General Hospital is an American daytime television soap opera that has aired since 1963. The show takes place at the fictional General Hospital in Port Charles, New York. The stories focus on the lives of the people who live and work at the hospital. The series is the longest-running serial drama on ABC. It is a co-production of Plitt Theatres and Selmur Productions. In 1968, ABC bought out the production company. It passed through several owners before landing at the current owner, the Walt Disney Company.
It was originally broadcast in a half-hour format and then expanded to an hour in 1975. The first episode aired on April 1, 1963. It was the first of many soap operas to feature a medical setting and to address the psychiatric issues of the characters.
The earliest storylines involved the staff of the fictional General Hospital in an unnamed midsized Eastern city. A young nurse, Jessie Brewer (Emily McLaughlin), and her turbulent marriage to a younger physician, Steve Hardy (John Beradino) were featured prominently in the early episodes.
In the 1980s, the serial drama began to gain a reputation for its sensitive handling of social issues. It introduced a character with AIDS, a bus crash that killed an eight-year-old girl, and a heart transplantation storyline. The show also began to feature a Mob-related element with the introduction of Duke Lavery (Ian Buchanan) and the Jerome family in 1987.
General Hospital is known for its long history of addressing a variety of social issues. The drama has also been praised for its treatment of the mentally ill, and for its depiction of the gay community. In addition, General Hospital has portrayed the effects of drug abuse and domestic violence.
The drama has been cancelled twice, but has survived the most recent ratings decline. It is currently the Alphabet network’s sole remaining daytime soap. It has been renewed for another year, but the future of the show is uncertain.
Despite its lengthy run, General Hospital has not yet achieved the level of popularity enjoyed by other soaps. Its ratings have been below average for years.
As of 2023, the drama has a total of 513 episodes in the can.
While GH is no longer the biggest soap, it is still one of the most popular shows on ABC. Despite being on the air for over 60 years, it has a number of haters.
Tabyana Ali, who plays Trina Robinson, has spoken out against the racism she has encountered online. Despite this, the actress is determined to remain on the soap.
General Hospital stars include Tabyana Ali, Tajh Bellow, Maurice Benard, Chad Duell, Nancy Lee Grahn, David Lewis, Genie Francis, Brooke Mitchell, Jane Elliot, Robert Gossett, Katherine Kelly Lang, Laura Wright, Scott Clifton, Nicholas Chavez, Brooke Manville, Donnell Turner, and Sofia Mattson. The soap’s executive producer is Wendy Riche, who has been in charge of the series since 1992.