GENERAL HOSPITAL Names New Headwriters

It will be a while before the changes appear on screen, but there’s a big shake-up backstage as GENERAL HOSPITAL has named new headwriters. Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Patrick Mulcahey and Elizabeth Korte will be taking over as headwriters from the departing Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor.

After Jean Passanante retired in 2017, Van Etten was named co-headwriter of GH, working alongside Shelly Altman. When Altman retired, O’Connor was named the new co-headwriter in 2019. The two originally worked on ONE LIFE TO LIVE and moved over to Port Charles when OLTL’s executive producer and headwriter, Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati, took over GH following OLTL’s cancelation.

Mulcahey has been working in soaps for decades, having penned episodes of SEARCH FOR TOMORROW, TEXAS, LOVING, SANTA BARBARA, GUIDING LIGHT, and THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL. He previously worked as both a script writer and later associate headwriter on GH from 1983-99. 

Korte has been writing for GH since 1995 in various positions including a 2001 run as co-headwriter. She also co-created the NIGHT SHIFT spinoff with Robert Guza, Jr., and the two were also co-headwriters together.

Fans shouldn’t expect immediate changes in Port Charles, however, as scripts supervised by Van Etten and O’Connor should continue airing into March. After that, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next!

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