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Happy 49th Anniversary today to General Hospital!

Of all the soaps on the air, it has been General Hospital who unfortunately had April Fool’s Day as their birthdate!  That’s right.  GH premiered on April 1, 1963, and after so many years of heartache, romance, intrigue, hospital staffers and loveable or evil mobsters, the show celebrates today it’s 49th anniversary!

Originally created by Frank and Doris Hursley, the show premiered as a half hour and aired in the 1PM EST time slot.   The original cast featured John Beradino, Emily McLaughlin, and  Roy Thinnes, to name just a few.  And after many pivotal executive producer changes, key among them: Gloria Monty, Wendy Riche, Jill Farren Phelps, and now Frank Valentini, the show has aired as of last week around 12, 531 episodes!

Through its glory days to its not-so-glorious days, General Hospital has been a scrappy fighter who several times was on the brink of cancellation, but fought back to become the number one sudser, or remain in the daytime line-up.  Now, as we all wait with bated breath to find out if GH can live to see it’s 50th, when ABC made its decisions in the coming weeks if GH or The Revolution will continue on past September 2012, today is a cause for celebration.   49 years is nothing to sneeze at!

Check out this cast photo and our blast from the past, and let us know if you can name all of the actors or their character names in our comment section!  Also, please share your thoughts on GH turning 49!

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Ah the memories..who can forget Jessie Brewer and her “7th floor nurses station” every time she answered the phone..lol..always been a watchable show even when not that good and I hope it continues for many years to come.We need daytime drama no matter what network execs think!

Amen! Please DON’T cancel General Hospital!! It’s so so good!!! Love it and love the new look and feel of it, the writing, addition of OL characters, twists and storylines. It’s definitely must see TV again!!!

LONG LIVE GENERAL HOSPIAL!!!

My sentiments exactly! Ditto on the new look and feel, writing, etc. It’s been a while since I’ve been so excited and can’t wait to see what the next episode brings. Long live GH!

Horray, GH has and always has been a great show!!! I hope that ABC does the right thing and makes it live to it’s 50th!! Happy Anniversary!

Congrats on 49 years GH! Curious as to why it premiered in April and not in September? Just seems like an odd month for a show to actually premiere. Anyway, I can name most by not all of the characters. I see Jessie Brewer, Tommy Baldwin (Hardy), Audrey Hardy, Jeff Webber, Steve Hardy, Peter Taylor, Rick Webber, Laura Webber, Louise March (?), Scott Baldwin, Heather Webber, Diana Taylor, Lee Baldwin, Gail Baldwin, Monica Quartermaine, Alan Quartermaine

I remember that “7th floor nurses station.” I don’t even know what floor their on now. I like it right now, not loving it, but am hoping. I hope it stays on for many years and that there are less mob involvement.

Most everything in the hospital nowadays takes place on the 10th floor. Hard to tell since that horrible reconstruction of the hospital a few years ago. During the 80’s they would alternate floors by changing the big circled floor number on the elevator doors including Lobby.

That is so true and observant!

Jessie brewer answers the phone saying 7th floor nurses station ,never got sick of those words.that was when general hospital was general hospital all the stories surrounded the 7th floor.those were the good old days and I hope that our characters of port charles continue for another 49 years.Happy anniversary.abc/disney you should be proud of this show like you should have been proud of all my children and One life to live classic programming you cant replace.

didn’t you just love it when they wanted to talk and went into the “medicine room” and shut the door…those were the days

Yes those were the days and I miss them ,they made general hospital what it is today, hey Keith dont forget all the trips to dr hardys office, where they talked about medicine and every ones problems .

U just had to take a jab at ABC, huh? Even though this is about General Hospital. I was reading your post, and I was like, ” Wait, what happened? Who is she now talking to? lol
I just finished eating the leftover lobster ect…. so I’m yarning, deliriously sleepy, going for nap now.

General Hospital has been on constant for me, like family! Most of my life from 3-4pm has been devoted to GH! thank you for the many wonderful compelling stories and the entire team for their hard work entertaining me since I began watching around 1980.

Happy Bday GH, I’m still loving you no matter what, I’ll be faithfull till the end.

Happy Birthday General Hospital may you have many more birthdays to come.
I also hope one day your families will return home
Quartermaines
Alan
Emily
Aj
Justus
Ned
Dillion
Tracy
Edward
Monica
Michael
Jason
Spencers
Lucky
Luke
Ethan
Laura
Carly
Bobbie
Morgan
Michael

Ummm, you forgot Lulu and Nicholas.

Steve/audrey tom hardy Jessie brewer Gail lee Scott Baldwin , Leslie Jeff Steven Laura weber , Alan Monica quartermain and I wanna say Lars and Rooney but not sure. Sad that previous writers wiped out do many core characters to pretty ruin the different families and legacy. Either way I’ve enjoyed my 30+ yrs watching and hope the longest running soap continues.

Happy Birthday GH. This show deserves to stay on for another 40 years, replacing it with other new and unpopular shows is so unfair to the fans. Exectives need to listen to Soap viewers and respect their opinions.
Thank you to all the actors who are the reason we watch and love General Hospital.

I have spent over 35 years enjoying the characters and storylines of General Hospital, and while it has had many wonderful highs and some deep lows, it is a strong soap, with many riviting storylines, and fascinating twists and turns, that I will continue to watch and enjoy. I am a strong supporter of the recent addition of Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivarti, and am enjoying the direction the show is going in. Here is to not only making it to it’s 50th Anniversary, but many more years of enchanting storylines after that!!! As for the photo, what a nice trip down memory lane. Jessie’s smile is and always was infectious (but who could forget how Phil Brewer broke her heart), and Steve Hardy, the patriarch of GH (who could forget his many years of playing Santa Claus at GH), and his always supportive and loving wife Audrey. I loved Rick and Jeff, the battling Webber brothers, especially Jeff, as played by Richard Dean Anderson. A young Monica and Alan Quartermaine, not to mention a very young Laura Webber/Vining, who was probably being courted by Scotty Baldwin during the time this photo was taken. Of course, Scotty’s Dad Lee Baldwin, and his wife, Gail. I cannot make out who the curly, red-haired fellow in the center is. At first I thought it was Ryan Phillipe, but definitely not. Can anyone tell me who that is? Happy 49th Anniversary GH, and I hope we can all enjoy many more years to come!

Thank you so much for your wonderful tribute to GH!! Happy 49th Anniversary to this beloved and iconic show!! Here’s to many,many more years of unforgettable memories!!

Come on everybody lets get them to the 50th and hopefully 50 more years!!! Congratulations GH!!!

I’m not concerned about whether ABC will choose The Revolution over General Hospital. Even the Deadline article that you posted last week on this website stated that the ABC execs were not willing to kill their 49 years old soap for a talk show such as The Revolution that will unlikely ever be successful.

The threat for General Hospital is not The Revolution, but rather those other shows that ABCD is having in development. If one of these programs is ready by the time ABC has to make its decision, then it’s bye bye General Hospital. In all cases, The Revolution is a goner in September. ABC has lost faith in that show and I don’t even see their promos anymore during the commercials on General Hospital.

I think I see Gary Lansing in there. Who are the two women to the right of Laura Webber? Who is the curly haired guy to the right of Rick Webber? And don’t know the top 3 on the left. Lamont Corbin? Gina something? Please help.

Let’s rebuild the Webbers. Laura, Lesley, Rick, Jeff, Amy Vining, Mikey. Lesley Webber was one of the best characters the show has ever had. DA is a great actress and made Lesley so multidimensional. Bringing her back as a Dr would be great and Monica would have some interaction with someone her own age and with shared history.

Thats right where is lesley?amy vining cant come back she had kidney failure,the actress did. I agree with what you said about lesley being a doctor It would be nice to see her and monica be friends again.And laura she should have never left port charles.

” Bringing her back as a Dr would be great and Monica would have some interaction with someone her own age and with shared history. ”

* That would be a Great idea, and you’re right, Monica needs more interaction with people of her age, particularly at the hospital. At home, she has Tracy, and Luke, of age and shared history. Of course Edward is older. Love Monica.

I love General Hospital. I love ABC soaps. ABC was always the BEST network for daytime and primetime, and boy…..did they screw themselves up!

We want General Hospital to make the stretch, and so we much continue to fight, BUT not just TALK as we do on this site. WORDS and ACTIONS…… equally results!

1loveabcsoaps for General Hospital. Happy Anniversary!

I’ve been watching gh since the 2nd grade I remember I would run home from school just to watch GH now am a senior and I have to say BEST DAYTIME SOAP ever!!! Happy 49th General Hospital, and I hope the show doent get cancelled because I have no idea what im going to watch in college, and I have to say I LOVE JASON AND SAM <—- BEST COUPLE EVER …

JaSam, the most BORING couple ever! Bring on John McBain and Sam, yay!!

John and sam do look good together ,I loved them in that vampire stuff.

Lot’s of luck Gh and I hope you be here and celebrating many more years, I’ve been watching for 49 years and hope to for many more. Congratulations to all the wonderful actors and all the people affiliated with the show.

Congrats GH! Good luck !

Happy 49th Anniversary,GH(old and new friends)
One more year to becomes 50th Anniversary!!!

What year is that old GH cast picture from, Michael?

From Doctors to Nurses
To Mobsters, Molls and police
From Love in the Afternoon
To the Cassadine’s and their penchant for causing grief

From the underground caves of Port Charles
To the Quartermaine’s castle keep
From Casey the space Alien
To Caleb Morley with those sharp Vampire teeth

From Love to loss through the triumphs and tears
General Hospital’s Port Charles has seen it all through the years

So we lift up our cup in thanks to our great show
Happy 49th General Hospital and here’s to 51 years more years to go.

Paula Kate Prince-Meserole

Happy 49th Anniversary General Hospital!! Thank you GH and ABC for all the wonderful memories and years of entertainment.

It has to make it to 50 years because my friends and I are already planning the 50th Annniversary Party. We are going to come as GH characters and I’ve decided I’m going to be Lucy Coe. Can’t wait!

Not only did GH premiere on April 1, 1963 on ABC, but on NBC, so did ‘The Doctors,’ (April 1, 1963-Dec. 31, 1982).

General Hospital

Cameron Mathison Previews New Game Show ‘Beat The Bridge’ (Promo)

As previously reported, Cameron Mathison (Drew, General Hospital) will be seen doing double duty this summer when he premieres in June as the host of Game Show Network’s Beat The Bridge.

Now, while Cameron will be the host with the most, that doesn’t mean he will stop playing GH’s Drew.  In fact, Mathison taped the game show in 2023, so it will now air for the first time in 2024.

Taking to his Instagram this week, Cameron shared his enthusiasm and some new hosting snaps, sharing, “Our newest game show host reporting for duty😎 Head over to the Game Show Network YouTube channel for your first look at the show and don’t miss Beat The Bridge premiering this June! I can’t wait for you guys to see this!”

Photo: GSN

In Beat The Bridge, an enormous interactive bridge dares players to cross by stepping on the right answers to challenging trivia questions. As they play, each steps forward and puts money in their team’s bank, with bonus money for each successful crossing. Here’s the catch: the team gets to keep the money only if it can “beat the bridge” by returning one of its players back across before time expires.

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, on GH, Drew and Nina (Cynthia Watros) recently had hate-sex. Do you think its a one-time deal? Where will Drew’s story take him next under new head writers, Patrick Mulcahey and Elizabeth Korte? Stay tuned.

Now below, check out the first promo for Beat The Bridge from the Game Show Network with you host, Cameron Mathison.  Then, let us know, will you be checking out the game this summer? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

 

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A post shared by Cameron Mathison (@cameronmathison)

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nina Confronts Ava for Sabotaging Her Relationship With Sonny and Signs the Divorce Papers

Looks like Nina (Cynthia Watros) and Ava (Maura West) are back to be each other’s sworn enemy number one. By the end of the Monday, April 22nd episode of General Hospital, the women know where they stand with each other after Nina goes in on Ava accusing her of wanting Sonny (Maurice Benard) all to herself, while her marriage has been on the rocks.

In story, at Nina’s office, Ava shows up to see Nina and says she is sorry about what happened with Sonny and that he reacted the way he did, acknowledging that is was over the top, even for Sonny. Ava says she’ll smooth things over, but Nina says she now understands how manipulative and transparent Ava really is.

Given their horrible history, Nina goes in on Ava and how she should never have trusted her. Nina wants to know how long has Ava had this agenda dating all the way back to telling Nina to turn Carly (Laura Wright) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) into the SEC. Ava says she never told her do to that, but Nina wants to know how long Ava has been playing her for a fool.

Courtesy/ABC

Ava says she moved in with Sonny to keep Avery safe and she wants to be on good terms with Avery’s father, Sonny. Nina thinks she likes being in Sonny’s inner circle. Ava tells Nina if she goes to him about her advising Nina to call the SEC on Carly and Drew, it won’t work.  Sonny still considers Nina a traitor and he will think she’s lying because she’s so desperate to win him back. Ava says if Nina would stop blaming everyone else that maybe Sonny would respect her.  Nina says “like he does you?” Ava says Sonny not only respects her, but he also counts on her.

From there, Ava launches into why she and Sonny understand each other, after all, Sonny is a powerful, turbulent, and sometimes violent man. She goes so far to say if Nina wanted someone to just sit by the fire with and play with their grandchildren, she’s got the wrong guy.  Ava then talks about Mike from Nixon Falls (Sonny with amnesia) and how Sonny hid the darkest parts of himself from Nina back then, whereas with Ava they are the same similar creatures, so he doesn’t have to hide anything.

Courtesy/ABC

Nina wants to know just what Ava wants with Sonny? What is her end game? Ava responds that they understand each other, in ways she can’t with Sonny. Nina tells Ava she can go ahead and have it all and signs Sonny’s divorce papers. Ava walks out with the documents, while Nina in tears at her desk, takes off her wedding rings and has her assistant come in so she can messenger the rings back to Sonny’s address.

The episode and these scenes featured great performances by Cynthia Watros and Maura West. You can check some of the scenes below.

Now, let us know, what is Ava’s next move? Is she going to become Mrs. Sonny Corinthos? Do you like Ava and Nina as enemies? Comment below.

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General Hospital

Ellen Travolta Makes Another Return to General Hospital

If General Hospital’s Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) nuptials are on, you didn’t think Grandma Gloria Cerullo would miss out on the festivities, now did you?

Casting news from Soap Opera Digest reveals that Ellen Travolta is back taping scenes that will air the week of May 13th on the ABC daytime drama series.  When viewers learned that Carmine Cerullo, was also on his way back to Port Charles, now in the face and body of actor George Russo, it only made sense that Grandma Gloria would join Grandpa Cerullo. Look for them both mid-May.

As most people know, Ellen is the older sister to John Travolta. She first make appearances as Gloria back on GH in the mid-90s. Most recently, she returned to the Quartermaine mansion to meet up with daughter, Lois (Rena Sofer) and granddaughter Brook Lynn for Thanksgiving in Port Charles in 2023.  Michael Fairman TV interviewed Rena Sofer and Amanda Setton late last year where they shared what it had been liking working with Ellen, who remains very close to Sofer in real-life.

Photo: JPI

Amanda shared: “We fell in love immediately. What’s crazy is my maternal grandmother was Grandma Gloria. I had her till I was 30 and we were so close. She was really like a second mom to me. So, when I got this script and I’m reading “Grandma Gloria”, it was so bizarre. And then in meeting Ellen, she looks like my grandma – same haircut, same high cheekbones. It really did feel like I had a few days with my grandma. It was very, very special for me. Ellen is sweet, prepared, professional, talented and funny to boot. So, it was one of the best weeks I’ve had at work. I hope she comes back. My fingers are crossed.”

Photo: ABC

Now, we can’t imagine Brook Lynn and Chase’s wedding day to be smooth sailing, in fact, expect just the opposite, but could it be Grandma Gloria who is ultimately the hero or the calming voice of reason for any pre-wedding jitters? Stay tuned.

So, glad to know that Ellen Travolta will be back for Brook Lynn and Chase’s big day? Comment below.

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