"General Hospital" (1963)TV series 1963-????

Creators:

Doris Hursley
Frank Hursley

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

1 April 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Events in this daytime drama are centred in Port Charles, a community on the coast in upper New York...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Shipper | Soap | MST3K | Doctor

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 179 wins & 330 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 24	3:00 PM	ABC
Fri. July 25	3:00 PM	ABC

Cast

Maurice Benard	...	Sonny Corinthos (466 episodes, 1993-2008)
Steve Burton	...	Jason Morgan (409 episodes, 1991-2008)
Rebecca Herbst	...	Elizabeth Spencer / ... (396 episodes, 1997-2008)
Laura Wright	...	Carly Corinthos / ... (364 episodes, 2005-2008)
Kelly Monaco	...	Samantha 'Sam' McCall / ... (359 episodes, 2003-2008)
Julie Berman	...	Lesley Lu 'Lulu' Spencer / ... (356 episodes, 2005-2008)
Ted King	...	Lorenzo Alcazar / ... (355 episodes, 2002-2007)
Ingo Rademacher	...	Jasper 'Jax' Jacks / ... (340 episodes, 1996-2008)
Nancy Grahn	...	Alexis Davis / ... (315 episodes, 1996-2008)
Alicia Leigh Willis	...	Courtney Matthews Quartermaine Morgan Jacks / ... (298 episodes, 2001-2006)
Greg Vaughan	...	Lucky Spencer / ... (296 episodes, 2003-2008)
Bradford Anderson	...	Damien Spinelli / ... (290 episodes, 2006-2008)
Tyler Christopher	...	Nikolas Cassadine / ... (272 episodes, 1996-2008)
Kimberly McCullough	...	Dr. Robin Scorpio / ... (270 episodes, 1985-2008)
Lindze Letherman	...	Georgianna "Georgie" Jones Quartermaine / ... (254 episodes, 2002-2007)
Jason Thompson	...	Dr. Patrick Drake / ... (244 episodes, 2005-2008)
Kirsten Storms	...	Maxie Jones / ... (229 episodes, 2005-2008)
Megan Ward	...	Kate Howard (225 episodes, 2007-2008)
Rick Hearst	...	Ric Lansing / ... (218 episodes, 2002-2008)
Anthony Geary	...	Luke Spencer / ... (217 episodes, 1978-2008)
Sebastian Roché	...	Jerry Jacks / ... (215 episodes, 2007-2008)
Natalia Livingston	...	Emily Bowen Quartermaine / ... (204 episodes, 2003-2008)
Robin Christopher	...	Skye Quartermaine / ... (197 episodes, 2002-2008)
Josh Duhon	...	Logan Hayes / ... (189 episodes, 2007-2008)

Runtime:

45 min (1976-1977) | 60 min (1978-) | 30 min (1963-1976) | USA:30 min (1963-1976) | USA:45 min (1976-1977) | USA:60 min (1978-)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1963-1966) | Color (1966-)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

ABC Television Center - 4151 Prospect Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

Out of respect for John Beradino's long-term contribution to the show, his face has remained in the opening credits (at least through 1997).

Quotes:

Emily Quartermaine: Jason sent me because he thought you might need someone to talk to.
Samantha McCall: He worries about me.
Emily Quartermaine: You couldn't ask for anyone better in your corner. No matter what kind of trouble you're in.
Samantha McCall: You know, actually, it's not all trouble. We just found out we're having a baby girl.
Emily Quartermaine: Oh, congratulations.
Samantha McCall: Yeah. I just - I wish this nightmare was over so I could just focus on the baby.
Emily Quartermaine: You know, the past is part of us, Sam. But getting stuck in it doesn't help anyone. I learned that one the hard way.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Intimate Portrait: Genie Francis" (2001)

This USED to be a GREAT show. Now...?

General Hospital used to be a great show. Back in the late-70's and early 80's..it was THE SOAP to watch.

In the early 90's, when Claire and Matthew Labine took over head writing duties, General Hospital spotlighted so many fantastic, heartwrenching, and honest stories. I mean, what fan of this show will EVER forget Stone and Robin's love story. Stone, dying of AIDS-blind due to it...takes his last glimpse of his love, Robin by a window and hapilly says "I can see you"...then passes away. Or will the forget the Breast Cancer storyline, when Monica cuts her bandages off to see that she has no breast, and she just begins to cry uncontrollably. Or, the revolutionary and GUTSY storyline when young Maxie is dying from a heart condition, and is need of a transplant. At the same time...her cousin Barbara Jean (B.J.) is rendered brain dead in a school bus accident. Tony and Bobbie decide to donate her organs. Meanwhile Felicia (Maxie's mom), gets the news that a donor heart has been found. So she goes to Bobbie happy that they have found a heart for her daughter. Her happiness turns to horror when she finds Bobbie crying. Instantly, Felicia knows...

"Noooo. Not Barbara Jean. Not Barbara Jean's heart."

And she collapses to the floor, crying. I cry now as I think about it, and this was ten years ago. And then the scene where Tony hovers over Maxie, as she recovers from the transplant. And he leans down and places his ear over her chest to hear the beating heart that belonged to his deceased daughter. Oh man...

This was OUTSTANDING TELEVISION!

Sadly, GH has regressed so much under the watch of Bob Guza, Jr. I don't care what anyone says....it's BLASPHEMY to put a Spencer with a Cassadine!!! To me...this show is long gone. With the loss of some of my favorite actors (Johnathan Jackson, Amber Tamblyn, Kimberly McCullough, Sarah Brown), and some truly horiffic writing, storylines and pairings....I can never watch this show with the same enthusiasm as I did ten and twenty years ago. For me though...there are few saving graces for this show. The Quartermaines': John Ingle...whom not only has filled the shoes of David Lewis' "Edward Quartermaine" character...but has greatly improved on the original (and this is saying A LOT, as David Lewis was FANTASTIC as Edward), Leslie Charleson, Stuart Damon, Anna Lee, Jane Eliot (always a good watch when she returns from time to time), and Robin Christopher (GREAT). Maurice Benard as "Sonny" still delivers the goods. And of course, Tony Geary as "Luke Spenser". I just wish the material was better. Sadly, unless the Labines come back, or someone can be the second coming of Gloria Monty...I'll just be a viewer on occasion.