Have you ever noticed that “General Hospital” has a track record of performers who became soap superstars not long after their debuts? Think Tony Geary as Luke, Tristan Rogers as Robert, Rick Springfield as Noah, Ingo Rademacher as Jax, and even a pre-“Full House” John Stamos as Blackie.
Fast forward to now. On “GH” we currently have a beautiful beagle girl named Outback, real name Bailey, who has rocketed to sudden soap star fame. Emma (played by Braedyn Bruner) originally owned the beagle, but when the building she lived in, owned by grandmother Anna Devane (played by Finola Hughes), wouldn’t allow dogs, Cody (played by Josh Kelly), who lives in the Quartermaine stables, adopted her. (Coincidentally, Outback was named in honor Emma’s Australian grandfather, Robert Scorpio.)
Sure, Outback is just beautiful, but in only a few months, she has become one of “GH”’s biggest stars. This has happened because “GH”’s head writers Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte have written her some extremely clever stories, and the dog has chemistry with both Emma and her boyfriend Gio (played by Giovanni Mazza) and her current owner Cody (Josh Kelly).
That smart beautiful rascal! When Ric Lansing (played by Rick Hearst) was bound and held captive in a basement by Ava, Alexis, and Kristina. Outback followed her nose and led Cody to liberate him. When the late Monica left the Quartermaine mansion to her sister Ronnie (guest star Erika Slezak) much to Tracy’s (Jane Elliot) horror, Outback was there to steal the deed from the hands of evil Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) who had been blackmailing Ronnie for ownership of the mansion.
Where did Outback originally come from? Perhaps from the lab of the evil professor Dalton (Daniel Goddard). In real life beagles are tragically used in medical and pharmaceutical research studies. Thus, Outback’s story has a meaningful social message.
Marlena recoils in horror at that circumstance. As my readers know, Moose and Marlena had a beautiful beagle boy named Nigel Bartholmew-Smythe (named after Asa’s butler on “One Life to Live”) for sixteen wonderful years before he passed away more than a year ago leaving moi bereft. I’ll never get over it He was the only pet I ever had.
Earlier, Julie Carruthers, a “General Hospital” producer, saw a picture of my beautiful boy in the column and asked me to allow Nigel to be cast in the show. Roger Howarth (who played Franco and Austin) proved he had a way with animals when he was Todd Manning on “OLTL,” playing charming scenes a bird named Moose! My Moose and I passed on “GH”’s offer because d we didn’t want our Nigel flying cross country in a crate.
Whether or not they brought Outback on just for me, I’m sure all my readers, and “GH” viewers just love this dog! Animals on soaps have always been popular. When the late Jacqueline Babbin (a great gal I had the pleasure of interviewing when she was the executive producer of “All My Children”), featured her Persian cat on the show as a feline named Bonkers. Also on the same show, Harold the Dog stirred up a lot of trouble for Janet from Another Planet (Kate Collins) and her beau Trevor, played by James Kiberd. Also. does anyone remember when Augusta (Louise Sorel) on “Santa Barbara” had a Doberman with a diamond collar?
Now, as I’ve jokingly said in the past, the center of Marlena’s world is always moi. But I mean it this time. Did my friends on “GH” bring on Outback the beagle to make me the happiest girl in the world or what? Whenever the beautiful girl is on screen, Marlena screams so loudly in appreciation for our neighbors come running!
I’m looking forward to Outback’s future stories.
And one day soon, I hope to have another boy or girl beagle of my own who is as winning and charismatic as that great “GH” star Outback.
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