General Hospital

GH Head Writers: Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor Reveal More Details On Michael E. Knight’s New Soap Role

September 18, 2019

Photo: JPI

When daytime favorite Michael E. Knight debuts on General Hospital on September 30th, he will not be coming to Port Charles as his former All My Children alter-ego Tad Martin; but instead will be playing a different character.

EW.com has first look photo of Knight in his new role and spoke directly to General Hospital co-head writers, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor for the scoop on the ever-popular Knight’s return to ABC. On GH. Michael will indeed play a new role.

According to the scribes: “There are a number of people in Port Charles who are in trouble and his character will have an impact on how their stories are solved or further complicated.”

Both Van Etten and O’Connor shared: “As we were writing his character, we found out that oh, we have even more use for him! It’s helpful to know who the actors are in this situation. We have lots of ideas on how we can expand his character and cross-pollinate his character.”

As to how long Knight will be sticking around Port Charles, that was not offered-up, but what was is that Michael’s new character will mix it up with Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) with whom Knight worked with on All My Children when James played Will Cortlandt.

Because ABC now has the rights back in their possession to use the characters from One Life to Live and All My Children, Van Etten expressed: “We have conversations when we have these actors come back about whether it’s more useful or not to resurrect their characters. “=We’ll continue to have these as the opportunity arises.”

So, what do you think Michael E. Knight’s role will be based on these tidbits from the GH scribe? Share your theories via the comment section below.

Up Next

Mishael Morgan Returns To The Young and the Restless And Shares: “I Hope To Create Something New But Just As Special As That Girl You All Loved To Hate”

Don't Miss

Peter Weber Is Revealed To Be The Next ‘Bachelor’

39

newest oldest

Guest

James R. Poissant

Would have been better off bringing on Tad Martin. Sorry, but I am still smarting after all these years on the cancellations of AMC and OLTL and want to see the actors brought onto GH to reprise their former soap roles.

Guest

Celia

I’m with you, James—–as far as I’m concerned I don’t find GH all that great, comparatively speaking……Especially now with these quixotic storylines and characters. Comedy of Errors….. with Drew/Franco as Dromio of Ephesus……

Guest

nowya

It’s not really healthy to STILL be “smarting” after all these years. I miss Johnny Carson, but time moves on – and so should you.

Guest

Tony

Well if Cady Mclain would have been chosen as Nina this would have been perfect

Guest

Celia

Oh, my gosh, Tony!!
Why didn’t I think of Cady? She would be the perfect Nina—-I don’t know how much longer I can take nuNina ( can’t even think of her name—scary eyes).
Secondly, two birds with one stone—-Tad and Dixie reunited…….and Valentin her brother?? LOL.

Guest

Timmm

I agree, NuNina is a bust! I gave her a chance but she has NO chemistry with Valentin, Sasha or even Jax!

Guest

Celia

Hi, T, I have not had time to breathe these last couple of weeks….I’m teaching full time—I’m off sick ( cold–cough)—-missed you, my friend. Tell me about it—-nuNina is trying too hard. I have been bitten by the Stafford bug—she is the original Phyllis and Nina—-very rarely do re-casts live up to the original— The Nina/Sasha story was explained away with the notion thst Sasha strikingly resembled Nina—well, no more!! There goes that… They are as physically different as night and day. Nevertheless, I think that Sasha really is Nina’s daughter, after-all…..would be an ironic twist, if only these writers… Read more »

Guest

Timmm

Get well and get some rest!

Guest

Shay

Hey there, CeeCeeGirl! Welcome back……you’ve been missed! Hope you feel better soon! Incidentally, I cannot agree with you more that Cady would have made an excellent Nina recast…actually better than the original in my opinion! Hah!…(Oddly enough, I had always envisioned her as Nina from the moment Silas first mentioned his so-called saintly wife way back when, and I also suggested her as the perfect replacement to fill that role when we bandied about possible candidates to play NuNina…) What can I say? Great minds think alike….although not always! I guess I’m one of the few not even remotely excited… Read more »

Guest

Jim

What if he played Jeff Webber

Guest

Violet Lemm2

Hi Celia, Welcome back, you’ve been missed by many. I told Shay a few days ago that I was a little worried, that I had not heard from you since M.V.I figured you were back teaching and so busy with your own kids as well. Sorry you haven’t been feeling well.I am a big fan of Vitamin D -3 and take 2000IU daily. Have not had a cold in years, knock, knock. I have some news to share with you, and as I told Shay, it is amazing how small this world is.I was notified by Ancestry DNA that I… Read more »

Guest

Celia

Hello, Miss Violet, Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness….. I’ve had a pretty rough week. I thought I had left ear infections behind me in my childhood……hadn’t had one in eighteen years, as a teen. Go figure—I have vertigo, from an ear imbalance. …much better now. I am getting very frustrated with GH—too messed up and incoherent—-has no flow!! This Peter thing just popped up out of nowhere—–but, I guess it’s not much of a surprise considering his sire. I am not even convinced Anna is his mother—-more like Alex. I have missed a few eps—will catch up tonight,… Read more »

Guest

Violet Lemm2

Hi Celia Hope you are feeling better by now. Those infections can really drag on.Well at least we are rid of Shiloh, now to deal with the aftermath.Can’t wait for the autopsy, showing whether that flare actually killed him or something or someone else did.Is Lulu really going to blurt out her eavesdropping info, breaking her daughter’s heart about her beloved papa? Certainly there could have been a better way. Glad you are feeling better, now keep it that way, o.k? Oh, I wonder if you would want your kids going to a bar, mornings before school, or would you… Read more »

Guest

Jim

i have had that cold/cough for two weeks now…also being checked for other problems…why i have rarely been here

Guest

Shay

Awwww….get well soon, Jimh! (And “Double C,” too!) It’s a lot less fun around here when the two of you aren’t regularly posting! As for your suggestion that Knight play “Jeff Webber?” Even though I would love for Liz’s daddy to visit Port Charles, I don’t think that Knight is age appropriate for that particular role. Keep in mind that originally Jeff was mentioned to be a “tad” (no pun intended…) younger than Monica….thus, I somehow cannot picture “Tad the Cad” as Dr. Quartermaine’s ex! Lol….

Guest

Jim

On Edge Of Night Nicole went from 40ish to 20ish with a recast so a younger Jeff why not…..anyway wish he was Tad…i think Gordon Thompson would make an ok Jeff

Guest

Shay

@Jim…I would love to see Gordon Thomson on GH, although I’m not so sure as Jeff! Dynasty’s former Adam has such an elegant, sophisticated vibe, whereas Jeff was much more laidback and casual…I would prefer someone who better captures the essence of Richard Dean Anderson as a Jeff recast. Quite frankly, GT would have made an excellent Cassadine! I suppose it’s not too late to make that happen…

Guest

Celia

Hope you’re feeling better, Jimmy—-I hardly ever get sick—got me “but good”. LOL. For some reason cough syrup upsets my stomach——so, I had to weather it cold turkey…. pardon the pun. HaHa…. Glad to see you peeking in ( as I do) once in a while. As far as Michael Knight possibly cast as Jeff, I am not familiar with him at all—-except from references made on the GH sites, now and again. I would think Michael is too young to play Lizzie’s father; but, this is Soapland—-Sam and Julian are less than ten years apart, I believe—so, age is… Read more »

Guest

Jim

i havent been well in three years but recently more problems popped up

Guest

Celia

I remember, Jimmy—-you had Barrett’s Esophagus? Protonix works very well—-however, all this new science comes along with negative reviews ( Gastric carcinoma)….makes one’s head spin. What to do??
I try to stay away from meds, even the over-the-counter offerings. Dependable ‘drugs’, for sinus, headaches etc. have consequences, if abused….
Take it easy, my friend—hang in there. I hope you have a good, caring and patient doctor. It makes a big difference to your well-being and state of mind.
I do hope to hear from you. I miss your take on plots, characters and which path a storyline should take. ❤️

Guest

Patricia Petersen

Agreed bring back Kady

Guest

Celia

I propose two choices—–Michael will either play the lawman or the outlaw. Either way, all the baddies in PC ( and its outreach) will have something in common—-Faison and Helena.
I pray Michael is a good guy….love him to pieces…
I anticipate the ousting of Kim, Shiloh, Peter, Julian , Brad and maybe Franco—-not sure yet (Did I forget anyone?). None of them is to be absolved.

Guest

Jim

i Would had cast him as Liz’s father Jeff

Guest

clb

Congrats to Mr. Knight and his return to daytime! Waiting to see what the new writing team can bring to the GH canvas. I still support bringing back OLTL and All My Children as a 1/2 each lead-in for GH. GMA Day needs to be cancelled, as it is dragging down the ratings for GH. ABC Daytime–wake up!

Guest

Ellen Wycuff

They needed to bring him back as Tad Martin so when #AMC makes a comeback he could step right back into that role

Guest

Johnny

HAVE to say that I agree with Ellen, it would be great if he could join the show as TAD MARTIN visiting from Pine Valley….it could then have him saying something like “I still have unfinished business in Pine Valley….” and help serve as a Lead-in to the show’s re-launching. I know that there is a lot of talk about bringing back ALL MY CHILDREN and this would help support that.

Guest

Ellen Wycuff

Love your idea. I basically had told someonethe something but in a different way. Bring back #AMC and #OLTL. There is greeting way to many talk shows and court shows inn tv any more

Guest

Timmm

Lets just hope GH uses him better than Y&R!

Guest

nancy dillingham

Shouldn’t we has a WOMAN head writer also? Tell me, don’t we need a woman’s point of view on GH–BADLY??????????????

Guest

Shay

@Nancy…Instead, how about a head writer who actually respects and mines the rich legacy of GH by implementing modern-day characters and storylines that honor that history? That’s what is really missing from this soap in its current state!!! Good writing is good writing, no matter the particular chromosomal aspects of the person from whom the words emanate!!!

Guest

nancy dillingham

Can we have an interesting, dynamic character that already knows who he is–and has not had a memory transplant–oh, the horror!

Guest

Harry

I agree, Nancy. GH is one un-HOLY mess right now. Why did Howarth’s Drew turn out to be such a selfish, son-of-a-bitch when Miller’s Drew was a kind and heroic man? Right now, I detest Franco/Drew. He’s a selfish, callous creep.

Guest

Celia

Agreed, Harry—I also regale Kim with those same colorful words, ….true description of Franco. What a jerk!!
And, Kim? The subdued, grieving mother who is so out of her head with her feverish thoughts of replicating Oscar–Drew’s memories transferred into another’s head makes no difference to her—she wants what she wants. She’s as “touched” in the head as Franco—-two solid freaks. These writers must have gone to the same school of Bedlam.
I mean, he’s physically not Drew—-I have another word for her—-but, I will contain and restrain myself.

Guest

nancy dillingham

I thought the same thing, Harry–re the difference between “Drew” and “Drew.”
🙂

Guest

Que for you

I’d prefer to have kept Billy Miller! They got everyone interested in his story and now we r supposed to believe a navy seal couldn’t save himself?

Please keep general hospital alive by writing for the actors from Core families!

I hope this man is great at his job and that he comes and gets killed off quickly maybe taking Shiloh and Heinrich w him!

Guest

KMB

I 100% agree. Billy Miller should have gotten the memory story a long time ago along with a new love interest and much more screen time. It was absurd. The other stories are just not cutting it either. Now it is just not exciting to hear about new characters anymore because of the bad writing for the characters who are already on the show. When will it change if ever?

Guest

Capt. Internet

Well, someone needs to take the reins @ Aurora ’til Drew returns or not.

Guest

Carolyn

A specialist Dr for Carly’s baby

Guest

Satan

So…… how do all the Michael Knight fans feel now, that we know he was apparently brought in just to prop the psycho Nelle?

Sure, there’s always the possibility he could stick around longer, but right now it looks like a case of Frankie Valentini propping up his pets once again.

Not an AMC viewer, so I don’t have a three headed dog in this fight, but just thought I’d ask…..

Breaking News

DAYS and GH Director Joe Behar Passes Away at 94

July 19, 2021

Joseph Behar was heavyweight director in daytime drama having worked on both Days of our Lives and General Hospital and now comes word of his passing. Behar passed away on June 26th at the age of 94.

According to his obit, he died at his home in Manhattan Beach, California.

Joe spent the the bulk of his career directing Days of Our Lives and General Hospital. He actually directed the pilot episode of General Hospital back in 1963, then came back the ABC daytime drama series 30 years later to direct it for more than 10 more years,.

Along the way, he won 5 Daytime Emmys for his work on GH, and had won six overall throughout his career. He continued directing until his retirement back in 2005.

Behar’s career started on the Ernie Kovacs Show and he also directed Let’s Make a Deal. and more.

Photo: JPI

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn and his sons, Jeffrey, Steven and Greg Behar and his grandchildren, Alex, Mallory, Niko and Lydia.

Watch an interview with Joe via the TV Academy on his career including working with Frances Reid (Ex-Alice, DAYS), the pace of directing in daytime and more below.

Share your remembrances and condolences for Joe and his family in the comment section.

General Hospital

GH’s James Patrick Stuart Releases His New Album ‘Clean Slate’

July 15, 2021

On Thursday, the highly-anticipated nine song set from General Hospital’s James Patrick Stuart (Valentin Cassadine) dropped on Apple Music

The album entitled “Clean Slate” features the tracks: “Look Out Below”, “My Funny Friend”, “Can U Feel Me?”, “World of Good”, “Don’t Tell Me”, “I Burn For You”, “Always Love You”, “Another Time”, and “My One and Only Love”.

Photo: japastuTwitter

Fans of General Hospital, always love when James performs at the Nurses Ball’ but now here, Stuart delivers several original songs with his unique vocal style that make it unmistakable JPS.

Check out a preview of the album below.

Now, let us know if you will be adding “Clean Slate” to your playlists and more via the comment section below.

General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Austin Reveals His True Identity

July 14, 2021

Leave it to many GH fans who guessed right as to just who Roger Howarth’s new character of Austin will turn out to be! On Tuesday’s episode of the ABC daytime drama series, we learned the last name of the character who is related to the Quartermaine’s.

For weeks, Austin has seemed to be fixated on Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell) and the Q’s and now with this cliffhanger of a reveal we know why.

At a key family business meeting at the Q’s, Scott (Kin Shriner) who now seems in cahoots with Austin for a piece of the Quartermaine pie, brings Austin to the gathering.

When Austin arrives, Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) looks none-to-pleased! She clearly knows the guy. When Michael struts up to Austin asking who he is and what is he doing here … Austin introduced himself as Austin Gaitlin-Holt. Michael and everyone else look a bit perplexed as we fade to black.

However, GH history buffs know that Jimmy Lee Holt was the son of Edward Quartermaine and his mistress Beatrice LeSuer. Jimmy Lee did some pretty reprehensible things while he was in Port Charles. When he left he married Charity Gaitlin. Upon the death of Edward Q. back in 2012, Jimmy Lee was left out of his inheritance. Therein must lie some of the story…. and now Roger Howarth fans eagerly await to see how this new doctor in town and Quartermaine turns out to be. Will he be a bad boy, or a misunderstood good guy? We shall see.

So, what did you think of Austin being revealed to be Austin Gaitlin-Holt? Share your thoughts in the comment section, and also cast your vote in our poll on Roger’s new character below.