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 Okay,
so the 80s didn't exactly bring us General Hospital since the soap
actually launched in the 60s, but General Hospital did start setting
trends in the 80s that many other soap operas followed. For instance,
the idea of the infamous super-couple, like the ones that soaps like
Days of Our Lives and As The World Turns currently feature, was started
by General Hospital in the 80s. General Hospital also introduced
fast-paced plots and nail-biting adventures to the soap opera scene
during the decade. |
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General Hospital
is set in Port Charles, New York. Port Charles doesn't exist, of course,
but that doesn't matter to General Hospital fans. Another thing General
Hospital is famous for is bringing back characters after they've left the
show. Dr. Robin Scorpio and Dr. Noah Drake are just two of the characters
that left General Hospital and were written back in at a later date.
One
of the biggest plot lines during this time on GH was the Luke and Laura
story, immortalized by the Christopher Cross song, "Think of Laura."
After an unlikely beginning (Luke rapes Laura), they end up falling in
love and got married on November 16, 1981 in front of 30 million viewers,
representing the highest rated hour in soap opera history. Wikipedia
offers a fantastic overview of the
Luke and Laura
relationship, loaded with everything you ever wanted to know about
this supercouple.
Some of the cast members of General Hospital have gone on to become huge
stars, sometimes coming back in short guest roles. Some huge stars that
got their start at the hospital include Ricky Martin, Nikki Cox, Mark
Hamil, Demi Moore, John Stamos and Janine Turner. Long-standing
celebrities are also fond of guest starring on the show. Names like
Roseanne Barr, Tom Arnold, Sammy Davis Jr., Morgan Fairchild, and Sally
Struthers have all appeared on the show.
General Hospital was faced with cancellation in 1978. Luckily for General
Hospital fans, they decided to bring on a new executive producer and the
show was once again a huge hit. Just think, if the show would have ended
in the late 70s, the soap operas of today would be nothing like they are.
(Is that a good or a bad thing?)
Send us your General Hospital memories!
