After 54 years, General Hospital is still one of the most-watched daytime soap operas. But, if you have never watched the show, it is probably because you are not familiar with the characters. It is time to look at the longtime ABC soap opera and learn what you missed all these years!
The show was created by husband-and-wife team Gloria Monty (1918–2007) and Douglas Marland (1921–1984), who based it on stories Marland wrote about people he knew when he lived in Maine. The series premiered on April 1, 1963. Since debuting 53 years ago, General Hospital has become one of the longest-running shows in Soap Opera’s News history. This legendary series which later became known as GH, has aired nearly 12 thousand episodes showcasing some of the most unforgettable moments in TV history—some happy and some heartbreaking.
We have compiled a list of the six most heartbreaking moments in GH history.
- The death of Stone Cates (1992)
One of the most heartbreaking moments in GH history is when Stone Cates, played by actor Michael Sutton, died from AIDS complications. The story about Stone’s illness and death was based on the real-life experiences of Monty’s son Timothy who had also died from AIDS complications. This storyline was groundbreaking for daytime TV and helped to bring awareness to the AIDS epidemic.
The death of Luke Spencer (2005)
When longtime GH fan-favorite Luke Spencer, played by Anthony Geary, died after being shot by his son Justus, it was a heartbreaking moment. The story had been building up for a long time and ended with Luke’s death in General Hospital Spoilers . A year after the character’s death, Geary returned to the show as a vision of Luke seen by his longtime love Laura Spencer, played by Genie Francis.
The car accident that claimed the lives of Stone Cates and Noah Drake (1995)
During a tragic storyline during which Stone Cates (Michael Sutton), while driving drunk, crashed into another car, killing himself and his girlfriend, former nurse Noah drake (then known as Sarah Webber). Years later, Noah returns to town only to learn that she is HIV positive due to her brief relationship with Stone before this accident! This shocking revelation served as one of the first HIV storylines on daytime TV.
The death of Robin Scorpio (2013)
One of the most recent heartbreaking moments in GH history is when fan-favorite character Robin Scorpio, played by Kimberly McCullough, died from a rare form of cancer. This storyline was very personal for McCullough, who had also lost her mother to cancer at a young age. McCullough made her final appearance on the show in February 2013, and over 7 million viewers watched the episode in which Robin passed away.
The death of Laura Spencer (1989)
Another one of the most heartbreaking moments in GH history is when longtime fan-favorite character Laura Spencer, played by Genie Francis, died after being run down by a car. Unfortunately, the series has never let Laura and Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) get their happy ending—in this case, she died in her husband Luke’s arms.
This was not the first time Genie Francis had left the show—she had already left for a few months in 1987-1988 to play Emira Simpson on Knots Landing but returned at the end of 1988 to be killed off again!
The death of Alan Quartermaine (2003)
One of the most heartbreaking moments in GH history is when beloved character Alan Quartermaine, played by actor Stuart Damon, died from injuries sustained after being shot by his son A.J. When longtime fan favorite Quartermaine (Leslie Charleson) learned of her husband’s death, she uttered the iconic line “General Hospital has killed my husband!”.
This storyline was so heartbreaking that it was named one of the top 10 daytime TV moments of all time by Entertainment Weekly.
These are just a few of the most heartbreaking moments in the history of General Hospital. Of course, the show has had its share of tragedies over the years, which is what makes it so captivating to watch. Keep an eye out for more heartbreaking moments in upcoming episodes! GH fans won’t want to miss a single one.
What do you think? Is GH your favorite show? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to tune in tomorrow for our list of the six most heartbreaking moments in The Young and the Restless history!