Luke and Laura Spencer are fictional characters, and the signature supercouple from the American daytime drama General Hospital. Luke is portrayed by Anthony Geary, and Laura is portrayed by Genie Francis. Though other supercouples came before them, Luke and Laura are the best known outside of the soap opera medium and are credited with defining the term supercouple and leading other soap operas to try to duplicate their success.
Laura Spencer is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. Laura, originally played by Stacey Baldwin, was introduced in 1974 as the illegitimate daughter of Lesley Webber. The character was written out in the summer of 1976. In early 1977, Genie Francis took over the role of the rebellious teenage Laura. In 1978, thanks to the efforts of executive producer Gloria Monty's plan to entice younger viewers, the character's popularity skyrocketed in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to her pairings with Scott Baldwin and, most famously, Luke Spencer ; the latter became a popular supercouple among soap opera fans and viewers. Luke and Laura's 1981 wedding – which featured a guest appearance from Elizabeth Taylor — was viewed by 30 million people. In 1981, Francis quit the show, claiming unequal treatment compared to Geary, and the character was written out as having disappeared the following January. Francis returned for a brief stint in late 1983 to reunite Luke and Laura, and then again in late 1984 when Laura was revealed to be pregnant.
Alexis Davis is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. Nancy Lee Grahn originated the role on September 26, 1996. She is the daughter of Mikkos Cassadine and Kristin Bergman. She is also the mother of Sam McCall, Kristina Davis and Molly Lansing.
Courtney Matthews is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. She is the daughter of Mike Corbin and Janine Matthews, and the half-sister of mobster Sonny Corinthos. Courtney was portrayed by Alicia Leigh Willis from December 20, 2001, until February 21, 2006. Willis received two consecutive Emmy nominations for "Outstanding Younger Actress." Willis returned to the role of Courtney for a guest stint in May 2015, as part of a fan-favorite vote; she again returned in 2020.
Nikolas Cassadine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. Originated by actor Tyler Christopher in 1996, he left the show on July 14, 1999. Due to Nikolas' importance on the soap, he was immediately replaced by Coltin Scott on July 20, 1999. Scott left the role on April 16, 2003, as Christopher made his return on April 21, 2003. Chris Beetem temporarily played the role in 2005. Christopher vacated the role on July 28, 2011, after he was let go from the series. Christopher once again reprised the role on a recurring basis in honor of the soaps' fiftieth anniversary; he was later upgraded to a series regular. Actor Nick Stabile took claim of the role in June 2016 in Christopher's absence. In 2019, Marcus Coloma was cast in the role as a series regular, with Adam Huss temporarily stepping in 2021–2023. Coloma departed in January 2023. In August 2023, Huss returned to the role.
Luke Spencer is a fictional character in the American television soap opera General Hospital, played by Anthony Geary from 1978 until his departure in July 2015. Geary holds the record for most Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his work as Luke. He was the show's fifth most tenured character after Monica Quartermaine, Laura Spencer, Scott Baldwin, and Bobbie Spencer.
Helena Cassadine is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of the American soap opera General Hospital, famously originated by film actress Elizabeth Taylor in November 1981. After a brief stint by Dimitra Arliss in 1996, Constance Towers took over the role in 1997 and has returned — for periods of varying length — nearly every year since.
The history of General Hospital refers to the ABC Daytime soap opera, General Hospital, a daytime American television soap opera. It ranks as one of the world's longest-running soap operas, and was in continuous production until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Set in the fictional town of Port Charles, New York, the show primarily revolves around the lives and relationships of the people connected to the town's hospital. The show has aired over 15,000 episodes as of May 22, 2022, and has spawned several spin-offs since it was originally broadcast.
Jerald "Jerry" Aloysius Jacks is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. He was portrayed by Julian Stone from April 10, 1998 to December 14, 1999. In January 2007, the role was recast with Sebastian Roché, who was initially introduced as a terrorist named Mr. Craig, with his true identity remaining hidden until a few months later. Roche has held the role sporadically since, with his latest arc occurring from August to September 2012. He returned for one episode on December 18, 2012 and made a second return for multiple episodes starting September 30, 2013. After last appearing on December 3, 2013, Roché made several guest appearances throughout October 2014. He once again reprised the role of Jerry on December 10, 2015.
The Spencer family is a fictional family on the American soap opera General Hospital. The family was created by Douglas Marland and first introduced in 1977 when Bobbie Spencer arrived in Port Charles. Bobbie's brother, Luke debuted in 1978. Supercouple Luke and Laura Spencer are part of this family, known for their romance and many adventures. The Spencer family is characterized as an adventurous bunch, but many in the family have struggled with various types of substance abuse. They are known for their longstanding feud with the Cassadine family. The family is currently represented by: Laura, Carly, Lucas, Michael, Josslyn, Cameron, Jake, Aiden, Rocco, Charlotte, Wiley, Donna, and Amelia. The Spencers are the owners of the Haunted Star yacht, which is a staple establishment in the Port Charles community.
The Quartermaine family is a fictional family from the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. Created and introduced by Douglas Marland, the wealthy and eccentric family has been a continuous staple on General Hospital since their introduction in the 1970s. The Quartermaines were first introduced in 1977, when Stuart Damon originated the role of Alan Quartermaine. His parents and sister were next to be brought on canvas.
The Hardy/Webber family is a fictional middle class family on the soap opera General Hospital.
Ethan Lovett is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. The role was originated by Nathan Parsons, who appeared from January 30, 2009, to March 7, 2012. Parsons returned for guest appearances in April 2013, July 2015 and September 2020, respectively. In April 2023, the role was portrayed by James Ryan.
Valentin Cassadine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. The character was initially conceived in 2009 by head writer Robert Guza Jr., as a previously unknown member of the wealthy Cassadine family looking to wreak havoc on both the Cassadine and Spencer families. However, initial plans for the character's introduction were delayed and completely abandoned by 2010. In 2016, it was announced that All My Children alumnus James Patrick Stuart had joined the cast in the mystery role of Theo – who is revealed to be Valentin. Valentin is known for being the most evil of the Cassadine sons, having been disowned by his father at a very young age. At one point, he poisons his mother Helena.
The Jerome family is a fictional family from the original ABC Daytime drama General Hospital. The family was first introduced in January 1987. As one of the most powerful families in organized crime, the Jeromes rose to popularity due to their longstanding feud with antihero Duke Lavery and his heroine wife, Anna Devane. However, by the spring of 1990, all of the major family members had been (presumably) killed off of the series. In 2013, the family was revived as part of an ongoing storyline.
