Ultimate Soap Fan Wiki

General Hospital debuted April 1, 1963. It is currently the longest running soap opera still being broadcast on television.

General Hospital

Debuted

April 1, 1963

Created by

Co-Head Writers

Kate Hall and Chris Van Etten

Executive Producer

Frank Valentini

Network

ABC

Running Time

  • 30 Minutes (1963-1976)
  • 45 Minutes (1976-1978)
  • 60 Minutes (1978-present)

Contract Cast[]

as of 12/27/2024 (per ABC end credits)

ACTOR CHARACTER
Benard2
Maurice Benard Sonny Corinthos
Grahn nancylee2
Nancy Lee Grahn Alexis Davis
Herbst2
Rebecca Herbst Elizabeth Webber
Wright laura
Laura Wright Carly Spencer
Duell2
Chad Duell Michael Corinthos
West maura
Maura West Ava Jerome
Turner2
Donnell Turner Curtis Ashford
Storms kirsten
Kirsten Storms Maxie Jones
Swickard2
Josh Swickard Chase Harrison
Mccoy
Eden McCoy Josslyn Jacks
Francis genie
Genie Francis Laura Collins
Macmullen
Katelyn MacMullen Willow Corinthos
Watros
Cynthia Watros Nina Reeves
Mattsson
Sofia Mattsson Sasha Corbin
Hughes2
Finola Hughes Anna Devane
Setton2
Amanda Setton Brook Lynn Quartermaine
Kerr2
Brook Kerr Dr. Portia Robinson
Zamprogna2
Dominic Zamprogna Dante Falconeri
Mathison cameron
Cameron Mathison Drew Cain
Wagner2
Kristina Wagner Felicia Scorpio
Bellow2
Tajh Bellow TJ Ashford
Harpert
Tanisha Harper Jordan Ashford
Alit
Tabyana Ali Trina Robinson
Kelly josh
Josh Kelly Cody Bell
Hofer
Evan Hofer Dex Heller
Elliot jane
Jane Elliot Tracy Quartermaine
Mansi kate
Kate Mansi Kristina Corinthos-Davis
Burton steve
Steve Burton Jason Morgan
Giovanni Mazza Giovanni Palmieri
Kristen Vaganos Molly Lansing-Davis
Jackson jonathan
Jonathan Jackson Lucky Spencer
Swandi Wilson Dr. Isaiah Gannon
Charles Mesure Jack Brennan
Jens Austin Astrup Kai Taylor
Havins
Alexa Havins Bruening Lulu Spencer
Braedyn Bruner Emma Drake

Recurring Cast[]

U/5 - Under five lines typically are uncredited

Production Staff[]

Executive Producer: Frank Valentini

Supervising Producers: Michelle Henry, Mary-Kelly Weir

Coordinating Producers: Jeffrey Sierks, Cherie Wall

Senior Producer: Jennifer Whittaker-Brogdon,

Post Production Supervisor: Peter Fillmore

Editor: Marika Kushel

Associate Directors/Editors: Christine Magarian-Ucar, Marika Kushel, Teresa Cicala, Nate Hapke

Stage Managers: Craig McManus, Kyle Bell

Casting Director: Mark Teschner

Casting Coordinator: Lisa Booth

Art Directors: Jennifer Elliott, Andrew Evashchen

Costume Designer: Shawn Reeves

Assistant Costume Designer: William H. Hoffman, Jr.

Costume Supervisor: Julianna Bolles Morrison

Lighting Directors: Melanie Mohr, Bob Bessoir, George Webster

Production Associates: Kelli Kuschman, Elizabeth McCann

Assistant to the Executive Producer: Steve Rosenberg

Production Coordinator: Caroline Kauffman

Script Coordinator: Ally Lardner

Writers Assistant: Will Gavett

Vice President of Production & Administration: Dominick Nuzzi

Senior Production Manager: Tom Rotolo, Tanya Boonsukha

Technical Directors: Kevin Carr, Chuck Abate

Property Masters: Matthew Markham, Ian Bramer, Ronald Dearman, Jr., Alex Ishii, Alejandro Padilla II

Electricians: Maria Green, George Webster, Matt Kemp, Kelly Kippen, Salvador Flores, Francisco Sedano, Jr.

Head Carpenter: Phil Gonzalez

Audio: Gary Ellis

Senior Video: Antonio F. Simone, Barry Long

Cameras: Craig Camou, Dean Cosanella, Vicky Walker, Bruce Cooperman

Boom Operators: Tom Byrne, Jimmy Chang

Utility: Stanely Magnone, Tay Lee, Andrew Michaels, Gary Ellis Jr., Robert Clark, Justin Webster

Special Effects: Robert Krstevski

Costumers: Alice Volonino, Margaret Lousen, Christine Shahverdian, Elizabeth Jerome, Asantewa Young, Maria Uribe, Christina Lim, Alethia Del Monaco

Make-Up: Karol Young Moses, Luiza Adzhiya, Samantha Barrows, Gayatri Bhamidipaty, Priscilla Castro-Preciado, Wendy Fisher, Alexandra Fleck, Heather Pepe, Jacklyn Quackenbush, Stephanie Riley

Hair Stylist: Anzhela Adzhivan, Gabriella Di Pinto, Aura Moreno, Wendy Pineda, Priscilla Quiroz, Abraham Rivera, Feanna Smith

On-Line Editor; Steven Gonzalez

Re-recording Mixer: Alex Layne, Nicholas S. Marcus, Jimmy Chang

Program/Media Manager: Kristy Turdo-Basciano

Engineering Maintenance: Casimiro Acheta, Greg Dolphin

Senior Manager, Accounting: Hilda Recio

Security: Umugali “Emma” Sultanova

Original Music By: Paul S. Glass, Kurt Biederwolf

Music Directors: Paul S. Glass, Dave Macleod

Theme Music By: Paul S. Glass, Steven Hopkin, Jack Urbont

Writing and Directing Staff[]

Co-Head Writer: Kate Hall and Chris Van Etten

Associate Head Writers: Anna Theresa Cascio

Script Writers/Breakdown Writers: Lucky Gold, Elizabeth Korte, Scott Sickles, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Barbara Bloom, Lisa Seidman, Dave Rupel, Shannon Pace

Directors: Frank Valentini, William Ludel, Gary Tomlin, Phideaux Xavier, Denise Van Cleave, Tina Keller, Robert Markham, Allison Reames Smith

Executive Producer and Head Writer History[]

Executive Producers

Duration Name
1963 Selig J. Seligman
1963-1975 James Young
1975-12/1977 Tom Donovan
01/02/1978-01/1987 Gloria Monty
01/1987-11/30/1989 H. Wesley Kenney
12/03/1989-02/12/1991 Joseph Hardy
02/13/1991-01/24/1992 Gloria Monty
01/27/1992-01/22/2001 Wendy Riche
01/23/2001-01/31/2012 Jill Farren Phelps
02/01/2012-present Frank Valentini

Head Writers

Duration Name
April 1, 1963 - Late 1963
  • Theodore Ferro
  • Mathilde Ferro
Late 1963-1973
  • Frank Hursley
  • Doris Hursley
1973-1975
  • Bridget Dobson
  • Jerome Dobson
1975
  • Richard Holland
  • Suzanne Holland
1976-1977
  • Eileen Pollock
  • Robert Mason Pollock
1977
  • Richard Holland
  • Suzanne Holland
1977
  • Irving Elman
  • Tex Elman
1977-1978
  • Douglas Marland
1978-1979
  • Douglas Marland
  • Frank Salisbury
1979-09/1981
09/1981-05/1982
  • Thom Racina
  • Leah Laiman
05/1982-06/1982
  • John William Corrington
  • Joyce Hooper Corrington
06/1982-02/1985
  • Anne Howard Bailey
02/1985-01/1987
  • Pat Falken Smith
  • Norma Monty
01/1987-12/1988
  • Ann Marcus
  • Norma Monty
Late 1988 during WGA Strike
  • H. Wesley Kenney
01/1989-1991
  • Gene Palumbo
1991
  • Gene Palumbo
  • Norma Monty
  • John Whelpley
1991-01/1992
  • Norma Monty
01/1992-04/1992
  • Maralyn Thoma
05/1992-01/1993
  • Maralyn Thomas
  • Bill Levinson
01/1993-08/1993
  • Bill Levinson
08/1993-03/1996
  • Claire Labine
03/1996-10/1996
10/1996-05/1997
05/1997-12/05/1997
12/08/1997-12/2000
  • Robert Guza Jr.
  • Meg Bennett
01/2001-04/2001
04/2001-06/12/2002
  • Megan McTavish
06/13/2002-03/10/2006
03/13/2006-01/2007
  • Robert Guza Jr.
01/2007-10/2007
  • Robert Guza Jr.
  • Meg Bennett
10/2007-01/03/2008
  • Robert Guza Jr.
01/04/2008-03/14/2008 during WGA Writers Strike
  • Garin Wolf
03/17/2008-07/25/2011
  • Robert Guza Jr.
07/26/2011-01/06/2012
  • Garin Wolf
01/09/2012-02/20/2012
02/21/2012-10/05/2015
  • Ron Carlivati
10/06/2015-10/06/2017
  • Jean Passanante (Passananate only on 10/06/2015)
  • Shelly Altman
10/09/2017-10/28/2019
  • Shelly Altman
  • Chris Van Etten
10/29/2019-3/14/2024
  • Chris Van Etten
  • Dan O'Connor
3/15/2024-8/6/2024 *Elizabeth Korte & Patrick Mulchaey
8/7/2024-present Elizabeth Korte & Chris Van Etten

Daytime Emmy Awards and Nominations[]

Preceded by
Guiding Light (1980, 2007);

The Young and the Restless (1983, 2004, 2007, 2016, 2021) All My Children (1994, 1998); The Bold and the Beautiful (2011) Days of our Lives (2015)'

Drama Series Winner
1981, 1984, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022
Succeeded by
Guiding Light (1982, 2007);

The Young and the Restless (1985, 2007); All My Children (1998); As the World Turns (2001); The Bold and the Beautiful (2009) Days of our Lives (2013; 2018)

Preceded by
One Life to Live (1994, 2008);

All My Children (1998); As the World Turns (2002)

Writing Team Winner
1995, 1999, 2003, 2009
Succeeded by
All My Children (1996);

The Young and the Restless (2000); As the World Turns (2004); The Bold and the Beautiful (2010)