EXCLUSIVE: “General Hospital” Executive Producer, Frank Valentini, chats with Soap Opera Network on nominations, the ins and outs of popular stars and transitioning from the east coast to the west coast as he took over the ABC Daytime soap opera last year.
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We caught up with “General Hospital’s” Marc Anthony Samuel (Felix DeBois) during this past weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys, and he was more than happy to give a little tease as to what fans can expect from his alter ego this summer. Will Felix continue to make himself at home in Port Charles? Read on to find out!
With no original episode of “General Hospital” airing on Monday, May 27 (a re-run of the Tuesday, April 2 50th anniversary episode will air instead), the soaps executive producer and head writer, Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati, respectively, are teasing multiple surprises in store next week on the soap beginning with the Tuesday, May 28 episode.
News that “The Young and the Restless’” Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor) passed away this morning has rocked the entertainment community, and the beloved actress’ colleagues have responded with an outpour of memories, loving words and final farewells via Twitter. Soap Opera Network has rounded up all of the sentiments written so far, which include kind words from her “Y&R” co-stars and beyond.
When “One Life to Live” went off the air just over a year ago it was my favorite daily drama and it had been for quite some time. So, while the show’s ratings were rising, it was quite a shock to learn it had been canceled in 2011. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous with the series coming back, but this time without executive producer Frank Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati.
With the ABC version of “One Life to Live” now a thing of the past, and with it airing only 9 episodes during the 2012 eligibility year, one would think that the show would not have received any Daytime Emmy Award love. While the show only received 3 nominations for its ABC incarnation, 3 noms is just great.
As previously reported, tomorrow, April 12, The Paley Center for Media will present a panel discussion with the cast of ABC’s “General Hospital” in honor of the soaps 50th anniversary. Also scheduled to join in are executive producer Frank Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati.
In the 60th anniversary special double issue of TV Guide Magazine (April 8 – 21, 2013), ABC’s “General Hospital” secured a four-page spread on its 50th anniversary, but Luke and Laura Spencer (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis) ultimately secured the biggest spotlight of them all. The dynamic duo, in their famous wedding shot compiled of past covers of TV Guide Magazine, received the back cover spot of the mag which features the hit shows from every decade since the publications launch including “I Love Lucy” (1950s), “Star Trek” (1960s), “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (1970s), “The Cosby Show” (1980s), “The Simpsons” (1990s) and “Lost” (2000s) on special collector’s edition front cover copies of the celebratory issue.
While tickets have already sold out quickly, fans of ABC’s “General Hospital” won’t have to miss out on their favorite actors as they take a chair with Will Keck, Senior Editor & Columnist, TV Guide Magazine, during an interactive panel conversation that will be streamed live at PaleyCenter.org on Friday, April 12 at 7:00 PM PT at The Paley Center for Media John H. Mitchell Theatre in Beverly Hills, CA.
“General Hospital” has seen a whirlwind of publicity celebrating its 50th Anniversary, and it looks like “Katie” is the next show to join in on the fun and feature the iconic soap and its beloved stars. Host Katie Couric and an audience filled with die-hard “GH” fans will be spending a full hour paying homage to the long-running drama, and several Port Charles residents are slated to participate!
In a report by Variety, Michael Maloney talks with “General Hospital’s” leading man, Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer), who explains that the renewed success of the soap can be directly credited to its head writer and executive producer.
Looking at how daytime television has become the pre-primtime of the entertainment landscape in more ways than one, Variety.com, now part of Penske Business Media, LLC (owners of Deadline.com and TVLine.com), has highlighted several of daytime’s biggest stars in front of and behind the scenes who help make the daily drama, the fun & games and the topics of discussion millions of viewers tune into each and every weekday. Those featured in the article include Angelica McDaniel (Senior Vice President, CBS Daytime), Frank Valentini (Executive Producer, “General Hospital”) Kelly Ripa (Tak Show Host, “Live with Kelly and Michael”; ex-Hayley Vaughan Santos, “All My Children”), Heather Tom (Katie Spencer, “The Bold and the Beautiful”), Katie Couric (Talk Show Host, “Katie”), Judge Judy Sheindlin (Judge, “Judge Judy”), Carla Hall and Clinton Kelly (Co-Hosts, “The Chew”) and many more.
Earlier today “General Hospital” stars Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer), Genie Francis (Laura Spencer), Kin Shriner (Scott Baldwin), Jason Thompson (Patrick Drake), Kelly Monaco (Sam McCall) and Finola Hughes (Anna Devanne) were joined by executive producer Frank Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati as they rang The Opening Bell® at the New York Stock Exchange in honor of the shows 50th anniversary, airing today, April 1.
On Monday, April 1, ABC’s “General Hospital” turns 50! In honor of the event, fans have been anticipating the return of one of the shows grandest events…the Nurses Ball. While things don’t kick into high gear for the event until the Friday, April 5 episode, we at Soap Opera Network wanted to make sure you got a glimpse of some of your favorite actors before their characters start singing, dancing, and throwing punches.
Although “General Hospital” the TV show will turn the golden age of 50 on Monday, April 1, the General Hospital within the show has been preparing for the return of its annual Nurses Ball charity event, which has been inactive since June 2001, and Frank Valentini, Executive Producer, speaks on the return of the Nurses Ball and celebrating fifty years of a television icon.
On Monday, April 1, ABC’s “General Hospital” will celebrate its 50th anniversary. While the previously planned celebratory episode will now air on Tuesday, April 2, due to a national network preemption on Wednesday, March 13, fans will not be disappointed with the returns of such “GH” legends as Rachel Ames (Audrey Hardy), Stuart Damon (Alan Quartermaine) and Chris Robinson (Rick Webber), who were all originally scheduled to appear on the Friday, March 29 episode of the soap prior to the aforementioned preemption.
Nobody does shockers better than daytime dramas, and today’s episode of “General Hospital” is going to prove it! In light of the soap’s 50th Anniversary celebration, headwriter Ron Carlivati teases that fans better hold onto their seats, because four huge surprises are on the way!
As previously reported by Soap Opera Network, ABC News’ “20/20” will be honoring the 50th anniversary of ABC’s “General Hospital” on Saturday, April 6. Dubbed “‘General Hospital’ – The Real Soap Dish,” Katie Couric will take viewers behind the scenes of the fictional town of Port Charles, NY. The hour-long special will include interviews with such “GH” stars as Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer), Genie Francis (Laura Spencer), Jack Wagner (Frisco Jones), Rick Springfield (Noah Drake), Kelly Monaco (Sam McCall), Lisa LoCicero (Olivia Falconeri) and many more. Fans will also get to hear from Frank Valentini, who has spearheaded the soap into increased ratings since taking over as executive producer in January 2012.
ABC has partnered with amfAR, The Foundation of AIDS Research, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “General Hospital.” In a press release issued today, the network said that as “GH” approaches its 50th year on the air (Monday, April 1), it will return the popular Nurses Ball event after a 12 year absence (not since 2001). amfAR’s participation includes storyline integration that will mark the first time that a real-life charity will be involved in the event.
In the newest issue of ABC Soaps In Depth, “General Hospital” star Julie Marie Berman has announced in an exclusive interview that she is leaving the series after seven and a half years portraying Lulu Spencer. “I always have a desire to grow and challenge myself in other mediums. And there are enough reasons now that my gut is telling me this is the right time to finally let go of ‘GH.'” Berman says she informed her bosses back in July of last year that she had plans to leave the series. “I gave my notice in July to leave when my contract was up in November last year,” said Berman, who also explained that she decided to stay a little while longer after subsequent discussions between her management team and “GH” executive producer Frank Valentini.