General Hospital's 50th anniversary

Last updated
General Hospital's 50th anniversary
General Hospital 50th Anniversary.jpg
Official logo of General Hospital's 50th Anniversary.
DateApril 1, 2013 (2013-04-01)

General Hospital 's 50th anniversary on April 1, 2013, was a milestone for the American soap opera series and has been commemorated with several events in the media and storylines on the show. Declining ratings and the cancellation of other soap operas in the late 2000s and early 2010s prompted concern that the show would not reach the milestone until new management led to a turn-around. Other events were organized to commemorate the occasion, with media promoting the milestone and commemorative memorabilia being released by ABC.

Contents

Begun in 1963, General Hospital eventually became the top daytime soap opera before a decline in the late 1970s, which was followed by a resurgence that peaked in the early 1980s. In honor of the anniversary, the producers reintroduced previous major characters and created storylines reminiscent of notable arcs of the past with the focus of the anniversary week on the show being the return of the popular Nurses' Ball event. Cast members also made appearances on several programs and at various media events to mark the anniversary. The Nurses' Ball is always a fan favorite episode to watch with many of the cast getting to show off talents other than acting.

Background

General Hospital is the third longest-running soap opera in history and the longest-running American soap still in production. [1] Started on April 1, 1963, the show became the highest rated show on daytime television within a decade, eclipsing previous leader As the World Turns . In 1977 General Hospital started to suffer a major drop in ratings and was at risk of being cancelled when Gloria Monty was hired on as executive producer. [2] Monty refocused the series on younger characters and the show became the most successful daytime soap on television, with the 1981 episode featuring the wedding between characters Luke and Laura garnering 30 million views, setting a record as the most widely watched episode of daytime television in history. [3]

When the show began focusing heavily on mob storylines in the 2000s, ratings saw a heavy decline. The show was one of several daytime dramas that was at risk of cancellation in the wake of falling ratings in the late 2000s and early 2010s with long-running soaps As the World Turns and Guiding Light being pulled off the air. [3] Two soaps that aired alongside General Hospital on the ABC network, All My Children and One Life to Live , were also cancelled in September 2011 and January 2012 respectively. [4] Members of the General Hospital cast began to believe that the soap would not be able to reach its 50th anniversary as ABC Daytime started prioritizing reality programming. [2]

Frank Valentini, who was executive producer of One Life to Live, took over as executive producer of General Hospital after One Life to Live's cancellation. [5] He was joined by One Life to Live writer Ron Carlivati and are together credited with revitalizing the series. [2] The show began bringing in a new cast to put an emphasis on younger characters and moved away from the show's mob storylines. It has subsequently seen its best ratings in five years with an average of 3 million viewers, the biggest increase being amongst the 18-34 female demographic. [3]

Storylines

To honor the anniversary, several storylines were introduced that harkened back to historic periods in the series. Valentini described the plans for the anniversary storylines as being "not only to celebrate what's happening now, the resurgence of 'General Hospital' and a spike in its ratings in the past year, but what it means in terms of the history of the show." He stated that organizing the celebration was difficult due to the festivities going on both on and off-camera. [5] Anthony Geary, who portrayed Luke Spencer, stated that the anniversary could have passed with minimal fanfare but that Valentini and head writer Carlivati were "determined to make it something special for the audience." [6]

Several characters returned to the show in preparation for or to commemorate the anniversary including Audrey Hardy, who first appeared six months into the series. [7] Audrey, portrayed by Rachel Ames, appears in the official anniversary episode, which aired a day after the anniversary due to scheduling changes prompted by the naming of Pope Francis. In the episode, Chris Robinson, Stuart Damon, and Natalia Livingston also returned in the roles of Rick Webber, Alan Quartermaine, and Emily Quartermaine respectively, whose deceased characters appeared as ghosts to the living character Monica Quartermaine, portrayed by Leslie Charleson. [8] Genie Francis returned in her role as Laura Spencer in the lead-up to the anniversary and together with Geary as Luke became part of a storyline involving Helena Cassadine that Geary described as reminiscent of the Luke and Laura storylines created by Monty during the 1980s. [9]

Another storyline element that was revived was the Nurses' Ball, which serves as the focus of the anniversary week programming. [5] The fictional charity event to promote HIV/AIDS awareness was popular with viewers of the series since it began in 1994 and until it ended in 2001. [7] [10] Valentini revived the event on the show partially out of a desire to mark the anniversary. [11] Lucy Coe, portrayed by Lynn Herring, also recently returned to the series and the character continued in her capacity as the master of ceremonies for the Ball. [7] Musician Rick Springfield reprised his role as Noah Drake to do a performance during the Ball and Richard Simmons, who had been a recurring presence on the show in the 1980s (portraying himself), returned as a choreographer for the ball. [9] Regular character Sam Morgan, portrayed by Kelly Monaco, performed a dance number during the special with a character portrayed by Maksim Chmerkovskiy of Dancing with the Stars . Originally, Valentini wanted to have Maksim's brother Val Chmerkovskiy appear on General Hospital to perform the number since he was Monaco's partner during her stint on Dancing with the Stars, but his schedule would not permit it. [12]

For the first time the fictional charity gala was linked to a real non-profit devoted to HIV/AIDS research, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, as part of a partnership between the organization and ABC. [7] [13] Valentini stated with regards to the partnership that "by linking the ball to amfAR we partner in their efforts to raise awareness beyond the town of Port Charles." [10]

Other commemorations

TV Guide featured an advertisement for the anniversary on the back cover of its 60th anniversary issue consisting of an image collage depicting Luke and Laura from their 1981 wedding. General Hospital 50th anniversary advertisement.jpg
TV Guide featured an advertisement for the anniversary on the back cover of its 60th anniversary issue consisting of an image collage depicting Luke and Laura from their 1981 wedding.

In addition to storylines on the show, ABC released limited-edition commemorative prints depicting various iconic scenes from the series including a group photo of present and past cast members as well as individual character prints. Only 1,963 prints of the cast photo have been made, signifying the year General Hospital premiered. [14] [15] Members of the cast, Valentini, and Carlivati, rung the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange on April 1 to celebrate the anniversary. [16] Finola Hughes and Jason Thompson, who portray Anna Devane and Patrick Drake respectively, made an appearance on the April 1 and April 2 airings of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? where they performed a mock soap opera scene with host Meredith Vieira. [17] Together they competed for money that would be donated to The Art of Elysium, a non-profit that encourages people in the entertainment industry to work with children suffering from serious illnesses, and managed to win $500,000. [18]

Katie Couric had a "Countdown to the General Hospital 50th Anniversary Extravaganza" on her daytime talk show Katie , releasing exclusive interviews with cast, which culminated in an April 4 program of the show focused on the soap opera. [19] Couric further anchored an April 6 20/20 behind-the-scenes special for the anniversary, "General Hospital - The Real Soap Dish", discussing the impact the show has had on popular culture and how some of its storylines have delved into societal topics. [20]

For a February collector's edition issue, People magazine ran a special cover honoring the 50th anniversary. [21] TV Guide , itself celebrating its 60th anniversary with a special edition issue, had an in-depth four-page feature about General Hospital's anniversary and a full-page advertisement for the event on its back cover. [22] The feature reflected on the show's troubled state a year before the anniversary, its resurgence, and past revivals. [23] For the back cover, the magazine depicted an image from the 1981 wedding of Luke and Laura formed by a collage of images from the show. [24] [25] Both the feature and back cover ad were well received by soap opera commentators. [22] [23]

SOAPnet aired a 50-hour marathon the weekend before the anniversary with an encore of the marathon airing the following weekend. The marathon began with the first episode of the series and some of the most noteworthy moments in the story over every decade, such as the wedding of Luke and Laura, the Ice Princess storyline, and the death of Stone Cates from HIV/AIDS. [26] [27]

A panel called "General Hospital: Celebrating 50 Years and Looking Forward", moderated by William Keck of TV Guide, was organized by the Paley Center for Media for April 12 to commemorate the anniversary. The panel consisted of several major cast members, along with producer Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati. [28] [29] During the panel, audience members asked the panelists questions about the show and the soap opera genre. Panelists reflected on the show's history, discussed their roles in the anniversary storylines, and remembered deceased cast members, such as John Ingle who played Edward Quartermaine until his death in 2012, and John Beradino who played Steve Hardy. [30] [31]

Related Research Articles

<i>One Life to Live</i> American television soap opera

One Life to Live is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes via Prospect Park from April 29 to August 19, 2013. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature ethnically and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social issues. One Life to Live was expanded from 30 minutes to 45 minutes on July 26, 1976, and then to an hour on January 16, 1978.

Jill Farren Phelps is an American television producer. She is known for her work with American soap operas, having served as executive producer of Santa Barbara, Another World, Guiding Light, One Life to Live, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless.

General Hospital is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after Guiding Light. Concurrently, it is the world's third longest-running scripted drama series in production after British serials The Archers and Coronation Street, as well as the world's second-longest-running televised soap opera still in production. General Hospital premiered on the ABC television network on April 1, 1963. General Hospital is the longest-running serial produced in Hollywood, and the longest-running entertainment program in ABC television history. It holds the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, with 14 wins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikolas Cassadine</span> Fictional character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Corinthos</span> Fictional character from the original ABC Daytime soap opera, General Hospital

Morgan Corinthos is a fictional character from the original ABC Daytime soap opera, General Hospital, last portrayed by Bryan Craig. Morgan is the first biological child of Sonny and Carly Corinthos.

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.

Ronald David Carlivati is an American screenwriter. He is best known for his tenures as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital. He served as head writer for the Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives until his departure in July 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah Drake</span> Soap opera character

Noah Drake M.D. is a fictional character on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital. The role has been portrayed by Australian musician and actor Rick Springfield. In 2007, Springfield also played Drake's look-alike, fictional rock star Eli Love and at the 2013 Nurses Ball, Springfield portrayed himself during a performance of "Jessie's Girl".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dante Falconeri</span> Fictional character from General Hospital

Dante Falconeri is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network, played by Dominic Zamprogna. Zamprogna made his debut on June 22, 2009. In 2018, Zamprogna announced his decision to leave the role, and departed on June 28, 2018; he later returned for a one-off episode on November 12, 2018. In 2019, he again reprised the role from March 15 to March 29. The following year, he returned in a full-time capacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Coe</span> Soap opera character

Lucy Coe is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap operas General Hospital and Port Charles. Portrayed by Lynn Herring, she first appeared in April 1986 on General Hospital, introduced as an alibi in a murder plot. In 1997, she made her second departure from the show and joined its now defunct spin-off Port Charles. There, she was involved in storylines revolving around vampires, where it was revealed that Lucy was a vampire slayer. The character stayed on Port Charles until October 2003, when the series was cancelled, and she made a brief guest appearance on General Hospital in July 2004. In November 2012, after more than eight years off-screen, it was confirmed that Herring was to return to General Hospital. She returned that December for the revival of the infamous Nurses' Ball, which she founded in the 1990s, as well as a continuation of Port Charles' vampire story arc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabrina Santiago</span> Fictional character

Sabrina Santiago is a fictional character from the original ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, played by Teresa Castillo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britt Westbourne</span> Fictional character

Britt Westbourne is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network, portrayed by Kelly Thiebaud. She was introduced by executive producer Frank Valentini on September 19, 2012, as the manipulative love interest for Patrick Drake. In 2014, Thiebaud exited the role, citing her desire to seek work in both film and primetime television. She reprised the role on several occasions, between 2015 and 2018, for limited-run guest appearances. In March 2020, Thiebaud returned for another guest stint; by September of the same year, she returned to the role once more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ava Jerome</span> Fictional character from General Hospital

Ava Jerome is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. The role is portrayed by three-time Daytime Emmy Award winner Maura West, who made her first appearance on May 8, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiki Jerome</span> American soap opera fictional character

Kiki Jerome is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. The role was originated by Kristen Alderson in 2013 when Kiki was introduced as the troublesome girlfriend of Morgan Corinthos having gotten him involved in a dangerous gambling ring. Alderson had previously appeared in the series as Starr Manning, a role she originated on One Life to Live. The character was written into the series as the illegitimate daughter of Franco in 2009. Upon her introduction, Kiki's mother Ava Jerome reveals that she is the biological daughter of Dr. Silas Clay. In 2015, Alderson vacated the role and was replaced by Hayley Erin, who exited the role in late 2018. Erin returned for a one-episode guest appearance in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liesl Obrecht</span> Fictional character on General Hospital

Liesl Obrecht is a fictional character on the long-running ABC daytime soap opera, General Hospital, played by Kathleen Gati. The character was created by head writer Ron Carlivati and introduced by executive producer Frank Valentini in the summer of 2012 in what was initially supposed to be a bit role. When she joined the storyline, Gati's Dr. Obrecht was the director of the Swiss clinic where the presumed dead Dr. Robin Scorpio was being imprisoned by the infamous Cesar Faison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madeline Reeves</span> Soap opera character

Madeline Reeves is a fictional character on the long-running ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, portrayed by Donna Mills, who made her appearance on March 14, 2014. The casting was announced in January 2014. Madeline was introduced as the estranged mother-in-law of Dr. Silas Clay and mother of Silas' comatose wife Nina Reeves and, biological aunt of Nathan West — whom she raised as her own. Madeline is also revealed to be the estranged sister of established character Dr. Liesl Obrecht having remade herself. Mills wrapped her initial stint in May 2014. Though the character was supposed to be short-term, Mills reprised the role of Madeline from October 2014 to January 2015. The character once again resurfaced in May 2015. Her returns have centered on Madeline's attempts to get back in her son's good graces and get her hands on the family fortune.

References

  1. ↑ Yorio, Kara (21 March 2013). "Bergen County native Jackie Zeman returns to 'General Hospital'". The Record (Bergen County) . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Logan, Michael (April 2013). "50 & Fabulous". TV Guide . 61 (3154–3155): GH1–GH3.
  3. 1 2 3 James, Meg (29 March 2013). "ABC's 'General Hospital' to celebrate 50 years of soap opera drama". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  4. ↑ Martin, Ed (2 April 2013). "General Hospital at 50: An Amazing Broadcast Milestone". The Huffington Post . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Bobbin, Jay (1 April 2013). "ABC's 'General Hospital' celebrates 50 years in operation with the return of the Nurses' Ball". Zap2It. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  6. ↑ Maloney, Michael (2 April 2013). "Daytime Emmys: 'General Hospital' Celebrates 50th Anniversary". Variety . Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Kent, Sari N. (31 March 2013). "ABC's 'General Hospital' celebrates its 50th year on the air by resurrecting the Nurses' Ball dedicated to HIV/AIDS awareness". The Celebrity Cafe. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  8. ↑ Lewis, Errol (15 March 2013). "ABC News to Honor 50 Years of 'General Hospital'; Soaps Anniversary Episode Pushed Back a Day". Soap Opera Network . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  9. 1 2 Logan, Michael (19 March 2013). "General Hospital's Nostalgic 50th Anniversary Plans". TV Guide . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  10. 1 2 Pfeiffer, Jeff (19 March 2013). "ABC partners with amfAR as "General Hospital" reprises the Nurses Ball". Channel Guide Magazine. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  11. ↑ Pennacchio, George (4 April 2013). "'General Hospital' celebrates 50th anniversary w/ Nurses' Ball special". ABC . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  12. ↑ Bell, Crystal (4 April 2013). "Maksim Chmerkovskiy on General Hospital — Watch His Dance With Kelly Monaco!". Wetpaint . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "ABC and amfAR Partner to Celebrate General Hospital's 50th Anniversary". amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  14. ↑ Pfeiffer, Jeff (1 April 2013). "ABC releases limited-edition prints to commemorate General Hospital 50th anniversary". Channel Guide Magazine. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  15. ↑ Bibel, Sara (1 April 2013). "ABC Commemorates 50th Anniversary of 'General hospital' With Release of Limited Edition Prints". Zap2It. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  16. ↑ Bellino, Kristine (1 April 2013). "Production Team, Writers, Actors From ABC's "General Hospital" Ring Opening Bell Of New York Stock Exchange To Celebrate Show's 50th Anniversary". WIBX . Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  17. ↑ Pfeiffer, Jeff (25 March 2013). "Finola Hughes and Jason Thompson help Who Wants To Be a Millionaire celebrate General Hospital 50th anniversary". Channel Guide Magazine. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  18. ↑ Newcomb, Roger (2 April 2013). "GENERAL HOSPITAL Stars Finola Hughes & Jason Thompson Win Big on MILLIONAIRE!". We Love Soaps . Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  19. ↑ Barnert, Deanna (2 April 2013). "'Katie' hosts 'General Hospital' 50th extravaganza". TV Buzz Blog. Archived from the original on 6 April 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  20. ↑ Pfeiffer, Jeff (22 March 2013). "Katie Couric "20/20" special goes behind the scenes of General Hospital". Channel Guide Magazine. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  21. ↑ Kerr, Luke (20 February 2013). "General Hospital Scores People Magazine Collector's Issue". Daytime Confidential. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  22. 1 2 Giddens, Jamey (4 April 2013). "#GH50 Ad Makes Back Cover of TV Guide Magazine's 60th Anniversary Issue!". Daytime Confidential. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  23. 1 2 Fairman, Michael (5 April 2013). "50 & Fabulous General Hospital Makes Back Cover Of TV Guide's 60th Anniversary Issue!". Michael Fairman On-Air On-Soaps . Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  24. ↑ Lewis, Errol (5 April 2013). "60th Anniversary Issue of TV Guide Magazine Celebrates 50th Anniversary of 'General Hospital'". Soap Opera Network . Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  25. ↑ "Contents". TV Guide . 61 (3154–3155): 1. April 2013.
  26. ↑ "SOAPnet to air 50-episode 'General Hospital' marathon". United Press International . 18 March 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  27. ↑ Matheson, Whitney (3 April 2013). "Clear the DVR for a 'General Hospital' marathon". USA Today . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  28. ↑ Keck, William (3 April 2013). "Keck's Exclusives: Panelists Revealed for General Hospital's 50th Anniversary Event". TV Guide . Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  29. ↑ Fairman, Michael (12 April 2013). "TONIGHT: General Hospital 50th Paley Center Center For Media Event – Watch The Live Stream!". Michael Fairman On-Air On-Soaps . Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  30. ↑ Salam, Maya (15 April 2013). "'General Hospital' Celebrates 50 Years: Highlights From Paley Center Panel". Yahoo! TV. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  31. ↑ Durrell, Angela Rynan (13 April 2013). "'General Hospital' Paley Center Recap: 'Celebrating 50 Years and Looking Forward'". TVSource Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.