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Michael Sutton Reprising His Role Of Stone Cates On General Hospital!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Photo Credit: Getty Images

A major exciting return is on tap in August at General Hospital.Michael Sutton, who is fondly remembered for his heart-wrenching performance as Stone Cates, the character which succumbed to AIDS in 1995, is reprising his role.

According to TV Line, while Sutton’s encore is top secret, it is apparently triggered  by Sonny (Maurice Benard)when the mobster is going through a time of great crisis.

This isn’t the first time Sutton has revived the deceased Stone – his acclaimed role.  He previously made a brief appearance in 2010, when his love, Robin (Kimberly McCullough) was conjuring up his image and needed to talk to him.

So, what will happen to Sonny that he needs to see Stone? Excited for a brief Sutton return? Comment below!

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Although no one can ever write for Stone the way Claire Labine did, it is always a treat to be reminded of one of the greatest Daytime love stories ever told! I wish soaps would tell epic love stories like that again, but alas, the age of the supercouple is long gone!

So true what’s wrong with the soap show today they should take a look at that Novelas and learn from them we love love story and great couples

This Stone guy died 1995 .. 22 years ago!

So–
Now we will know the secret, never told, Do Ghosts Age ..

Has Michael Sutton/Stone aged in 22 years??
How will an aged ghost look like?

This is crazy! moreso Stupid!!!

We do not age in death, su. So, this Stone person, if he is an angel, will look as he did when he died. Double LOL.

Hey Su0000

They already had an “aged” Stone appear to Robin a few years ago. If he’s returning in Sonny’s head…and he’s actually playing the part and it’s not a flashback…then, yeah, he’ll be aged. Just another “it’s a soap..go with it…moment!” For those of us who remember Stone and that absolutely beautiful, gut-wrenching story…ugh…tears…it’s worth the “overlooking the aging thing..” Unless, maybe…Sonny is going to imagine that Stone never died and in his mind will be seeing him having lived his life, enjoyed his life…at the age he would have been now had he lived. That works!

A memorable story, su. I always wondered why the actor who played Stone didn’t act more.

Hi Nancy…

Michael has been in projects throughout the years but he’s very involved, from what I understand, in his own very high-profile entertainment publicity firm (I think it was founded by his father). He’s quite successful; seems like he wasn’t looking to get into acting full time.

If you check out Sutton’s twitter feed, you’ll see he’s heavy into real estate and selling legalized pot.

Ha Steve! I do remember he has his own real estate company (very high-end); I think he still does promoting as well. (didn’t know about the legalized pot.) Either way, he’s really an impressive guy! Quite the entrepreneur as well as being a talented actor!

@Steve…In that case, perhaps Stone will appear in a vision to offer Sonny a new business opportunity…investing in medicinal weed! (Hey, “Dimples” says he’s now going “legit!” Could be just the thing to pad his transition to his new life!…Plus, he does have a history in providing such a service….remember when he sent a sheepish Spinelli over to ChezAlexis for that laughably ludicrous scenario where she ended up spaced out with the screaming munchies??? Ah, yes, just another example in the long list of indignities for which this character has become famous…)

Reading thru the posts, I see some excellent thoughts here for a future legit business for Sonny. Since he’s working on a career change, he could be a medicinal pot broker. Or how about a pot farm down at his island? Sonny could give summer jobs there to kids like Joslyn. Summer camp’s been a bit rough for her with Spencer’s kidnapping there. A summer job at the pot farm might be just what she needs!

Michael Sutton did a great job in the role of Stone Cates. But it’s become GH’s style to pull in former cast members for brief periods of time or ones from other soaps. There’s alot of hype and marketing done for these brief stints that only last a day or two. I can only guess the motive is to get ratings up. They’ve done so much of this on GH that I just find it tiring and predictable.

I was super-disappointed in that they brought in very talented actress Hilary B. Smith in only for a few days as Nora Buchanan. First their was speculation she’d be the new D.A., then she ended up being Valentin’s lawyer for a few days. Big bummer.

Love Stone but if it’s for a scene with Sonny, I won’t turn on the show just for that.

AhHaHa, JMER. Too funny!!

How Rude yall have no respect for GH

Oh how wonderful!!! The BJ story and the Robin and Stone story are two of the best stories I’ve ever seen on daytime…………

Agree! Those 2, and when Lucky supposedly died in the fire. Gut wrenching. On OLTL – the entire week Megan died from lupus.

“Classic” soap! (Sigh!)

Wasn’t watching back then, so I could care less!
However, I”d like to know why the current writers have to resuscitate DEAD characters to tell a current story. They are really reaching if they have to go back to that time…IMHO.
I’m not a fan of “ghostly” returns…for ANY character. Even more so if Sonny is involved!!

How Rude

hi SZima.
It could be cool IF they played the creepy spooky music and had him looking like a ghost all white and creepy and floating around …. LOL looking like a scary dude.

I know nothing of the Lee man so no heartstrings for me, either..

Nonetheless.. I’m looking forward to seeing the scene… And his fans are excited to see him, and that is their moment of nostalgia, so happy for them..

I like your last sentence, su0000…nice sentiment.

Stone died of AIDS! How can they bring that character back? He died a long time ago.

Hi Sue,
Well, he is going to be a ghost that aged 22 years ahahaaa!
yes in deedy! a ghost that grows old, we know will know the secret of death/aging when a ghost ahaaa!

And it broke my bubble of believing ghosts never age 🙁

Guess Sonny is going to have a psychic “break.” You think? But just for one day–LOL!

He will obviously appear in spiri formt to Sonny, not as a real person… exactly the same way he appeared to Robin in 2010 when she fell in a well while escaping from Lisa Niles.

spirit form

Sonny gets Stoned…

LOL!

No Sam shoots him

oww oww!
now I hope Sonny will shoot and kill Sam!
that’s the way business is done. bullet for bullet.
please please let me write Sam’s death!!

LOL, Ethel! Then maybe he’d FINALLY get busted for something!

Even though you know he’d rather get “Stoned Cold!” Sonny just cannot get over that past bromance!

Sure, why not.
Welcome back, again.

I bet Sam shoots or stabs Sonny and Stone comes to him while he’s unconscious and near death’s door.

I said as much a couple of weeks, or so, ago….that Sam was going to do Sonny “in”. But, I figured by stabbing him. Now “Sammi’s got a gun”. I cannot fathom how she can go in and out of reality in a snap.
Incomprehensible. I would think an episode would last longer than a blink. Ahh, well….go with the flow….
I did not anticipate this Stone person….must have been important to Sonny for him to appear as a vision, as Joel said. But how? He has aged….spirits do not.
I will reserve a comment after the fact.

Since MB is obviously not leaving, the best we can hope for is a month-long coma. Let Maurice – and the viewers – have a nice vacation.

Up that to six months, and we’ve got a deal, Steve!

It will be nice to see Michael Sutton again, but of course, it has to revolve around Sonny.

Are they going to imply people keep aging in heaven. It’s been 22 years!

It will be weird, Steve. As I said to su, angels do not age. How will ‘they’ manage this scene?

Probably will be a hallucination…Sonny has had those before, CeeCeeGirl!

@Shay.
It must be, Shay….unless Stone did not die? I do not know enough about this character or his story. Just marginally. I looked him up, not because of Sonny (lol), but because of Robin.
However, as Sue M said; he died of AIDS.
Well, Shaybelle; I will not wrack my brain over it….not really interested; however rude I may be. LOL.

My suggestion, Steve, was that Sonny has some kind of revery, hallucination (caught Sam’s hallucination snydrome? lol) where he imagines Stone never died…and thus he’d be the age he is today…perhaps living his life married to Robin.

I like that idea Rebecca. KMc is probably on maternity leave, so I doubt we’ll see her for a few months at least.

Yes!

LOL, Steve. Maybe they superimposed Robin’s face on to Lulu’s body and voila! A pregant Robin having Stone’s baby (in Sonny’s mind). See? I have a contingency plan for everything! 😉

I still remember how I cried my eyes out the day Stone died. I will be glad to see the character on the screen no matter what’s going on because I never stopped missing him.

Ho Hum. Not excited about the upcoming Stone and Sonny story. Wasn’t a big Stone/Robin fan before. And Sonny, Sonny, Sonny….enough front and center already. And the writers will probably have to bring up Morgan again. Then we also have to have Carly being the the “perfect” person and mother in both Michael and Josslyn’s lives.

I thank the real Cary should come back and pay for all the bad and wrong thing she did she is no angel evil should always have to pay the price

Then maybe you should not watch GH Then

Ahhhh…but here’s what I do like that keeps me watching GH. Lately Ned/Olivia wedding; Anna /Andre dancing segment; possibilities with Joss/Issac; Valentin getting his “get out of jail card”/Nina; really liking Lucy/Scott scenes (I’m also a Lucy fan and like it when they can stretch Lynn as an actor): Spencer’s “revenge;” even Amy/Nathan advise column story.

I loved the Sonny and Stone storyline. One of the very best of GH.

I think, as I mentioned under one of Su0000’s comments, that Sonny might have some type of dream in which Stone never died. This way, if he’s imagining, he could picture Stone as the 40-something year old man he’d be today had he not passed. He could be imagining all the things he’d wished for Stone…maybe Robin will be in the scene and Sonny will be so confused he’ll imagine what their life would have been like together had he not died…

Aren’t there enough under appreciated current actors on GH that they have to keep bringing back the dead from decades ago? Stone Cates. Why? Robin and Sonny have moved on. His brother Jagger and sister Gina have moved on. Please don’t tell me that Oscar kid is Stone’s son.

The Stone AIDS story was one of the best storylines in daytime history, written by the best head writer GH has ever had in my opinion, the late great Claire Labine. 22 years later it still brings tears to my eyes, going back and reliving some of those scenes. They don’t do stuff like that anymore, not just on GH but on any show. Michael Sutton was robbed of an Emmy that year. The people that weren’t watching back then really missed out. A lot of the pivotal scenes from that storyline are up on YouTube, do yourself a favor and check them out. They are the definition of excellence in storytelling.

I’m not sure how Stone appearing as a ghost will play into current stories, but any opportunity to see Michael Sutton on screen again I’m down for. People complaining that Sonny is involved, get over it. Stone and Sonny were best friends, Sonny was a father figure to Stone. So it’s very appropriate that he would come to Sonny as a ghost, or whatever the exact story is gonna be.

Very informative post, Dan….as yours are, unfailingly, wont to be….great writer, you are.
But, ‘they’ should just let the dead rest in peace.
This sounds more and more that the “apparition” ( if it is that) will be to accomodate a new story centered around who else? Sonny. And then Carly…
If this will be the case, TPTB are really going out of their way to convince us how good, but, misunderstood Sonny is. Well, no matter how diligent the effort, nothing will make me feel, not a scintilla of, sympathy for him.

@CeeCee….The words “Sonny” and “sympathy” don’t even belong in the same sentence! Total oxymoron…..

I agree C, let the dead rest in peace! These writers will muck up a brilliant character that was in a legendary story. Write something NEW!

@Timmm.
It is amazing to me that many steadfast, loyaf GH fans, also, see what I see and think.
I thought only su and I could care less about characters who died as they exited the show…..that’s understandable because we did not know Stone; thus, not invested in him, dead or alive.
So, thanks for agreeing, T.

You got that right, Dan! “The definition of excellence in storytelling.”
They don’t write them like they used to. Claire Labine wrote heartfelt, heartwarming stories.
You’re right also about the fact that viewers today don’t know what they missed.

True Nancy and Dan…And Michael Sutton’s acting…I get tears in my eyes thinking about him lying in bed, reaching for Robin…ugggg…tissues…I need tissues!!!

Dan, the Sonny bitching and complaining is the same with Victor. People can despise these two characters but they are the captains of their ships and their ship is carrying a lot of history with each others shows. Its the way it is. I love both of them BUT I do admit their moral compasses do tend to spin out of control at times!

CeeCee, thanks for your compliment on my writing. I always try and present my views as well written and well thought out as I can, whether people agree with them or not. That’s the journalism major in me, lol. Different strokes for different folks, as they say, when it comes to Sonny. I always enjoy reading your thoughts, even if we happen to disagree on a particular topic, you always provide thought provoking reading material.

Well said, Timmm! I know a lot of people don’t like Sonny, he’s always been one of my favorite characters. And a complex character to me as well, much like Victor as you mentioned. They’re not black and white characters, all good or all bad, they’re a mix of both. Also much like Valentin on GH currently.

Rebecca and Nancy, you’re right about that, they definitely don’t write them like that anymore. Just going back and watching some of the clips on YouTube brought me right back to 1995 and the emotion those scenes made me feel then, and still do to this day. I would love to be able to get emotionally invested in a story like that today. Those are the all-time stories, the ones that stick with you in your heart and mind forever.

I reciprocate your thanks and kindness, Dan.

This is flat out stupid! Stone is DEAD! He was part of a legendary story. Leave it ALONE! Bring back live characters like Robert, Nick and Jax! Whats next B.J.’s evil twin?

hi Timmm,,

Shelly excels in Stupid !!
A real bonafide ghost, eeeee can’t wait !!

BJ’s evil twin — I love it!

Thanks, Steve.
I will certainly do that. It’s two in the morning, LOL….my little girl woke up with a stuffed, little nose……it’s going to be a long night!!!!!

BJ….I just looked her up. What a heartbreaking story!!!!
And, Maxie has her heart? She is as strong as Victor Newman—-must take powerful meds. Never in distress.
Now, T…..your humor always hits the spot. Why? You don’t seem to try too hard to be funny…just happens naturally. Yup!!

Tony Jones was awesome!

Yeah C, I know, go to GH or Y&R if you want a miracle transplant!

Humor is my rock!

Celia

If you have the time, watch the YouTube episodes about BJ’s death. You’ll get sucked into one of the best storylines in soap history. As Timmm mentioned, Tony was outstanding. The story brought out the best in all the actors – including current cast members Bobbie, Felicia, Mac and Lucy.

Monica must be an amazing heart surgeon because there’s never been a scar seen when Kirsten Storm wears a low cut top 🙂

As much as I enjoy Michael Sutton, and the character of Stone Cates, if he is brought back only for a reprise/resurrection of yet again, another hour of the “Moron Hour”-I’ll be tuning out.

The Storyline will do nothing for me. Didn’t care about that story back then and don’t care about it now.
Just do it and move on.

I, for one, am really looking forward to Michael Sutton’s episode (s). He was a wonderful character and actor…and though he’s obviously going to be a figment of Sonny’s imagination it could be a nice view into how Stone might have been had he lived. The Stone story back in the day was one of the most heartbreaking stories I’ve ever seen on TV or film. Just ripped me to pieces…

Yes, Rebecca, me too! Was a great and (obviously) memorable s/l.

While I was also enthralled with the Robin/Stone love story more than 2 decades ago, I am now officially tired of ‘stunt casting’. We long-time fans are very good at complaining about not seeing the characters and actors we’re so familiar with on our screens today, but no one who runs the show pays much attention. They’d rather hire a high-profile actor/actress for a couple of days’ work so that ratings go up during those specific periods than do what the show’s long-time fans want. I’m sure I’ll enjoy seeing Michael Sutton again, however he appears, but I’d rather see more of the Quartermaines or, before I forget them entirely!, the Scorpios. These are characters who still presumably LIVE in Port Charles, except we very rarely see them. I’m just fed up … sorry.

Great post! I cannot stand Franks pets using GH as a revolving door AND I dont want history screwed with!

General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Learns Britt Died and Tells Anna He Has Been Working For Cates Since November 2021

On the Tuesday, March 26th of General Hospital, Anna (Finola Hughes) and the viewers learn about where Jason (Steve Burton) has been for over two and half years. However, Jason gets some news of his own.

Anna is visiting Jason at the PCPD interrogation room. She asks him if he shot Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), which he flatly denies. Anna believes him, but she tells Jason it doesn’t matter, because video footage shows him on the roof at the time of the shooting

When talk turns to Jason not willing to speak without his lawyer present, Anna can’t grasp why Jason would instead spend an hour alone talking with John Cates (Adam J. Harrington).

Photo: ABC

It is then that Anna brings up that John went by “Jagger” and that the two of them knew each other in high school. Jason doesn’t recall much of his time in high school following his brain injury, but then he gets furious realizing John knew about “Jason’s” past. That is when Jason slams the table and tells Anna, “I’ve been working for John Cates since November 2021.”

Next, Jason explains further that he has been working as an informant for the FBI. Anna wants to know how this came about and he tells her that after the tunnel collapsed, and he couldn’t make it to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud)… all of a sudden he sees Anna’s face drop.  Anna is the first person to tell him that Britt died and was murdered. She tells Jason the killer is in custody, but he continues to be shocked, overwhelmed with tears welling up in his eyes. Realizing he has to pivot to save his life, Jason continues telling Anna how he wound up working with John.

Jason explains that after the tunnel collapse in Greece, FBI agents grabbed him and placed him under arrest and took him to Quantico where he met John. At Quantico, John played a recording of RICO violations and offered Jason a deal if he agreed to be an informant against Pikeman, the illegal arms dealer.

Anna hears from Jason that he thinks Pikeman is selling illegal arms to anyone flagged by the NSA but has ties to the WSB which they needed a civilian to infiltrate their organization as a military soldier, a mercenary.

Jason tells Anna he was a part of the team brought into eliminate Sonny (Maurice Benard). Every time an attempt was made on Sonny’s life over the last two years, a different team was sent to do the job. Anna gets furious when she learns that John told Jason his job was to kill Sonny and she was with John at the warehouse that night. Jason ensured the sniper missed Sonny and left the rifle behind. However, they were supposed to meet an extraction team. Before he was shot, Dante saw it was Jason on the roof and when he turned around with his hands over his head, Dante was shot by the other guy. Jason says if Dante dies, he’ll be charged with capital murder and then will be useless to the FBI.

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, John visits Bobbie’s and runs into Carly (Laura Wright). She learns Jason is in custody and is going to head to the PCPD. Before she does, Carly has some words with Cates when she learns not only does John have a vendetta against Sonny, but Jason too.  Carly tells John he should recuse himself from the case.

So, what did you think about the moment when Jason learned Britt died? What do you think of Jason’s return storyline thus far and what we learned about Jagger/Jason and more? Comment below. But first, check out a moment from today’s GH with Jason and Anna.

 

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