Daytime television's most famous couple of all time, Luke and Laura Spencer, are back in action on ABC's General Hospital, and the actors who have brought them to life for the past 35 years will reunite live on stage this Friday in Beverly Hills for a special Paley Center for Media panel discussion titled "General Hospital: Celebrating 50 Years and Looking Forward."
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All that's missing are the mullets. A trip to the General Hospital soundstage these days feels like an express pass to the 1980s, especially during the filming of the big fan-fave event known as the Nurses Ball. The red-carpet soiree — airing April 5, 8 and 9 as part of the soap's 50th anniversary celebration — has Rick Springfield returning as Dr. Noah Drake, who will take to the stage and rock out "Jessie's Girl." Off on the sidelines, Frisco (Jack Wagner) is trying to woo back his Reagan-era love Felicia (Kristina Wagner), while Anna (Finola Hughes) is once again in the arms of her Duke (Ian Buchanan). And look, it's the long-lost Nurse B obbie (Jackie Zeman)! Fitness guru Richard Simmons, another '80s fixture in Port Charles, is on hand as the charity gala's pushy choreographer. But not even he can get these oldies sweatin'.
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Though April 1 marks General Hospital's actual 50th anniversary, the show's executive producer, Frank Valentini, and head writer Ron Carlivati, have been honoring the show's rich history ever since taking over the ABC soap opera one year ago this week. Their efforts have paid off in spades — with a serious rise in ratings and multiple award nominations. With old favorites like Finola Hughes (Anna), Ian Buchanan (Duke), Tristan Rogers (Scorpio), Kristina Wagner (Felicia), Lynn Herring (Lucy) and Robin Mattson (Heather) already back on the canvas, and Genie Francis (Laura) and Jon Lindstrom (Kevin) soon making their way back to Port Charles, what else could possibly be left for fans to look forward to as the actual anniversary date approaches? Turns out plenty. Valentini opens up about all he's cooking up to celebrate GH's golden jubilee this spring...
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When General Hospital's Anthony Geary won his record seventh Daytime Emmy Award last month, he was understandably emotional — not just over his win, but because of the soap's rise from near-death.
"We were so shaky about a year ago until Frank [Valentini] came on to shore us all up," Geary told reporters at ABC's Television Critics Association fall TV previews Thursday. "We'd been living on Death Row. I think we were all pretty thrilled and excited about being acknowledged for the hard work."
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General Hospital — ABC's last remaining soap on the air — won five awards out of a leading 23 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, an achievement the cast credits to new executive producer Valentini. Valentini, who came over from the now-defunct One Life to Live, said he didn't rebuild the show but rather remodeled it.
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Great news...or a sign of bad things to come? TV Guide Magazine has learned exclusively that suds superstar Finola Hughes is returning to General Hospital as Anna Devane, the globe-trotting mother of Dr. Robin Scorpio (Kimberly McCullough). The Emmy-winning actress starts shooting the ABC soap in mid-to-late January and will hit the air during February sweeps. A GH spokesperson tells us the gig is "recurring, but front and center. Finola will be on our canvas for a while and be very involved with Robin and Patrick [Jason Thompson]."
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