General Hospital

GH's Maurice Benard to Star In New Film, "The Ghost And The Whale"!

September 1, 2012

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

After two decades of playing loveable mobster, Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital, Daytime Emmy winner, Maurice Benard is getting a wonderful opportunity to star in a feature film role, something that the actor has been eager to do! The film is titled The Ghost And The Whale and will be shot this January! And, according to ABC Soaps In Depth, here is what we know about the upcoming feature: “The story is about a man who goes through a spiritual journey after his wife dies mysteriously at sea and he’s accused of her murder.”

Executive Producing the film is Benard’s wife, Paula Benard, and the Gaudioso Twins, known for their work in Duke and the Medium. In fact, Anthony Gaudioso said of Benard, “I believe in Maurice Benard and am intrigued by him. It will be exciting to see what this fantastic veteran brings to the character.”

Maurice admitted it is difficult to find work and break out of the soap world for he and many of his colleagues: “We all know it’s tough, especially when you’ve been on a soap for as long as I have. In terms of trying to break out, nobody really cares about soaps. Within the soap world, it’s the greatest job in the world. But for me, it will be tough unless somebody gives me that break. I believe that this film is that break.”

So soapers, that brings us to the age old question, why can’t soap stars get a break outside of the genre? Identifiable for one role and that is all casting directors and execs think they can play? Or, is it still the poor step-child of the industry syndrome? Whatever the case, we are happy for Maurice, who has the acting chops to chew the scenery with any material he is given!

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rebecca

don’t know if I necessarily agree with Benard. many great actors had their start in the soaps and went on to successful careers in the film industry as well as in prime time…and several film actors conversely wanted to and have appeared on soaps. I think it depends on how the actor markets himself, his agent, etc. Another factor might be how many hours/days he/she is required to be on set for the soap. there are those who seem to juggle their schedule a bit more…or take time off to do other things. with all this said, I’m not in the industry….but it’s the way it appears to me.

WiseMocha

What you said is true for soap actors who move on after a couple years, but for those who play the same character for decades, it’s does seem difficult for them to move outside the industry.

Jan

Yes it is , movie people just dont take soap actors seriously enough .
It’s a branding but he must try.

Charlotte

Well it is true and not true and these last years it is less and less true actually.
Also the fact that most of the time movie industry don’t watch these soaps and therefore don’t know these soap actors can be an advantage because it is the point: they don’t know them and their ‘iconic’ roles and their soaps and can be able to see them fit the role for their movies and not typecasting them because they saw them for years in a particularly role. And yep it depends of the actor connections, how he/her markets him/herself, his/her agent, publicist and being here at the right place at the right moment..daytime soap opera is a medium a bit ignored but still lot’s of soap actors know prime time directors, actors, producers so they can do it if they work for it..but yep the soap schedule is also a major obstacle..but more and more recently soap actors are able to break out to prime time, same thing for prime time actors who become more and more movie stars now.

Cathi

So happy for Maurice glad to see work coming his way. With the hard work that daytime actors do you would think nighttime & film would welcome people that know their lines and are reliable. Very rarely hear about temper tantums in daytime. I watch Castle & NCIS partly because daytime is working at night and they are well done shows.

Charlotte

Michael Weatherly star of NCIS is an ex-soap actor (by the way, his ex and mother of his childs the woman playing Victoria right now on Y&R) ;Hollywood is a little world, many prime time (and even film actors now) actors come from daytime soaps.

Ramona

I’m seeing more & more big screen stars coming to television, (steady work) & vise versa. I think it is unfair that most soap stars get stereotyped in their work because they actually work steady hours and most likely have more actual time put into acting than big screen actors that do movies. Seems like newcomers get a better chance at getting a part on the big screen than soap stars, who have a lot more acting experience; so unfair. Why not give soap stars a big screen…So glad to see Maurice Bernard get his opportunity on the big screen. I’ve been watching him since he started on General Hospital I guess it depends on who you know in the industry.

shana

I am totally thrilled for Maurice! I think him being a main player on a Soap for so long has made the jump difficult for him!

kay/kay

Tony Geary once said if you stay in a daytime role too long it does identify you their are a lot of great actors in the film industry that came from soaps, that is why Geary back in 1999 told Johnathan Jackson if you do want to go on to films don’t stay to long. Hope it works out for Maurice Benard .

Sam

For Geary it is a bit different i think, he is known outside of soaps for being a soap star with his fame from Luke and Laura..but long time soap actors can do it, it is maybe a bit hard but they can do it..Susan Lucci is now working on a prime time show created by Desperate Housewives creator and actually her big fame as a soap royalty known outside of soaps helped her in her case and she knows the right people and knows how to market herself, Deidre Hall had a sitcom for two years before she came back on Days so it is not impossible even for longtime soap actors, Ali Sweeney is the host of a prime time tv show for years now while still playing Sami on Days and soon she will be on a tv movie, Jonathan Jackson came back on GH recently and still he just left and has now booked a major part on a new prime time tv show who gets lot’s of buzz. And yep majority of prime time, movie actors who start on soaps doesn’t last long on these soaps in order to breat out but for long time soap actors it is not impossible, another example Thorsten Kaye is now playing on a prime time show with Angelica Huston and he is not a young actor..so everything seems possible, not easy but not impossible. Another example Trevor St John just did a movie last year who got lot’s of praise in indy festivals ect..

Ramona

I agree with you. However, I wonder what Anthony Geary is working on when he leaves GH intermittently. Susan Lucci has done numerous television movies. Jonathan Jackson has done several movies (a couple on the big screen) and on the vice versa many actors have come from big screen to television and of course many have left daytime soaps to do movies & night time soaps & series.

Shirley Miller

I am soooo very happy for Maurice Benard – he is such a talented actor and deserves a try at a show outside the soap genre. I wish him and all connected with this film – The Ghost and The Whale – the best of luck!!! Maurice’s dimples don’t hurt his chances either!!!!! LOL!!!!!

carol wilson

I think it is great and i agree with a post made before. You thik that soap stars would be in high demand. They have to learn a lot of scripts and do it fast so i think they would be the ideal people to go to for movies. Im glad for MB i love him on GH. Good luck to him and the project.

liz

Good news for MB! I’m not sure why it’s so hard for some of the hardest working, most talented actors to get jobs outside of daytime. It should be the opposite because they know how to bring it home under time and budget constraints that should make them desirable to any movie producer. They may be too closely identified with their soap star roles. I’m just very grateful that I can still watch GH and hope to see OLTL & MC back in some form some day. Kudos to you, Maurice!

Mary Fergen

It has always been a shame that there seems to be a stigma with actors whose resume is as a soap actor. Nowhere else in the entertainment field will you find a job that is more difficult than working on a soap. They work such long hours and are required to remember miles of dialogue every day. Most other so-called actors would never be able to handle it!

Joan Faist

I would put Soap actors up against any big name stars anytime. You don’t get any better than Maurice Bernard, Steve Burton, Roger Howarth, Deidre Hall or numerous other daytime stars. When they can keep an audience interested for years What more do you want. You can keep your Brad Pitt’s, Tom Cruise’s, Angelina Jolie’s I will take Steve Burton’s stares. He says more dialogue with his eyes than most actors say in an entire movie. Long live our beloved daytime STARS.

Sam

Well i am not sure about Steve Burton..to me he is quite lifeless on-screen whereas Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie have real charisma..and to be a movie star you has to have charisma but Steve tried years before and he did a movie who was quite high profile and soon he will work with James Franco (who also has real charisma which explained his success for a big part) on a new project so you never know..But Roger Howarth i agree with you he has the ‘it’ on-screen, the charisma so i don’t get he did not become more successful in other mediums than soap because he did not try very hard..i mean after OLTL he did continue with another soap and now GH whereas he could have got prime time and films..

Sheryl Postin

Good luck Maurice you are a fantastic actor and I can’t wait to see your new movie. I can’t believe that people who who make movies can’t see how talented the actors are form the soaps really are. if I could I would choose a soap opera actor over the others any day.

Christy

I know he was in a movie playing Desi Arnez a while back, but looking at his filmography, it says he’s been in 7 movies none of which i’ve heard of, 3 TV movies (one was that Lucy/Desi movie), 4 soaps (AMC, GH and the two offshoot GH soaps, and 1 time roles on 2 other tv shows…

he’s a good actor, but looking at the list, i’d say it’s past time to change agents! Getting a commercial (or a few!) would get him some great exposure too — he’s not too hard on the eyes! 😉

of course being on GH and it’s intense scheduling, he would have a movie schedule nearby that could work around the GH schedule – or take a break from GH, which is difficult if the fans are in charge! te he he

Eunice

Maurice Benard ?

Have we all gone insane?

nancy

When is the movie TheGhost and the Whale going to be on. I really want to see it. Is it T.V. or theatre?
Nancy

Laurie McCartin

I am so excited to see this film. I won’t wish you good luck, the film is already a success. I can’t for August 1st to see the screening. My son, Bryan McKinley plays Mitch and the Guadioso Twins are fabulous! I hope this film launches your new career…………..

Bev Ottman

when can we buy a dvd or whatever of The Ghost and The Whale. Idearly love sonny on G.H.Sonny don’t leave G.H.yet. I hope Kate Sullivan comes back and be a couple on G.H.You guys are HOT”’You have a wonderful family.

Jean Czaplewski

I’ve watched GH a long time and Sonny is GH. However I can see why he wants to try something different. Maurice is a great actor, he is sure to succeed in another phase of Entertainment. How could he not be noticed with those dimples, sparkling eyes and all his seductive looks and generally Good Eye Candy….

General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Chase and ‘Janelle’ Two Sides To Every Story?

June 19, 2018

On Tuesday’s episode of General Hospital, viewers were given more of the back-story between Chase (Josh Swickard) and Nelle (Chloe Lanier) told through a series of flashback from their disparate recollections.

At the PCPD, over the phone, Chase thanks his former police partner, Abby for sending the files he had on one … Janelle Benson. As he peruses through the files and sees the image of Nelle contained within it, and a postcard from Florida, Chase flashes back to his interrogation room and meeting suspect ‘Janelle’, when he was working as an officer in Maine. Nelle was being questioned in the drowning of her fiance’ Zack.. Chase asks why the upset ‘Janelle’ chose to vacation in Maine instead of Florida. She says it was so Zack could put space between him and his disapproving family. However, ‘Janelle’ does admit going kayaking was her idea.

Next, she cries that she had to make the decision to try to save Zack from drowning, but thought maybe she might die too, so she decided to save herself, and not go in after him, in what was an impossible situation to be in. Abby questions ‘Janelle’ about Zack changing his will right before they headed off for their vacation. ‘Janelle’ lets it firmly be known that it was all Zack’s idea to change his will.

Chase believes ‘Janelle’ is innocent, but Abby thinks Janelle is played the helpless victim card. Chase decides to release Nelle. Later, Chase remembers traveling to Florida, because Nelle was reportedly being harassed by Zack’s family. When he got to Florida, he recalls staying in a motel, and was set to meet up with her at a diner. However, ‘Janell’e surprised him while he was half-naked in a towel and the door of his room. Next thing you know, things get hot and heavy as she seduces him. Chase flashes to them hitting the sheets and being in the throes of passion, and promising to take care of everything for her.

Meanwhile, Nelle and Michael (Chad Duell) are talking at The Floating Rib. Nelle admits to Michael that she has a past with Chase, and her fear of him trying to bring her down now that he is in Pot Charles. She says that Chase would do anything to get ahead in his career. Michael asks if Maine was truly the last time she saw Chase. She says it wasn’t, and says he followed her to Florida.

Now, as there are two sides to every story, Nelle flashes to coming to visit Chase at his motel room; where he is only wearing a towel . In her version, she portrays Chase as the instigator. She start to cry and tells Michael that in her gut she knew that something was off about Chase, but she felt like she was drowning inside and he was her lifeline. Nelle says Chase became obsessed with her.

Then while alone, Nelle remembers how she was able to get Chase to go out to the store and get her some water after their hot sexcapade.. Once she is all by herself, Nelle calles the police to report misconduct by an officer at the motel. Meanwhile, Michael has headed over to the PCPD to confront Chase.

So, which version of the story of Chase and ‘Janelle’ do you believe? It appears Nelle has done a number on Chase. What did you think of Chloe Lanier’s performance where she can go from portraying the victim in a situation, to an evil bitch, with ease? What do you think of Josh Swickard as the PCPD’s main cop, now that Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) is on his way out of GH? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

General Hospital

GH Preview – Week of June 18, 2018

June 17, 2018

This week on General Hospital, as Carly (Laura Wright) is being drugged up with anti-psychotic meds at Ferncliff, it’s Jason (Steve Burton) to the rescue. Carly’s bff finds a way to infiltrate the state mental institution. Meanwhile, Carly had been talking to Kevin (Jon Lindstrom), who says he will help her through her ordeal emotionally. But is Carly really seeing Kevin, or is it just a figment of her imagination?

Elsewhere, Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) seeks out her ex Julian (William deVry) as she tries to come to terms with the root cause of her issues with the men she chooses to be in her life. Julian, who has gotten closer to Kim (Tamara Braun), now has a chance to try to help Alexis and make up for the ways in which he hurt her. Could this be the beginning of the patching up of Julexis, or the final straw?

Sonny (Maurice Benard) has just learned that Mike (Max Gail) moved the body buried at Croton. Where did Mike take it? How will this have future implications?

Here are more teasers for the action coming up on GH:

MONDAY JUNE 18

Obrecht covers her tracks.

TUESDAY JUNE 19

Nelle reflects on her past.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 20

Michael confronts Chase.

THURSDAY JUNE 21

Nina demands answers.

FRIDAY JUNE 22

Valentin’s romantic gesture back fires.

So, what story point are you looking forward to playing out this week on GH? Let us know in the comment section below.

Breaking News

Dominic Zamprogna Confirms He Is Done At GH

June 14, 2018

Another General Hospital favorite has left the building. After much speculation and rumors, it has been confirmed on Thursday afternoon by Dominic Zamprogna that he has left the ABC daytime drama series, and his role of nine years; that of Dante Falconeri.

In a tweet, Dominic shared: “So you’ve been asking. I feel I owe it to you awesome fans to tell you that I’ve taped my final scenes. Going to miss you all and my GH fam. Good things happening tho. More to come ..”

Zamprogna actually had taped his final scenes last month in May.

The character of Dante came on to GH, and it was revealed that he was the biological son of Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Olivia Falconeri (Lisa LoCicero).

Benard posted a touching photo from on set of himself and Zamprogna on his Instagram account stating: “Always very sad for me when great actors and great friends leave the show Dom was definitely at the top of that list was always looking forward to working with him didn’t happen enough.”

Dominic’s on-screen lady love Emme Rylan (Lulu) shared these thoughts on Twitter: “I am utterly heartbroken to see you go but also very excited to watch what is coming next for you. I believe in you! Go get em!”

So, are you sad to hear that Dominic has left GH? What do you think will happen to the character of Dante? Share your thoughts on his departure in the comment section below.