‘General Hospital’ Primetime Special Set for 60th Anniversary — Which Stars Will Appear?
The Doctor Is In
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ABC‘s only remaining soap opera is celebrating a milestone anniversary in a big way soon after 2024 begins.
The network has announced that it will honors its Emmy-winning daytime drama General Hospital for its 60th anniversary — it premiered on April 1, 1963 — with a primetime special, General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling. The one-hour special will air Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 10/9c on ABC and be available the next day on Hulu.
The television event will include fan-favorite cast members from over the years as they pull back the curtain on six decades in Port Charles. That includes behind-the-scenes moments, bloopers, a special fan tribute, and other surprises that will honor General Hospital‘s legacy.
General Hospital cast members participating in the special include Maurice Benard, Jane Elliot, Genie Francis, Finola Hughes, Kelly Monaco, Laura Wright, and others. Joining current and past cast members for the retrospective look at the daytime soap are all-star celebrity guests including recent Dancing with the Stars winner and pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, film and television star Emma Samms, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and actor Rick Springfield, and actress and writer Amber Tamblyn.
General Hospital is both the longest-running scripted drama and the longest-running American soap opera currently in production. (It aired its 15,000th episode on June 22, 2022.) It holds the record for the most Outstanding Daytime Drama award wins with 15 Daytime Emmys. The series is known for elevating awareness for numerous health and social issues, with storylines about HIV/AIDS; tolerance and understanding for the gay, lesbian and transgender community; bipolar disorder, spousal abuse, sexual assault, workplace sexual harassment in the #MeToo era, gentrification, war refugees, voting rights and voter suppression, the fight for civil rights and against environmental racism, drug and alcohol addiction; breast cancer awareness; surrogacy and adoption; organ donations, autism and Alzheimer’s.
General Hospital stars Francis, Elliot, Hughes, Kristina Wagner, Benard, Nancy Lee Grahn, Rebecca Herbst, Monaco, Wright, Kirsten Storms, Dominic Zamprogna, Chad Duell, Michael Easton, Maura West, Donnell Turner, Eden McCoy, Josh Swickard, Katelyn MacMullen, Sofia Mattsson, Amanda Setton, Cynthia Watros, Brook Kerr, Nicholas Chavez, Avery Kristen Pohl, Cameron Mathison, Tajh Bellow, Tanisha Harper, Tabyana Ali, Robert Gossett, Josh Kelly, Gregory Harrison, Evan Hofer, and Kate Mansi.
The daytime drama was created by husband-and-wife soap writers, Frank and Doris Hursley. Frank Valentini is the executive producer and showrunner. Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor are co-head writers. The series is produced by ABC.
General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling is executive produced by Valentini. Directing the primetime special is Ashley Gorman. Michelle Henry and Mary-Kelly Weir serve as co-executive producers. The special is produced by ABC.
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC (check local listings)
General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling, Special Premiere, Thursday, January 4, 2024, 10/9c, ABC
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