General Hospital Vets Open up About the Emotional Anniversary Show

On April 1, GENERAL HOSPITAL celebrated the 56th anniversary of its premiere, and on April 2, the soap aired a very special episode that featured many of their veteran actors reminiscing about all the drama that has gone on over the past five decades. “There’s a core group of people that are still all here today even after all those years,” marveled Jacklyn Zeman (Bobbie). “And we grew up on this show.”

Some of the GH stars appearing in the anniversary episode offered up their reflections on taping the very special show as well as their own experiences living and working in Port Charles for so many years. “It was great to have us all back together again,” declared Kin Shriner (Scotty). “It’s just the history. The history is all there. The characters… we just show up and they’ve got history.” Reunited with longtime co-star Denise Alexander (Lesley), Leslie Charleson (Monica) called the experience of shooting the anniversary “just fabulous.”

General Hospital Leslie Charleson Denise Alexander

Charleson and Alexander got choked up remembering their late friend. (Photo Credit: ABC)

The episode was centered around the characters reminiscing about their lives as they followed scavenger hunt clues around the hospital as required in the will of Gail Baldwin, who was played by the late Susan Brown. And the actors also remembered their dear friend and former castmate fondly. “Susan Brown is what I would like to grow up to be,” confided Lynn Herring (Lucy). “The graciousness and the love and her smile and her joy that she brought to all of us is something I’d love to emulate. So to watch us honor her and to have her picture revealed on our memorial wall… and to watch Kin Shriner as Scotty because Susan and Kin were very good friends.”

“We had a very tight relationship,” confirmed Shriner. “So it was great that the anniversary is saluting Susan — Gail — she was very important to all of us in all of our lives.” Alexander declared that Brown was one of the most beautiful people she’d ever known. “And I never thought less than that every day that I knew her,” she added, her voice choking with emotion. “She was the nicest human being you will ever meet.”

Of course, GH wouldn’t have lasted 56 years without its loyal fans tuning in day after day to see the latest drama in Port Charles, and the stars are grateful for their love and support over the decades. “Our audience is the best!” enthused Zeman. “Love you guys! Because if it weren’t for you watching and investing your hearts and wanting to be interested in what’s going on with us all these years, we wouldn’t still be here.” And Shriner suggested we see if we can get to 60 years!

Check out the full video shared by ABC here, and for more GH news, keep reading the ABC edition of Soaps In Depth magazine.

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