General Hospital
GH’s Laura Wright and Max Gail Along with Maria Shriver Talk The Importance Of The Alzheimer’s Storyline
Courtesy/KTLA
On Monday’s edition of the KTLA Morning News, General Hospital’s Laura Wright (Carly) and Max Gail (Mike) joined Maria Shriver as they chatted about Alzheimer’s disease and the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement.
As General Hospital viewers know, currently Max Gail is delivering a brilliant performance as Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) dad, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s for which there is no cure.In story, as in life, it is also the caregivers who suffer watching the deterioration of the person they love afflicted with this horrific disease.
Maria Shriver, who has been an activist for Alzheimer’s, notes how women are most affected by Alzheimer’s. During the interview with KTLA, Shriver gives important things to look for, and how to potentially slow the on-set of progression of the disease, while giving kudos to GH for telling this important storyline of our time.
Watch the interview with Laura, Ma, and Maria after the jump. Let us know, if you have lost a loved one, or are dealing with someone in your family who has this disease. What have you thought about the way GH is unraveling Mike’s storyline? Comment below!
Mail Gail is doing an incredible job with this storyline-it certainly tears at your heartstrings. I was not familiar with him or his previous work. I watched the clip last night, and Laura Wright could really use some tips on public speaking. Perhaps she was nervous. She reminds me of a teenager when she speaks..
This was a great interview for the cause and for GH!
Lost my mom in December to vascular disease, which included dementia, in December. These story lines hit close to home (Y & R too). The difference is, the fictional families can afford the care thats required for their loved ones. There must be some sort of lobbying for medicare funding for care for alzheimers and dementia patients. Thanks to Max Gail and Marla Adams (and the actors portraying their children) for their incredible performances. The way Dena has spoken to Ashley had me in tears.
I’m really happy that GH is addressing a problem that affects so many of us in so many ways. The writers are doing a great job showing both the patient’s and caretaker’s point of view. It’s a devastating disease.
Bravo, Max Gail, Maurice Benard and Laura Wright. A brilliant tour de force. Entertainment as vital social and medical information, told with deep and compelling humanity. And great for this longtime “Barney Miller” fan to see Max Gail. Wojo was one of the great sitcom creations.
This could had been a Laura and Leslie storyline…enough said!!!!
Or a highly-emotional storyline with any number of legacy characters of whom we’ve become attached through the decades, Jimh! Lesley would have been an excellent choice, but so would have Monica or even one of the popular cast members from the ‘80’s since this affliction is hitting a younger demographic these days. No matter how moving Max Gail’s talented portrayal of Mike, the mere fact that he is a recast character from a family that engenders very little goodwill or sympathy from most of the viewers makes this scenario ring a bit hollow for me. At the end of the day, I simply don’t care, at least not in the way I would have if the patient had been someone I had grown up with during GH’s glory years!
I agree it should have been a Laura and Leslie story, I am not a fan of the Sonny show and since Mike has been off the canvas for so long it doesn’t make sense to me why they would bring his character back? But I get it The Nathan & Ron company want to make the Sonny show you more of a focal point on GH! But for me personally it would have had a bigger impact if it had been a character that’s been on the canvas all along.
I absolutely couldn’t love (and hate…just because it’s so sad) this story more, jimh, than I do. I would feel this depth of emotion if I met a family I didn’t even know and witnessed the devastation and heartbreak.
As for Sonny’s dad? Unfortunately actors do get replaced. As much as I loved Ron Hale, enough time has passed for me to totally embrace Max in this role. He eased into it so seamlessly it was as if he was part of the family all along. This story could be a standalone vignette; either way, it is just so completely moving and well acted that I have no regret that they didn’t use other characters/family to tell this emotionally-packed tale.
I certainly wouldn’t want the disease to afflict characters that are currently on the canvas, like, Monica, that was mentioned. We finally have her back and I love that she’s still vibrant and a strong presence in the Q family! I tune in to GH to see characters I love that are “always” there. I have no desire to kill them off or watch them deteriorate with something not curable. It’s difficult enough, now that I’m “attached” to “Mike” to think of what’s coming…
What a brilliant idea, Jimh! A missed opportunity…
Alz, is on two soaps and both are doing a phanomal job.
So, what’s next–
Guns ?
AK15- AK17 (Payday 2) weapons..
I can imagine Anna attempting to handle an AK ..
Anyways, soaps do keep up with the present situations of what’s news hot ..
Yet, no one smokes weed, medical or otherwise or have a military weapon, not even Jason a hitman/killer..
Well, perhaps they are next up.
And– Max is a treasure, he deserves an award, His portrayal of an Alz person/the writing is excellent.(and depressing)
@su0000….Please tell me you haven’t already forgotten the preposterous scenario when Sonny ordered a scared-stiff Spinelli to deliver a bag of ganja to the chemo-stricken Alexis and her subsequent stoner experience with the screaming munchies! That ridiculous example more than sufficed for me when it comes to the so-called notion of “medical marijuana!” I really don’t know what more can be said about it….you’re either for it or against it, and I don’t suppose I need tell you where my views fall on that specific issue! (Hint….I am inveterately anti-drug!) Having said that, I also don’t care to introduce a debate on Second Amendment rights to Port Charles…as far as I’m concerned, the less politically-charged the storylines, the better! GH should be an escape from the daily grind of the deeply divisive state of this country…not a device to fuel more unnecessary dissention amongst our citizenry! On the other hand, kudos to your previous comments regarding “political correctness!” I wasn’t able to respond to them at the time, but I heartily agreed with your sentiments on the subject! See? Miracles do happen! P.S. I have no doubt that the “Divine Devane” would be able to handle an AK with great aplomb….ditto for Ava or Sam! Port Charles has no shortage of bad-@$$ babes who can take care of themselves!!!!
Interesting, su. As for “medical” marijuana, not sure if you were watching GH back when Alexis was battling lung cancer; so glad they haven’t revisited that. I thought it was great that Sonny cared and I love that Alexis found relief in “weed.” In the midst of sorrow, fear and the unknown, with an uncertain future and devoid of hope, if a plant can get you through the nite (and day) more power to it! So glad that a natural option is being made available vs all the synthetic damaging pharmaceuticals out there with their myriad of side effects.
hit send too soon. As I recall it eased Alexis’ pain and nausea; who could ask for more when suffering?
Funny how Y&R didn’t get an invite or shout out. But then, their Alzheimer’s story is just that – funny. No truth, no realness, no foundation or desire to tell an honest portrayal. Just absurd wacky plot points to further already absurd stories. I’ve never in all my years working with the elderly seen a senior with Alzheimer’s recall minute details of their past better than a person with a healthy brain! Long term memory is stronger and dies out later, but Dina’s is photographic!
I digress.
Very impressive to see Maria Shriver, a woman with so much clout and respectability, alongside regular old soap peeps. It gives the story the seal of approval an important topic like this needs as that extra oomph to tell the audience that this is a story and portrayal people can trust and believe (in a made up world).
it’s just as Laura Wright said: Max Gail – IS – the STAR of the show . Bam ! ’nuff said
he; on his OWN … is leading the pack and leading the Corinthos . ALL without Maurice Benard. there is no father/son connect
why wasn’t he their ? doing this show. because he doesn’t know how to emote any more
the mouthpiece of @GH . has to do all the reaching… AND she’s so overkill.
Love .max Gail
Why didn’t they talk to Y&R? They’re actually doing a story on Women’s Alzheimers.
Love Max Gail. He’s as adorable in this interview (though he barely spoke!) as he is in character.
Maria Shriver had some interesting information/statistics though she emphasized that women are much more likely to get alzheimers yet here GH is doing a story on a man getting it. Although it’s stating the obvious that men, too, are afflicted, I think she should have perhaps incorporated that into her facts and added some info as to whether it hits the different sexes at different ages, different symptoms or why it’s more common in women.
On a GH note, Laura also stated the obvious: they wanted to give Sonny a family story so he can be seen outside of his mob persona. I’m thinking that was purposely done to win more fan approval for him. If other sites are as anti-Sonny as this one they needed to do some damage control. Now if he can undo murdering AJ I’d reconsider…
Love Max too! He has those eyes that show such emotion. I just feel like giving him a big hug when he tears up and gets confused. It makes sense they wanted to give Sonny a family story. It is a breath of fresh air seeing him away from the same old mob story. And, his acting has been better, he doesn’t look bored and stumbling over his lines like he would do sometimes. You can see his eyes tearing up in some scenes with Max and they look like real tears.
I know, Debra. So huggable… makes you wish the TV screen allowed us to “reach out.”
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.
The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.
Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.
Photo: JPI
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST
Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”
Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”
Photo: JPI
KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL
Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”
You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.
So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!
The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.
TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.
That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.
Photo: ABC
STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES
GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.
Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).
Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.
GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS
Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.
Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.
So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?
On the Friday, September 11 episode of General Hospital, Jason (Steve Burton) and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship becomes strained to potentially the point of no return.
Things take a turn when an unglued Britt having been traumatized by almost being killed by Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) asks Jason to back her up with the PCPD when she reports Anna for attempted murder.
However, Jason told Britt, he can’t. Jason shares that he does not believe Anna would have gone through with shooting her. Therefore, Britt was not in any real imminent danger. Britt is flabbergasted and hurt that Jason is refusing to tell the police what he actually witnessed for himself on Mount Emerson.
Courtesy/ABC
BRITT WANTS BACK UP FROM JASON
Jason counters that he can’t believe that Britt would want Anna punished. or sent to prison, or a mental facility after the trauma she endured while being locked up and mentally tortured while at Wyndemere.
He asks Britt, “How could you even say that you want her locked up or prosecuted for what she did when you knew she was being held prisoner and you did nothing to save her?” Britt is stunned by Jason’s response.
Coming up, official General Hospital spoilers share that on the upcoming Monday, September 14 episode, Jason confides in Carly (Laura Wright), while Britt is stung. In the video preview that aired at the end of the Friday, September 11 episode for this coming Monday, Britt says to Jason, “You don’t believe me. Do you?”
General Hospital head scribes, Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte previously teased in their fall preview of the soap, “Britt and Jason have come a long way and fought a lot of enemies to be together. But the most stubborn obstacle to their happiness isn’t without, it’s within. Decisions Britt made to stay alive while under Cullum’s thumb will come back to haunt her and may prove too difficult for this unlikely couple to survive.”
So, what do you think will happen? Will Jason and Britt break-up over Britt’s lies and Jason’s unwillingness to report Anna’s crime against her? Do you want Jason and Britt to go their separate ways? If they do, will Britt become romantically involved with Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) ? If so, who do you pair Jason with? Anyone? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
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