In 1978, I worked for a fan magazine company called Sterling’s, which published titles like Daytime TV magazine. My office mate and friend (we shared a TV set) Anne-Marie Allocca insisted that I give up watching my then-favorite soap, Another World (which was 90 minutes in those days), and start watching her favorite, AW’s time-slot competitor … [Read more...]
Luke and Laura’s Wedding on “General Hospital”: The Day the Earth Stood Still
Where were you on November 16 and 17, 1981? If you were alive, chances are you were one of the record 30 million Americans who watched the wedding of Lucas Lorenzo Spencer (played by Anthony Geary) and Laura Webber Baldwin (played by Genie Francis) on ABC’s General Hospital. Featured on the covers of both People and Newsweek, the wedding marked the … [Read more...]
General Hospital: A Time for Celebration and a Time for Sorrow
General Hospital’s 60th anniversary celebration earlier this month was a fun collage of bits and pieces of history that triggered nice memories from the long tenure of the soap we all love so much. But in the end, the 60-minute romp was a disappointment. Instead of a examining why this iconic soap has endured for so long, the show treated us to … [Read more...]
Melted Ice: The Ice Princess Story Revisited
Marlena delights in introducing a new contributor, Jeffrey S. Pearlstein. Jeff is a veteran soap journalist and long-time colleague of Marlena’s who has written for many soap magazines. He is an expert in soap history, a wonderful interviewer, and his great passion for soaps shines through in everything he does. He is also a wonderful … [Read more...]
Kin Shriner Written Off General Hospital? What a Mistake!
Who is the funniest, most charming man on daytime television? My choice is Kin Shriner, who has played Scott(y) Baldwin on General Hospital, on and off, for 45 years, and has appeared on plenty of other soaps, too, like GH’s spinoff Port Charles. He’s a beloved veteran star with a huge and richly deserved following. And yet, according to his own … [Read more...]
General Hospital: Holly’s Return — Redux!
We’re entering into a special period in soaps. Two of our shows will be celebrating significant anniversaries. General Hospital, the longest running scripted show on all of television, will be 60 years old on April 1. And The Young and the Restless will be 50 on March 26. Both shows plan to celebrate with special appearances by alumni … [Read more...]
Soap Opera Legend #1: Genie Francis
Many years ago, Blackgama, an association of mink ranchers, started a print advertising campaign that became a cultural touchstone: “What becomes a legend most?” The answer: featuring a star like Lauren Bacall or Barbra Streisand modeling one of its coats. In our daytime soap world, there are numerous legendary performers — both alive and dead. I … [Read more...]
Marlena Says: “Save General Hospital”
Over the last four decades, Marlena has written many, many stories on “General Hospital” (which premiered in 1963). Now that NBC is moving “Days of Our Lives” to its streaming service, Peacock, as of next month an alarming question arises: Will ABC send its soap standard bearer “GH” to streaming as well? Marlena certainly hopes not! So perhaps … [Read more...]
Maurice Benard: The Gangster with a Heart
On ABC’s General Hospital, mob boss Sonny Corinthos has killed many people. But Maurice Benard, the actor who makes his tight-lipped menace so convincing, has a bigger heart than the character he plays. In his new autobiography, Maurice Benard: Nothing General About it, Benard, a soap superstar, chronicles an actor’s life of love and pain in … [Read more...]
An Open Letter to Jean Passanante and Shelly Altman
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Congratulations, Jean Passanante and Shelly Altman, co-headwriters of General Hospital. Marlena loves your GH! I’ve been watching since 1981, the year of Luke and Laura’s wedding. GH hasn’t been this good in eons. Why do I love the new GH? Let me count the ways. Foremost, it is ultra … [Read more...]