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Happy 57th Anniversary Today to General Hospital

Photo: ABC

ABC’s daytime drama, General Hospital turns 57 today, and remains the current longest-running soap opera on the air.  GH debuted back on April 1, 1963.

The show was created by the husband-and-wife team of Frank and Doris Hursley.  Originally, the soap was not given a name of a particular town in which the drama of the hospital was set in.  However, that all changed in the 1970’s when GH was set in Port Charles.

GH expanded from a 30-minute show to a 45-minute show on July 26, 1976 and eventually went to a full-hour where it has remained back on January 16, 1978.

Throughout its decades on the air, GH was the impetus for two spin-offs; Port Charles, (which aired from 1997-2003) and primetime’s GH: Night Shift (2007-2008),

The show went through many ups and downs over its history, but things changed dramatically for the better, when by the end of the 1970’s and facing cancellation, ABC brought in executive producer, Gloria Monty to steer the ship.  Monty created supercouple Luke and Laura played by Tony Geary and Genie Francis, and opened the show up with exciting location shoots, and from then on GH has remained a firm mainstay in the daytime line-up.

Today, Frank Valentini is the series executive producer, and the soap is co-written by the head writing team of Dan O’Connor and Chris Van Etten.

As 80%, as of now, in the US are reported to be homebound due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the latest ratings for the week of March 23, 2020, GH drew 2.57 million viewers,- its strongest week since March 19, 2018.  So, more eyeballs are tuning-in to the drama in Port Charles.

Share your congratulations and well-wishes to the cast, crew, and creatives at General Hospital for 57 years of drama, romance and intrigue via the comment section below.

But first, vote in our poll for your favorite storyline or moment of all-time on GH.  If your favorite is not one of the choices listed in the poll, let us know in the comment section which is your favorite, or if you voted for one of the selections, let us know why, too! 

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Congrats

I definitely remember April 1, 1963. I have no idea why I wasn’t in school that day. Lucky for me I wasn’t. I watched Head Nurse Jessie Brewer, chief of medicine Dr. Steve Hardy, Nurse Lucille March, and Jessie’s philandering intern husband Dr. Phil Brewer and was instantly hooked. I continued watching until 2005 and have decades of memories of the romance, drama, and adventure of GH.

Congratulations to the entire cast and crew on your 57th anniversary. I wish you many, many more.

happy bday GH, I’m so glad your still around, best cast in daytime or primetime, you guys have made me happy for so many years, thankyou for that.

Where is Robert, Scotty and Bobbi…57 years…a group photo…even those in the photo plus the others i mention-not barely any story or rarely seen except for Laura and Monica..Bobbi and Monica who could loose her job for shredding that paper-dumb move…Nelle could win…but they wont get caught…all these iconic stars deserve better…sad…not worth celebrating except for surviving the soap purge….on the plus side NO SONNY AND CARLY-but they do get the most screen time,especially Carly who is written into all the stories one way or another!!!

In past years GH has done stand-alone special episodes on April 1st, such as last year’s scavenger hunt at the hospital in memory of Gail Baldwin. A couple of years ago it was an episode featuring all three actresses who’ve portrayed Carly. I presumed this year’s special episode was going to be all about the moss bowl in Sonny & Carly’s kitchen, but that opportunity has now sadly been missed.

Congrats GH! 57 years is an amazing milestone. Here’s to many more years on the air!

I’ve been watching for 25 of those years, started in 1995. I was in high school at the time, home sick from school, I happened to be flipping through the channels, there was a shooting going on, it was when Joe Scully organized the hit that struck Luke and Laura’s house, Luke’s club and Sonny’s apartment simultaneously. I remember the shower being shot up as Brenda was inside, glass flying everywhere in slow motion. That drew me in.

Later that week, Stone revealed to Robin that he was HIV positive, Laura threw Luke out of the house, and Genie Francis broke down and cried hysterically like nothing I had ever seen before, which moved me down deep in my soul. Here I was a teenager crying for these characters I didn’t even know. I was hooked. The rest as they say, is history, lol. Haven’t missed an episode since.

I’ve only been watching the show since Frank and Ron C. took over in 2012, but I recognize the value of veteran characters and wish GH utilized them more. My dream is to see a story in which the 5 actors pictured above as well as Anna, Robert, Bobbie and Scott are all major players. And maybe characters from the past can come back like Tracy did around the holidays. It would be amazing to see Luke, Frisco and Holly again back in action.

Happy anniversary!! When I think of General Hospital, I think of what drew me in…. it was 1985 and I was 6 yrs old, and the opening theme with the ambulance going into the entrance gate of General Hospital caught my attention, and from that day on I’ve checked into the hospital everyday!!! As Lois would say, “ happy 57th anniversary, general hospital!!! Lol

General Hospital

THIS WEEK on GENERAL HOSPITAL: Dex and Josslyn’s Relationship at a Crossroad, Jason Contacts Diane For Help

Previews for the week of March 18-22nd on General Hospital, plus the latest promo for the daytime drama series, share that Jason’s (Steve Burton) return has already affected so many lives, especially given the fact that several key people aka Michael (Chad Duell), Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and Danny (Asher Antonyzn) know his location at this moment.

Eventually, Jason (Steve Burton) will get in touch with Diane (Carolyn Hennesy), from what one can only assume is legal help. However, John (Adam J. Harrington) seems hot on Jason’s trail, but the question remains, if Jason was working for John as seemingly revealed in a flashback to keep out of prison, are the two working together … or are they mortal enemies?

Meanwhile, it looks like its curtain for now in the relationship between Dex (Evan Hofer) and Josslyn (Eden McCoy). After Nina (Cynthia Watros) dropped a bombshell about Cyrus (Jeff Kober), Joss gets an earful of information from Dex, when he admits that he was in Cyrus’s hospital room to kill him on orders from Sonny (Maurice Benard).

Photo: ABC

According to Soap Opera Digest, Eden McCoy shared, ” I think what’s different about this situation, and what pushes her over the edge, is that it wasn’t, like, a self-defense situation. It wasn’t at a shoot-out. He wasn’t protecting Sonny. Cyrus wasn’t doing anything! And I think that really scares her, to see him in the light of voluntarily killing someone in their sleep. That is very different from, like, shooting someone that’s shooting at Sonny. She is just in shock, like she can’t actually believe it.” As told by McCoy, “At that point, Josslyn says.’I can’t do this anymore,’ and makes her exit.”

Take a look below at the rest of the official teasers for the week.

MONDAY, MARCH 18

Dex makes a confession to Josslyn. Tracy shares a moment with Sonny. Diane offers encouragement to Alexis. Kevin explains what might have led to Marshall’s misdiagnosis. Stella has an unlikely encounter. 

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

Josslyn opens up to Carly. Dex confides in Anna. Sonny offers Natalia some valuable insights. Jason gets a visitor. Brook Lynn lays into John.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

Tracy sees a new side of Cody. Alexis informs Molly about her plans. Natalia has a revelation. Anna makes an admission to John over drinks.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Drew has a proposition for Nina. A photo shoot at Deception goes wrong. Laura and Heather find some common ground. Willow is worried by her actions.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

Jason reaches out to Diane for help. Maxie calls Lucy out. Cody and Olivia comfort each other. Sasha makes a huge decision. Chase and Brook Lynn are stunned.

Now below, watch this week’s promo for the action in Port Charles.

What storyline are you looking forward to the most? The least? Let us know in the comment section.

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General Hospital

REPORT: General Hospital Alum, Robyn Bernard, Homeless & Battling Addiction, Before Her Passing at 64

Robyn Bernard passed away earlier this week on March 12th, when her body was found in an empty field, which is allegedly behind a 7/11, and some trailer homes, in San Jacinto, California. The actress and singer, and former General Hospital alum, played Terry Brock from 1984-1990 and was 64-years-old at the time of her death.

New reporting on the life that she led over the past year, and longtime mental health issues and struggles with addiction, paint a picture that may have led to her death. Although it should be noted, the toxicology report is currently not completed or released. However, the sheriff department stated that no foul play is suspected.

Now, according to the Daily Mail, friends of Bernard spoke on how she had become part of their homeless community, and that she she struggled with alcohol addiction, and had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia through the latter part of her life.

Photo: ABC

In their accounts, things went south for Robyn when in 2014 she moved to the community in San Jacinto, which is 84 miles from Los Angeles. At that time, she moved into a trailer park for senior citizens and was beloved for her singing by her neighbors.

The report also notes that in 2015, tragically, Bernard’s trailer park home was burned to the ground taking 7 of her 8 beloved cats and all of her possessions. After that, Robin stayed with many people of the community, but the previous management chased her off of the premises. She then broke up with her boyfriend and eventually stopped communicating with her parents.

Bernard’s final home was in a community called Parkview Estates, facilitated by Riverside County’s Adult Protective Services Department.  According to police records obtained by Daily Mail, through 2017-2019, Bernard faced numerous DUI drugs and alcohol arrests during that period.

Joni Woods, who lives opposite the space where Bernard’s trailer once was said: ‘I used to see her (Robyn) around town all the time pushing her shopping carts. She always had four or five of them, and I always felt so bad for her.” Robyn’s former boyfriend, Dan Berlin, expressed that the last time he had seen the GH alum was two years ago, “She was out there, talking to herself in a nonsense way. She was a schizophrenic.’

The friends of Bernard shared: “She used to say that Hollywood screwed her over,” adding, “They did her dirty and that’s why she ended up living in San Jacinto of all places.”

Share your thoughts on this tragic story of the last part of Robyn’s life, which again, stresses the importance of trying to find the appropriate help for those dealing with mental illness, being homeless, and addiction. 

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General Hospital

While ‘General Hospital’s’ Dante Lays in a Coma; Dominic Zamprogna Has Some Great New Portrait Headshots

On General Hospital, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) has thus far survived two bullets to the chest, and is laying in a coma. Sam (Kelly Monaco), his lady love, is by his side and beside herself after learning her ex Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) is alive and is of the belief that Jason have been the shooter who tried to take out Dante.

Sonny (Maurice Benard) has been wracked with guilt after he wasn’t so kind to his son, before the PCPD cop got shot. Meanwhile, Jason is hiding out at the Quartermaine boat house trying to recover from the gun shot wound he received.

While Dante’s life is still hanging in the balance, it appears that his portrayer, Dominic Zamprogna, took a diverse range of headshot and portrait photos under the eyes of talented photographer Jackson Davis. The photos were posted on Davis’ Instagram account.

Photo: ABC

A few former GH castmates commented on the photos including Marc Anthony Samuel (ex-Felix) who expressed: “Dante, Dante, Dante…,” and Mark Lawson (ex-Dustin) posted, “Dom!!!! Handle yo’ biz.”

Zamprogna joined General Hospital back in 2009 and has been nominated four times for a Daytime Emmy Award throughout his time thus far on the ABC daytime drama series.

So, what do you think will happen to Dante? Will he wake up and be just fine, or will he have another medical condition? What do you think of Dominic’s new headshots? Comment below.

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