General Hospital

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General Hospital Actor, 37, Fatally Shot on LA Street

Johnny Wactor reportedly stumbled upon people trying to steal his car's catalytic converter

(Newser) - Early Saturday in downtown Los Angeles, former General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor and a colleague reportedly stumbled upon three men trying to steal the catalytic converter from Wactor's car. According to an account from his mother, Wactor did not attempt to stop the men—but one of them shot...

Mom of Soap Opera Star Shares Statement on His Death

Billy Miller was known for 'The Young and the Restless,' 'General Hospital'

(Newser) - Billy Miller's mother shared a statement on social media Monday concerning the actor's death at age 43. Her son, whom she refers to as BJ, "fought a long hard valiant battle with bipolar depression for years," she wrote, and while he "did everything he could...

She Was a General Hospital Staple for Nearly Half-Century

Actor Jacklyn Zeman, who played nurse Bobbie Spencer on ABC soap, dies at 70 of cancer

(Newser) - Jacklyn Zeman, who became one of the most recognizable actors on daytime television during 45 years of playing Bobbie Spencer on ABC's General Hospital, has died. She was 70. Zeman died after a short battle with cancer, her family confirmed Wednesday, per the AP . News of her death was...

It's Longest-Running Scripted Show Still On Air in the US

'General Hospital' turns 60 this week

(Newser) - ABC’s General Hospital marks its 60th anniversary this week, a milestone for the longest-running scripted show currently in production on American television. The soap is marking the moment with a fan favorite storyline, the Nurses Ball, a fictional charity gala. This week the residents of Port Charles dress to...

Soap Star Leaves Pregnant Wife, but There's Backstory

'The child is not mine,' notes Steve Burton, former 'General Hospital' star who's already a dad of 3

(Newser) - Usually a guy ditching his wife when she's pregnant elicits scorn for such abandonment. This week, however, a brief but revelatory message from former General Hospital star Steve Burton, whose wife Sheree Gustin is expecting, takes some of the heat off him regarding their split. "I wanted to...

After 30 Years on General Hospital, He's Out Due to Vaccine Mandate

Steve Burton refused to get COVID-19 vaccine

(Newser) - Steve Burton has been playing Jason Morgan on General Hospital since 1991. But no longer: The actor has been fired from the ABC soap opera for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Variety reports. Burton made the announcement himself on Instagram in a video including anti-vaccine rhetoric, and the show...

Soap Actress Has 'Breathing Problem,' Gets a Stand-In

Kelly Monaco of 'General Hospital' temporarily replaced by Lindsay Hartley

(Newser) - When General Hospital returns from its COVID hiatus on Monday, fans might notice something different about longtime character Sam McCall Morgan. The character will be temporarily played by a different actress—Lindsay Hartley will replace Kelly Monaco, reports Daytime Confidential . Monaco has been with the show more than a decade,...

Soap Operas Dangerously Low Thanks to Virus

Popular daytime dramas are running out of episodes and can't resume production

(Newser) - The coronavirus has most of us locked down in our homes, and for those seeking routine, diving into the daily soaps can provide some escapist comfort. But Vulture warns that the most popular daytime TV dramas are perilously close to running out of episodes they filmed before the shutdown, forcing...

Actress June Havoc Dead at 97


 Actress 
 June Havoc 
 Dead at 97  
obituary
Mar 29, 2010 5:59 PM CDT

Actress June Havoc Dead at 97

Vaudevillian gained fame as Gypsy Rose Lee's younger sister

(Newser) - June Havoc, the film and theater actress who gained fame as a child vaudeville star and the younger sister of Gypsy Rose Lee, died yesterday. The inspiration for the "Baby June" character in the Broadway musical and movie Gypsy, Havoc was believed to be 97. To accommodate local child...

James Franco: Soap Role Is Performance Art

 James Franco: 
 Soap Role Is
 Performance Art 
JUDGE FOR YOURSELF
Dec 4, 2009 9:28 AM CST

James Franco: Soap Role Is Performance Art

Guest stint on General Hospital will go down in art history

(Newser) - Finally, James Franco explains to us what in the world he’s doing guest starring on General Hospital: Performance art. In a look at the genre with which he is “obsessed,” Franco writes about its history—and his newfound spot in said history—for the Wall Street Journal...

Best Soap Opera Cameos
 Best Soap Opera Cameos 
Nov 24, 2009 10:19 AM CST

Best Soap Opera Cameos

James Franco follows in the footsteps of Rosanne, Snoop Dog

(Newser) - James Franco’s much-hyped General Hospital guest stint began Friday, but can he live up to the true classics of the celebrity cameo genre? Many other luminaries have guested on daytime TV, and “they almost always shake things up like a schizophrenic with a fake pregnancy interrupting a wedding...

General Hospital More Sopranos Than Soap Opera

 General Hospital 
 More Sopranos 
 Than Soap Opera 
why, james franco, why?
Nov 19, 2009 12:05 PM CST

General Hospital More Sopranos Than Soap Opera

James Franco's guest stint highlights shows thuggery

(Newser) - Sure, it’s weird that James Franco is guest starring on General Hospital—but what’s weirder is that the soap is one of the small screen’s most violent creations, even by daytime television’s dubious standards. It stopped being a show about a hospital long ago, writes Willa...

Franco Joining Cast of General Hospital

Actor asked for, got part on long-running soap

(Newser) - James Franco—yes, that James Franco—is joining the cast of General Hospital in November for at least a few weeks. In fact, Franco—whose movie credits include Pineapple Express, Milk, and all three Spider-Man flicks—asked the soap’s producers for a role, reports Soapnet. They were only too...

Writers' Strike Could Send Soaps Down the Drain

Strike threatens an already troubled genre

(Newser) - The strike by the Writers Guild of America could leave an entire genre hanging by a bubble. Daytime soaps operas won't be sent into reruns immediately, like late-night talk shows, because  producers have scripts stockpiled. But the soaps have been hemorraghing viewers  for years, reports the Los Angeles Times, and...

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