IS THERE A FUTURE FOR MAXIE TO RETURN?

All of this paves the way for the series to deal with the longer absence of Kirsten Storms who is back in Tennessee and not having her figure into any immediate storyline.

While the family uprooting themselves to Australia certainly doesn’t look like any return in the near future would be likely, the series can always decide down the line and take their time of what to do with Maxie, if Kirsten Storms, should never return to the role or they would decide to recast, if needed.

This does complete Maxie’s story for now. It was back in February of 2026, that Maxie came out of her coma and was reunited with her family and saw her believed-to-be husband, Nathan West (Ryan Paevey) back from the dead, who later proved to be Cassius Faison. Storms comeback lasted about a month and by March she was no longer on the series.

It was back last month in June that Storms took to Instagram to share that “As for what is in my future, where GH is concerned…. Given what’s been going on, I can’t say I will feel comfortable heading back to Los Angeles and returning to work.”

All of this stems from her reported break-ins to her apartment, the hacking of her devices all occurring in Tennessee, coupled by the restraining order served to her by her ex-husband Brandon Barash (ex-Johnny, GH and ex-Stefan/Jake, Days).

So, how do you feel about General Hospital writing out Maxie Jones with a sudden move to Australia, taking Spinelli and the kids all seemingly off the canvas? Do you like the way this leaves a door open for Maxie to visit or return to Port Charles one day?

Do you think the series should honor the work Kirsten Storms did in the role and not recast, or should they recast down the line? Let us know via the comment section.

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