Michael Corinthos
Michael Corinthos is a fictional character on General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. Born onscreen in 1997, the role was portrayed by several child actors, most notably Dylan Cash when the character was aged in 2002. In 2009, the character was aged again. Garrett was replaced by Chad Duell after one year with the series; the son of A. J. Quartermaine and Carly Corinthos, adoptive son of mob boss Sonny Corinthos, Michael is raised at the center of a bitter battle between the Quartermaine and Corinthos family; the character's most significant storylines include his accidental shooting of Kate Howard, his own shooting and waking from a coma, being sent to prison for the murder of his stepmother Claudia Zacchara where he was raped. Most the character has embraced his biological roots. Michael spent the majority of his life trying to emulate his adoptive father, but has since matured into his own man. However, he has a habit of sacrificing himself for the good of others. Most he has strayed away from that path.
Born on-screen on December 29, 1997, the role was originated by child actors Blake and Dylan Hopkins. The twin actors were replaced by Tiarnan Cunningham in 2001, who stayed with the series until 2002. On March 28, 2002, Dylan Cash made his first appearance as Michael, aging the character and revising his birth year to 1995. After three years with the series, Cash signed a contract in April 2005. In March 2008, rumors began circulating that Cash's contract was about to expire and would not be renewed, by April several sources confirmed the fact. BuddyTV reported that Cash was blindsided by his firing, confirmed the series was considering aging the character, it was rumored that ABC was considering As the World Turns's, Jesse Lee Soffer for the role. Cash made his last appearance as a contract cast member on May 16, 2008 reprising the role for one episode on December 29, 2008. In March 2009, after months of speculation, it was confirmed by TV Guide that soap newcomer, Drew Garrett had been cast in the role and would make his debut on April 24, 2009.
The casting of Garrett confirmed the character's SORAS aging. Garrett revealed that he first auditioned for the role of with Laura Wright, who portrayed Michael's mother, Carly. After about three weeks of waiting, Garrett was asked to return for a session with the producers. At this time, Garrett was still unaware of the role he was auditioning for, knowing it only to be "Michael," and a week his agent told him his follow up screen test was cancelled and that he was the new Michael Corinthos. On March 22, 2010, several reports surfaced confirming that Drew Garrett had been let go from the series, the role of Michael was to be recast. Drew Garrett made his finale appearance in the role of Michael on April 19, 2010. Garrett's Michael is rebellious, edgy, he is all about exploring, "stirring up trouble and crossing boundaries." The bad behavior is Michael's way of reclaiming the life. He believes embracing danger is the way to do it. Michael is in complete denial about. Michael is not in any way thinking about his future.
He is just worried about how he can get the most excitement out of the life he has. Michael refuses to take no for an answer which gets him into trouble. According to Garrett, Michael does not believe he has any other options in life, why he is determined to work for his father. Michael stubbornly refuses to accept. Things are further complicated. What makes matters worse is that Michael does not know why he gets so angry. Chad Duell made his first appearance in the role of Michael on April 20, 2010. In an interview with Crushable.com, Duell revealed that he auditioned around the same time as Garrett in 2009, but Garrett was awarded the role. The producers had begun developing a new role for Michael's sister, Kristina Davis's, love interest, which Duell auditioned for, his performance was so well received that at the expiration of Garrett's contract, Duell was cast as Michael, the other character was scrapped. "They had a certain feel about how they wanted and now, I guess they're going in this direction," Duell told Soap Opera Digest.
In January 2012, a casting call for the character of Erik was released leading to speculation that Duell was about to be replaced as Michael. Duell took to Twitter with a simple response to fans inquiry about him being replaced, "I'm not."Duell described his character as being multi-layered, having a lot of baggage, but a great heart. He says that Michael loves his family, wants to make his father proud, which in Duell's eyes, is what makes the character so interesting. He's got so many things going on at once... He's an awesome kid but he's had it rough." According to Duell, Michael is a tough kid who angers, torn between being a good guy, but is afraid to feel weak. "I like showing more sides to him. I want his heart more than his anger. I don’t want him to be one way." According to Duell, Michael is "never just one way. There's always something behind everything." Duell's ability to bring complexity to Michael is. Duell described Michael as being "a strong kid.…He's strong for his father, above all.
He has thick enough skin to get through a lot of things." From November 2007 to February 2008 headwriter, Robert Guza temporarily vacated his post during the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America stri
Alan Quartermaine (General Hospital)
Alan Quartermaine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. Actor Stuart Damon first appeared in the role on September 12, 1977. According to an interview on the Soapnet talk show, Soap Talk, Damon first appeared in the role of Dr. Alan Quartermaine on September 12, 1977. After several nominations, in 1999, Damon won his first Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category for his portrayal of Alan during his addiction to the drug Hydrocodone. After 30 years with the series, Damon was fired from the series and would exit in early 2007. Though Alan dies on-screen in February 2007, Damon continued appearing as Alan's ghost until December 23, 2008. Damon once again returned to the role for a dream sequence episode on August 29, 2011. In October 2012, TV Guide's Nelson Branco revealed that Damon had started taping scenes once again and Soap Opera Digest confirmed that Damon would bring Alan's ghost back to the canvas in November. Stuart reprised the role of Alan on April 2, 2013 for General Hospital's 50th anniversary.
Alan James Quartermaine is born on July 4, 1945 in Southampton, New York to the wealthy and influential and Edward Quartermaine. He and little sister, Tracy are raised with every advantage money can buy and they are spoiled rotten. During his early years as a medical student, Alan has an affair with Rae Cummings who would give birth to a daughter, Skye; the controlling Edward steals the infant and sells the child on the black market, tells Rae the child is dead. Alan knew all along that Rae was pregnant but he wasn't sure he was ready to be a father; as of 2012, Alan's date of birth has been revised to February 23, 1948. Dr. Alan Quartermaine is contacted by General Hospital's chief of staff, Steve Hardy to help with funding the new cardiac wing, he catches the two clash in their work. Their relationship develops into a romance and Alan chooses to stay in Port Charles. Alan and Monica marry on March 7, 1978 but their happiness is threatened due to Monica's growing closeness to her former love, Dr. Rick Webber.
In 1979, Alan and Monica welcome Alan Jr.. A furious Alan plots to kill the lovers in 1980. Alan and Monica's marriage is tested again when Alan begins having an affair with Susan Moore which leads to the birth of his son, Jason in 1981. During this time and Monica's only civil encounters were their shared suspicion that Alan's cousin, was up to something shady, which Alan feared might prevent him from being able to continue to support Susan and his son; as Alan prepares to divorce Monica, Monica begins flirting with another man making him realize how much he loves her. Attempts at remaining apart fail miserably, Monica's denial that their sexual dalliance meant a reconciliation couldn't hide the fact that Alan had become bored with Susan, while his fights with Monica excited him. After reconciling with Monica, Alan broke it off with Susan, but promised major financial support for her and Jason. With encouragement from Scott Baldwin and her cousin, Susan sues Alan for millions of dollars, manages to get a million dollar trust fund for Jason.
In early 1983, Alan is a suspect in Susan's murder investigation and it is revealed that she was killed by Lila's first husband, Crane Tolliver who reveals that he and Lila never divorced. Meanwhile, Jimmy Lee Holt reveals that he is Edward's illegitimate son. Jimmy Lee teams up with Heather in an attempt to blackmail the family with Lila's unsigned divorce papers. Alan manages to convince Monica to let Jason move into the mansion. In late 1985, Monica has an affair with Sean Donely; when the deal goes bad, Sean bankrupts the Quartermaines and Alan blames Jimmy Lee while Monica forces them out of the mansion. In a scheme to get the family fortune back, Alan fakes his death, frames Sean for his murder and disappears to Pautuck, New York where he lives under the alias Simon. After a bump on the head leads to Alan believing he is Simon, Monica realizes how much she loves him and they reunite. In 1988, Monica beats out Alan for the chief of staff position at GH. Meanwhile, Alan tracks down Tracy's son Ned Ashton.
In the spring of 1989, Alan clashes with Ned after Edward is presumed dead and leaves his entire fortune to Ned. In October 1989, Lucy Coe seduces Alan into helping her dispose of Victor Jerome's body. In the spring of 1990, Monica divorces Alan after finding him in bed with Lucy. Lucy claims she is pregnant and Alan marries her. However, Alan learns that Scott Baldwin was the child's father and divorces her, he and Monica reconcile and remarry on August 16, 1991. Meanwhile and Monica welcomed their sons, A. J. and Jason back to the mansion. A. J. falls for Nikki Langton, going after the Quartermaine fortune to get revenge on Monica for her father, David's death. She manipulates A. J. into a marriage proposal and in November 1992, Alan pays Nikki to leave town leaving his son devastated. Alan soon develops an infatuation with the mother of Rhonda Wexler. Though they never consummate the relationship, Alan becomes protective of her and in 1993, accidentally kills her abusive ex-boyfriend Ray Conway when he finds him abusing her and Karen.
A. J. attempts to frame Jagger Cates for the murder, but he is cleared. In 1994, Alan and Tracy learn they have another i
Monica Quartermaine
Monica Quartermaine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network, played continually since August 17, 1977 by longtime soap opera actress Leslie Charleson. She is a cardiologist at the eponymous hospital, widow of physician Alan Quartermaine; the role was originated by Patsy Rahn in 1976, who played the role until showrunners replaced her with Charleson. Charleson's tenure with the serial is one of the longest in American soap operas. Monica becomes Chief of Staff at General Hospital following the death of Alan, her with a specialty in at the original and on-going setting of the show. Her various affairs with fellow doctors Jeff Webber and his older brother Rick Webber, as well as her quarrels with husband Dr. Alan Quartermaine and their dysfunctional family, were all major stories on the show throughout the late 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In her time on the show, Monica has battled breast cancer, dealt with outliving all of her children, she is the owner of the Quartermaine mansion, which she reminds her family of when they begin quarreling, a regular occurrence in the Quartermaine household.
She has been known to throw them out of her house. In 2006, she only had rare appearances. With the returns of Denise Alexander, Genie Francis, Kin Shriner, Monica remains to be the fourth oldest character on General Hospital and Charleson is the show's most tenured performer. On August 24, 2010, it was announced. In May 2011, newly appointed head writer Garin Wolf expressed his interest in having Charleson appear on a much more frequent basis. In April 2018, it was announced that due to an injury Charleson sustained, the soap would temporarily recast the role of Monica, due to the advanced writing of scripts required for the character. McCormack first aired on May 7, 2018. Monica was fostered by Dr. Gail Adamson Baldwin. However, Gail's husband took advantage of Monica and raped her. Gail remained unaware of this for many years but the two were able to reconcile once the truth came out. Monica was able to use her experience with Greg to help Laura Spencer. Monica had an affair with David Langston and gave birth to a daughter, whom she gave up for adoption.
Just prior to her arrival on GH, Monica had been engaged to Rick Webber. However, he had broken up with her and flew off to Africa where he became caught up in a civil war and was presumed dead. Monica turned to Jeff Webber, Rick's brother, for comfort and married him, not knowing that Rick was still alive. Monica arrived in Port Charles in 1976, having married Jeff Webber. Steve Hardy, appointed as Chief of Staff at General Hospital, invited the couple to take part in his Mr. and Mrs. Intern Programme, believing that the couple had an idyllic marriage. However, the truth was, she was still in love with Jeff's brother, presumed dead in Africa. Thus, the marriage collapsed when Rick was revealed to be still alive and Monica cheated on Jeff with Rick, while Jeff cheated on Monica with Heather Grant, with whom he had a son, Steve Webber. Jeff and Monica divorced in 1977. Throughout this time, Rick had planned to marry her. Monica was devastated, tried to put a stop to it, blackmailing Lesley into turning down Rick's proposal.
If Lesley didn't, Monica would tell the hospital board of Monica's affair with Rick, denying him the opportunity to become Chief of Cardiology at General Hospital. During the argument, a pregnant Lesley miscarried. Lesley was despondent, called off her engagement to Rick, hoping to save Rick's career. Meanwhile and Rick talk about how important the promotion is to Rick, Monica realizes she cannot go through with her threat, but doesn't tell Lesley as much. Monica's found out when Lesley's daughter Laura's tape recorder is found to have caught Monica's threats to Lesley. Lesley and Rick are married in October 1977. Rick and Monica's relationship becomes embittered, Monica nearly loses her job, though Lesley sets aside her personal feelings and vouches for Monica's talents as a doctor to Steve, saving her job. Monica claims to be moving on, but she and Rick are forced to work together with Dr. Alan Quartermaine on plans for a new wing at the hospital. Monica makes a last-ditch effort to bed Rick while trapped in a remote ranger station overnight during a storm while working on the project, but is turned down.
While Monica continues to antagonize Lesley and Rick, she soon begins a relationship with Alan, though she's still much attracted to Rick. Monica had doubts about her relationship with Alan, but these were soon overshadowed when Monica's foster mother Gail Adamson discovered that Monica had slept with Gail's late husband Greg. Gail did not believe Monica's explanation that Greg had forced her into the affair and cut ties with Monica. Monica agreed to marry him. Gail and Monica made amends, she was thrilled when Gail found happiness by agreeing to marry Lee Baldwin after months of putting him off. Monica became a close confidante to Laura who found that Monica treated her like an adult while her mother continuously treated her like a child. After their 1978 wedding, Alan bought a mansion for Monica as a wedd
Anna Lee
Anna Lee, MBE was a British-born American actress. Lee trained at the Royal Albert Hall made her debut with a bit part in His Lordship, when she was 19, she played a number of minor uncredited, roles in films during the early 1930s. She began to get more prominent roles in quota quickies those made for Paramount British, she became known for her roles in films set amongst the wealthy in Chelsea Life, in which she starred with Louis Hayward. The film was set in the artistic community of Chelsea. On the strength of her performances in quota films, in 1934 Lee signed a contract with Gainsborough Pictures, the biggest British production company of the era, she played leading lady roles in a variety of different genres at Gainsborough including a comedy-thriller The Camels Are Coming, a drama The Passing of the Third Floor Back, a horror film The Man Who Changed His Mind and a war film OHMS. She appeared in the 1935 Jessie Matthews musical First a Girl as the aristocratic other woman. In 1937 she starred in one of King Solomon's Mines.
She had met her first husband, the director Robert Stevenson while shooting The Camels are Coming on location in Egypt. During 1938 she took time off from acting to give birth to her first child. In 1939 she and her husband switched to Ealing Studios, now being run by Michael Balcon the former head of Gainsborough, she played a nineteenth century Irish music hall performer who falls in love with an aristocrat in the comedy Young Man's Fancy and a journalist who helps the heroes thwart a foreign enemy's plot against Britain in The Four Just Men. Her final film in Britain was Return to Yesterday about a young repertory theatre actress who falls in love with a Hollywood star she meets while touring in a small seaside town. With the Second World War imminent and Stevenson went to the United States, she remained supportive of the British war effort and in 1943 appeared alongside other British actors in Forever and a Day, made to raise money for British charities. When she and her husband moved to Hollywood she became associated with John Ford, appearing in several of his films, notably How Green Was My Valley, Two Rode Together and Fort Apache.
She co-starred with John Carroll in Flying Tigers. She worked for producer Val Lewton in the horror/thriller Bedlam and had a lead role opposite Brian Donlevy and Walter Brennan in Fritz Lang's Hangmen Also Die!, a wartime thriller about the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. Lee made frequent appearances on television anthology series in the 1940s and 1950s, including Robert Montgomery Presents, The Ford Theatre Hour, Kraft Television Theatre, Armstrong Circle Theatre and Wagon Train, she made a guest appearance on Perry Mason as Crystal Durham in "The Case of the Unsuitable Uncle". In 1958 she returned to Britain to appear in John Ford's Gideon's Day, in which she played the detective's wife, she had a small, but memorable, role as Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music, one of the two nuns who thwarted the Nazis by removing car engine parts, allowing the Von Trapps to escape. Lee appeared in the 1962 classic What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? in a small role as Mrs. Bates, a neighbour of the sisters played by Joan Crawford and Bette Davis.
In 1994, Lee took the leading role in the feature film What Can I Do?, directed by Wheeler Winston Dixon. In years, she became known to a new generation as matriarch Lila Quartermaine on General Hospital and Port Charles until being removed from contract and dropped to recurring status in 2003 by Jill Farren-Phelps, protested in the soap world and among General Hospital actors. According to fellow GH actress Leslie Charleson, Lee had been promised a job for life by former GH executive producer Wendy Riche. Charleson said, and when the new powers-that-be took over they fired her, it broke her heart. It was not necessary." Anna Lee was born Joan Boniface Winnifrith in Ightham, the daughter of Bertram Thomas Winnifrith, a headmaster and Anglican rector who supported his daughter in her desire to become an actress, his second wife, Edith Maude Digby-Roper. Her middle name "Boniface" derives from the saint from, her father came from a long line of clergy. As far back as A. D. 680, there was a Benedictine monk named Winifried or Winfrith from Devonshire, consecrated Archbishop of Mainz in A.
D. 711. Lee's grandfather, the Reverend Alfred Winnifrith, was Rector of Mariansleigh. During WWI he was awarded the Medaille du Roi Albert. Lee's brother Sir John Winnifrith, was a senior British civil servant who became permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, she was the goddaughter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and lifelong friend of his daughter, Dame Jean Conan Doyle. She married her first husband, the director Robert Stevenson, in 1934 and moved to Hollywood in 1939, they had two daughters and Caroline. Venetia Stevenson, an actress as well, was married to Don Everly of the Everly Brothers and has three children, Edan and Stacy. Lee and Stevenson divorced in March 1944, with Venetia and Caroline electing to live with their father, she met her second husband, George Stafford, as the pilot of the plane on her USO tour during the Second World War. They married on 8 June 1944, had three sons, John and Tim Stafford. Tim Stafford is an actor under the stage name of Jeffrey Byron. Lee and Stafford divorced in 1964.
Her final marriage, to novelist Robert Nathan, on 5 April 1970, ended at his death in 1985. Lee became a naturalize
A. J. Quartermaine
A. J. Quartermaine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. Born on-screen in 1979 as the only biological child of the iconic Drs. Alan and Monica Quartermaine, A. J. was SORASed in 1991, revising his birth year to 1972. The role has been most notably portrayed by actors Sean Kanan from 1993 to 1997, Billy Warlock from 1997 to 2003, with a brief return in 2005. Kanan made his on-screen return as A. J. on October 26, 2012, after a 15-year absence. Kanan announced in March 2014 that he would once again be leaving the series, voicing his disappointment over the writing for the character; the newborn A. J. was portrayed by child actor Eric Kroh from 1979 to 1983. Abraham Geary stepped into the role in 1983; the role was portrayed by Jason Marsden, Christopher Nelson, Justin Whalin. On June 20, 1991, Gerald Hopkins stepped in the role of A. J. on contract and last appeared on December 30, 1992. The role was recast with Sean Kanan, who made his first appearance in the role on February 16, 1993.
Kanan last appeared in the role on June 10, 1997. Kanan received a nomination for the Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Newcomer for his portrayal of A. J. in 1994. Following Kanan's departure, actor Billy Warlock was hired for the role of A. J. and he made his debut on June 13, 1997. In 2003, Warlock earned a pre-nomination for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of A. J.. Warlock departed from the series in December 2003, amongst rumors that he was fired after disputes with show executives. In early 2005, the network's announcement of Warlock's return as A. J. was put on hold, speculated as contract disputes. Warlock's return first aired on February 4, 2005, shortly thereafter Warlock announced his return to the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives as Frankie Brady. Warlock's exit lead to rumors of Kanan's possible reprisal of the role, who had announced move to recurring status in his role as Deacon Sharpe in the CBS Daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.
Warlock exited the series in April 2005 and the character was killed off. On September 17, 2012, Kanan revealed in an interview with TV Guide's Michael Logan that he was put on contract with General Hospital, but his character was not being announced. Rumors arose that Kanan might replace Steve Burton in the role of A. J.'s brother, Jason Morgan. Kanan first appeared on October 26, revealed to be A. J. retconing the character's death. On March 17, 2014, it was announced that Kanan would once again be leaving the role of A. J. Alan James Quartermaine Jr. is born on December 13, 1979, during a severe snow storm. At the time, his mother, Monica is on bed rest when is visited by co-worker, Dr. Lesley Webber and her foster mother, Dr. Gail Baldwin; the three women end up stranded when Monica goes into labor. As Lesley helps deliver the child, a delirious Monica admits that the infant is the son of Lesley's husband, Dr. Rick Webber. Monica's husband, Alan unaware of the affair must deal with his evil sister Tracy planting seeds of doubt about Alan Jr.'s paternity.
In early 1980, it is discovered that Alan Jr. has a heart condition and Rick comes back to Port Charles to perform the surgery. Rick soon confronts Alan, aware of Alan Jr's paternity and claims the infant. However, Monica discovers that Alan Jr. carries a birthmark identical to Alan's and a DNA test confirms that the child is Alan's son. In 1981, Alan has an affair and had an illegitimate son, Jason with Susan Moore. Monica and Alan separate when he moves in with Susan, Monica files for sole custody of Alan Jr. However, they soon reconcile and Susan sues the Quartermaines for Jason's inheritance. After Susan's murder, Monica adopts Jason as her own. In 1987, signs of trouble erupt when Alan Jr. runs away and turns up at Kelly's diner. Knowing that his parents would be worried, Ruby notified Alan and Monica of his whereabouts. Alan Jr. and Jason are seen again when Monica, running for assistant chief of staff, has a picture taken with them to improve her public image. In 1988, Alan Jr. now known as A.
J. goes sent off to boarding school although he is home for a visit when his aunt Tracy returns to town. A. J. graduates from boarding school in June 1991 which re-establishes his birth year as 1973. In early 1993, A. J. is aged again re-establishing his birth year as 1969. In 1998, his birthday is celebrated in November 18. Alan Jr. now going by the name A. J. leaves school, ends up in jail for drunk driving. A. J. blames his troubled childhood while his grandmother, Lila promises to give him and his cousin, Ned their inheritance if they can stay out of trouble for six months. Meanwhile, his parents remarry and his little brother, Jason returns home from boarding school. A. J. takes pleasure in reminding Jason that he is illegitimate. Meanwhile, Nikki Langton comes to town looking for revenge against Monica for her father, David's death; when her malpractice suit against Monica fails, she begins dating A. J. Nikki soon tricks A. J. into proposing marriage so she can get her hands on the Quartermaine fortune.
In November 1992, A. J. is devastated when Nikki leaves him at the altar after Alan pays her to leave town. A. J. turns to alcohol to numb the pain. After learning about his father's schemes, A. J. tracks Nikki to Malibu and attempts to win her back, but she has married another man. A. J. begins drinking more. In 1993, A. J. has an affair with Ned's former lover, Julia Barrett befor
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television medical drama. It is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running American soap opera in production and the second longest-running drama in television 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. Same-day broadcasts as well as classic episodes were aired on SOAPnet from January 20, 2000, to December 31, 2013, following Disney-ABC's decision to discontinue the network. General Hospital is the longest-running serial produced in Hollywood, the longest-running entertainment program in ABC television history, it holds the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series, with 13 wins. The show was created by husband-and-wife soap writers Frank and Doris Hursley, who set it in a general hospital, in an unnamed fictional city.
In the 1970s, the city was named New York. From its beginning, General Hospital starred John Beradino and Emily McLaughlin, both actors stayed with the show until their deaths in 1996 and 1991 respectively, they were joined a year by Rachel Ames who remains to date the longest serving actress on an ABC soap opera, having been continuously on the show from 1964 to 2007. General Hospital was the second soap to air on ABC. In 1964, a sister soap was created for The Young Marrieds. General Hospital spawned a primetime spinoff with the same name in the United Kingdom from 1972 to 1979, as well as the daytime series Port Charles and the primetime spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift in the United States. Taped at The Prospect Studios, General Hospital aired for a half-hour until July 23, 1976; the series was expanded from 30 minutes to 45 minutes on July 26, 1976, to a full hour on January 16, 1978. Since the late 1970s, most of the storylines have revolved around the Quartermaines and the Spencers.
From 1979 to 1988, General Hospital had more viewers than any other daytime soap opera. It rose to the top of the ratings in the early 1980s in part thanks to the monumentally popular "supercouple" Luke and Laura, whose 1981 wedding brought in 30 million viewers and remains the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history; the soap opera is known for its high-profile celebrity guest stars who have included, among others, Roseanne Barr, James Franco and Elizabeth Taylor. In 2007, the program was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME." On April 23, 2009, General Hospital began broadcasting in high definition, making it the first ABC soap opera to make such a transition. The serial aired its 14,000th episode on February 23, 2018. General Hospital became the oldest American soap opera on September 17, 2010, following the final broadcast of CBS' As the World Turns. On April 14, 2011, ABC announced the cancellation of both All My Children and One Life to Live, leaving General Hospital as the last remaining soap opera airing on the network after January 13, 2012.
The show celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 1, 2013. General Hospital was created by Frank and Doris Hursley and premiered on April 1, 1963; the first stories were set on the seventh floor of General Hospital, in an unnamed midsize Eastern city. "They had this concept of the show that it was like a big wagon wheel – the spokes would be the characters and the hub would be the hospital," John Beradino reflected to Entertainment Weekly in 1994. Launched in 1963, the first stories were set at General Hospital in an unnamed midsized Eastern city; the name of the city, Port Charles, would not be mentioned until 1976 by headwriters Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock. Storylines revolved around his friend, Nurse Jessie Brewer. Jessie's turbulent marriage to the much-younger Dr. Phil Brewer was the center of many early storylines. In 1964 Audrey March, a flight attendant and sister of Nurse Lucille, came to town, was the woman who won Steve's heart. By the end of the 1970s, General Hospital was facing dire ratings when executive producer Gloria Monty was brought in to turn the show around.
Monty is credited with creation of the first supercouple, Luke Spencer and Laura Webber, played by Anthony Geary and Genie Francis. The end of their hour wedding on November 17, 1981, was the most-watched event in daytime serial history. During the 1980s, the series featured several high-profile action and some science fiction-based storylines. Location shooting at sites including Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. After Gloria Monty first left the series in 1987, General Hospital entered into a transitional phase that lasted until Wendy Riche took the position of executive producer in 1992. Under Riche, the show gained critical acclaim for its sensitive handling of social issues. In 1994, Riche started an annual Nurses' Ball, a fundraiser and AIDS awareness event both on the show and in real life; that year, a heart transplant storyline involves the death of eight-year-old B. J
Olivia Falconeri
Olivia Falconeri is a fictional character on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital. She has been portrayed by Lisa LoCicero since September 19, 2008; the role of Olivia Falconeri was originated by Lisa LoCicero on September 19, 2008, on a recurring basis. It was announced in July 2009 that LoCicero was put on contract with the series, just a month before her onscreen cousin Megan Ward was dropped to recurring status. Olivia Falconeri grew up in a large Italian family in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst, she was close with her cousin, Connie when they were growing up until Connie left town for college and changed her name, abandoning their family, including Olivia. As a teenager, Olivia became involved with Sonny Corinthos and their brief relationship would lead to the birth of their son, Dante in 1984, when she was 15. Sonny and Connie would date until Connie left town to attend Princeton University. Olivia is the cousin of Crimson's editor-in-chief Kate Howard. Olivia and Kate grew up together in New York.
In high school, Olivia dated Sonny Corinthos, by. Sonny, unaware of the pregnancy, left Olivia to pursue Kate. Olivia gave birth to Dante Angelo Falconeri, she has kept Dante's paternity a secret to protect him from Sonny's dangerous lifestyle. Olivia tells her family and friends that Dante's father could be any of three or four men she had slept with during that time. Only Kate knows the truth about Olivia's son and has kept her secret after she changed her name and left her family. Olivia was relieved when Kate didn't run off with Sonny, but was upset when Kate left her family to pursue her dreams. After Kate left Bensonhurst and changed her identity, Olivia did not have any contact with Kate for twenty years, she kept herself posted on Kate's accomplishments through magazines. Olivia was reconnected with her past. Sonny, engaged to Kate, asked Olivia to come to Port Charles to be Kate's maid-of-honor; when she arrived in Port Charles, she checked into the Metro Court Hotel where she meets Carly Corinthos Jacks, Sonny's ex-wife.
Olivia told Carly who she was and revealed to Carly that Kate's real identity is Connie Falconeri and she hails from Bensonhurst, not Connecticut. On the day of the wedding, Olivia helped Kate get dressed for the ceremony. Olivia presented Kate with a necklace. Kate refused to wear the heirloom and the two had a loud argument that everyone in the chapel could hear. Olivia, furious Kate denies her identity by refusing to wear the heirloom, decides to wear the necklace herself. After Kate was shot at the altar, Olivia was grief-stricken; as she held a bloody, wounded Kate, she told her she is proud of who she has become and she is happy she accomplished everything she dreamed of. Kate was rushed to General Hospital and Olivia told Sonny that she will be making all of Kate's medical decisions because she is her only family, she agreed to let Patrick Drake operate on Kate since he is one of the best neurosurgeons in the country. Kate was slow to recover. During Kate's stay in the hospital, Patrick overhears a conversation between Olivia and her cousin stating that Sonny has a grown son with Olivia.
While Kate is in recovery, Olivia discovered Sonny never left the mob, like he had told Kate and had lied to everyone about. Carly told Olivia about the shooting of her son, due to Sonny's lifestyle and warned Olivia to keep Kate away from Sonny. Olivia worriedly told Kate what she learned, she retorted Olivia was just jealous because she got Sonny and now she doesn't have the love of her son's father. Kate seemed on the fence about wanting to tell Sonny about Dante, she felt if Sonny learns about his son, it will give him a reason to live and it will stop him from joining the mob and taking revenge. Olivia is adamant about not doing it, she doesn't want Dante to suffer little Michael's fate. After the Metro Court Hotel is having issues, Jasper Jacks offers Olivia a job on the spot as the hotel's operations manager. Olivia has since been his wife's friend, she helped Jax and Carly when making a decision on Michael Corinthos's surgery. Olivia met Claudia Zacchara at Jake's on October 13, 2008. Claudia brought up a verbal fight ensues.
Olivia and Carly, Jax's wife, came together to try and stop Sonny from marrying Claudia, but he does so anyway, costing him his friendship with Olivia. Olivia begins a relationship with Johnny Zacchara in May 2009, after the two meet while both out for drinks at Jake's, the local bar. Due to the large age gap between the two, they receive much criticism from those around Port Charles. Despite the disapproval from Sonny and Johnny's older sister Claudia, the two continue to see one another. Soon after, Dante arrives in town, eye on his Ma. Olivia discovers he is working for Sonny under an alias. Despite his marriage to Claudia, Sonny begins confessing his love to Olivia, saying he wants to be with her, not his wife. Olivia rejects him, stating he should be with Claudia. Olivia, worried for her son's safety, for the secret of his father's identity to stay hidden, tries to get Dante off the case against Sonny. An argument between Olivia and Dante that ends up being over heard by Claudia leads to discover Olivia's secret.
Claudia holds this over Olivia's head, threatening to blow everything up unless Olivia breaks up with Johnny. Olivia wanting t
