From 1979 to 1988, General Hospital was the number one most watched daytime soap opera on television, which has now been succeeded by The Young and the Restless. The wedding of highly popular 'super couple' Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura (Genie Francis) still remains the most watched hour of American daytime soap in television history.Įver since the late 1970s, most of the show's storylines have revolved around the Quartermaine, Spencer, or Scorpio families. General Hospital has since spawned two direct spinoffs from itself: Port Charles, which aired in the ABC daytime lineup from 1997 to 2003, and General Hospital: Night Shift, which aired two twelve episode seasons on SOAPnet from 2007 to 2008.Ĭurrently taped at The Prospect Studios, General Hospital originally aired for a half hour from the series debut until July 23, 1976, The show was then expanded to 45 minutes on July 26, 1976, and then to 60 minutes on January 16, 1978. In 1964, a sister soap was created for General Hospital, intitled The Young Marrieds, which only ran for two years and was canceled due to low ratings. General Hospital became the second soap opera to air on the ABC television network, following the short-lived Road to Reality, which only aired for several months during the 1960-61 television season. In 1964, they were joined by Rachel Ames as Audrey March, who remains the longest running actress on an ABC soap opera, having ended her run in 2007.

Both Beradino and McLaughlin would remain with the series until their deaths in the early 1990s. Steve Hardy and Nurse Jessie Brewer, respectively. In the beginning, General Hospital starred John Beradino and Emily McLaughlin as Dr. It currently also holds the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series, with ten wins.Ĭreated by husband-and-wife soap writers Frank and Doris Hursley, the series was originally set in a general hospital of an unnamed community, until it was dubbed Port Charles, New York in the late 1970s. General Hospital debuted Apon the ABC Television network.

Concurrently, it is also the world's third longest-running scripted drama series currently in production after British soap operas The Archers and Coronation Street, as well as the second longest running television soap opera still in production following Coronation Street. General Hospital (known as GH) is an American daytime television drama that is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest running drama in television currently in production, as well as the third longest running soap opera in American history, after Guiding Light.

Soap opera updates 2018