General Hospital

The soap opera General Hospital is the longest-running American soap opera and the world's second-longest soap opera currently in production.

Created by Frank and Doris Hursley in 1963, the show originally took place in a hospital in an unnamed city. In 1976, the name of the city, Port Charles, was mentioned for the first time. General Hospital originally revolved around Dr. Steve Handy and nurse Jessie Brewer, who was married to a much-young husband, Dr. Phil Brewer.

In the late 1970s, General Hospital introduced Luke and Laura (played by Anthony Geary and Genie Francis), who quickly became a TV "super couple." Their wedding on November 17, 1981, was the most-watched event in daytime serial history.

Over the years, General Hospital has covered many social issues including HIV/AIDS, organ donation, and cancer. The show has also had several celebrity guests over the years including Elizabeth Taylor and James Franco.

The show celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013 and has aired over 14,000 episodes. In 2015, a companion web series called General Hospital Now! was launched. In 2021, Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) was fired from General Hospital for failing to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Network: ABC

First Episode Date: April 1, 1963

Original Cast: