General Hospital
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General Hospital
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  • Debuted on: April 1, 1963
  • Network: ABC
  • Created by: Frank & Doris Hursley
  • Takes place in: Port Charles, NY


  • General Hospital Save Kelly Monaco

    Current Cast

    • Tabyana Ali as Trina Robinson
    • Bradford Anderson as Damian Spinelli
    • Tajh Bellow as T.J. Ashford
    • Maurice Benard as Sonny Corinthos
    • Alexa Havins Bruening as Lulu Spencer
    • Colin Cassidy as Aiden Spencer
    • Leslie Charleson as Monica Quartermaine
    • Risa Dorken as Amy Driscoll
    • Chad Duell as Michael Corinthos
    • Jane Elliot as Tracy Quartermaine
    • Porter Fasullo as Danny Morgan
    • Genie Francis as Laura Collins
    • Kathleen Gati as Liesl Obrecht
    • Robert Gossett as Marshall Ashford
    • Nancy Lee Grahn as Alexis Davis
    • Van Hansis as Lucas Jones
    • Eden Harker as Georgie Spinelli
    • Tanisha Harper as Jordan Ashford
    • Carolyn Hennesey as Diane Miller
    • Rebecca Herbst as Elizabeth Webber
    • Lynn Herring as Lucy Coe
    • Evan Hofer as Dex Heller
    • Finola Hughes as Anna Devane
    • Jonathan Jackson as Lucky Spencer
    • Cassandra James as Terry Randolph
    • Josh Kelly as Cody Bell
    • Brook Kerr as Portia Robinson
    • Michael E. Knight as Martin Gray
    • Jeff Kober as Cyrus Renault
    • Wally Kurth as Ned Quartermaine
    • Eva LaRue as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez
    • Jon Lindstrom as Kevin Collins
    • Lisa LoCicero as Olivia Falconeri Quartermaine
    • Lydia Look as Selena Wu
    • Jophielle Love as Violet Finn
    • Katelyn MacMullen as Willow Tait
    • Kate Mansi as Kristina Corinthos Davis
    • Cameron Mathison as Drew Cain
    • Sofia Mattsson as Sasha Gilmore
    • Eden McCoy as Josslyn Jacks
    • Amelie McLain as Charlotte Cassadine
    • Kelly Monaco as Sam Morgan
    • Giovanni Mazza as Giovanni Palmieri
    • Jen Ray as Chelsea Lambas
    • Zakary Risinger as Danny Morgan
    • Ava Rose as Donna Corinthos
    • Marc Anthony Samuel as Felix Dubois
    • Amanda Setton as Brook Lynn Quartermaine
    • Parry Shen as Brad Cooper
    • Kin Shriner as Scott Baldwin
    • Rena Sofer as Lois Cerullo
    • Kirsten Storms as Maxie Jones
    • James Patrick Stuart as Valentin Cassadine
    • Easton Rocket Sweda as Leo Quartermaine
    • Josh Swickard as Harrison Chase
    • Donnell Turner as Curtis Ashford
    • Kristen Vaganos as Molly Lansing
    • Kristina Wagner as Felicia Jones
    • Cynthia Watros as Nina Reeves
    • Vernee Watson as Stella Henry
    • Viron Weaver as Wiley Quartermaine
    • Hudson West as Jake Spencer
    • Maura West as Ava Jerome Cassadine
    • Laura Wright as Carly Spencer
    • John J. York as Mac Scorpio
    • Dominic Zamprogna as Dante Falconeri
    Add / Delete someone from the list
    Special Thanks to Leo Logan (Willimantic, CT) for helping us keep this up to date

    (Be sure to scroll down and vote in the showdown poll below)


    This Week On General Hospital



    December 9
    Liz and Lucky get nostalgic; Laura receives a visitor; Dex gets a holiday treat; Sonny makes Kristina an offer; Molly considers Alexis' proposal.
    December 10
    Brennan confronts Carly; Nina issues a warning; Curtis tests Drew; Kai surprises Trina; Sasha updates Maxie.
    December 11
    Anna conducts an interrogation; Curtis makes a confession; Drew seeks Nina's assistance; Dex reassures Josslyn; Isaiah shares good news with Jordan.
    December 12
    Tensions flare at the Quartermaine Christmas party; Ava and Ric get an unwelcome surprise; Kristina brainstorms; Sonny and Natalia celebrate; Tracy makes a faux pas.
    December 13
    Elizabeth is baffled; Trina seeks out Kai; Drew is in the hot seat; Josslyn gets life-changing news; Carly runs interference.
    Be sure to scroll down and vote in the showdown poll below.


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    Showdown Poll Question

    Who is the best male scene stealer?

    (The winner will compete vs. the other soaps starting December 20 on our Daytime Soap Opera's home page)

    Curtis
    Cyrus
    Cody
    Giovanni
    Sonny
    Valentin
    Other
    If you select other, please tell us your choice:


    Results So Far


    General Hospital

    News, Cast Updates and Scoop

    (News section last updated December 5, 2024)


    Saturn Awards Nominations

    (12/5/24) Organized by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, winners will be announced February 2 during a ceremony at the Hilton Universal City and will be livestreamed on ElectricNow and The Roku Channel.

    BEST ACTRESS IN A FILM
    Willa Fitzgerald- Strange Darling (Miramax/Magenta Light Studios)
    Demi Moore-The Substance (Mubi)
    Lupita Nyong’o- A Quiet Place Day One (Paramount Pictures)
    Winona Ryder- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Warner Bros. Pictures)
    Naomi Scott- Smile 2 (Paramount Pictures)
    June Squibb- Thelma (Magnolia Pictures)
    Anya Taylor-Joy- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Warner Bros. Pictures)

    BEST YOUNGER PERFORMER IN A FILM
    Freya Allan- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (20th Century Studios)
    McKenna Grace- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony Pictures)
    Kaylee Hottle- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros./Legendary)
    Calah Lane- Wonka (Warner Bros Pictures)
    Jenna Ortega- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Warner Bros. Pictures)
    Alisha Weir- Abigail (Universal Pictures)
    Rachel Zegler- The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (Lionsgate Films).

    Fired ‘General Hospital’ Star Ingo Rademacher Drags Longtime Costar Steve Burton Into Court Battle With ABC

    (11/27/24) Former General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher demanded that his previously dismissed lawsuit against ABC over alleged wrongful termination be reopened — and dragged his costar Steve Burton into the drama, In Touch can exclusively report.

    According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Ingo, 53, who claimed he was fired from his role as Jasper ‘Jax’ Jacks due to his objection to ABC’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy, asked the court to review new evidence that he says supports his claims.

    Ingo claimed he asked ABC for a religious exemption to the rule. The network denied his request. He said the decision to fire him was a violation of his right to privacy under the law. The soap star sued seeking unspecified damages from ABC after being let go after 25 years on General Hospital.

    The lawsuit accused the defendants of religious discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination and violation of his right to privacy. ABC denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

    The network claimed that Ingo’s argument for not getting the vaccine was based in health reasons not any religious belief. In June 2023, the court sided with ABC and dismissed the claims.

    Ingo filed an appeal of that decision.

    In his new motion, Ingo asked the court to have ABC fix a paperwork issue that he needs done to continue with his appeal. However, he also asked that the court reopen the summary judgment proceedings so it can consider new evidence that “provides compelling support for his political discrimination claim: namely, evidence that ABC rehired Steve Burton, the other General Hospital actor it let go supposedly because of its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.”

    Ingo’s lawyer argued, “ABC’s rehiring of Mr. Burton, which occurred while this case was on appeal confirms that ABC got rid of Ingo because it did not like his political views. It confirms that ABC did not merely lay Ingo off, with the intent of bringing him back later, as it did with [Steve]. It re-cast his role. It replaced him, or is in the process of replacing him, with another actor.”

    Further, Ingo claimed that ABC produced documents during discovery that showed it decided to terminate Ingo’s contract by the summer of 2021, “before Disney (which owns ABC) issued the mandatory vaccination policy.”

    He said the messages that ABC produced showed General Hospital producers sharing one of Ingo’s political postings from Instagram. One producer wrote, “Ready for a recast!”

    Another producer commented, “Yup.” Ingo said the text messages confirm what he said in his amended complaint, He said that ABC fired him because the producers did not agree with political statements he was making in 2021. He said ABC produced texts from producers who called Ingo a “ignorant racist” and “nut.” His lawyer argued, ”These text messages related to social media posts that Ingo made during the key period in this case, when the General Hospital writers supposedly ran out of ideas for his character.” Further, Ingo pointed out that Steve was brought back in June 2024 to the show. He said, “That Steve also refused to get the COVID-19 shot. “But unlike Ingo, ABC did not have any political animus toward [Steve]. It did not talk about “recasting” his character during 2021.”

    “The evidence is compelling,” Ingo’s lawyer said. “ABC’s counsel argued that the politically motivated text messages General Hospital producers sent to each other were irrelevant because, as with [Steve], ABC said it let Ingo go due to the COVID-19 vaccine policy. If so, then ABC should also have re-hired Ingo by now. It has not done that, and it won’t do that, because ABC had already decided to get rid of Ingo, to ‘recast’; his character, because of his political beliefs. ABC opposed Ingo’s ex parte application. The network argued Steve’s rehiring was “is completely irrelevant and raises no triable issue of fact in this case.”

    The court denied Ingo’s request to reopen discovery at a recent hearing. His appeal is ongoing.

    ‘General Hospital’ Actor Chad Duell Announces Series Exit: ‘This Wasn’t an Easy Decision’

    (11/23/24) Chad Duell, who has played Michael Corinthos on “General Hospital” for 14 years, is exiting the ABC soap opera.

    Duell announced the news in an Instagram post on Saturday, writing, “After many incredible years with ‘General Hospital,’ I’ve decided to step away from the show. This wasn’t an easy decision for me, but it feels like the right time in my life. I’m beyond grateful to Frank Valentini, the cast, crew, and everyone behind the scenes who have been like family to me throughout this amazing journey.”

    Duell ended his statement with a message to his fans. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unwavering support and for letting Michael Corinthos be a part of your lives,” he wrote. “Your love and encouragement has meant the world to me. This isn’t a goodbye — it’s a see you later.”

    In a post on X, “General Hospital” EP Frank Valentini revealed that “there are no plans to recast [Duell’s] role at this time.”

    “I have loved working with Chad over the years and wish him nothing but the best. He is a terrific actor and will be missed by everyone at #GH,” Valentini wrote. “There are no plans to recast his role at this time, but you never know in daytime. I can promise a great story for Michael and his family when Chad exits in the new year.”

    Duell took over the role of Michael, son A.J. Quartermaine (last played by Sean Kanan) and Carly Spencer (currently played by Laura Wright), from Drew Garrett in 2010. He won a Daytime Emmy in 2015 for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.

    In 2022, “The Young and the Restless” alum Robert Adamson stepped in for Duell for eight episodes and, in October of this year, he temporarily took over the role of Michael again.

    Alexa Havins Bruening ‘Was Done’ Before Being Cast as ‘GH’s New Lulu Spencer

    (11/16/24) “It’s good to be home,” begins Alexa Havins Bruening, who will make her General Hospital debut on Tuesday, November 19 as Lulu Spencer, daughter of soaps’ biggest supercouple, Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) and Laura Collins (Genie Francis). “It feels like sliding right back into something that I loved so much.”

    It’s been over two decades since Havins Bruening hit the daytime scene in 2003, playing Babe Carey on All My Children. While toiling in Pine Valley, she and co-star Justin Bruening (Jamie Martin) fell in love and married in June 2005. They left the soap in 2007 and Havins continued performing, but motherhood ultimately became her top priority. “I wasn’t planning on working,” she shares. “I thought it was kind of done. “When I went on Sweet Magnolias [in 2023] and they asked me to go play Justin’s ex [Vicky; he plays Cal Maddox], I said to him, ‘Oh, this will wrap it up in a little bow. It’ll be sweet for the kids. We met on the first thing I did and the last thing I did.’ And I genuinely thought that because I’ve taken time off to be home with the kids and focus on raising them. We home-school, and we travel with Justin. Working really wasn’t on my radar at all.”

    Her husband, however, never gave up hope. “Justin would always tease me. He’d say, ‘Oh babe, I paid your SAG dues.’ He would always encourage me, like, ‘I’m not giving up on you.’ I’m like, ‘OK, I’m pregnant with another baby. That’s nice of you. Thanks for paying my SAG dues.’ So I never really thought about it.”

    Until she began working with Bruening to help high school students in a film program. “This summer, I went to go visit a dear friend in Colorado and we were just chatting and she asked me, ‘Do you ever think about acting again?’ ” Havins Bruening relays. “And I said, ‘That’s funny you say that because just in the last few months of working with these students, I’m toying with the idea again, but I’m not sure.’ And she said, ‘Well, don’t worry about any of it. Why don’t you just pray about it?’ And they live on this beautiful acreage and the next morning, I walked and had time alone and quiet time with the Lord and put it out there and by the end of the week, Mark [Teschner, GH casting director] and Frank [Valentini, executive producer] called. I have chills even thinking about it. I know saying this story is going to sound very crazy to some, but I was absolutely blown away.”

    Havins Bruening was interested in hearing what the duo had to say. “Frank and I got along so well in New York, just because with me crossing over on One Life to Live [in character as Babe between 2003 and 2005] and being in the ABC family, you have a lot of interaction together and we just genuinely liked each other,” she shares. “I loved how he ran his set as a producer. Mark Teschner is absolute gold and I just adore Mark. When they started talking, they were very elusive about what the role was, and then they let me know it was Lulu and that’s where it really caught my attention because it’s such an interesting character.”

    After a discussion with Bruening about how they would manage their household if she returned to work, the actress met with the show’s head writers and Valentini. “I just wanted to know where Lulu was pre-blast [that put her in a coma in 2020], where her relationships were, what does the audience love about her? What makes Lulu Lulu?” she explains, adding that she is well aware her predecessors as Lulu, Julie Berman and Emme Rylan, put their own stamp on the character.

    “In no way, shape or form do I want to mimic the other two ladies. I’m not trying to be them in any way,” Havins Bruening declares. “Julie’s Julie and Emme’s Emme. Obviously, it’s going to be a more mature version of her and I’m me and I can’t be them. Lulu is a spitfire. She loves her mother, but she’s her father’s daughter. She takes huge chances. I just want to make sure that I’m bringing the essence of who she is.”

    She didn’t go to YouTube to check out old episodes of Berman or Rylan. “I didn’t watch clips or anything like that because I didn’t want to try to go that route,” she notes. “Her relationships with the pivotal people in her life is high priority to me. How does she connect with her mother? How is she connecting with her brother [Lucky, played by Jonathan Jackson]? Where is she with Dante [Dominic Zamprogna]; that chemistry and spark has to still be alive.”

    Of Zamprogna, Havins Bruening says, “I love him. We clicked right away. He said he looked up on set and had a glimpse of me and he was like, ‘Oh, I was feeling a Julie vibe.’ He’s very sweet.”

    Havins Bruening was also happy to connect with familiar faces from her Pine Valley days. “I saw Cameron [Mathison, Drew Cain; Ryan Lavery, AMC] and Eva [LaRue, Natalia Ramirez; Maria Santos, AMC],” she reports. “It’s funny, even though it’s been so long, it feels exactly the same. This feels otherworldly; like, in my mind, I’m in New York and I’m in Pine Valley.”

    At the time of this interview, she was still waiting to connect with Michael E. Knight (Martin Grey), who played AMC’s Tad Martin, Bruening’s on-screen father and Babe’s stepfather. “Justin’s highly jealous,” she says with a laugh. “I said, ‘Justin, I think Lulu needs a distraction and you need to come on.’ I was trying to lure him in and I could see him kind of considering it and then he was like, ‘But would I get to work with Michael Knight?’ And I’m like, ‘OK, wait a minute, forget me. I can see where my ranking is. I’m like way below Mikey.’ But who doesn’t like Michael Knight? He’s so sweet. I’m excited but no, we haven’t crossed paths, we are related now [Martin is Lulu’s uncle], so we get to play that.”

    In the meantime, Bruening is on daddy duty while mom is back in the hair and makeup chair. “Justin is home with the kids,” she says. “He is an amazing dad and husband. He’s on hiatus from Sweet Magnolias so it’s great.”

    And she reveals that they’ve expanded their brood in the past few years. “We have four,” Havins Bruening spills. “We’ve got a secret baby. Our oldest daughter is 14 and then our son’s 11 and then we have two more girls, ages eight and four. And that was another factor. I think had it been a year or two ago, I would have had a toddler and I probably would have said, ‘Thank you, but I don’t think I can.’ We involved the older ones and said, ‘Mom’s thinking about this. I just want you to know,’ and they were like, ‘We’re older now. We can be helpful.’ They were so sweet.”

    With harmony at home, Havins Bruening is looking forward to her next chapter in daytime. “The writers have written some really fun things,” she enthuses. “We know she’s waking up from a four-year coma, so we’ve got a lot of twists and turns and we hit the ground running. Just being a part of that next Spencer family adventure feels very rewarding. To be able to be a piece of such a massively important family on the daytime canvas feels like an honor. I want to honor what Genie and Anthony built, to continue the story, and just give the audience what they’re wanting as far as Lulu goes.”

    General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC, Check Local Listings.

    Former ‘Days’ Head Writer Ron Carlivati Joins ‘Beyond the Gates’

    (11/16/24) Former Days of Our Lives head writer Ron Carlivati has joined the staff of the upcoming CBS daytime drama Beyond the Gates as a breakdown writer.

    Carlivati’s involvement made headlines on November 15 as sites like Michael Fairman TV announced the new soap’s writing staff.

    Former General Hospital writer Michele Val Jean is the creator, executive producer, head writer, and showrunner of Beyond the Gates, with Sunset Beach creator Bob Guza Jr. as EP and co-head writer, according to Michael Fairman TV.

    Susan Dansby (The Young and the Restless) will be Beyond the Gates’ script editor, and Michael Montgomery (Y&R) will be the continuity producer.

    Judy Tate (As the World Turns), Danelle Paige (Days), Jazmen Darnell Brown (Days), Cheryl L. Davis (Days), and Lynn Martin (ATWT) will serve as script writers.

    And alongside Carlivati, other breakdown writers include Sara A. Bibel (Y&R), Christopher Dunn (Days), Teresa Zimmerman (Y&R), and The Bay creator Gregori J. Martin.

    Commenters on the post chimed in Carlivati joining Beyond the Gates. “Well… if ReRon is involved, that makes this show less of a threat to GH at least,” one wrote.

    Another wrote, “This list of writers is impressive to say the least. Yes, Ron and Bob are negatives to this writing team.”

    A third commenter said, “I’m sorry! Why Ron Carlivati?! Total camp!”

    On a Daytime Confidential post about the Beyond the Gates writing staff, other commenters reacted to Carlivati’s hiring.

    “Dayum!” one wrote. “From [head writer] to breakdown writer?”

    “Right where he needs to be,” another person wrote.

    “Karma,” someone else said.

    One commenter rose to Carlivati’s defense, though, saying, “He’s had a pretty illustrious career so far. I’m sure he’s excited to be involved in a brand-new soapie. There aren’t many options for writers in this genre, and not too many know the soap business…”

    Carlivati, a veteran of One Life to Live and General Hospital’s writing staffs, served as Days’ head writer from January 2017 to this July, when he was replaced by Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford. He told TV Insider at the time of his Days exit that his seven-and-a-half-year tenure as head writer was “one of the great joys of [his] life.”

    Beyond the Gates, premiering Monday, February 24, 2025, follows the Duprees, a powerful and prestigious multi-generational family living in an affluent Maryland suburb just outside of Washington, D.C. “Behind these pristine walls and lush, manicured gardens are juicy secrets and scandals waiting to be uncovered. And those who live outside these gates are watching closely,” CBS teases. “Those who have ‘made it’ and those who haven’t are all trying to navigate life… and some with more grace than others.”

    Tamara Tunie and Clifton Davis star as Anita and Vernon Dupree, the matriarch and patriarch of the family. Other cast members include Daphnee Duplaix, Karla Mosley, Brandon Claybon, Timon Durrett, Sean Freeman, Marquita Goings, Trisha Mann-Grant, Maurice Johnson, RhonniRose Mantilla, Ambyr Michelle, Colby Muhammad, Arielle Prepetit, Mike Manning, Jibre Hordges, Alex Alegria, Lauren Buglioli, Ben Gavin, and Jen Jacob.

    Beyond the Gates, Series Premiere, Monday, February 24, 2025, 2/1c, CBS

    Alexa Havins Teases Her Debut as GH’s Lulu!

    (11/14/24) (soapsindepth.com) Get ready for Lulu to finally wake up on General Hospital! Laura received the news she was waiting for — her daughter’s liver transplant was a success — and now the day has come for Alexa Havins to debut in the role! According to the latest print issue of TV Guide, the actress will make her first appearance on Monday, Nov. 18.

    It was announced back in September that the All My Children alum would be taking over the role of much-missed Lulu Spencer. Teasing what’s ahead for the character, Havins told the outlet, “The writers have written some fun things” in store.

    “She’s waking up from a four-year coma, so we’ve got a lot of twists and turns, and we hit the ground running,” she added.

    ABC Daytime viewers will remember Havins from her role as AMC’s Babe Carey Chandler, which she played from 2003-’07. (She also made a special appearance in 2011 before the soap aired its final episode on the network.) During her years in Pine Valley, Havins received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Younger Actress and found love with co-star Justin Bruening (Jaimie). Married since 2005, the couple shares three children.

    Since exiting daytime, Havins starred on the primetime series Torchwood and The Astronaut Wives Club, and even appeared on her husband’s Netflix show, Sweet Magnolias. At the time, she revealed to TV Guide, she figured being invited to play his character’s ex would have been her last acting job. “I said to him, ‘Oh, this will wrap it up in a little bow. It’ll be sweet for the kids. We met on the first thing I did and [worked together] on the last thing I did.’”

    Born in 1994, Luke and Laura’s daughter was played by several child actors until the character was aged in 2005 and Julie Berman was cast in the role. After Berman exited GH in 2013, Emme Rylan took over, playing Lulu up until she was injured in an explosion at The Floating Rib in December 2020 and slipped into a coma.

    In one of her last conversations with best friend Maxie, Lulu confessed that she was still very much in love with her ex-husband, Dante. We’re sure once she wakes up, Lulu will be shocked to learn that, while she was comatose, not only had Dante built a life with Sam, but Sam died from a heart attack after saving her life!

    DAYS Star Bryan Dattilo’s Daughter, Delia, Cast on GH!

    (11/14/24) (soapsindepth.com) One of the residents of Port Charles has a connection to Salem! Days of Our Lives star Bryan Dattilo (ex-Lucas) announced that his daughter, Delia, will be appearing on General Hospital!

    “A Dattilo was spotted in Port Charles,” he shared with a pic of his 10-year-old daughter in the studio parking lot in front of the GH sign. “Finally, a real soap star in the family.”

    Of course, the actor is joking because he’s been a soap star since debuting on DAYS as Lucas Roberts back in 1993. His original run on the show ended in 2001, but he came back again from 2002-10, 2012-18, and 2020-22. He has continued to return for visits of varying lengths since then and is slated to come back to Salem in December 2024 for Doug Williams’ funeral.

    Dattilo and his second wife, Elizabeth Cameron, welcomed Delia on May 14, 2014. While GH will mark the little girl’s daytime debut, she is experienced in front of the camera already having appeared in commercials for Capitol One and Hispanic Heritage Month. The proud pop also celebrated his little girl’s success playing three roles in the musical Wonderland as part of Worklight Youth Theater. “She is a force on the stage,” he enthused. “Next stop, Broadway!”

    Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Delia will be appearing in scenes set at Rice Plaza. Given that GH will be taping its Christmas episodes around this time, it’s likely she’ll be one of the kids visiting Santa or enjoying one of the other festive holiday activities. So keep an eye out for her!

    ‘General Hospital’: Emma Samms on Role Quincy Jones’ Music Played in Holly’s Love Stories With Luke and Robert

    (11/9/24) (tvinsider.com) The late Quincy Jones made memorable contributions to General Hospital in the early 1980s, providing songs that were used for not one but two of the show’s most popular pairings – Holly (Emma Samms) and Luke (Anthony Geary), and later, Robert (Tristan Rogers) and Holly.

    Jones produced the song “Baby Come to Me,” which only hit No. 73 on the Billboard charts when it was first released in April 1982. Later, GH used it to introduce “widowed” Luke Spencer finding love again with the enigmatic Holly Sutton. The song, performed by singers James Ingram and Patti Austin, swept viewers into Luke’s romance with the English beauty.

    While viewers heard the tune up to a few times a week by watching Holly and Luke, the actors didn’t necessarily hear it all as songs are added to scenes after they’ve been shot. “Music isn’t always played at the time of taping a scene,” Samms tells TV Insider. “Though sometimes a little would leak through the camera crew’s headphones, so we’d have an idea of what was accompanying our performances.”

    “When I first started on the show, I would record the shows and watch back what I had done, so I was aware that ‘Baby Come to Me’ had been chosen as Luke and Holly’s theme,” Samms adds.

    Even before Laura’s (Genie Francis) return in late 1983, which we firmly believe would have separated Luke and Holly, fate had already intervened. After Luke was presumed dead in an avalanche, his best friend Robert encouraged a pregnant Holly to marry him. They fell in love for real after she miscarried and became a bona fide supercouple in their own right, a dynamic that exists to this day.

    Not surprisingly GH’s use of “Baby Come to Me” helped propel the re-released song in October 1982 to No. 1 on the Billboard chart for two weeks in February 1983. “Every time I heard it played on the radio, often with a reference to General Hospital and sometimes even with a reference to my character, Holly, it was a huge thrill,” Samms recalls.

    While Samms, along with legendary GH executive producer Gloria Monty, and Geary met Ingram when he came to GH to record “Baby Come to Me,” she shares that she was not fortunate enough to meet Jones. “I know I would have loved to have had the opportunity to tell him what a huge fan of all of his music I was – and still am,” Samms says. “To have that skill and that range of styles…he truly was a genius.”

    Holly and Luke moving on from one another didn’t mean the end of Jones’ influence in Samms’ on-screen relationships. GH heard the song “How Do You Keep the Music Playing,” for which Jones wrote the lyrics, used in the 1982 film Best Friends starring Goldie Hawn and Burt Reynolds, and thought it was perfect for Robert and Holly.

    “When Robert and Holly were given their own song, it was the stamp of approval from the powers-that-be,” Samms recalls with a smile. “It meant that we were doing something right. It’s a shame that due to, I assume, budget restraints, songs are not used in the same way on GH anymore.”

    Samms is grateful that Jones’s music was used to help establish not one but two of Holly’s romantic tales. “Music is surely the most powerful tool to express the emotions of a love story,” she says. “A beautiful song like ‘How Do You Keep the Music Playing’ does more than accompany or enhance a scene, it instantly draws the audience into all the feelings that the writers and actors are hoping to convey, and I’m sure that Tristan and I will forever be grateful to Quincy Jones for the spectacular job he gave us with that!”

    General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC.

    ‘When Calls The Heart’ Gets Season 12 Premiere Date On Hallmark

    (11/9/24) The Hallmark Channel has set the Season 12 premiere date for the popular When Calls the Heart Sunday as Jan. 5 at 9/8c.

    News of the release date came in a surprise teaser promo which ran during star Erin Krakow’s Christmas movie on the network, Santa Tell Me, which also features her original series co-star Daniel Lissing.

    Back in September, Hallmark announced that Melissa Gilbert (Little House on the Prairie, Sweet Justice, Secrets and Lies) will guest star in a two-episode arc in the role of Georgie McGill, who “shares a surprising past with one special Hope Valley resident."

    In addition to leads Krakow and Kevin McGarry, the beloved, veteran romantic drama series stars Pascale Hutton (Fourth Down and Love), Jack Wagner (Melrose Place), Chris McNally (Holiday Crashers), Kavan Smith (Big Sky River: The Bridal Path) and Viv Leacock (Legend of the Lost Locket).

    Beloved as Hallmark’s longest-running original series, When Calls the Heart Season 12 will consist of 12 episodes. News of the show’s renewal came amid the release of Season 11, which followed Hope Valley residents as they embarked on the 1920s era. The plot revolved around schoolteacher Elizabeth Thornton (Krakow), who began a fresh start — with new romance, new challenges and new style. She and Mountie Nathan Grant (McGarry) navigated their growing romantic feelings while also leaning on each other for support as they faced parenting obstacles.

    Season 11 of the romantic period drama ranks as the most-watched entertainment cable series year-to-date among households, total viewers and women over the age of 18.

    ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’: Lola Tung, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Austin Nichols And Gabbriette Join New Sequel

    (11/7/24) Lola Tung, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Austin Nichols and Gabbriette have rounded out the cast of Sony Pictures’ highly anticipated sequel to I Know What You Did Last Summer. They join previously announced cast members Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers and Jonah Haur-King with Freddie Prinze Jr. set to reprise role and the original film’s star Jennifer Love Hewitt is in talks to return. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is directing the follow-up to the horror film franchise, which is written by Sam Lansky and Kaytin Robinson off a draft by Leah McKendrick.

    Neal Moritz is producing. Sony Pictures will release the film in theaters on July 18, 2025.

    The original film follows four young friends (played by Prinze Jr., Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe) bound by a tragic accident who are reunited when they find themselves being stalked by a hook-wielding maniac in their small seaside town.

    I Know What You Did Last Summer, loosely based on the Lois Duncan novel of the same name, was a hit that led to the development of the sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which premiered in 1998. A direct-to-video third installment of the franchise titled I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006) is considered a stand-alone sequel as the story diverged from the first two installments and had no original cast reprising their roles.

    Tung is currently in production on the third season of Prime Video’s acclaimed drama series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, based on the New York Times bestselling trilogy by Jenny Han. Earlier this year, Tung made her Broadway debut as Eurydice in the Tony award-winning musical, Hadestown, and previously played Penny Lane in the development residency of Cameron Crowe and Tom Kitt’s Tony Award- nominated musical Almost Famous at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

    Chavez is coming off his scene stealing role in Ryan Murphy’s limited series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story, which immediately became Netflix’s #1 show in the U.S. for two consecutive weeks. Chavez also stars in Murphy’s newest horror drama series, Grotesquerie, which premiered September 25 on FX and is streaming on Hulu. Chavez received critical acclaim for his role as “Spencer Cassadine” on the long-running soap opera General Hospital, which earned him the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series in 2022.

    Nichols will next be seen in the upcoming Netflix film, The Six Triple Eight directed by Tyler Perry. Nichols’ notable film credits include the independent feature The Walking Dead, Iron Orchard, Glordy Road, The Day After Tomorrow and Wimbledon.

    Gabbriette is an American model and musician and I Know What You Did Last Summer represents Gabbriette’s feature film acting debut.

    Tung is represented by CAA and GSA Entertainment, Chavez is repped by CAA and Felker Toczek, Nichols is represented by CESD and Strand Entertainment and Gabbriette is repped by IMG Models and Luber Roklin Entertainment.

    Daytime Drama Actors Unite To Support Kamala Harris In Social Media Video: “We’re Turning The Page With Our Vote”

    (11/3/24) (Video) Some of daytime soap’s biggest stars have joined their film and primetime TV counterparts by endorsing Kamala Harris for president.

    Several actors from General Hospital, along with popular players from The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives, participated in a video that showed them turning the page — a reference to Harris’ recent call to voters that it’s time to “turn the page” on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

    The video ends with GH mainstay Nancy Lee Grahn declaring, “We’re daytime actors for democracy. And we’re turning the page with our vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”

    The rest of the participants in the video that was shared online Sunday are General Hospital‘s Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Finola Hughes, Kristina Wagner, Laura Wright, Rena Sofer, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Kate Mansi, Dominic Zamprogna, Van Hansis, Brook Kerr, Tabyana Ali, Eden McCoy, Jeff Kober, Bradford Anderson, Vernee Watson, Lisa Locicero, Kristen Vaganos and Ric Hearst, along with The Bold and the Beautiful‘s Annika Noelle, The Young and the Restless‘ Eileen Davidson, and Days of Our Lives‘ Tina Huang.

    Grahn has been particularly outspoken during the election and routinely uses her X account to show her support for Harris. But she’s not the only soap star who likes to vent on the platform: Y&R‘s Eric Braeden, for instance, has been particularly fired up during the election, posting missives about Trump and his rallies.

    @EBraeden: To listen to the ORANGE MAKEUP GUY talk about how to treat LIZ CHENEY IS SIMPLY OBSCENE!! The biggest coward talking tough, is a joke!! That guy has NEVER BEEN CHECKED! By that I mean he has never played honest sports, never fought an honest fight IN HIS LIFE! He’d shit in his pants if anyone had ever challenged him to a fight!! He is a classic BLOWHARD!!

    Talk Show Appearance

    (11/2/24) Live with Kelly and Mark - Syndicated

    AIRING Nov 6, 2024

    Nicholas Alexander Chavez (FX series "Grotesquerie").

    Alan Rachins Dies: ‘LA Law’ And ‘Dharma & Greg’ Actor Was 82

    (11/2/24) Alan Rachins (Judge Horowitz, General Hospital), the actor known for his roles on L.A. Law and Dharma & Greg, has died. He was 82.

    The Golden Globe and Emmy nominee died early Saturday morning after experience heart failure in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his wife Joanna Frank told The Hollywood Reporter.

    In addition to his performance as Douglas Brackman on the NBC series L.A. Law, which ran from 1986 to 1994 and earned him Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, Rachins was known for playing Dharma’s (Jenna Elfman) hippy father Larry on the ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg, which ran for five seasons from 1997 to 2002.

    Rachins also appeared in such films as Thunder Run (1986), North (1994) and Showgirls (1995), as well as shows like The Golden Girls, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Stargate SG-1 and Rizzoli & Isles.

    Born Oct. 3, 1942 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Rachins moved to New York to study acting, where he was among the original Broadway casts of After the Rain and Hadrian the Seventh. He was also a writing/directing fellow at the American Film Institute.

    Rachins wrote episodes of Hill Street Blues, Hart to Hart and The Fall Guy, and he directed a 1980 episode of the CBS procedural Paris, starring James Earl Jones.

    Along with his wife, Rachins launched Allofit Productions to adapt books and original screenplays into feature and television projects.

    Rachins is survived by wife Joanna Frank and their son Robert.

    Sam Is Dead on GH But Kelly Monaco Isn’t Done Yet!

    (10/31/24) (soapsindepth.com) As soon as it was reported that Kelly Monaco was exiting General Hospital after over two decades, fan speculation about how Sam McCall would be written out was flying fast and furious. Although some worried about the optics if the soap had her die after undergoing the transplant surgery to save Lulu, that is unfortunately what happened. But viewers will need to keep their tissues handy because Monaco isn’t quite through yet!

    In the Oct. 30 episode, Sam was glowing as she showed off her new engagement ring to her mother and Alexis was thrilled that not only had her daughter done a good deed by helping save Lulu’s life, but she was recovering nicely from the liver transplant surgery and was now about to marry the man she loved. But then something went horribly wrong and Alexis left her daughter’s room in a daze as Portia and Liz raced to answer the alarm that was sounding.

    Alexis told Jason that Sam was perfectly fine until she’d suddenly gone white and she couldn’t breathe. Lucas, Portia, and Liz did everything they could to try and revive her, but Sam remained unresponsive. Lucas insisted on continuing to try but Portia insisted it had been too long. His voice choked with emotion, Lucas called the time of death as 5:48 p.m.

    However, while Sam may have passed away in that episode, Soap Opera Digest is reporting that won’t actually be the last we see of Monaco. So as powerful and emotional as that episode was, fans are going to want to make sure that they have more tissues handy for the actress’ final episode airing later this week as Sam’s loved ones say a final goodbye.

    General Hospital Temporarily Recasts Michael Again

    (10/31/24) (soapsindepth.com) Fans should prepare for another temporary Michael recast on General Hospital, but on the plus side, it’s only for an episode, and the temporary actor is a very familiar face!

    Soap Opera Digest is reporting that during the week of Oct. 28, the role of Michael will be recast for one episode due to a scheduling conflict. Robert Adamson will once again be stepping in to take over for regular portrayer Chad Duell in his absence.

    Adamson, best known to CBS soap fans as Noah on The Young & The Restless, has filled in for Duell in the past. The first time was back in June 2022, which Duell reported was COVID-related. Adamson filled in for a few more episodes in August and a month later, Duell revealed that he had been hospitalized with acute myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart tissue that was “a long-term COVID effect,” he explained. Thankfully, this time the temporary recast isn’t due to a medical issue, just a scheduling conflict.

    With Willow worried that Michael is about to find out she’s been kissing Drew, it’s clear that GH couldn’t postpone the storyline and had to forge ahead with the scenes, tapping Adamson to fill in so the dramatic flow doesn’t skip a beat.

    Duell will be back before you know it and that’s good because the future of Michael and Willow’s marriage is hanging in the balance. Stay tuned to see what happens!

    Leslie Charleson “Unlikely” To Return to General Hospital

    (10/24/24) (soapsindepth.com) Monica has been mentioned quite a bit on General Hospital, but the character hasn’t been seen since the Dec. 21, 2023 episode when she joined the Quartermaine holiday festivities and assured Lois she could stay (especially since it would annoy Tracy). But every mention of the beloved Quartermaine matriarch makes longtime fans wonder if Leslie Charleson will ever return to the soap again.

    On GH, Monica has experienced ill health and injuries, much like her portrayer. Back in 2018, Charleson tripped over her dog and injured her leg, forcing the soap to recast the role temporarily with Patty McCormack. Charleson was pleased with her replacement, telling Soaps In Depth she was impressed that for her recast, she “got somebody who won an Oscar. Wow!”

    Then, in August 2019, Charleson was back in the hospital again undergoing surgery on her hand. “For a fracture that I got rescuing my tortoise off a hillside,” she explained on Facebook at the time.

    The actress was spotted out to lunch in October 2024 using a walker to get around. Our sister site Closer Weekly reports that a source tells them that Charleson is “doing OK under the circumstances and in no rush to push herself.” Unfortunately, while fans would love to see the daytime vet back on GH, she source said, “Although she’d be welcome back to the show with open arms, it’s unlikely she’ll ever return.”

    After making her daytime debut on the short-lived soap A Flame in the Wind in 1964, Charleson joined the cast of As the World Turns in 1966. From 1967-70, she starred as Iris Donnelly on Love Is a Many Splendored Thing. After numerous appearances in primetime and film, Charleson returned to daytime to take over the role of Monica Quartermaine, previously played by Patsy Rahn. During her decades in Port Charles, she earned four Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress.

    While it is a shame Charleson will likely never appear on GH again, fans have decades of storylines and award-worthy performances on which to look back fondly.

    ‘General Hospital’ Casts New Man In Trina’s Life

    (10/24/24) Is Trina Robinson about to make a love connection on General Hospital?

    Deadline has learned that newcomer Jens Austin Astrup is joining the ABC sudser as Kai, who will debut in November. His character meets Tabyana Ali‘s Trina at Port Charles University.

    Astrup’s first episode will air in November.

    A Los Angeles native, Astrup is a graduate of Vassar, where he studied acting and literature. He recurred on Max’s reboot of Gossip Girl and recently starred in Cyrano de Bergerac at the Pasadena Playhouse.

    He’s repped by Framework Entertainment and The Kohner Agency.

    Ali has played Trina Robinson on the ABC sudser since 2022. She recently wrote a column for Deadline about the online trolling she endured this year that prompted the daytime series to recently declare that “General Hospital does not tolerate hatred or bigotry of any kind. Racism has no place in Port Charles.”

    Jophielle Love Exits General Hospital

    (10/23/24) (soapsindepth.com) When the news broke that Michael Easton was leaving General Hospital as Finn went to rehab, many fans were happy that his TV daughter, Jophielle Love, remained on the soap as Violet was taken in by the Quartermaines. Unfortunately, as of the Monday, Oct. 21, episode, that stay has come to an end and Violet has gone to be with her father, who is once again clean and sober.

    Love made her daytime debut in the role of Hayden’s daughter, Violet Barnes back on Oct. 23, 2019, and Finn was soon stunned to discover Hayden had lied about losing the baby and he had a little girl. During her years on the soap, the talented child star also earned a Daytime Emmy Nomination for her original song, “Shine,” which Love helped compose and Violet performed in an episode.

    While Finn was in rehab, Violet was staying with the Quartermaines, being taken care of by Brook Lynn and Chase, who even stepped in when she got into a fight with a bully. But the little girl also enjoyed some fun times at the mansion, especially tea parties with Tracy.

    Sadly, with Violet flying off to Seattle with Chase to start a new life with her father, there was only time for one last tea party with Tracy before she had to say her tearful goodbyes.

    Fans of Love can continue to see the actress in her recurring role of Cooper Ormewood on the ABC primetime drama series Will Trent, and who knows — perhaps Violet will visit Port Charles again one day in the future, like for holidays? Brooklyn Rae Silzer has done the same in the past, reprising her role of Emma on occasion. Tracy could invite Violet to come for Thanksgiving and share in the traditional pizza dinner!

    ‘General Hospital’ Star Réal Andrews Announces Show Exit — Here’s What He’s Doing Next

    (10/16/24) It’s been more than a year since General Hospital fans last saw Marcus Taggert (portrayed by Réal Andrews) in Port Charles. He left a lasting impression with a tearful elevator breakdown after discovering that his daughter Trina (Tabyana Ali) wasn’t biologically his and her father was actually Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner).

    As it turns out, that showstopping scene will be his last. At least for now.

    Andrews took to his Instagram account on Tuesday (October 15) to announce that he was officially stepping away from the series and would not be returning in the near future.

    “My chapter with General Hospital is over,” he told fans in the front-facing video. “The writing has been on the wall for a long time. I wanted to come here because you guys have been phenomenal, the best, amazing supporters.”

    Andrews went on to thank those who made his GH time possible: “I do want to give a shout-out to [casting director] Mark Teschner, [who] gave me the first opportunity, Bob Guza [former head writer], Wendy Riche [former EP] and Frank Valentini [current EP]. All the champions there.”

    Andrews further revealed he has a new gig on the horizon: “I got offered what is the biggest role in my life. It’s [with] the biggest and best network, the best director, producers, writers, in my opinion, in the industry. We’re in pre-production for it.”

    He couldn’t disclose what the project is as he shared he’s signed an NDA. However, he added: “It’s the biggest project of my life, ever. The most important one. And everything comes together, and happens for a reason, right? Everything I’ve done in my whole life was for this role.”

    Looking back on his time on GH, having begun on the ABC soap in 1996, he added: “As an actor, I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Frank [Valentini] said, ‘I’ve written you some amazing stuff,’ and he did. Being blessed to be on a show like General Hospital, I mean, it really is a blessing, from top to bottom.”

    Fans flooded the comments section excited for the TV star but bittersweet over the news.

    “I miss you so much on GH!!” one Instagram user penned.

    “Loved you on GH! Congratulations on your new project and continued blessings!” wrote another.

    “When one door closes a pair of gates open,” wrote a third.

    Closing out the update, Andrews added his new project will “blow you away” and as far as returning to GH goes: “Never say never.”

    General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC

    Scott Reeves Returning to ‘General Hospital’ After 11 Years: ‘It Was Like Coming Home’

    (10/10/24) Scott Reeves is returning to General Hospital on October 24 as Steven Webber, 11 years after he was last seen on the soap. “I wondered how long it was going to take before Steven was paroled,” jokes the actor of his incarcerated alter ego.

    Though it had been over a decade since he last filmed, heading back to Port Charles felt very familiar for Reeves, who now resides in Nashville, Tennessee. “It was like coming home,” he says. “I got to work the first day and it was early in the morning. It was just so weird driving up to Prospect [Studios] and going through the guard gate. Literally, from the moment I drove in, I was like, ‘Wasn’t it just a week ago that I left and I was pulling out of here?’ ”

    Reeves, who appeared on the soap from 2009-13, had his first reunion before passing through the doors. “I was walking through the parking lot and I hear, from a distance, ‘Scotty Reeves!’ ” he shares. “And I turn around and there’s Rick Hearst [Ric Lansing]. I said, ‘Dude, this is like old home week!’ Rick and I have remained very close over the years.”

    Entering the studio brought back its own set of memories. “I started walking down the halls and it was so surreal and strange because it did not feel like more than a week to a month had gone by,” he reflects. “There were so many things that were the same yet so many things had changed. So much life has happened in the past 11 years for everybody, and with the passage of time, we lose people, the faces change, so that was bittersweet.”

    Reeves notes that it was hard not to think about the cast and crew that had passed away since he had been there last. “It was like, ‘Oh, this is so great,’ but there was a hint of sadness and longing for people that aren’t there anymore, like [Producer] Nneka Garland and Sonya Eddy [Epiphany Johnson] and Tyler [Christopher, Nikolas Cassadine],” he explains.

    Stepping back into character “was like riding a bike,” Reeves reports. “Steven did his time, he’s been out of prison for a few months now and has been living in Sedona, Arizona trying to start over and figure out what life is supposed to look like at this point. He lost his medical license, obviously, when he went to prison [for killing a comatose patient, who was a murderer, to save a child] but he felt justified in it.”

    The actor worked with Alley Mills, who plays Steven’s mother, Heather Webber, for the first time — Robin Mattson played the role the last time he was on the soap. “It was great to meet and work with Alley Mills. She is so hilarious and plays that role to the hilt,” he praises. Steven will also cross paths with on-screen sister, Elizabeth Webber, played by Rebecca Herbst, among others. “It was so great to see Becky again,” he enthuses. “That was like reuniting with family because Becky and I are close outside of GH. She really was like my younger sister.”

    He also connected with good pal Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and spent time with him behind the scenes. “Steve and I sat in his dressing room when we weren’t on stage,” Reeves shares. “We were just reminiscing and telling old stories, making new plans together, and talking about possible Port Chuck [their band] reunions. We have known each other since 1988 when we met on Days of Our Lives [Reeves played Jake Hogansen; Burton played Harris Michaels], so we’ve known each other through living in different states, kids, grandkids and more. You can’t take that for granted.”

    Another high point of his comeback was sharing it with his wife, Melissa Reeves, who was filming at the same time as Days of Our Lives’ Jennifer Deveraux. “It worked out perfectly because we got to be out in LA again together,” he smiles. “She was going to work and I was going to work over at GH, which was our whole life for decades. It was like a time capsule and it felt like it did before we had kids. We felt so blessed to get to be able to do that and experience that together again and then get to bring it home and tell the stories to our kids again.”

    Reeves thoroughly enjoyed being back and would welcome another chance to return. “I told Frank [Valentini, executive producer], ‘I forgot how much I loved it,’ ” he says. “I’ve been doing other things, but this was like putting on a really, really comfortable pair of jeans. It was so comforting to get to work with everybody again and fall back into the lives of those characters. I would be totally open to coming back because I think there’s so much potential with Steven. Anytime they want me back, I’m there.”

    Keke Palmer, Demi Moore, LaKeith Stanfield And Naomi Ackie To Star In Boots Riley’s Next Movie ‘I Love Boosters’ At Neon

    (10/8/24) Boots Riley looks to have found his next project and has landed quite the ensemble, as sources tell Deadline he is partnering with Neon on his film I Love Boosters. Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, LaKeith Stanfield and Demi Moore are set to star, with additional casting underway. Principal photography set to begin this fall.

    Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett are producing on behalf of Ryder Picture Company along with Savage Rose Films’ Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read. Mike Jackman and Gus Deardoff will serve as executive producers. Neon is financing the film with Waypoint Entertainment and acquired worldwide rights. Neon will produce and will handle international sales.

    The film centers on a ring of enterprising boosters (aka shoplifters, equal opportunists) who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. Additional plot details are under wraps.

    Riley is a multihyphenate working across film and music as a director, producer and screenwriter. He is best-known for his 2018 feature debut Sorry to Bother You, starring Stanfield and Tessa Thompson. Riley also created the Amazon original miniseries I’m a Virgo with Jharrel Jerome in the leading role.

    Palmer most recently starred in Jordan Peele’s Nope, which earned her accolades for the performance. She also appears in Alice from Krystin Ver Linden, Lorene Scafaria’s Hustlers alongside Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez, and opposite Jimmy Fallon in Password. Her book Master of Me will be released next month via Flatiron.

    Ackie broke through in William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth alongside Florence Pugh, earning her the British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer. She has gone on to portray singer Whitney Houston in the biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody, and recently starred in Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut Blink Twice. Next up she has Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 alongside Robert Pattinson.

    Stanfield most recently starred in Sony and Legendary’s The Book of Clarence, Disney’s The Haunted Mansion, and he starred in and executive produced the Apple TV+ series The Changeling. He also lent his voice to the documentary Ernest Cole: Lost and Found, which premiered this year at Cannes.

    Moore’s credits include St. Elmo’s Fire, G.I. Jane, A Few Good Men and Ghost, the latter of which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. She most recently starred in the second season of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans and is getting raves for her work in the body horror feature The Substance, in theaters now. Upcoming for her is the Paramount+ drama Landman from Taylor Sheridan.

    Neon most recently released Osgood Perkins’ horror film Longlegs, which just surpassed $75 million in the U.S. box office to become the year’s highest-grossing independent film to date, and Immaculate starring Sydney Sweeney. Upcoming releases include Sean Baker’s Anora starring Mikey Madison that won the Palme d’Or in Cannes, and The Seed of the Sacred Fig from director Mohammad Rasoulof.

    RPC is prepping Michael Sarnoski’s The Death of Robin Hood, with Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer, and Onslaught from Adam Wingard, under its first-look with Lyrical Media. The company recently premiered the sci-fi romance All of You with Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots at this year’s Toronto Film Festival.

    Savage Road producing partners Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read have produced and co-produced more than 25 films including The Daniels’ Best Picture Oscar winner Everything Everywhere All at Once and recently inked a production and development partnership with Neon.

    Riley is repped by WME and Cohen & Gardner. Palmer is repped by 3 Arts and Hertz Lichtenstein Young & Polk, LLP. Ackie is repped by CAA, Hamilton Hodell, Range Media Partners and Peikoff Mahan Law Office. Stanfield is repped by CAA, Stark Management and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis. Moore is repped by CAA, Untitled and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman.

    Kelly Monaco Opens Up About ‘General Hospital’ Exit: “Still Doesn’t Make Any Sense”

    (10/6/24) Longtime General Hospital star Kelly Monaco is opening up about her exit from the ABC soap.

    After 21 years on the sudser and two Daytime Emmy nominations for her work within the Port Charles universe, Monaco wrote on Instagram, “Last scene with the Davis girls. ???????? still doesn’t make any sense to me.”

    The caption accompanied a photo of her alongside fellow cast members Nancy Lee Grahn (who plays her on-screen mother Alexis Davis), Kristen Vaganos (Molly Lansing-Davis) and Kate Mansi (Kristina Corinthos-Davis).

    News of Monaco’s departure broke in late August, with Sam McCall’s time coming to an end sometime this fall. The actress joined General Hospital in 2003 and starred in more than 2,200 episodes, with fellow soap star Lindsay Hartley briefly filling in while Monaco was on temporary leave in 2020, 2022 and 2024. Prior to her role on General Hospital, Monaco previously portrayed Livvie Locke on the its spinoff Port Charles from 1999 to 2003.

    As the Los Angeles Times reported, news of the sudden exit did not sit well with fans, who took to social media to air their grievances, even starting a Change.org petition on the matter. Soap Opera Digest, which first wrote about the departure, reported that the exit was dictated by upcoming storylines.

    Monaco’s mother, Carmine Monaco, wrote a message of gratitude to fans on X last month: “I want to take this moment to reach out to Kelly’s incredible fans and express my deepest gratitude for the unwavering love, loyalty, and support you’ve shown her throughout her time on General Hospital. On this final day, just four days shy of the anniversary of her first episode on October 1, 2003, Kelly will close the door of her dressing room for the last time. This moment is a difficult one, but knowing that she has had such an incredible, devoted fan base has given her strength.”

    Change is certainly afoot at GH. In May, it was confirmed that Monsters star Nicholas Alexander Chavez would not be returning to his role on the soap. Michael Easton also bid an abrupt adieu to Port Charles in the summer. In August, it was revealed that Chris Van Etten was returning to run the writers room with Elizabeth Korte, following the departure of co-head writer Patrick Mulcahey in May.

    ‘General Hospital’ To Finally Reunite Genie Francis’ Laura With Jonathan Jackson’s Lucky

    (10/4/24) It’s the reunion fans have been waiting for: Deadline has confirmed that Genie Francis has returned to the set of General Hospital to appear in scenes with her on-screen son Jonathan Jackson.

    Once Deadline revealed in June that Jackson was returning to the ABC sudser to reprise his role as Lucky Spencer, anticipation began to build among fans over the day when Francis’ Laura would reunite with the son she shares with Luke (Tony Geary).

    Soap Opera Digest reports that Francis will be back beginning with the October 9 episode and will appear opposite Jackson.

    Laura and Luke’s son Lucky was first introduced in 1993; Jackson was 11 when he originated the role. He played the part on and off until 2011, when he left to star as Avery Barkley in ABC’s Nashville for six seasons.

    During his time on GH, Jackson was nominated for nine Emmys and won five in 1995, 1998, 1999, 2011 and 2012.

    In an August interview, Jackson said “working with Genie was a big personal incentive to come back, because when I was there in 2010, 2011, Genie wasn’t on the show and I always kind of felt like I missed out on working with her as an adult, so I’m very excited about that, obviously.”

    Francis’ long and stories residence at GH began in 1977.

    ‘The Villains of Valley View’ Canceled By Disney Channel After 2 Seasons

    (10/2/24) Disney Channel has officially canceled The Villains of Valley View ten months after the live-action comedy’ second season ended its run on the network. Chris Peterson, who co-created and executive produced the series with Bryan Moore, shared the news on X.

    “While it was never our intention to end the series on a cliffhanger, we hope that Amy, Hartley and the Maddens will live on in your hearts (and on Disney+) forever,” Peterson wrote in his message to fans.

    Disney Branded Television has been overhauling Disney Channel’s lineup of live-action sitcoms. Over the past year, a number of series came to an end, including Bunk’d, Raven’s Home and Secrets Of Sulphur Springs. The Villains of Valley View was the last remaining ongoing live-action comedy, with the first one under the new programming direction, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, set to debut later this month.

    The Villains of Valley View centers around teenage supervillain Havoc (Isabella Pappas) who stands up to the head of the League of Villains. She and her family are forced to change their identities and relocate to a sleepy Texas suburb. With the help of her effervescent new neighbor Hartley (Kayden Muller-Janssen), Havoc — going incognito as Amy — must somehow hide her superpowers and quell her villainous nature in favor of something she and the rest of her family have fought against all their lives: being normal.

    In addition to Pappas and Muller-Janssen, the series’ series regular cast includes Lucy Davis as Eva/Surge, James Patrick Stuart as Vic/Kraniac, Malachi Barton as Colby/Flashform and Reed Horstmann as Jake/Chaos.

    Ron Hale, Actor on ‘Ryan’s Hope’ and ‘General Hospital,’ Dies at 78

    (10/2/24) Ron Hale, who starred as Roger Coleridge during the entire 14-year run of Ryan’s Hope and had an even longer stretch as Mike Corbin on another ABC soap opera, General Hospital, has died. He was 78.

    Hale, who lived in St. George, South Carolina, died Aug. 27, his family announced.

    Hale worked on Ryan’s Hope from 1975-89 and received supporting actor Daytime Emmys in 1979 and ’80. As Coleridge, a doctor from a well-do-do family who often clashed with the Ryan clan, he was married to Delia Reid (Ilene Kristen/Randall Edwards), Maggie Shelby (Cali Timmins) and then Delia again.

    Hale then recurred as Corbin, the father of mob boss Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), on General Hospital from 1995-2010, and he showed up on the G.H. spinoff Port Charles from 1997-2000 as well. (Max Gail played the character from 2018-21.)

    Ronald Hale Thigpen was born on Jan. 2, 1946, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended Furman University, came to New York when he was 19 and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1967.

    He made his onscreen debut on an episode of ABC’s N.Y.P.D. in 1968 and a year later appeared on his first soap opera, CBS’ Search for Tomorrow. Also that year, he made it to Broadway in William Saroyan’s The Time of Your Life.

    In All the President’s Men (1976), he portrayed Watergate burglar Frank Sturgis.

    Hale’s résumé also included Trial by Jury (1994), episodes of Matlock and MacGyver and plays performed at Columbia, South Carolina’s Trustus Theatre, which was started by his late brother, Jim Thigpen Jr., and late sister-in-law, Kay Thigpen.

    Survivors include his nieces, Lori and Erin, and nephews Max and Marc.

    General Hospital’s Kelly Monaco Promises to ‘Give a Proper Statement’ About Unexpected Exit From Soap

    (10/2/24) (tvinsider.com) Kelly Monaco got candid about her departure from General Hospital after claims she was fired for refusing to take a pay cut.

    In a since-deleted comment on a post made to Soap Hub Instagram per Soap Opera Network, Monaco who played Sam McCall on the ABC daytime hit, responded to fans who left comments suggesting she had “no primary role” or that she wouldn’t take a pay cut and was therefore fired.

    The response was made on a post about Monaco’s former costar Greg Vaughan, who played Lucky Spencer on the soap, as he showed support for Monaco following her sudden departure after years. “‘No primary role’… do your homework,” Monaco began.

    “When Billy Miller was fired, Sam’s storyline stopped. Stripping Sam of every characteristic she had. Something I worked for decades to build… Slowly dismantling her, into a character that I did not recognize, let alone the audience.”

    “Call it what you will… retaliation at [sic] it finest. I will give a proper statement,” she continued. “The truth will set you free.”

    Monaco’s exit and the writing off of her character, Sam, was unveiled officially in August 2024. And since then there have been several fan campaigns to try and salvage her role.

    “The truth will set you free,” she shared in the since-deleted comment.

    While we await Monaco’s official statement regarding her GH exit, she’s continued to remain in the headlines, particularly in September when she paid tribute to the late Miller on the anniversary of his death. Miller portrayed Jason Morgan among other characters in General Hospital until 2019 when he exited the soap. Miller died at the age of 43 in September 2023.

    What do you think of Monaco’s since-deleted comment? Sound off, below, and keep an eye out for any updates about her GH exit.

    General Hospital Recasts Aiden

    (10/1/24) Elizabeth Webber and Lucky Spencer might not recognize their own son.

    General Hospital has recast the pair’s progeny, Aiden Spencer, with actor Colin Cassidy, beginning with the Sept. 30 episode, Soap Opera Digest reports.

    The news comes following Jonathan Jackson’s recent return as Lucky, who last appeared in Port Charles in 2015.

    Aiden, who is Elizabeth’s youngest son and Lucky’s only biological son, was last portrayed by Tristan Riggs.

    General Hospital’s Nicholas Alexander Chavez Weighs In On Whether Spencer Will Ever Rise From His Watery Grave

    (10/1/24) When General Hospital sent Spencer Cassadine to a watery grave in January 2024, it was expected that Nicholas Alexander Chavez would return to the role once he was done shooting Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. But you know what they say about the best-laid plans.

    While shooting the back half of Season 2 of the anthology series, creator Ryan Murphy offered Chavez a plum part in Grotesquerie (airing on FX Wednesdays at 10/9c). “It was an opportunity to play in a world that was very, very different from the Menendez brothers,” the actor tells TVLine, “so I was really excited to jump on board.”

    At this point, the star on the rise would likely have trouble even finding the time to resurrect his General Hospital character. Nevertheless, he hasn’t closed the door on the soap that put him on the map. “No,” he insists. “Port Charles is a crazy place. We’ll have to see what happens.”

    If so much time passes that General Hospital is forced to recast Spencer, that would be all right with Chavez, who replaced Nicolas Bechtel when the character was aged up in 2021. “Of course. I understand that the show has needs,” Chavez says, “and I would be fully supportive of that.”

    ‘General Hospital’ Star Kelly Monaco Taped Her Last Episode Friday, According To Her Mom

    (9/28/24) Sam McCall has apparently left Port Charles for good.

    Kelly Monaco’s mom revealed on social media Sept. 27 that her daughter taped her last episode of General Hospital that day. Fans learned in August that Monaco, who first joined the ABC sudser in 2003, would be leaving GH sometime this fall.

    Monaco has shot more than 2,200 episodes of GH and has received two Daytime Emmy nominations for her work. She went to win the mirrorball trophy in the first season of Dancing with the Stars.

    Carmina Monaco - @kellysmom1: I want to take this moment to reach out to Kelly’s incredible fans and express my deepest gratitude for the unwavering love, loyalty, and support you’ve shown her throughout her time on General Hospital. On this final day, just four days shy of the anniversary of her first episode on October 1, 2003, Kelly will close the door of her dressing room for the last time. This moment is a difficult one, but knowing that she has had such an incredible, devoted fan base has given her strength. You’ve stood by her through every twist and turn, celebrating her achievements and providing comfort in the hard times. Your love and dedication have meant more than words can express, not only to Kelly but to all of us who care so deeply for her. Thank you for being there, for believing in her, and for reminding her of the impact she’s made. We will always be grateful for you standing with her through it all.

    ‘Monsters’ Star Nicholas Alexander Chavez Addresses Grim Backstory of Lyle Menéndez’ Hair Loss

    (9/28/24) When Nicholas Alexander Chavez began researching his role as Lyle Menéndez for Monsters, he paid special attention to the “mask” that Lyle’s dad Jose forced him to use when he began losing his hair.

    That “mask” is how Chavez refers to Lyle’s infamous toupée, which former Vanity Fair writer Dominick Dunne once described as a “state-of-the-art hairpiece, or toupée, or wig, or hair replacement, as his very expensive rug was variously called” that went on to become “a constant prop in the trial, almost as important as the two missing Mossberg 12-gauge shotguns the brothers used to blow away their parents."

    “I really saw this wig as mask of sorts,” reflects Chavez to Deadline. “It’s not one that he imposes on himself. It’s imposed by his father and the perfectionist standard that Lyle has to live up to. It’s a mask that hides a deeply, deeply wounded inner child who surfaces in episodes four.”

    Before embarking on the role of a lifetime, Chavez says he poured over books about the Menéndez Family while doing a little outreach of his own in Los Angeles.

    “When you’re working on a project about the Menéndez brothers, especially living in Los Angeles where they lived, you meet a great many people who are one degree or two degrees of separation away from others who directly interfaced with them,” Chavez tells Deadline. “It was interesting because several of the people who I met with told me that they could tell that Lyle was wearing a piece. And when you wear a piece, there is certain behavior that goes along with that. You sort of angle your head in a very, very specific way, maybe even subconsciously, to try to keep distance between it and the person that you’re talking to.”

    Titled “Kill or Be Killed,” episode 4 of Monsters seeks to provide some answers for what led to the (embarrassing) toupée. While Lyle reveals to the attorneys that he was molested by his dad (Javier Bardem), the episode then shows his character discovering in the shower that he was losing his hair. So Jose takes him to a specialist to get fitted with a hairpiece.

    “You look great in that,” Jose says to Lyle in the episode.” “You want to succeed in business? You wanna go into politics? Then you’ve got to have a good head of hair.”

    “What if I don’t want to wear a wig?” says Lyle.

    “We can discuss this at home,” replies Jose sternly. “You’re wearing a wig. That’s the way it’s going to be.”

    Though it’s never articulated in the limited series, Chavez acknowledges the hair loss was likely due to the profound amount of stress that Lyle was under. “I can only imagine it must have been such an anxiety-inducing experience. When aspects of the way you present yourself start to fall apart … when you don’t have these external validators of your identity to lean on … it really brings out nasty realities that might be living inside you. So I felt like maybe subconsciously, when the mask of who he pretended to be started to slip, the child underneath started to come through more and more.”

    While shooting the limited series, Chavez admits that he never actually wore a wig. “They used my real hair for almost the entire production, but styled it to look like it was a toupée by teasing it. The only time where it’s not my real hair is if there’s a gag. So if the wig comes off, like the scene at the dinner table, or the scene where it gets snatched off while I’m in the prison showers, they would put the bald cap on.”

    And yes, the moment when Kitty snatches off the toupée is based on real-life events. Lyle Menéndez actually testified in court that “she reached, and she grabbed my hairpiece and she just ripped it off.” That’s when his brother, Erik, learned the grim truth.

    He “didn’t know I had a hairpiece. I was completely embarrassed in front of my brother,” according to the testimony.

    In Monsters, Kitty rips off Lyle’s toupee during a family fight at the dinner table. It prompts the brothers to admit to one another how they were abused by their dad, which led to their decision to shoot their parents.

    ‘General Hospital’ Finds Its Next Lucas Jones; It’s Van Hansis From ‘As The World Turns’

    (9/28/24) Lucas Jones is coming back to Port Charles — and it’s now Van Hansis’ turn to play the role.

    Hansis is best known for playing Luke Snyder on As the World Turns from 2005-2010. He’s set to premiere Oct. 4 on the ABC sudser.

    “Being on General Hospital, I guess, is literally a dream come true,” Hansis told TV Insider, which first reported the news. “But there was so much I got out of being on World Turns. It was my first job. There was so much, especially with the character, and I think I was just so young, I didn’t understand and I didn’t really appreciate that. Luke was one of the first gay male lead characters. With some time and some distance, I’m like, ‘Wow, that was a really cool experience,’ but I was in the moment and it didn’t feel like how it feels now.”

    Lucas Jones was last played by Ryan Carnes, who played the adopted son of Bobbie (the late Jacklyn Zeman) from 2004-05 and from 2014-20. He briefly reprised the role last year to mourn Bobbie’s death.

    Hansis is looking forward to playing another gay role in daytime. “I love that Lucas is not the only gay character on the show. I remember when Luke and Noah kissed [on As the World Turns] for the first time, we had Entertainment Tonight come,” he recalled to TV Insider. “And I get it, but it’s great that we’re in a place where it’s so casual, just like how it is in life. There are gay people in life so there should be gay people on soaps and queer people and trans people and all of that. So, the fact that it’s so ingrained and it’s not like ‘the gay character’ or ‘the gay storyline’ feels really nice.”

    Monsters’ Nicholas Alexander Chavez Takes a Swing at Sharing His Thoughts on Lyle Menendez, Erik’s Objections and the Brothers’ Guilt

    (9/26/24) (Video) Ask anyone who has streamed Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and they’ll tell you: Season 2 of Ryan Murphy’s true-crime anthology series stirs up capital-F Feelings. With regard to Lyle, who with younger brother Erik is serving life without the possibility of parole for the murders of their parents, that feeling toggles wildly between sympathy and loathing. What was Nicholas Alexander Chavez’s take on him?

    “When you’re playing a character like this, you want to remove as much judgment as you can and empathize as much as you can,” the Daytime Emmy-winning General Hospital veteran tells TVLine. “That’s what I tried to do first and foremost… I wanted to come from as educated a perspective as I could, so I familiarized myself with plenty of primary and secondary sources as far as research material. I went through the Court TV footage quite a bit.

    “Ultimately, I understand that some of the behavior that he has in this show is difficult for people to digest,” he continues, “but my performance sits at the nexus of so many things. It sits at the nexus of the research I have done, the scripts I was given, the direction that I was given and the strong interpretation and point of view that I formed of this person who is, in my view, one of the most enigmatic human beings to have lived in the last 100 years.”

    Watching Monsters, it at times seemed like we were seeing two different Lyles, one utterly destroyed by his father and mother’s abuse and the other, a privileged enfant terrible. But “I didn’t feel like I was playing two people,” Chavez says. “I felt as if I was playing one person who was multi-faceted and had many strengths and many weaknesses and different colors to his humanity. And he had different ways of coping with different aspects of his life.

    “I think you’d have real trouble making sense of it all,” he adds. “I once heard that complex characters are 80 percent one thing and 20 percent the opposite thing.” That certainly holds true for Lyle.

    What with not living under a rock and all, Chavez has, of course, heard about Erik’s condemnation of Monsters. “Of course it’s affected me, and I empathize with Erik and Lyle Menendez,” the actor says. “I can only imagine how difficult it must be to have the most traumatic moment of your life played on the screen in front of millions of people.”

    In the end, having so thoroughly studied the case, would Chavez have found the brothers guilty… or, because of the extenuating circumstances, innocent? “That’s a really interesting question. When I took on this role, I had to develop a really strong point of view with this character,” he says. “And this point of view came after watching the trial over and over and over again. So I do have an answer to this question, but I think it’s really important to me that I not share it.”

    ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story’ Star Nicholas Alexander Chavez Signs With CAA

    (9/26/24) Nicholas Alexander Chavez has signed with CAA for representation.

    Chavez plays Lyle in the Netflix limited series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story opposite Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny and Cooper Koch.

    He can also be seen in the horror drama series Grotesquerie as Father Charlie alongside Travis Kelce, Niecy Nash-Betts, Courtney B. Vance, and Lesley Manville.

    Grotesquerie premiered yesterday on FX.

    Before joining Monsters, Chavez was best known for playing Spencer Cassadine on ABC’s General Hospital. He left in January as his character was believed to have perished after falling off a boat into France’s Seine River.

    Chavez will not be returning to the soap.

    “I’m so appreciative of the opportunity that GH gave me, and I wouldn’t be as busy as I am professionally if it weren’t for the talented producers, writers, directors and fellow actors,” the actor wrote on X in May. “[Executive Producer] Frank Valentini is a mentor and a friend, and we’ve had some pretty extensive conversations about my future on the show. While there are no current plans for me to return, we are still talking very openly about future possibilities for Spencer in Port Charles. Beyond the people I’ve already mentioned, I want to take some time to thank and honor the GH fan base… especially the Sprina fans… who must be THE most loyal and kind fan base in the universe of entertainment. Words fail to show the depth of my gratitude, thank you, I love you all very, very much.”

    Chavez continues to be represented by Felker, Toczek, Suddleson, McGinnis, Ryan LLP.

    Nicholas Alexander Chavez on Today (Video)

    (9/26/24) (Video) Nicholas Alexander Chavez (ex-Spencer, GH) was on the Today Show 3rd hour today, interviewed with Javier Bardem about the Menedez brothers.

    ‘Doctor Odyssey’ Trailer: Joshua Jackson Is Saving Lives In Ryan Murphy’s ABC Series

    (9/17/24) (Video) ABC has released the official trailer for Doctor Odyssey, Ryan Murphy’s medical procedural starring Joshua Jackson. The new trailer gives us an extended look at Jackson as the physician in charge, who navigates one crisis after another on what should be an idyllic cruise. We also get some first glimpses of guest stars John Stamos, Gina Gershon and others. Watch it above.

    ‘General Hospital’ Welcomes Back Michael E. Knight

    (9/16/24) Fan favorite Michael E. Knight — last seen on General Hospital in February — is set this week to reprise his role this week as Martin Grey on the ABC sudser.

    The actor told Soap Opera Digest that his absence was only supposed to last for a few months, but the changes in the writers room — including the decision to bring back Chris Van Etten as co-head writer with Elizabeth Korte –delayed his comeback until now.

    Knight credits Executive Producer Frank Valentini for keeping him in the loop.

    “Frank [Valentini] brought me on initially to work with Roger [Howarth] when I was trying to make my health insurance. And I will love Frank for the rest of my life for doing what he did, because four days turned into four years,” Knight told the outlet. “So, to me, I already had the brass ring in my pocket. I wasn’t going to complain about four days turning into four years! I’m one grateful monkey, you know what I mean?”

    Knight, who is best known for playing Tad Martin for decades on All My Children, likes to tease his work on GH by saying “It’s kind of like paprika. You don’t use it a lot but you use it to sort of spice things up.”

    “Now I get the benefit of Chris being back … Chris created Martin. And I get to be a new toy for Chris, twice,” he said.

    When Knight was last on the show, his character ended his relationship with Lucy after discovering she was in a relationship with Scotty Baldwin.

    “If it wasn’t for the fans, none of us would have a job,” Knight told Soap Opera Digest. “So, to the fans, God bless each and every one of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving me the chance to play.”

    Johnny Wactor's Mom Livid Over Potential Sentence in Son's Murder Case

    (9/13/24) Johnny Wactor's mom is devastated over the potential 5-year sentence one of the suspects in her son's murder case is facing ... telling TMZ she believes he's got zero remorse for his alleged role in the crime.

    Scarlett Wactor tells TMZ she fears Leonel Gutierrez, 18 -- who pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and grand theft charges in connection with the case -- was merely charged with whatever was available for his alleged participation. But, she thinks that's not good enough.

    Scarlett believes he'll probably only end up serving 1-2 years due to prison overcrowding ... and then will walk free to live a full life -- something Johnny will never get the chance to do.

    She doubts Gutierrez has any remorse and is convinced his guilty plea is an effort to avoid any further possible charges as the murder case evolves ... and she believes he’ll dive right back into his criminal ways once he's out, citing his probation status at the time of his arrest.

    Despite her frustrations, Scarlett says she'll be at his sentencing, staring him down and delivering a victim impact statement to lay bare what he and his alleged accomplices have taken from her family.

    Scarlett also hopes to get "Johnny's Law" passed in California ... aiming for tougher penalties for probation violations, and felony murder charges for anyone involved in a deadly crime, trigger-puller or not.

    The other 3 suspects -- 2 of whom are facing murder charges -- have pled not guilty and are scheduled to be back in court next month.

    Mark Hamill Will Appear At Lynda Carter’s Geeks & Nerds For Harris/Walz Fundraiser

    (9/11/24) Luke Skywalker is teaming up with Wonder Woman for a worthy cause.

    Mark Hamill has joined the star-studded lineup for Lynda Carter‘s upcoming virtual Kamala Harris fundraiser Geeks & Nerds for Harris/Walz, which will stream live on Sept. 24 at 8pm ET.

    Also joining the lineup are Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings, Stranger Things) and Andy Merrill (The Brak Show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force), as well as the casts of The Boys and Supernatural, along with creator Eric Kripke.

    Co-hosted by fan activist and Carter’s Potomac Productions media director Sabrina Cartan, the event is produced is Broadway Unlocked. Previously announced appearances include Stacey Abrams, Yvette Nicole Brown, LeVar Burton, Misha Collins, Patty Jenkins, Bill Nye, Jeri Ryan, Anthony Rapp, Matthew Modine, George Takei and Mary Trump’s Nerd Avengers.

    In addition to the celebrity guests, Geeks & Nerds for Harris/Walz will feature a group of the nation’s leading scientists, technologists, engineers and inventors. Virtual attendees will be asked to sign an open letter in support of Harris and running mate Tim Walz, as well as “a future where innovation thrives.”

    Carter previously made the call for “our finest superheroes” to join her Geeks & Nerds for Harris/Walz initiative last month, during which Kripke jokingly pitched a crossover between Wonder Woman, The Boys and Supernatural.

    The upcoming fundraiser comes after Harris faced off against opponent Donald Trump in the first and only presidential debate ahead of Election Day, which aired Tuesday on ABC. A vice presidential debate between Walz and J.D. Vance is scheduled for a CBS News on Oct. 1.

    Suspect Charged In Connection With Shooting Death Of ‘General Hospital’ Actor Johnny Wactor Pleads Guilty

    (9/11/24) One of four suspects charged in connection with the shooting death of former General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor pleaded guilty today on charges of attempted robbery and grand theft.

    Leonel Gutierrez, 18, made an open plea to the court, meaning his guilty plea was made without any agreement with prosecutors about his sentence.

    The three other suspects in the case have pleaded not guilty. Robert Isaiah Barceleau, Sergio Estrada, 18; and Frank Olano, 23, are due back in court Oct. 16, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for them to stand trial.

    As the alleged gunman in the killing, Barceleau was being held without bail, while Estrada’s bail was set at just over $2 million, and Olano’s at just over $1 million.

    Gutierrez was released on bond after his bail was lowered to $120,000.

    A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge will determine Gutierrez’s sentence at a hearing set for Nov. 1 at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse.

    Gutierrez is facing a maximum of four years and eight months in state prison. He remains free on bond while awaiting sentencing.

    PREVIOUSLY on August 29: Three suspects, including two facing murder charges, have pleaded not guilty in the May shooting death of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor.

    The three were arraigned Thursday morning before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Susan De Witt in downtown L.A.

    Not guilty pleas were entered on behalf of the alleged gunman, 18-year-old Robert Isaiah Barceleau of Huntington Park, who is charged with murder and the special-circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of an attempted robbery. He’s facing a potential sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted.

    Also pleading not guilty were Sergio Estrada,18, who was also charged with murder, but is not charged with the special circumstance allegation. He was also charged with attempted robbery and grand theft, both while armed with a firearm.

    Additionally, 22-year-old Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood, pleaded not guilty to being an accessory after the fact to the killing, along with receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    A fourth suspect, 18-year-old Leonel Gutierrez, who is charged with attempted robbery and grand theft by embezzlement, both with gun allegations, indicated through his attorney that he would plead guilty. He is free after posting $120,00 bond.

    De Witt set a preliminary setting hearing date of Oct. 16 for Barceleau, Estrada and Olano. Gutierrez was expected to enter his guilty plea on Sept. 11.

    Wactor, 37, was killed in the early-morning hours of May 25 in downtown Los Angeles. Walking to his car with a co-worker after a bartending shift, he was shot after confronting three robbers attempting to steal the car’s catalytic converter.

    His death sparked an outpouring of reaction from the community, with dozens attending a rally in June demanding justice. L.A. District Attorney chief deputy Joseph Iniguez told the crowd at the time that the major crimes division was working with Central Bureau homicide detectives on the case, saying, “We have a number of leads.”

    Wactor played Brando Corbin in 164 episodes of General Hospital during the years 2020-22. The long-running ABC daytime drama paid tribute to him in a mid-June episode.

    ‘General Hospital’ star shares unusual second job he takes on when he’s not acting

    (9/11/24) (Video) “General Hospital” actor Rick Hearst is sharing a glimpse into his second job when he’s not working in Hollywood.

    The 59-year-old actor, known for his character Ric Lansing in the popular soap opera, took to social media to reveal his double life.

    “I’ve been on break from ‘GH’ for a couple [of] weeks now,” he explained in an Instagram post.

    “About to head back in a couple of days. Going to get on a plane. I’m in Jersey, currently, New Jersey where I live. I just kind of wanted to show folks what New Jersey looks like.”

    The actor continued to explain how visitors may misinterpret New Jersey for mostly being industrial but shared that there is more to the Garden State than what travelers see outside of Newark International Airport.

    “General Hospital” actor Rick Hearst is sharing a glimpse into his second job when he’s not working in Hollywood.

    The 59-year-old actor, known for his character Ric Lansing in the popular soap opera, took to social media to reveal his double life.

    “I’ve been on break from ‘GH’ for a couple [of] weeks now,” he explained in an Instagram post.

    “About to head back in a couple of days. Going to get on a plane. I’m in Jersey, currently, New Jersey where I live. I just kind of wanted to show folks what New Jersey looks like.”

    The actor continued to explain how visitors may misinterpret New Jersey for mostly being industrial but shared that there is more to the Garden State than what travelers see outside of Newark International Airport.

    He added, “There [are] different parts of New Jersey… The part that I live in, South Central New Jersey, which is a beautiful place. I also happen to be a real estate agent here. I love helping people find homes here, sell their homes here. It’s really a great lifestyle out here.”

    The soap opera actor went on to give fans a preview of his backyard and explained how he grew up on the East Coast.

    “There’s a lot of green… that’s more green than I want to have, it’s a lot to mow,” Hearst shared. “And yes, I do mow my own lawn. I know, nuts.”

    While he showed his lush and “spacious” green backyard, Hearst said, “All those trees back there are going to be turning colors by the time I get back from Los Angeles.”

    In Hearst’s video, he panned the camera to his mother’s vegetable garden and displayed his luxurious in-ground pool to his fans.

    He accompanied his video with the caption, “A little view of the ‘garden state’ from my back yard.”

    “We’re very happy here. It’s very peaceful, it’s very tranquil,” Hearst remarked. “I love being here.”

    Hearst then reminded his fans of his real estate business and said, “So if you happen to be looking to come to New Jersey, give me a shout. I can find you a place. Or if you are in New Jersey and would like to get an estimate on your home, see what the options are available to you, and would love to be able to work with you as well.”

    He returned to “General Hospital” this year after being on hiatus for eight years. He’s won two Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on the show.

    His other television credits include roles on “Days of Our Lives,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful.”.

    ‘General Hospital’ Fans Campaign Outside ABC Studios to Reinstate Kelly Monaco

    (9/11/24) Kelly Monaco fans are making themselves heard as they amp up their campaign to save the General Hospital star’s job.

    Soap Opera Network first reported the news on August 26, noting how Monaco was reportedly “blindsided” by the decision to write her out of the show. Monaco has played Sam McCall on the long-running soap opera since 2003, having filmed more than 2,200 episodes.

    After the news broke, fans immediately launched a campaign to save Monaco’s job. One fan set up a Change.org petition titled “Retain Kelly Monaco in the Cast of General Hospital,” which currently has over 13,000 signatures.

    “Many fans of General Hospital have grown up watching this iconic show. Sam McCall, masterfully portrayed by Kelly Monaco for over 2 decades, has woven herself into the fabric of our daily lives, becoming a beloved figure on screen,” the petition reads.

    Now, fans have taken their #IStandWithKelly campaign directly to the show’s studios. On Monday, September 9, as the General Hospital crew resumed production after a short hiatus, Monaco’s fans sent a billboard truck to ABC’s Prospect Park studios.

    The truck featured screens demanding the show’s executives “Rehire Kelly Monaco on General Hospital and save Sam McCall!” It also included a QR code and social media icons showing where fans can find and support the #IStandWithKelly campaign.

    According to MichaelFairmanTV, the truck was not only parked out front of Prospect Park but also driven around the famous studio property.

    On Tuesday, September 10, the official I Stand With Kelly X account revealed the truck was leaving the Prospect Park studios and heading across town to the Disney studios.

    “The Phoenix on Wheels has departed Prospect Studios and is on route to the House of Mouse! ?Starting at ABC/Disney Studios, the fans remain #UnitedforKelly as the Phoenix will be flying to the news stations and a little Grove before returning back to #GH!” the tweet read.

    While many fans are hoping General Hospital will reverse its decision and bring Monaco back to Port Charles, others are beginning to speculate whether another soap could be in her future.

    An article on DailySoapDish.com speculates that Monaco could find a new home on The Young and the Restless. The site suggests she could reignite her on-screen romance with Jason Thompson, her former leading man on General Hospital, who now portrays Billy Abbott on Y&R.

    General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC.

    General Hospital Casts All My Children Vet Alexa Havins as New Lulu

    (9/10/24) Look who’s finally waking up! General Hospital‘s Lulu Spencer, who has been in a coma since sustaining injuries from a bomb blast in December 2020, is said to be making a miraculous comeback in the near future — with All My Children alumna Alexa Havins stepping into the role, TVLine has confirmed. She will make her first appearance later this fall.

    Though Lulu recently took a turn for the worse, we’ve been predicting an awakening for quite some time now, ever since Jonathan Jackson reentered the picture last month as Lulu’s brother Luke Spencer.

    Along with the young actresses who portrayed Lulu in her earlier years, the character has most notably been played by Stephanie Allen (2001–03), Tessa Allen (2004–05), Julie Marie Berman (2005–13) and Emme Rylan (2013–2020).

    Havins is best known for originating the role of AMC‘s Babe Carey, a character she also played on ABC‘s now-defunct One Life to Live. Havins also has appeared on episodes of Castle, CSI: Miami and Grey’s Anatomy, among many others.

    This reported casting is just one of several major recent developments for the long-running ABC soap, the most notable being Kelly Monaco’s shocking departure from Port Charles after spending 21 seasons as Sam McCall. Other comings and goings include the departures of Michael Easton as Hamilton Finn and Jacqueline Grace Lopez as Blaze. Meanwhile, Emma Samms is set to return as Holly Sutton, and Rick Hearst recently stepped back into the role of Ric Lansing.

    Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story — Watch Final Trailer for Ryan Murphy’s Netflix Drama

    (9/10/24) (Video) After inviting viewers in for a closer look at the life of Jeffrey Dahmer, Ryan Murphy is serializing another pair of killers with Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, premiering all nine episodes Thursday, Sept. 19 on Netflix.

    On Tuesday, Netflix released the drama’s final trailer, giving us a deeper look at the Menendez parents in (terrible) action.

    What’s Next (and Who’s Arriving) on ‘General Hospital,’ ‘DAYS,’ ‘Y&R’ & ‘B&B’ This Fall

    (9/9/24) (tvinsider.com) The temperatures may be cooling off, but soaps have hot stories planned for autumn. Here’s an exclusive look at what’s coming up on every show, broken down by the highlights.

    The Bold and the Beautiful

    Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Taylor (Rebecca Budig) face off after Hope (Annika Noelle) continues making a play for Steffy’s (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) husband, Finn (Tanner Novlan). But when Steffy threatens to end the Hope for the Future fashion line, Hope sets her sights on a new man.
    Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) discovers Taylor’s shocking reasons for returning home.
    Will’s (Crew Morrow) return could lead to a reunion for his parents, Bill (Don Diamont) and Katie (Heather Tom).
    Poppy (Romy Park) is committed to continuing her relationship with Bill. Li makes a grand gesture towards her sister to help Poppy heal from the devastating fallout of Luna’s (Lisa Yamada) murderous actions and kidnapping of Steffy.
    Casting News! Guest star Tom Arnold returns as Captain Deuce Stevens. Musician Jökull Júliusson from the Icelandic band, Kaleo, rocks out at the Brooke’s Bedroom fashion campaign.

    Weekdays, CBS, Check Local Listings

    Days of Our Lives

    John (Drake Hogestyn) puts the pieces together regarding the accident that caused Sarah’s (Linsey Godfrey) paralysis. An unexpected treatment for Sarah’s paralysis is on the horizon.
    Chad (Billy Flynn) finally accepts that Abigail is back and they prepare to get remarried.
    Johnny’s (Carson Boatman) jealous side comes out when he questions Chanel’s behavior on the set of Body & Soul.
    Once again, Victor’s (John Aniston) will is contested and a tug-of-war ensues for control of Titan.
    Tate (Leo Howard) finds himself caught between Sophia (Madelyn Kientz) and Holly (Ashley Puzemis).
    Casting News! Nancy Wesley (Patrika Darbo) returns to Salem to introduce someone she thinks is perfect for Body & Soul. Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) and Rafe’s (Galen Gering) cousin comes to town.

    Streaming Weekdays, Peacock

    General Hospital

    Alexis’ (Nancy Lee Grahn) plan to protect Kristina (Kate Mansi) hits a snag.
    Molly (Kristen Vaganos) takes matters into her own hands to save Alexis.
    Ric (Rick Hearst) finds another reason to stick around Port Charles.
    Tracy (Jane Elliot) works through her complicated feelings about Cody (Josh Kelly) and Sasha’s (Sofia Mattsson) romance.
    Lucky (Jonathan Jackson) dreams of Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst).
    Hoping to clear his mind about Willow, Drew (Cameron Mathison) has a proposition for Nina (Cynthia Watros).
    Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and Rocco (Finn Francis Carr) visit Lulu.
    Jordan (Tanisha Harper) and Isaiah (Sawandi Wilson) get to know each other.

    Weekdays, ABC, Check Local Listings

    The Young and the Restless

    Victor (Eric Braeden) makes a deal with Lily (Christel Khalil) to take down Billy (Jason Thompson) once and for all while also dedicating his time to pushing Jack’s (Peter Bergman) buttons as he continues to mentor Kyle (Michael Mealor) at Glissade.
    Cameron (Linden Ashby) remains a dangerous presence in Sharon’s (Sharon Case) life as he encourages her to visit her dark side leading Nick (Joshua Morrow) and Mariah (Camryn Grimes) to work together to help Sharon.
    Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) is presented with an unexpected professional opportunity while also supporting Summer (Allison Lanier) and Daniel (Michael Graziadei) through some challenging times.
    Victoria (Amelia Heinle) rekindles her romance with Cole (J. Eddie Peck).
    Claire (Hayley Erin) sees a new side to Kyle as they take their relationship to the next level.
    Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) and Adam (Mark Grossman) seek forgiveness for their night of passion while Billy and Sally (Courtney Hope) find themselves forming an unexpected bond.
    Abby (Melissa Ordway) and Devon (Bryton James) face an unforeseen obstacle as they plan their November wedding.
    Diane (Susan Walters) goes to great lengths to repair her relationship with her son, Kyle.
    Audra (Zuleyka Silver) and Nate (Sean Dominic) navigate the waters of their new normal.

    Weekdays, CBS, Check Local Listings.

    Annie Ilonzeh Joins the Cast of S.W.A.T.

    (9/9/24) “Vanished” – SWAT tackles a mission with personal ties for Hondo when they race to find a group of missing students and their bus driver, Hondo’s former high school football coach. Also, Hicks has reservations regarding Hondo’s new 20-Squad team addition, Devin Gamble (Annie Ilonzeh), a cop with a family background deeply entrenched in crime, on the eighth season premiere of the CBS Original series S.W.A.T., Friday, Oct. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. WRITTEN BY: Kent Rotherham DIRECTED BY: Billy Gierhart

    Walker’s Lindsey Morgan Explains Medical Issue That Forced Her to Leave the Series

    (9/9/24) Walker star Lindsey Morgan is coming clean about why she surprisingly left The CW’s crime drama during its second season.

    At the time, Morgan cited “personal reasons” for leaving the show, but on this week’s episode of the “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast, the actress finally revealed what caused her to leave her character Micki Ramirez behind. (Read a recap of how the character was written off.)

    “I had a spinal injury, which was affecting my nervous system and my brainstem,” she said in a clip obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. The actress said the injury caused her crippling anxiety and stress which made her unable to perform her job, adding that it was the hardest decision she’d ever made because she’d worked so hard to achieve her dream of becoming a lead on a TV series.

    “Up until this point, I had been manifesting,” she said. “I really wanted to be a lead. I wanted to get a promotion in my career journey. When Walker came, I was the lead female. That was my dream come true.”

    Having served as a recurring character on The 100, Morgan only had one month off in between jobs before beginning work on Walker, and working consistently without a proper break eventually took its toll.

    “I was really blessed and lucky that I started working and didn’t stop,” she said. “But, looking back, I realized my mistake in the sense of, like an athlete, I was working, working, working, outputting, outputting, outputting, outputting, but I wasn’t recovering. All my dreams were coming true, and I was a mess. Me, personally, was not in a good place. My anxiety was through the roof.”

    She continued: “I feel like I did not do good work. And looking back on it now, it was because I was so stressed out in my body — mentally and physically. I was a mess. I couldn’t figure out why. I have all of this responsibility on my shoulders, and I felt like I was failing everyone — and myself.”

    Doctors gave her two options: Continue working 16-hour days for nine months at a time using a medication she may need for the rest of her life, or completely change her lifestyle to minimize stress on her body.

    “I’m somebody that really pushes themselves and has really high standards, and I never want to let anyone around me down,” she explained. “I felt a little bit like I let Jared [Padalecki] down, or let the show down, and that was the hardest part for me, because it still makes me emotional, which I know is silly, because I was doing what I needed to do to take care of myself, and that’s more important.”

    Talk Show Appearance

    (9/5/24) Live With Kelly and Mark - Syndicated

    Tuesday, Sept. 10 – DEMI MOORE sits down with Kelly and Mark

    ‘General Hospital’ Adds ‘Saturday Night Live’ Star in Surprise Guest Role

    (9/4/24) Soaps are meeting sketch comedy as General Hospital welcomes a special guest star from Saturday Night Live for its upcoming episodes.

    Sarah Sherman will make her GH debut on Thursday, September 5th, and appear again on Friday, September 6th, according to People, who announced her casting. Sherman will play Ms. Finch, an etiquette teacher for Lois Cerullo (Rena Sofer).

    Sherman’s role is a particular thrill for the comic who told the outlet, “I had the best time of my life and I couldn’t believe I got to act in a scene with ‘TRACY QUARTERMAINE’!” referencing Jane Elliot‘s character. “I was so nervous about flubbing my lines, because I was surrounded by pros who memorize like a billion pages of dialogue a day. Also, I met ‘Sonny Corinthos’ [Maurice Benard] so I can die happy!”

    While Sherman is sure to bring her brand of humor to the role of Ms. Finch, fans can also look forward to her return for the upcoming season of Saturday Night Live. An SNL cast member since 2021, Sherman continues to bring laughs to audiences tuning in across the country, and she’ll surely do so with her soap debut.

    Sherman’s casting comes on the heels of Adam J. Harrington and Michael Easton‘s departures from the Port Charles-set series. As teased, above, Sherman will share the screen with Elliot’s Tracy Quartermaine, but fans will have to tune in to see how her role plays out. Along with Sherman, General Hospital has had quite a few arrivals recently as Jonathan Jackson returned to reprise his role as Lucky Spencer and Emma Samms resumes her portrayal of Holly Sutton.

    Don’t miss Sherman’s appearance on General Hospital, tune into the soap on September 5th and 6th to catch the SNL star.

    Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story — Watch Full Trailer for Ryan Murphy’s Netflix Drama

    (9/4/24) (Video) After inviting viewers in for a closer look at the life of Jeffrey Dahmer, Ryan Murphy is serializing another pair of killers with Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, premiering all nine episodes Thursday, Sept. 19 on Netflix.

    And now, Netflix has released a full trailer, giving us our first look at the Menendez family in action.

    As its title suggests, the new season of Murphy and Ian Brennan’s true-crime anthology series tells the real-life story of brothers convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise Menendez.

    “While the prosecution argued they were seeking to inherit their family fortune, the brothers claimed — and remain adamant to this day, as they serve life sentences without the possibility of parole — that their actions stemmed out of fear from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents,” reads Netflix’s official synopsis.

    The new season “dives into the historic case that took the world by storm, paved the way for audiences’ modern-day fascination with true crime, and in return asks those audiences: Who are the real monsters?”

    Creators Murphy and Brennan also executive-produce alongside Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, David McMillan, Louise Shore, director Carl Franklin and series star Javier Bardem.

    Talk Show Appearance

    (9/4/24) Late Night with Seth Meyers - NBC

    Wednesday, September 11: Guests include Demi Moore (The Substance)

    ‘General Hospital’ Star Emma Samms Gets Candid About Return to Show & Working With Jonathan Jackson

    (9/3/24) (tvinsider.com) Emma Samms is opening up about her return to General Hospital as fan-favorite Holly Sutton following her battle with long Covid.

    The performer who first joined the soap in 1982 as a love interest to Anthony Geary‘s Luke Spencer is making a comeback in her villainous role, which sees her do good and bad. In an interview with Variety, Samms said, “It’s the perfect part in that regard… it’s so fun, and really interesting. It’s that depth, all those different colors that Holly has to her character.”

    While details around Holly’s return to Port Charles remain mysterious for now, it has been confirmed that she’ll play a part in Jonathan Jackson‘s return as Luke’s son, Lucky Spencer. This marks the first time that Samms and Jackson will act together despite their link through Geary’s Luke.

    “It’s such a gift that Frank [Valentini] has given me, working with Jonathan, who is obviously a very, very good actor,” Samms told the outlet. “That’s undisputed — but he’s also really nice. And we have a very similar way of approaching the work, and we realized that that is because we were both trained by Tony Geary.”

    Regarding what fans can anticipate from Holly’s return, Samms said there’s “going to be some interesting twists with Holly coming back to town.”

    While Samms has appeared on and off throughout the years, she’s struggled with long Covid for the past few years and wasn’t been able to leave London for a while because of it. “I’ve been like this now for four and a half years nearly, and it’s baffling to not just the people who have it, but it’s baffling to the doctors,” she revealed. “They are some very smart people who are investigating and studying it and doing research, but all they keep finding is more and more damage that Covid has done to people’s bodies.”

    Among the damage Samms has experienced is myocarditis, “which has scarred my heart,” the performer revealed. “The consequences of Covid — I think we still have only just scratched the surface, and it’s terrifying to me that people think we are no longer in a pandemic. Because they so desperately want it to not affect them, they sort of pretend that it has gone, and it so hasn’t.”

    “If it wasn’t for the fact that people at General Hospital are so understanding of it and accommodating, I would not be able to work like I do,” Samms added. “When I’m back in the U.K., and anytime I’m not on the set, I have to lie down, I have to put my feet up. I have something called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, so if I stand too long, I keel over. So the only cure, or the only thing that makes you feel a bit better, is to lie down flat.”

    The accommodations General Hospital has made for Samms’ return include providing her with scenes that allow her to sit down, putting her in a dressing room close to the elevator, and other things she revealed, “mean I can do the job.”

    Don’t miss Samms’ return as Holly as she appears on General Hospital with Jonathan Jackson, and let us know what you hope to see from the character’s return to Port Charles in the comments section, below.

    General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC (next day on Hulu)

    ‘General Hospital’ Star Adam J. Harrington Addresses Exit From Soap

    (9/2/24) Adam J. Harrington has officially confirmed he is leaving General Hospital, taking to social media to thank the show’s cast and crew, as well as the fans who have supported him over the past few months.

    The confirmation comes after the dramatic ending to last Friday’s (August 30) episode of the long-running soap, where Harrington’s John Cates was shot twice by mobster Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard). After fans speculated over John’s fate, Harrington confirmed late Sunday night (September 1) that this is indeed the end of his character.

    “Well @GeneralHospital it was a BLAST, literally!” Harrington wrote on X. “To @valentinifrank, producers and writers. Thank you for the SHOT at joining your world. I loved it.”

    He continued, “To the phenomenal cast and crew. It was a honor to witness the CALIBER of your work. Now, seriously, I will miss you all.”

    In a follow-up post, Harrington turned his attention to the fans, writing, “To the @GeneralHospital viewers and fans. It’s been a honor being in your world, and feeling your passion.”

    “To those who have written a goodbye, I’ve read every word and I’m deeply humbled,” he added. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Until we meet again… Adam.”

    Harrington had previously teased his exit a half-hour after Friday’s episode had aired in New York markets. He posted a photo of a sunset on X alongside the caption, “Good night all….”

    The actor, whose previous credits included The Lincoln Lawyer and Bosch, first appeared in Port Charles back in February, taking over the role of Jagger, now going by his first name, John. The character was previously played by Antonio Sabato, Jr. from 1992 to 1995.

    Prior to joining General Hospital, Harrington had credits in Palm Royale, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Station 19, S.W.A.T., The Rookie, Dirty John, and more. He also received a BAFTA nomination for Performer in a Supporting Role for voicing the character of Sindri in the popular video game God of War Ragnarök.

    Murder Suspects Plead Not Guilty In Shooting Death Of ‘General Hospital’ Actor Johnny Wactor

    (8/29/24) Three suspects, including two facing murder charges, have pleaded not guilty in the May shooting death of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor.

    The three were arraigned Thursday morning before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Susan De Witt in downtown L.A.

    Not guilty pleas were entered on behalf of the alleged gunman, 18-year-old Robert Isaiah Barceleau of Huntington Park, who is charged with murder and the special-circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of an attempted robbery. He’s facing a potential sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted.

    Also pleading not guilty were Sergio Estrada,18, who was also charged with murder, but is not charged with the special circumstance allegation. He was also charged with attempted robbery and grand theft, both while armed with a firearm.

    Additionally, 22-year-old Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood, pleaded not guilty to being an accessory after the fact to the killing, along with receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    A fourth suspect, 18-year-old Leonel Gutierrez, who is charged with attempted robbery and grand theft by embezzlement, both with gun allegations, indicated through his attorney that he would plead guilty. He is free after posting $120,00 bond.

    De Witt set a preliminary setting hearing date of Oct. 16 for Barceleau, Estrada and Olano. Gutierrez was expected to enter his guilty plea on Sept. 11.

    Wactor, 37, was killed in the early-morning hours of May 25 in downtown Los Angeles. Walking to his car with a co-worker after a bartending shift, he was shot after confronting three robbers attempting to steal the car’s catalytic converter.

    His death sparked an outpouring of reaction from the community, with dozens attending a rally in June demanding justice. L.A. District Attorney chief deputy Joseph Iniguez told the crowd at the time that the major crimes division was working with Central Bureau homicide detectives on the case, saying, “We have a number of leads.”

    Wactor played Brando Corbin in 164 episodes of General Hospital during the years 2020-22. The long-running ABC daytime drama paid tribute to him in a mid-June episode..

    ‘General Hospital’ Fans Campaign for Kelly Monaco to Get Her Job Back

    (8/28/24) General Hospital fans are still trying to process the shocking news that long-time star Kelly Monaco is going to be killed off.

    Soap Opera Network first reported the news on Monday (August 26), noting how Monaco was reportedly “blindsided” by the decision to write her out of the show. Monaco has played Sam McCall on the long-running soap opera since 2003, having filmed more than 2,200 episodes.

    Since the news dropped, fans have flooded the General Hospital social media channels to demand that the show reverse its decision.

    “It’s not too late to reverse the unlawful firing of #KellyMonaco We are not done with Sam McCall. She still has more to tell,” wrote one fan who linked to a Change.org petition to ‘Save Sam McCall.’

    The petition, which over 3,500 fans have signed, reads, “Many fans of General Hospital have grown up watching this iconic show. Sam McCall, masterfully portrayed by Kelly Monaco for over 2 decades, has woven herself into the fabric of our daily lives, becoming a beloved figure on screen.”

    It continues, “The thought of General Hospital without Sam’s character is not just disappointing, it is unthinkable for the loyal audience. Her departure would strip the show of its core… Sam McCall is more than just a character to us, she represents a part of our own lives – triumphs, hardships, love, and loss. Without Kelly Monaco, this character’s journey abruptly ends, leaving her viewers with an incomplete story and void that can’t be filled.”

    Another X user commented on a General Hospital X post, “You fired Kelly Monaco. After 21 years. You people suck.”

    “The ONLY THING I want to see confronted is Team Kelly confronting TPTB at #GH and @ABCNetwork We want her to stay!” said another.

    “No one cares anymore. You guys are ruining this show. Bring back Kelly Monaco and Sam. Fix the mess you have created,” another added.

    One fan added, “I watch GH for Kelly Monaco’s Sam. If she’s not there, I don’t and won’t watch.”

    “The firing of Kelly Monaco is a perfect example of his absolute disconnect from viewers. TPTB need to reverse this terrible decision and not only keep Kelly on, but give her a real storyline,” said one commenter.

    Another added, “The future of #GH is not looking good if you can so egregiously blindside a 21 yr vet. This stinks to hog heaven! It is not the way to earn our loyalty as fans. Fix this mess.”

    Even General Hospital stars Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson seemed taken aback by the news. Speaking on their Daily Drama podcast, Burton and Anderson said they learned of Monaco’s firing at the same time as the fans.

    “We’re on a break from the show, we heard about it last night just like you did,” Anderson explained. “We do not have any information. I wish we had information we could tell you.”

    “Whatever happened sucks,” Burton added. “I don’t know exactly what the story is.”

    TV Insider commenters also shared their reactions to the news, with one fan writing, “It just seems like the writers secretly do not like General Hospital and are trying to ruin it.”

    Another added, “Don’t kill her off… bring her back when you realize better ways to showcase her talents!!”

    However, a couple of people were more welcoming of the decision to kill off Monaco’s character.

    “I feel her acting has gotten worse as of late. I can’t stand how she closes her eyes the whole time she talks. I’m glad she’s out,” wrote one fan.

    “No loss. She used to be good years ago but recent years, no longer like her. Just replace her with Lindsay Hartley. She does an excellent job and is a terrific actress,” added another, referring to the Passions actress who briefly filled in for Monaco in 2020, 2022, and 2024.

    ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ Teaser Shows Family Tensions Before Murders

    (8/27/24) (Video) What happens when the picture-perfect family is just that: picture perfect? That’s what the teaser trailer for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story asks as the titular brothers are all smiles in a portrait session with their parents — until the camera stops clicking, that is.

    Netflix’s new true-crime anthology series, which launched with Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story in 2022, continues with this still-stunning case of a pair of brothers who were convicted after killing their well-to-do parents on August 20, 1989.

    And now, Netflix is offering a ton of key details about the series. Here’s what to know.

    When does Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story premiere?

    The series premieres on Netflix on Thursday, September 19 at 3 a.m. ET.

    Is there a teaser trailer for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story?

    Yes! Embedded above is a teaser trailer for the new series, which shows a family in clear distress, as the mother questions what is “really going on” between her husband and “the boys.” It also reveals that the show will explore the claims of incest that were lodged by the Menedez brothers at their trial, when they accused their father of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse and said they killed him out of self-defense after they threatened to expose his crimes.

    If you or someone you know is the victim of child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453). If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

    What is Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story about?

    The series dramatizes the infamous true-life murders of José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez by their sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez.

    The official logline for the show is: “While the prosecution argued they were seeking to inherit their family fortune, the brothers claimed — and remain adamant to this day, as they serve life sentences without the possibility of parole — that their actions stemmed out of fear from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents.

    Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story dives into the historic case that took the world by storm, paved the way for audiences’ modern-day fascination with true crime, and in return asks those audiences: Who are the real monsters?”

    Who stars in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story?

    The star-studded cast features in the lead Javier Bardem as José Menendez, Chloë Sevigny as Mary Louise “Kiitty” Menendez, Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez, Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menendez, Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne, and Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson.

    Supporting stars include Leslie Grossman as Judalon Smyth, Dallas Roberts as Dr. Jerome Oziel, Paul Adelstein as David Conn, Jason Butler Harner as Det. Les Zoeller, Enrique Murciano as Carlos Baralt, Michael Gladis as Tim Rutten, Drew Powell as Det. Tom Linehan, Charlie Hall as Craig Cignarelli, Gil Ozeri as Dr. William Vicary, Jeff Perry as Peter Hoffman, Tessa Auberjonois as Dr. Laurel Oziel, Tanner Stine as Perry Berman, Larry Clarke as Brian Andersen, Jade Pettyjohn as Jamie Pisarcik, Marlene Forte as Marta Cano, and Vicki Lawrence as Leigh.

    The series is written by Ryan Murphy, David McMillan, Todd Kruban, Ian Brenna, and Reilly Smith. Directors include Brennan, Max Winkler, Paris Barclay, Michael Uppendahl, and Carl Franklin.

    ‘General Hospital’ Shocker: Kelly Monaco Leaving After 21 Years On ABC Sudser

    (8/26/24) A seismic shift is about to occur in Port Charles: Kelly Monaco, who plays Sam McCall, is leaving General Hospital.

    Deadline has confirmed that Monaco, who first joined the ABC sudser in 2003, will leave sometime this fall. Monaco has shot more than 2,200 episodes of GH and has received two Daytime Emmy nominations for her work. She went to win the mirrorball trophy in the first season of Dancing with the Stars.

    Soap Opera Network was first to report the news about Monaco.

    Monaco’s surprise departure mirrors what happened on CBS’ The Bold & the Beautiful earlier this year when Executive Producer Brad Bell decided to kill off Sheila Carter, played by the popular Kimberlin Brown. Brown told Deadline the surprise decision to write off her character was a “hard pillow to swallow” — especially since the decision was made two months later to bring her back.

    Change is certainly afoot at GH. Earlier this month, it was revealed that co-head writer Patrick Mulcahey was leaving the show while Chris Van Etten was returning to run the writers room with Elizabeth Korte.

    Last week, Deadline broke that Sawandi Wilson (Star Trek: Discovery) will join the sudser as Isaiah, who is only described for now as having a “connection” to Jonathan Jackson’s Lucky.

    Wilson’s first airdate as a GH castmember is Aug. 26.

    General Hospital: Kelly Monaco Leaving After 21 Years (Report)

    (8/26/24) A longtime General Hospital fan favorite is reportedly scrubbing out: Kelly Monaco is exiting the ABC daytime soap after more than two decades, according to Soap Opera Network, with her character Sam McCall set to be killed off. (TVLine has reached out to ABC for comment.)

    Monaco is set to make her final appearance as Sam this fall, per the report, which adds that Monaco was “blindsided” by the decision.

    Monaco made her General Hospital debut as Sam in 2003, following a three-year stint as Livvie Locke on spinoff Port Charles. Sam was introduced as a con artist and bad girl — the long-lost daughter of attorney Alexis Davis and mob boss Julian Jerome — but went on to become one of the pillars of the long-running soap. Monaco has been nominated for two Daytime Emmys, one for Port Charles in 2003 and one for General Hospital in 2006.

    General Hospital has seen more than its share of upheaval as of late, recently reinstating Chris Van Etten as co-head writer along with Elizabeth Korte. Emma Samms is set to return as Holly Sutton next month, while Jonathan Jackson returned last week to reprise his role as Lucky Spencer.

    Baywatch Cast Reflects on Highs and Lows of the Show in Docuseries Preview: ‘There Really Was No Better Job’

    (8/26/24) (Video) The Baywatch cast is back and they're reflecting on their time on the iconic show.

    The stars reunited for the new ABC News Studios docuseries, After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, and revealed how their lives changed being on one of the most popular television series, which ran from 1989 to 1999. To promote the new series (premiering Aug. 28), some of the stars reflected on what the docuseries meant to them in this exclusive featurette.

    For David Chokachi, who played Cody Madison, “I look back and was like, there really was no better job than Baywatch." Alexandra Paul nods in agreement beside him.

    “Baywatch is a fantasy,” says Nicole Eggert, who produced the documentary and played Summer Quinn on the show.

    The camera then cuts to Traci Bingham and Carmen Electra on each side of Jeremy Jackson, who played David Hasselhoff's child on the series. Jackson jokes, “Childhood memories finally manifesting,” as he hugs them and laughs.

    Baywatch was a phenomenon during its 11-season run — creator Douglas Schwartz even reveals it had 1.2 billion viewers per week.

    “That was the highest volume of viewers of any show ever in the history of television,” he says.

    The lifeguard rescue drama made headlines worldwide, bringing extreme fame to the cast. Reflecting on that pressure of being in the public eye, Paul explains that she was grateful to have her costars by her side at the time.

    “I think when you’ve been on a number one show in the world, it’s such a unique experience we had,” she discusses with Chokachi. “So coming together again, we’re just bonded because of that, because of what we went through — the good and the bad that came with that kind of fame.”

    Erika Eleniak, who played Shauni McClain, says she agrees, adding that doing the documentary three decades later was a full-circle moment.

    “It was a nice opportunity to be able to speak candidly about what was going on and how it affected our lives and our careers on a personal level,” she says while sitting beside Billy Warlock.

    On the other hand, Electra says she is hoping nothing too crazy comes out of the behind-the-scenes clips that will be included in the docuseries, teasing: “I heard there’s unseen footage, lost VHS tapes, so I'm a little concerned about that.”

    Director and executive producer Matthew Felker remembers the amount of attention the stars got during the peak of the show, saying he understands why the cast has been afraid of public scrutiny.

    “They were very hesitant with press because they’ve always been sort of massacred in the press,” he explains.

    The docuseries is a chance for the stars to tell their own stories about its impact on pop culture and their lives.

    In the docuseries, there's archival footage of Pamela Anderson (who starred as C.J. Parker) saying she still can recall where she was when she realized that she was famous.

    “We went to London to promote Baywatch and photographers were falling down backwards and down the stairs and I looked behind me and was like, ‘who are they shooting?’ And it literally dawns on you that it’s you,” she reveals.

    (Video) “Just because you’re a beautiful person doesn’t mean that life can’t happen too,” Felker continued. “Life happens to a lot of these people, and we see that.”

    The clip came to an end with a clip of Anderson declaring: “I’m really proud of everything I've done — almost.”

    After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun premieres Wednesday, August 28 on Hulu.

    Jonathan Jackson Returns to General Hospital — What Brings Lucky Spencer Back to Port Charles?

    (8/24/24) Jonathan Jackson made his long-awaited return to General Hospital on Friday, nearly a decade since Lucky Spencer was last seen in Port Charles.

    Viewers didn’t actually catch a glimpse of Jackson’s face until the end of the episode, however, as Lucky spent most of the hour with a burlap sack over his head. After establishing throughout the broadcast that someone was being held captive in a dirty cell, that person was ultimately revealed to be Lucky.

    Moments before the big unmasking, Laura was telling Elizabeth how much she misses her son. “I wish to God I knew where he was so I could bring him home,” she said. And just like that, there he was! So as soon as we find out where he is — and perhaps send him a comb — we’ll be sure to get him home.

    Jackson originated the role of Lucky in 1993, playing the son of Luke and Laura Spencer on and off through 2011, at which point he departed ABC’s daytime soap for the primetime country music drama Nashville. He later returned to GH for a brief stint in 2015.

    During his two-decade run as Lucky, Jackson won five Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1995, 1998, 1999, 2011 and 2012).

    Elsewhere in Friday’s hour, Molly continued to mourn the loss of her baby; the Ashford family rallied around T.J. in his grief; Haven defended Lois against an at-home heckler; and Chase helped Dante work through his complicated feelings about Lulu, while Maxie visited her bedside.

    OK, General Hospital fans, it’s time to start theorizing: Who’s holding Lucky captive? And does anyone else feel like Lulu’s about to wake up from that coma sooner rather than later?

    ‘General Hospital’ Recruits ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Actor Sawandi Wilson

    (8/23/24) General Hospital is introducing a new character to Port Charles just in time for Jonathan Jackson‘s return as fan-favorite character Lucky Spencer.

    Star Trek: Discovery star Sawandi Wilson has been cast as Isaiah, who according to Deadline, is described as having a “connection” to Lucky, who returned to the soap on Friday, August 23. Wilson’s Isaiah is set to debut on the series beginning Monday, August 26.

    Further details about Isaiah have not been unveiled at this time, but he’s sure to shake things up as Jackson told TV Insider about Lucky’s return, “He’s been away for almost a decade, so I would say that the reasons for him being away and what he’s been up to are revealed. He hasn’t just been sitting in an apartment writing his novel. He’s been up to stuff.”

    Fans will have to tune in to see how Isaiah factors into the Lucky Spencer mix, but expect to see plenty of Jackson in the days ahead as the actor teased he’s “back in a substantial, real way, which I’m excited about.”

    For those less familiar with Wilson as a performer, he is best known for playing Captain Leto in Season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery, appearing alongside Sonequa Martin-Green‘s Burnham and David Ajala‘s Book as their son. His other television credits include roles in Harlem, Law & Order: SVU, Quantico, The Get Down, Bull, The House of Flowers, and more.

    It’s unclear at this time how long Wilson’s run on the soap will be, but if its dependent upon Jackson, we anticipate that Isaiah’s role will be fairly sizeable.

    Don’t miss Wilson’s entrance as Isaiah when he makes his General Hospital debut on Monday, August 26.

    GH’s Deception Beauty Products Are Real and On Sale!

    (8/22/24) (soapsindepth.com) Deception has been a popular beauty brand on General Hospital for years but now it’s moving from the soap opera into the real world! Fans can visit www.shophomeandheart.com to buy many products seen on GH, including The Deceptor!

    The Deceptor isn’t just fiction anymore. It is a real beauty device that uses Red Light Therapy to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and is small and portable for use anywhere. And it’s only available at Shop Home & Heart!

    The website also offers the K. Carroll General Hospital Handbag Collection with prices ranging from $19.99-$42.00 so that fans can buy and use the same bags seen on the soap. Also for sale is a Signature Initial Necklace with Pear Drop-Gold Plate as worn by Kirsten Storms’ Maxie.

    Debbie Matenopoulos, who will appear in the Aug. 22 episode of GH, is launching her own skincare line, Ikaria Beauty, using natural, organic ingredients from her native Greece. Those products will soon be available on Shop Home & Heart for purchase.

    GH is also debuting a new character, Pearl, played by beauty expert Andy Paige, who was thrilled to appear on the soap she’s been watching since she was a kid. “This show meant the world to me growing up and it is a legacy show,” she declared. “I mean, what an honor.

    “I was fortunate that I grew up right across the street from my great grandmother,” Paige continued, “and every day I could walk across the street and I could get the best snacks and we would sit and we would watch General Hospital. And Robert Scorpio was her favorite… she loved the accent. And of course Luke and Laura and all of it. But it just meant so much to me to share this time with her and experience the drama and the glamour and the beauty that we all know.”

    GH already has a special section in the ABC Shop where fans can buy T-shirts and mugs and such but now Shop Home & Heart is offering the opportunity to buy actual beauty products as seen on the soap! Check it out!

    Richard Simmons Cause Of Death Confirmed By L.A. County Medical Examiner

    (8/22/24) The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office on Thursday confirmed the cause of death for fitness guru Richard Simmons. The 76-year-old died as a result “of blunt traumatic injuries” with “arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease as a contributing condition,” the ME’s office said in a statement. The death was ruled accidental.

    Simmons reportedly fell at his home on July 11 and spent the following day in bed. He was found unresponsive on his bedroom floor the morning of July 13th. 9-1-1 was called and he was pronounced dead at the scene, the coroner’s office said.

    Candace Cameron Bure & Cameron Mathison’s Christmas Movie Shakeup

    (8/21/24) Summer is coming to an end, which means the holiday season is right around the corner! Candace Cameron Bure and Cameron Mathison are teaming up for Great American Family‘s Home Sweet Christmas (working title), which will be a part of the network’s Great American Christmas 2024 lineup. A release date has not been revealed.

    TV Insider previously announced that Bure and Mathison would star in Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells. The film will not go into production in 2024. Bure’s two Christmas films for Great American Family this upcoming holiday season are Home Sweet Christmas and A Christmas Less Traveled.

    Home Sweet Christmas follows Sophie Marlow (Bure), a successful mergers and acquisitions attorney, who is called home to Waynesbridge, Washington, following her great uncle’s passing. Uncle Henry left Sophie 60% ownership in his Marlow Maple Meadows, a sprawling patch of sugar maple forest.

    Though Sophie hasn’t been on the property in decades, she immediately begins retracing the happy steps of her youth before encountering Sam (Mathison), her long-lost, childhood friend. Sam has returned to the farm after learning Henry left him the other 40% of the property. The legacy property means a quick sale is likely, though Sophie and Sam will discover neither of them is ready to let go just yet.

    Great American Family’s 2024 schedule also includes A Vintage Christmas starring Merritt Patterson and Christopher Russell; Love at the Kettle (working title) starring Carlos PenaVega and Alexa PenaVega; and A Christmas Less Traveled starring Bure and Eric Johnson.

    Bure is also executive producing the film alongside Ford Englerth, Jeffery Brooks, Holly A. Hines, Eric Jarboe, Gerald Webb, Trevor McWhinney, Paula Elle, and Martin Wood. The film is a Syrup Studios production in association with Candy Rock Entertainment. Supervising producers include Jonathan Shore, Robyn Wiener, Michael Shepard, and David Oland serves as associate producer.

    ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ Sets Premiere Date — Watch Teaser

    (8/20/24) (Video) The next installment of the Monster anthology from Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan will be streaming soon.

    Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story will premiere on Thursday, September 19 on Netflix. The streaming service announced the date with a new teaser clip, which you can watch above.

    This next part in the true-crime anthology series comes after the success of Dahmer. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story chronicles the case of the real-life brothers who were convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez. The prosecution argued they were seeking to inherit their family fortune, but the brothers claimed—as they still do to this day while serving life sentences without the possibility of parole—that their actions stemmed out of fear from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at their parents’ hands. The installment dives into the case and asks the audience, who are the real monsters?

    Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch star as Lyle and Erik, with Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny playing their parents, José and Kitty. Nathan Lane stars as Dominick Dunne, and Ari Graynor plays Leslie Abramson. The cast also includes Leslie Grossman (Judalon Smyth), Dallas Roberts (Dr. Jerome Oziel), Paul Adelstein (David Conn), Jason Butler Harner (Det. Les Zoeller), Enrique Murciano (Carlos Baralt), Michael Gladis (Tim Rutten), Drew Powell (Det. Tom Linehan), Charlie Hall (Craig Cignarelli), Gil Ozeri (Dr. William Vicary), Jeff Perry (Peter Hoffman), Tessa Auberjonois (Dr. Laurel Oziel), Tanner Stine (Perry Berman), Larry Clarke (Brian Andersen), Jade Pettyjohn (Jamie Pisarcik), and Marlene Forte (Marta Cano).

    Joining creators Murphy and Brennan as executive producers are Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, David McMillan, Louise Shore, Carl Franklin, and Bardem. Brennan, Max Winkler, Paris Barclay, Michael Uppendahl, and Franklin directed the series, which is written by Murphy, McMillan, Todd Kubrak, Brennan, and Reilly Smith.

    Two Charged With Murder In Johnny Wactor Death – Update

    (8/19/24) UPDATED, 2:15 PM: Four people arrested in the killing of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor have now been charged, two of them with murder, according to Los Angeles County prosecutors.

    Eighteen-year-old Robert Barceleau of Huntington Park, and Sergio Estrada, also 18, both have been charged with murder. Barceleau’s charge includes a special circumstance allegation of killing in the commission of a robbery, with a potential sentence of life in prison without parole. He’s also charged with attempted robbery and grand theft, both while armed with a firearm.

    Estrada’s charge does not include the special circumstance allegation. He’s also charged with attempted robbery and grand theft, both while armed with a firearm.

    Leonel Gutierrez, 18, is charged with attempted robbery and grand theft by embezzlement, both while armed. The fourth suspect, Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood, is charged with being an accessory after the fact to the killing, along with receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    Wactor was killed in the early-morning hours of May 25 in downtown Los Angeles. Walking to his car with a co-worker after a bartending shift, he was shot after confronting three robbers attempting to steal the car’s catalytic converter.

    Police arrest 4 suspects in killing of former ’General Hospital’ actor Johnny Wactor

    (8/15/24) Los Angeles police have arrested four suspects in the fatal shooting of former “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor.

    The four suspects who have been arrested range in age from 18 to 22 and hail from L.A. County, Huntington Park and Inglewood. Three of the suspects were booked on arrest warrants for murder and the fourth was booked as an accessory.

    A news release from the LAPD states that officers conducted search warrants that led to the arrests early Thursday morning and recovered additional evidence. No further details have been shared about the arrests or the evidence.

    Wactor was shot and killed when he interrupted thieves stealing the catalytic converter from his car in early on the morning of May 25. Police said the 37-year-old had left work at a rooftop bar with a coworker when he saw three men who had hoisted his car. Police said one of them fired at him without provocation and killed him.

    The men fled in a car and Wactor was taken to a hospital where he was later declared dead, police said. The county medical examiner said Wactor died from a gunshot wound to the chest and ruled the death a homicide.

    Police on Aug. 5 asked for the public’s help in identifying the suspects, releasing surveillance images of them and their getaway car.

    Wactor, a South Carolina native, portrayed Brando Corbin on the ABC soap opera from 2020 to 2022. He also appeared in a variety of films and TV series, including “Station 19,” “NCIS,” “Westworld” and the video game “Call of Duty: Vanguard.”

    His agent, David Shaul, said just after Wactor’s death that he “always kept his chin up and kept striving for the best he could be.”

    At a news conference earlier in the week, his mother described the feeling of losing him.

    “Grief is my constant companion,” Scarlett Wactor said. “I can’t wish him happy birthday on Aug. 31 — he would have been 38. I can’t ask if he’s coming home for Christmas. I can’t ask how his day went.”

    'General Hospital' Star Johnny Wactor Murder, Search Warrants Served, Gang Arrests Imminent

    (8/15/24) "General Hospital" star Johnny Wactor's murder case has been solved, at least according to cops, because cops have served search warrants early Thursday and are in the process of making "multiple arrests" ... TMZ has learned.

    LAPD has ID'd members of the Florencia 13 gang in connection with Johnny's murder outside Level 8 in downtown L.A., where he worked.

    We're told fingerprints found at the scene helped crack the case.

    TMZ broke the story ... Johnny was shot and killed in late May by a group of thieves who were trying to steal his car's catalytic converter.

    The activity comes only days after Johnny's friends and family held a press conference outside L.A. City Hall pleading for information from the public to assist in the investigation. Earlier this month, LAPD released surveillance photos of three suspects and a stolen Infiniti sedan used in the getaway.

    Supporters held a march in June to keep the late actor's memory alive ... and pressure city officials to find his murderers and hold them accountable.

    Johnny's car was up on a jack as he and a coworker approached the thieves in the street after a late shift at the bar, Level 8.

    The primary cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest. Johnny was 37.

    Johnny's since been cremated, with his remains sent back to his family in South Carolina.

    'General Hospital' Star Confirms Exit: 'This Goodbye Hurts'

    (8/14/24) Jacqueline Grace Lopez’s run as General Hospital‘s Blaze came to an end on Aug. 13, after nearly two years in the role. “Not gonna lie, this goodbye hurts,” the actress shared on Instagram. “I think because I didn’t see it coming…. I’m definitely going to miss this bunch.”

    In the episode, Blaze went on tour as Miguel Morez’s opening act after being dumped by Kristina.

    Family, friends of Johnny Wactor urge more action to find killers

    (8/13/24) (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3) Family and friends of actor Johnny Wactor called for action Tuesday from the public and officials to help find and convict his killers.

    The former General Hospital actor was shot on May 25 when he interrupted thieves stealing the catalytic converter from his car in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said. No arrests have yet been made.

    “I’m asking that anybody that knows anything please come forward,” the actor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor of South Carolina, said at a news conference outside Los Angeles City Hall. “It will help me and his brothers in our healing to know that they’ve been captured and convicted.”

    Police made their own plea for public help on Aug. 5 when they released surveillance images of three unidentified suspects and their getaway car — a stolen 2018 black Infiniti Q50.

    Johnny Wactor was born in Charleston, S.C., and grew up in the nearby town of Summerville. He portrayed Brando Corbin on the ABC soap opera General Hospital from 2020 to 2022. He also appeared in films and TV series including Station 19, NCIS and Westworld.

    Scarlett Wactor said previously that her son had left work at a rooftop bar with a co-worker when he saw someone at his car and thought it was being towed. A mask-wearing suspect opened fire, his mother said.

    “Grief is my constant companion,” she said Tuesday. “I can’t wish him happy birthday on Aug. 31 — he would have been 38. I can’t ask if he’s coming home for Christmas. I can’t ask how his day went.”

    Others at the news conference called for more action from Mayor Karen Bass and other leaders to combat crime.

    “We will make sure that no family has to endure the pain that Scarlett is enduring today,” city Coun. Kevin de Leon said. “We want justice for Johnny and we shall have it.”

    Ryan Murphy’s ‘Grotesquerie’ Sets FX Premiere Date; Full Cast & Character Details Revealed

    (8/13/24) FX has set a fall premiere date for Ryan Murphy‘s new horror drama series Grotesquerie. The 10-episode first season will launch Wednesday, September 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and stream the next day on Hulu. It will be coming soon to Disney+ internationally. You can see a full version of the just-released key art below.

    Niecy Nash-Betts, Courtney B. Vance, Lesley Manville, Micaela Diamond, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Raven Goodwin and Travis Kelce star in Grotesquerie, which revolves around a series of heinous crimes that have unsettled a small community. Detective Lois Tryon (Nash-Betts) feels these crimes are eerily personal, as if someone—or something—is taunting her. At home, Lois grapples with a strained relationship with her daughter, a husband in long-term hospital care and her own inner demons. With no leads and unsure of where to turn, she accepts the help of Sister Megan (Diamond) a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. Sister Megan, with her own difficult past, has seen the worst of humanity, yet she still believes in its capacity for good. Lois, on the other hand, fears the world is succumbing to evil. As Lois and Sister Megan string together clues, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers.

    Vance portrays Marshall Tyron. Manville is Nurse Redd, Chavez plays Father Charlie and Goodwin is Merritt Tryon. Kelce’s character has not been revealed.

    Written and created by Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken, Grotesquerie is directed by Max Winkler, Murphy, Alexis Martin Woodall and Elegance Bratton. The show is executive produced by Murphy, Woodall, Baitz, Baken, Winkler, Nash-Betts, Vance, Peter Liguori, Nissa Diederich, Eric Kovtun and Scott Robertson. It is produced by 20th Television.

    Baywatch Docu Trailer Teases Lifeguard Drama’s Highs and Lows: ‘Everybody Was Disposable’

    (8/13/24) (Video) ABC News Studio has released a trailer for After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, a four-part docuseries that hits Hulu on Wednesday, Aug. 28, and promises “a nostalgic and insightful exploration of the cultural phenomenon that defined an era.”

    Baywatch debuted nearly 35 years ago, in September 1989, and aired on NBC and then in syndication until May 2001. (We don’t talk abut Baywatch Nights.) The series’ OG cast included David Hasselhoff, Parker Stevenson, Billy Warlock, Erika Eleniak and others, while subsequent additions included Pamela Anderson, Nicole Eggert, David Charvet, Alexandra Paul, Yasmine Bleeth, Traci Bingham, Carmen Electra and future Aquaman Jason Momoa.

    In its bid to deliver “an unprecedented look into the stars who brought the world’s most famous lifeguards to life, After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun features dozens of new cast and creator interviews — including Eggert, Electra, Warlock, Paul, Bingham, Eleniak, Gregory Alan Williams, David Chokachi, Jeremy Jackson, Michael Newman, Michael Berk and Douglas Schwartz — and never-before-seen footage.

    The four-part series also unveils a never-aired interview with Anderson, and shares loads of never-before-seen home videos shot by the cast and offering a unique glimpse into the real dynamics, struggles, friendships and moments that happened off-camera.

    Press play on the trailer above to hear Warlock and others talk about the beauty standard made famous by the sun-baked series, the ever-changing cast’s “disposable” nature and the feelings the theme song alone triggered, and to get a peek at the never-before-seen Anderson interview.

    'General Hospital' star Steve Burton finds new love after wife cheated, got pregnant

    (8/8/24) Steve Burton has found love again.

    The General Hospital actor found happiness with chef Michelle Lundstrom following his split from wife Sheree Gustin in June 2022 after more than 20 years of marriage after she got pregnant by another man.

    Burton shared a photo of them embracing on his Instagram Story.

    “When you find someone who feels like home. Unpack,” he wrote.

    It seems the couple have been dating for a few months but have managed to keep their romance under the radar.

    They stepped out together at the Daytime Emmy Awards in June, with the Barbecue Showdown 2 contestant sharing some photos of their “first red carpet together” on Instagram.

    “Our first red carpet together,” she gushed in the caption. “It was a dream of a night from beginning to end. Thank you for all the beautiful kind comments + messages. I’m truly grateful [heart and prayer emoji] (sic)”

    Later that month, Lundstrom, 43, shared a reel of her favourite times with Burton in honour of the soap star’s 54th birthday.

    “Happiest birthday my love @1steveburton,” she wrote. “It’s a better place with you in this world. Anyone that has you in their life in any capacity is truly blessed.

    “I think I’ll forever be in awe of what an incredible man and human you are. Thank you for wearing the largest fanny pack in Disney + sharing your beautiful life alongside mine. Wishing you a million more special memories smiles, you deserve it all!”

    Burton and Gustin, who have Mackena, 20, Jack, 18, and 10-year-old Brooklyn together, finalized their divorce in December 2023.

    They agreed to joint legal and physical custody of their younger children, with Burton agreeing to pay Gustin $12,500 a month in child support, which works out as $10,000 for Brooklyn — until she turns 18 — and $2,500 for Jack.

    In April, Burton’s payments were reduced to $10,000 a month after Jack turned 18.

    The former couple waived their right to spousal support “now or at any time in the future, regardless of the unforeseen circumstances that may exist in the future.”

    But Burton is paying Gustin $50,000, in $2,500 per month instalments, as retroactive support.

    The marriage cratered after Burton found out that his now ex-wife got pregnant by another man.

    In May 2022, Burton shared an update about the couple to his followers on Instagram Stories.

    “I wanted to clear something up,” he wrote, according to Page Six. “Sheree and I are separated. She recently announced that she’s expecting her 4th child. The child is not mine.”

    They married in January 1999.

    It's Official, ‘General Hospital’ Brings Back Chris Van Etten As Co-Head Writer With Elizabeth Korte

    (8/7/24) Nearly three months after General Hospital shook up its writers room and said goodbye to co-head writer Patrick Mulcahey, the sudser has a new — well, kind of new — team in place.

    Chris Van Etten is returning to serve as co-head writer with Elizabeth Korte, Deadline has confirmed. At the same time, GH script and breakdown Writer Cathy LePard has been upped to associate head writer.

    Van Etten previously served as co-head writer with Dan O’Connor until they were replaced in January with Mulcahey and Korte. The daytime sudser had just taken the top prize at the 50th Annual Daytime Emmys when the changes were revealed.

    Van Etten and Korte are considered long-time respected members of the GH family.

    “No one knows General Hospital and its history more than Elizabeth and Chris. Cathy joined the show in 2023, and her talent and love for the genre has been a tremendous asset to this team,” said EP Frank Valentini in a statement to Soap Opera Digest, which first reported the news. “We look forward to this dynamic writing combination continuing the legacy of the show and giving our fans much to look forward to.”

    The head writing team’s first episode airs Aug. 8.

    Van Etten’s previous credit includes a stint on One Life To Live before he joined GH in 2012. Korte joined in 1994.

    Emme Rylan Confirms GH Is Recasting Lulu

    (8/6/24) (soapsindepth.com) When the news broke that General Hospital had sent out a casting call for a character that sounded suspiciously like Lulu Spencer, many fans hoped it was a mistake because they wanted Emme Rylan to return to the role that she left in December 2020.

    Unfortunately, Rylan shared a screenshot of Soaps In Depth’s Instagram post about our story regarding the potential recast and confirmed the sad news in her Instagram Stories. “Yes, it is true,” she wrote. “GH has decided to recast Lulu.”

    Following her roles as Guiding Light’s Lizzie Spaulding and The Young & The Restless’ Abby Newman, Rylan took over the role of Lulu on GH from Julie Marie Berman in April 2013. Although the character fell into a coma in December 2020 after being injured in an explosion, fans continued to hope that Lulu would one day wake up and that Rylan would be back playing the role.

    Last August, Rylan assured fans that she was willing to come back whenever the soap came calling. “I have made it very clear to GH that I am always available to play Lulu should she ever want to wake up. It is my understanding that when they choose to wake her up, they would be calling me. That could always change. Who knows?”

    Sadly, for Rylan’s loyal fan base, that proved not to be the case. “Although I am very disappointed with their choice,” the actress shared in her Instagram Story, “I am glad to finally have closure. (And thank goodness GH brought all of you fabulous people into my life! Love you guys!)”

    Rebecca Budig Joins The Bold and the Beautiful as an Iconic Character: 'I Love Her Strength'

    (8/6/24) (people.com) (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood 37, Rebecca Budig 51, Hunter Tylo 62, Krista Allen 53)

    When Rebecca Budig’s first episode of The Bold and the Beautiful airs on August 6, the soap star hopes viewers will embrace her performance of a character that has long been a part of the show’s DNA.

    The four-time Daytime Emmy Award-nominated actress, 51, will play Dr. Taylor Hayes, a role dreamed up by one of the show’s creators William J. Bell and previously played over the years by Hunter Tylo, Sherilyn Wolter and Krista Allen. But for Budig — who has previously starred on General Hospital, All My Children and Guiding Light — playing Dr. Hayes, a compassionate psychiatrist, is a first. And while she may not have have the medical training, the actress says she has a lot of respect for therapy as a practice.

    “I love therapy — I’ve gone to years of therapy — which is a little different from psychiatry, obviously,” she tells PEOPLE, adding, “I’ve been around enough mental health care professionals … just to get a sense of what they’re like.”

    "Before this job came up, I thought about going back to school and studying psychology, because it actually fascinates me,” she continues. “It’s ironic that I got this part, given that that’s what I was going to try and do in the fall, anyway.”

    Settling back into the fast-paced day-to-day rhythm of soap operas was an adjustment, she admits, given her last project, the TV movie Fit for Christmas in 2022, moved at a slower pace.

    “It was very slow, and you did the scene a hundred times, so you're like, ‘Oh, this is great,’” she mused. “I like to know my lines very well so that I just don't have to think about them very much. It's just getting that muscle back up and working again. ... I don't even want to watch the first couple shows, let's put it that way. ... I'm my worst critic.”

    (Photo) Budig has spent much of her time shooting her initial scenes with Katherine Kelly Lang, who plays her character's longtime rival Brooke, and Thorsten Kaye, who portrays Taylor's off-again, on-again romantic interest Ridge.

    Filming with both actors was an easygoing experience, partly because Budig and Kaye had previously worked together on All My Children.

    “I've always loved Thorsten,” she explains. “He's always been very kind to me … I've been to his house for Thanksgiving once, so I love Thorsten and his family. … He does something different every time. He doesn't say the same thing every time, so he keeps you on your toes — and that's all you can ask for, really.”

    (Photo) Budig is excited to see how loyal, longtime viewers of The Bold and the Beautiful respond to her portrayal of Taylor.

    “I just hope they're open to that idea and interpretation of it and that they just believe the relationships between Taylor and Ridge and Taylor and Brooke,” she says, adding, “I always thought that All My Children might've been the best job I ever had in terms of the people all really getting along, but I truly get the vibe here that it's that one in a million group of people that is just collaborative, kind, supportive and just very welcoming. So I'm excited. Really excited.”

    The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays at 1:30 p.m. ET on CBS and is available for streaming on Paramount+.

    ‘General Hospital’: Jonathan Jackson Begins Production On ABC Sudser

    (8/5/24) (Photo) Lucky Spencer is officially in the house.

    General Hospital posted the first picture of Jonathan Jackson Monday, his first official day back on the ABC soap.

    “We are so very lucky (see what we did there) to have Jonathan Jackson back in the building,” the post reads on X. “And you won’t have to wait long to see what he has in store for Port Charles.”

    He’s expected to appear on the show at the end of August.

    LAPD Releases Suspect Photos In Actor Johnny Wactor Murder

    (8/4/24) (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3) Frustrated in their attempts to find the suspects in the murder of actor Johnny Wactor, the Los Angeles Police Department has released photos of the alleged killers and vehicle. All are believed to be connected to the May killing of General Hospital actor Wactor.

    Wactor, 37, was shot and killed during an attempted catalytic converter theft in the early morning hours of May 25.

    He appeared as Brando Corbin in 164 episodes of General Hospital.

    Wactor was leaving his shift as a bartender when he noticed three men who had raised his vehicle with a floor jack in the 1200 block of Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles.

    He was shot in the ensuing confrontation. The suspects fled north on Hope Street in a stolen 2018, black, 4 door, Infiniti Q50 with a tan interior. Photos in the community alert depict three men, two in gray-colored hoodies and one in a black hoodie. The man who pulled the trigger, identified only as “Suspect 1,” has a tattoo above his left eye and on his right cheek.

    During business hours contact Central Bureau Homicide Detective Howarth #37636 at (213) 996-4143 & Detective Bobadilla at (213) 996-4173. After hours notify Central Area Watch Commander.

    'General Hospital' star Cameron Mathison splits from wife after 22nd anniversary

    (8/1/24) Cameron Mathison has split from his wife after more than 20 years of marriage.

    The ‘General Hospital’ actor and his spouse Vanessa — who are parents to Lucas, 21, and 18-year-old Leila — revealed on Wednesday, just four days after their 22nd wedding anniversary, that they have decided to “part ways” but will always be thankful for the time they spent together.

    They said in a joint statement: “After 22 years of marriage, we have made the difficult decision to part ways. We enter this new chapter with deep love, kindness, and respect for each other.

    “We hold gratitude in our hearts for the wonderful years we shared together.

    “Our children have been and will continue to be our highest priority, and we will forever share in our devotion and love for them.”

    The former couple have parted on amicable terms and “wish the best” for one another’s futures.

    They added: “We remain friends, and both wish the best for one another. We sincerely appreciate your respect for our family’s privacy during this transition.”

    The 54-year-old actor took part in ‘Dancing With the Stars’ in 2007 and he recently admitted he asked producers for a different partner after was was paired with “very beautiful” professional Edyta Sliwinska because he and Vanessa, 57, were going through a “bit of a challenge” at the time.

    He told Cheryl Burke on her ‘Sex, Lies and Spray Tans’ podcast: “I watched the show, so I knew Edyta. She’s a very beautiful woman, and I don’t even know if Edyta knows this, I actually called Dina Katz, who’s my dear friend now, who at the time was casting director, I called her and I said, ‘Listen, I’m so happy that you’ve offered me the show. I can’t wait. I’m in. Just do me a favour. Put me with anybody but Edyta.’

    “Because I knew my wife and I, we were going through a little bit of a challenge at that time, and Edyta didn’t wear a lot of clothes.”

    But Mathison went ahead with Sliwinska and they finished in fifth place, though he acknowledged things were “really hard” on his wife back home at the time.

    He said: “Vanessa was a trooper. We’d recently gone through a bunch of stuff, and it wasn’t great timing and I was off in LA spending time with this beautiful woman, dressed up, against her, sweating with her five hours a day rehearsing, and then doing all the press and touring stuff together, and it was really hard.”. ‘General Hospital’ Brings Back Emma Samms (7/29/24) Holly is returning to Port Charles.

    Deadline has learned that Emma Samms is making another comeback to General Hospital in September. Her last visit to the ABC soap kicked off in October of 2022. At that time, her character had been missing since 2020.

    Samms told Deadline in 2022 that “I can’t believe that it’s been 40 years since I first appeared on General Hospital and that, once again, I get to play the wonderful character of Holly Sutton. No one is more interested in what’s happened to her since we saw her two years ago, being held captive by a mysterious villain, than me!”

    Samms debuted as Holly on GH in 1982 and appeared on and off through 2015. Her other TV credits include Dynasty and its spinoff The Colbys.

    GH has been treating fans to lots of old faves this summer. Deadline was first to report that Jonathan Jackson will be back to play Lucky Spencer, and last week it was revealed that Rick Hearst is returning to to reprise his role as Ric Lansing after an eight-year absence.

    Former ‘General Hospital’ Actor Haley Pullos Gets Five Years Probation In Wrong-Way Car Crash

    (7/29/24) Former General Hospital actress Haley Pullos was sentenced today to five years probation, 200 hours of community service and a nine-month alcohol program in connection with a wrong-way DUI crash last year on the Ventura (134) Freeway in Pasadena that left her and another driver injured.

    Pullos, now 26, served three months behind bars following her plea to a felony DUI charge stemming from the April 29, 2023, collision. She was expected to be released from custody on Monday.

    Pullos was also ordered to complete a mental health treatment program, to pay $8,260 in restitution to the victim and not to drive a motor vehicle for a year.

    The actress — who appeared in a Pasadena courtroom in orange jail clothes — responded, “Yes, your honor,” when asked if she accepted the terms of her sentence.

    Pullos was trapped in her mangled vehicle and had to be pulled from the wreckage by Pasadena Fire Department crews, according to the CHP. She and the other driver were both injured and taken to hospitals.

    CHP investigators also said Pullos had been involved in an earlier hit- and-run crash before entering the 134 Freeway.

    PREVIOUSLY on June 28, 2023: General Hospital star Haley Pullos was officially charged with two DUI felony counts and a misdemeanor stemming from the April 29 car crash when the actor allegedly drove her vehicle the wrong way on a Pasadena freeway and collided head-on with another car.

    The driver of the other car was seriously injured and reportedly is suing Pullos.

    The 24-year-old Pullos was charged today by the Los Angeles County D.A. with one felony count of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury; one felony count of driving with a .08% blood alcohol content causing injury; and one misdemeanor count of hit and run driving resulting in property damage.

    She has pleaded not guilty. A preliminary hearing is set for July 27.

    The accident occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m. on April 29, according to the California Highway Patrol. Pullos allegedly was traveling west at 60 mph when her white 2019 Ford swerved, crossed the dividing barrier and crashed into an eastbound vehicle.

    Pullos has played Molly Lansing-Davis on the ABC soap since 2009. She has been absent from the series since the accident, with Holiday Mia Kriegel filling in the role at least on a temporary basis.

    Hollywood’s Mental Health Crisis: ‘General Hospital’s Tabyana Ali Breaks Silence About How Online Trolls “Led Me To Question My Self-Worth” – Guest Column

    (7/25/24) By Tabyana Ali

    This is the latest in a series of Deadline reports looking at how the current upheaval in the media & entertainment industry is impacting mental health. Here, General Hospital actress Tabyana Ali, who has played Trina Robinson on the ABC sudser since 2022, speaks out for the first time about the online trolling she endured this year. The racist comments became so egregious that they prompted the daytime series to recently declare that “General Hospital does not tolerate hatred or bigotry of any kind. Racism has no place in Port Charles.”

    When I first booked General Hospital, I was so grateful and appreciative. It felt like the world aligned so perfectly. I auditioned for Trina when I was 16 years old. I made it to the producer session with Sydney Mikayla and two other girls and Sydney booked the role. She did an amazing job with it and made Trina such a lovable fan favorite.

    Then three years later, I auditioned for General Hospital again. I thought they were going to add an addition to Trina’s circle, like a family member or a new friend, but after getting a callback, going to the screen test, and booking the show, I found out in the script that the role I booked was for Trina. It was cool and surreal. When I was younger, I wanted to show that I could do more than just comedy and General Hospital has given me that opportunity.

    No one told me I had to maintain a social media presence, but in this era of the industry it certainly feels like there’s an unspoken expectation to maintain a presence. Social media allows you to help build your brand while giving fans an opportunity to relate to you by sharing a glimpse of your life.

    I first found out about the trolls from another cast member who was sharing their own experience with online bullying and explaining why they have their social media platforms set up the way they do. Eventually I got my own taste of it. It started out with the small things at first, but got progressively worse and eventually resulted in racially charged and life-threatening comments that were incredibly hurtful and damaging.

    At first, I didn’t pay them much attention. These people didn’t know me, and I didn’t know them, so their comments didn’t hold any value. But eventually I started having self-esteem issues that led me to start questioning my self-worth. I would see comments suggesting that because I’m Black, I’m not as attractive as my on-screen counterparts and that I shouldn’t be in in an interatrial relationship. They said that my value and talent didn’t compare.

    I was having a conversation with a friend who has unfortunately also dealt with online hate, and she shared that as a result of all of the bullying she had endured, she no longer liked herself. I couldn’t believe she would say anything like that. I had always viewed her as exuding grace and confidence, with a magnetic energy. I started to feel like God was putting a mirror in my face and showing me how silly I was to be surrendering to the people hiding behind their computer screens. Even with all the accomplishments I had made in my career and beyond, I still accepted the negative comments as some part of the truth. It took some months of letting go of the narrative and accepting that I’m not mediocre, that I am beautiful, that I have value, and that I am talented. I look in the mirror now and wonder why I ever questioned that in the first place. I think about how offensive that is to God, to my mother and ones that came before. It’s not even about me. I’m something God created. I’m a product of them.

    Even with all the accomplishments I had made in my career and beyond, I still accepted the negative comments as some part of the truth. It took some months of letting go of the narrative and accepting that I’m not mediocre, that I am beautiful, that I have value, and that I am talented.

    I decided to say something because I was witnessing other soap stars, friends and castmates deal with hate, bigotry and racism online and I wanted to take a stand. I wanted the trolls to know that I see them and not just “I see your comment” but I see your “pain” and that online hate isn’t the way for them to be seen.

    I felt so thankful that they were sympathetic and so understanding. The day of the post I received calls from ABC letting me know that they were in full support of me using my voice, and they had my back. I felt so grounded and so grateful hearing from them. I don’t think they understood how much that meant to me. My castmates/friends, both within the GH family and beyond, were also so supportive. They all rallied together and shared such encouraging words.

    The most obvious advice that I would give other actors is if you come across hate DO NOT take it personally. DO NOT give them your power by accepting what they say. PLEASE feel your feelings because you are human and that’s one of the most important parts of getting through hurt, BUT remember you are more than a social media comment. Being in this industry you’ve probably heard a lot of “no’s” and felt a lot of rejection, so this is just another simple storm that will make you stronger. Don’t stoop to their level. That’s what haters want. Don’t give them the satisfaction.

    I know what social media is. When I’m tired of it, I’ll turn off my phone, touch some grass, see the sun, eat a delicious meal, and find something to do. Peace around the world for generations!

    Rick Hearst Returning To ‘General Hospital’ To Reprise Ric Lansing Role

    (7/25/24) A familiar face will be returning to Port Charles. After an eight-year absence, Rick Hearst is returning to ABC’s General Hospital to reprise his role of Ric Lansing.

    Hearst’s character, Sonny’s brother, was first introduced on the show in 2002. He exited in 2009, then returned for a second run from 2014-2016. His first episodes will begin airing the week of August 19. Ric is also the father of Alexis Davis’ (Nancy Lee Grahn) daughter Molly (Kristen Vaganos).

    Hearst told TVInsider, GH casting director Mark Teschner reached out to him and asked him if he’d like to return. “My first question was, “Really? What’s the story, what’s happening?”, adding, “Then he told me and I kind of look at it as, ‘Daddy’s home and here to take care of his daughter and anything that entails.’”

    Hearst has recently been catching up on the storyline. “I’ve been trying to catch up and see what’s happening and I see that there’s a situation where Kristina is being a surrogate for Molly,” he says. “And while I don’t know what that turns into, I have a feeling there’s going to be some friction by virtue of the fact that one daughter is parented by Alexis and Sonny, and the other daughter is parented by Alexis and Ric. That alone is enough to create a mad amount of drama of who’s going to side with who. And it’s going to be entertaining.”

    Since his last appearance on General Hospital, three-time Daytime Emmy winner Hearst has recurred on VH1’s Daytime Divas and guest-starred on The Vampire Diaries, Dynasty and most recently Ambitions.

    Judy Greer & Mark Hamill Latest To Join Lionsgate’s ‘The Long Walk’

    (7/25/24) Judy Greer (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) and Mark Hamill (The Life of Chuck) are the newest additions to the cast of The Long Walk, Lionsgate‘s adaptation of the 1979 novel from Stephen King.

    Details as to their roles are under wraps. As previously announced, Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson will lead the ensemble, with Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, Joshua Odjick and Roman Griffin Davis also appearing.

    Originally published under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Long Walk focuses on a dystopian America that is entertained by the Long Walk — a competition in which 50 teenage boys walk without rest. Each competitor must keep walking faster than three miles per hour — or risk being eliminated.

    Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) is directing from a script by JT Mollner. Lawrence is also producing the project through his company about:blank, alongside Roy Lee, Cameron MacConomy — his producing partner at about:blank — as well as Steven Schneider.

    Meredith Wieck and Erin Jones-Wesley are overseeing for Lionsgate, with Phil Strina negotiating the deals on behalf of the studio. Production is underway and will continue in locations throughout the province of Manitoba through the summer.

    Recently wrapping Stampede Ventures’ action thriller The Fisherwoman opposite Emma Thompson, Greer will next be seen starring in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever for Lionsgate. Other recent projects include HBO’s limited series White House Plumbers, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Hulu’s comedy series Reboot from Steve Levitan.

    Hamill will next be seen starring opposite Tom Hiddleston in Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck, which is set to world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. He is also a voice actor in Universal’s upcoming September release The Wild Robot also starring Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, and Kit Connor.

    Greer is represented by CAA, Artists First, and Felker Toczek Suddleson. Hamill is repped by Gersh and Kleinberg Lange Cuddy & Carlo.

    Mark Hamill To Voice The Flying Dutchman In ‘The SpongeBob Movie: The Search For SquarePants’

    (7/25/24) Mark Hamill will voice the Flying Dutchman in Paramount and Nickelodeon’s upcoming feature The SpongeBob Movie: The Search For SquarePants. The announcement was made during Thursday’s Comic-Con presentation in San Diego celebrating the franchise.

    Voice actors Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs) and Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) took the stage to participate in a live table read of the beloved pilot “Help Wanted.”

    The latest film will bow in 2025.

    The panel, moderated by Good Burger star Kel Mitchell — who appeared in character as Ed — also included executive producers Marc Ceccarelli and Vincent Waller.

    SpongeBob SquarePants premiered on Nickelodeon in the summer of 1999, eventually becoming one of the most successful animated series of all time. Created by Stephen Hillenburg, the show follows the happy-go-lucky sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea as he tries (and fails) to pass his boating school exam, work as a fry cook and spend time with a colorful group of friends.

    Talk Show Appearance

    (7/25/24) Live With Kelly and Mark - syndicated

    Thursday, Aug. 8 – JOHN STAMOS is here for a new season of his show, “UnPrisoned”

    Morning Show Appearance

    (7/20/24) Good Morning America - ABC

    AIRING Jul 24, 2024

    Actor Cameron Mathison

    Richard Simmons buried during private LA funeral with ‘only family and closest friends’

    (7/19/24) A private funeral for Richard Simmons was held Friday in Los Angeles nearly a week after his death.

    “Our beloved Dicky was laid to rest this morning surrounded by only family and closest friends,” his older brother, Lenny Simmons, told People in a statement provided by his longtime publicist, Tom Estey.

    “We pray for your continued love and support during this very difficult time.”

    Lenny asked his late siblings’s fans to “remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people’s lives,” going on to say that Richard “truly cared about people,” as “he called, wrote and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help.”

    “So don’t be sad,” Lenny urged. “Celebrate his life.”

    According to TMZ, the legendary fitness guru was buried at the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary.

    The outlet obtained his death certificate, which does not list a manner of death. Instead, it notes that the manner of death is still pending an investigation.

    The death certificate also refers to Richard as a “health motivator” and states that he was a bachelor at the time of his passing, as he was never married.

    Richard reportedly described feeling dizzy before he fell in his bathroom last Friday, which happened to be his 76th birthday.

    Per TMZ, his housekeeper helped him up and tried to get him medical attention immediately, but he refused because he wanted to stay home on his birthday.

    He reportedly told his housekeeper that he would maybe see a doctor the next day before she helped him back to bed.

    Around 10 a.m. on Saturday, the housekeeper reportedly found the aerobics instructor unresponsive on the floor next to his bed.

    According to TMZ, Richard showed no obvious or external signs of injury — including bumps, bruises or bleeding — following the fall.

    The New Orleans native was pronounced dead on the scene, and there were reportedly no signs of foul play.

    Richard said he felt “good” and was “grateful” to be “alive” in a rare interview published just one day before his passing.

    In March, he revealed he was diagnosed with and treated for skin cancer “so many years ago.”)

    ‘S.W.A.T.’ Ups Niko Pepaj To Series Regular; Adds Annie Ilonzeh To Season 8

    (7/18/24) Niko Pepaj will kick off Season 8 of CBS’ S.W.A.T. on October 18 with a promotion. Returning as Officer Miguel Alfaro, Pepaj has been upgraded to a series regular fulfilling his character’s wish to be a permanent member of 20 Squad.

    Additionally, the new season will welcome Annie Ilonzeh into the fold in the role of Devin Gamble in a recurring capacity.

    Inspired by the television series and the feature film, S.W.A.T. follows former Marine and locally born and raised S.W.A.T. sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Shemar Moore) who is tasked with running a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles. Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, Hondo strives to bridge the divide between his two worlds.

    Gamble was born into an L.A. family deeply entrenched in crime, leaving her with a fierce determination to break free of her blood legacy. She thought she’d achieved that, becoming a standout as an LAPD rookie… until her father’s arrest for a heinous crime cast a shadow Gamble could only escape by leaving LA for the Oakland PD.

    Now, a decade later, Hondo brought Gamble back home to become an integral new member of 20-Squad, knowing her inner strength, intuition, and street smarts will make her an invaluable part of the team.

    Casting on S.W.A.T. recently underwent a shakeup following the unexpected cancellation and later un-cancellation of the series. Fan favorites Kenny Johnson and Alex Russell said goodbye in the Season 7 finale. Rochelle Aytes, who plays Hondo’s wife Nichelle Carmichael, is expected to return in a smaller capacity in Season 8 as she has accepted an offer to star opposite Morris Chesnut on the upcoming new series Watson on CBS.

    S.W.A.T. also stars Jay Harrington, David Lim, Patrick St. Esprit and Anna Enger Ritch. Shawn Ryan, Andrew Dettmann, Justin Lin, Neal H. Moritz, Marney Hochman, Pavun Shetty, Billy Gierhart, Moore and James Scura serve as executive producers. The action drama is produced by Sony Pictures Television and CBS Studios.

    Pepaj joined S.W.A.T. during the show’s sixth season. Previously, he can be seen in ABC’s The Rookie, ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder, VH1’s Daytime Divas and Amazon Prime’s Bosch. He is repped by Mosaic and TalentWorks.

    Ilonzeh recently appeared in the lead role and served as a producer on the independent film, Soulmates, opposite Charlie Weber. The Dallas native also produced/starred in indie features Vicious Affair, Stepdaughter and Snatched for Tubi through Footage Films. For TV, Ilonzeh portrayed series regular Emily Foster on Dick Wolf’s Chicago Fire on NBC and was the lead in Universal TV’s pilot Getaway for NBC/Universal. Additional credits include the independent spy thriller, Agent Game, the STX feature Peppermint and the Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyez on Me for Lionsgate. She is repped by IAG and Etcetera and Company.o

    James B. Sikking Dies: ‘Hill Street Blues’, ‘Doogie Howser, M.D.’ Actor Was 90

    (7/14/24) James B. Sikking (General Hospital), the actor known for his roles on shows like Hill Street Blues and Doogie Howser, M.D., has died. He was 90.

    Sikking died of Dementia on Saturday at his Los Angeles home, where his publicist Cynthia Snyder tells Deadline that the actor was surrounded by family in his final moments.

    “In a remarkable career, Sikking’s wonderfully exciting face gave us drama, comedy, tragedy and hilarious farse. His career spanned over six decades in television, film and on stage,” said Snyder in a statement, adding: “His talent, integrity and imagination intrigued and delighted audiences.”

    Most known for playing Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues and Dr. David Howser on Doogie Howser, M.D., Sikking also appeared on such shows as Rawhide, Bonanza, Starsky & Hutch, The Rockford Files, Brooklyn South, Turnabout, General Hospital and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

    On the big screen, Sikking starred alongside Frank Sinatra in Von Ryan’s Express (1965) and Elvis Presley in Charro! (1969), as well as films like Ordinary People (1960), Scorpio (1973), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), The Pelican Brief (1993), Fever Pitch (2005) and Made of Honor (2008).

    Sikking also appeared onstage in such plays as Exit Strategy, The Big Knife, Put Them All Together, Nobody Loves an Albatross and a tour of Neil Simon‘s Plaza Suite.

    Born March 5, 1934 in Los Angeles, Sikking was named after author James Barrie. “It seemed a perfect choice,” said Snyder. “There is a bit of Peter Pan in James… his sense of imagination appeared whether playing roles on stage or screen.”

    He studied theater at UCLA, where he met wife Florine Caplan, while also serving in the military.

    Sikking is survived by wife Florine, son Andrew, daughter Dr. Emily Sikking and four grandchildren.

    General Hospital Star Recalls Richard Simmons’ ‘Wicked Sense of Humor’ While Working Together on Soap

    (7/14/24) (people.com) Richard Simmons is being remembered by his former costars and collaborators following his death.

    The fitness guru, who died on July 13 at age 76, has been described as having a “wicked sense of humor” by General Hospital star Lynn Herring after working with the late star when he appeared on the soap in 2013.

    “Richard Simmons meant a lot to so many folks including me,” Herring, who plays Lucy Coe in General Hospital and shared several scenes with Simmons during his last appearance on the soap, tells PEOPLE.

    “When Richard walked on our General Hospital stage it would sizzle with his life force, his wicked sense of humor, his joy of entertaining and his love for us all,” the actress recalls. “The last day I worked with him I admired his shirt that had a beautiful jeweled bird on it. When I finished my scenes and came back to my dressing room it was sitting on my couch with a simple Love, Richard.”

    Herring adds of Simmons, “Thank you Richard for all you gave of yourself to so many!”

    Simmons got his big break in the entertainment industry appearing in General Hospital in 1979 as he played himself on the soap for four years. The fitness guru rejoined the soap one final time in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the series, appearing in two episodes.

    The fitness icon died the day after his 76th birthday on Saturday, July 13, his longtime publicist, Tom Estey, confirmed to PEOPLE. He died at his Los Angeles home with no foul play suspected, TMZ first reported.

    Another of Simmons's colleagues, General Hospital executive producer, Frank Valentini, tells PEOPLE of the late star: “I was so sorry to hear about the passing of Richard Simmons. [He] will always be remembered for bringing a unique brand of humor to General Hospital through his love of fitness and his bigger-than-life personality.”

    “I was so glad to have an opportunity to experience his energy and enthusiasm firsthand when he came back to help us celebrate our 50th anniversary show. I am sure he is already organizing fitness classes at the campus disco in the sky. Our heartfelt sympathy to his family, friends and fans.”

    Simmons’ death comes after he posted about receiving “so many” birthday messages on Facebook on the Saturday morning of July 13.

    The professional coach wrote that he "never got so many messages about my birthday in my life" in his final post, adding, "I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday.”n

    Richard Simmons Dies: Fitness Guru For TV, Video And Books Was 76

    (7/13/24) (Video) Fitness instructor Richard Simmons has died just a day after his 76th birthday, according to a report.

    Simmons thanked fans on social media for their birthday wishes on Friday, making his death even more shocking.

    TMZ was the first to report the death, which happened at his Hollywood Hills home. Police were summoned by a housekeeper, who told the outlet they believe it was a natural death.

    Simmons was something of a recluse in recent years. His remoteness led to wellness checks on several occasions and speculation on his safety.

    Before he retreated, he was a frequent guest on many TV shows, playing a humorous foil for everyone from David Letterman to Donny and Marie.

    Simmons said in March he had been diagnosed with skin cancer.

    In a rare interview with People Magazine this week, he said he “feels good” despite his age. ”I am grateful that I’m here, that I am alive for another day,” he said. “I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people.”

    Simmons said earlier he was planning to open a Broadway musical with producer and composer Patrick Leonard.

    On Friday, Simmons posted to Facebook, thanking fans for their well-wishes.

    “Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard.”

    Born and raised in Louisiana, Simmons admitted he weighed 268 pounds when he graduated high school. By adjusting his eating habits and incorporating moderate exercise, he managed to lose weight. It was a methodology that he shared with millions over his career.

    He moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s and opened a fitness studio, SLIMMONS, in Beverly Hills. His following there grew into the nationally syndicated The Richard Simmons Show on TV, where he gave fitness instructions to viewers at home. The show ran for four years and earned multiple Emmy awards.

    He later was behind one of the all-time biggest fitness video empires with his “Sweatin’ To The Oldies” video series.

    His website describes him as “one of the world’s most revered and iconic fitness personalities” who has been an “instructor and motivator for over 40 years.”

    “By delivering a serious message with his trademark humor, he has helped millions of overweight men and women lose more than 3,000,000 pounds by adopting sensible, balanced eating programs and exercise regimes that are energetic, fun and motivating,” a biography for Simmons on his website reads.

    Simmons released 65 fitness videos over the course of his life, which sold more than 20 million copies, and authored nine books and three cookbooks, according to his website.

    In January, he spoke out against an upcoming biopic being made about his life starring actor and comedian Pauly Shore, which Simmons said he never permitted.

    “I have never given my permission for his movie. So don’t believe everything you read,” he wrote on Facebook at the time. “I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”

    Since that post, Simmons had been active on social media.

    No information on survivors was immediately available.

    Morning Show Appearance

    (7/12/24) Today - NBC

    Wednesday, July 17

    (9-10 a.m.) Catching Up with… John Stamos.

    Soap Opera Icon Jackie Zeman to Be Memorialized by Former ‘General Hospital’ Co-Stars in Special Episode of ‘The Bay’

    (7/11/24) Soap opera fans will have an opportunity to say one last goodbye to “General Hospital” star Jackie Zeman when, come September, Popstar!’s “The Bay” pays homage to the beloved daytime veteran in a special episode dedicated to her. Zeman also co-starred on “The Bay” — which streams on Peacock — playing Sofia Madison.

    “The special episode titled ‘Sofia’ will be a celebration of both the Sofia character and Jackie Zeman’s life, with several special guest stars that meant something to Jackie’s legacy,” says showrunner and head writer Gregori J. Martin.

    Zeman, who earned five Daytime Emmy nominations — four for her role as prostitute-turned-nurse Bobbie Spencer on “General Hospital,” and one for her work on “The Bay” — died in May 2023 after a “short battle” with cancer. Her legacy on the ABC soap, where she spent more than four decades of her career, was marked this past January with a touching memorial episode and, within the show, the renaming of a longtime Port Charles landmark from Kelly’s to Bobbie’s.

    Among those set to appear in the tribute episode of “The Bay” are Dee Wallace (“ET,” “Cujo”), who relocates to Bay City to launch a fragrance line in honor of her sister, Sofia, who played a psychic medium on the Peacock series on and off since its inception in 2010. Also joining this special storyline, Leigh McCloskey, who played one of Zeman’s ex-husbands on “GH,” appears as Hank Henderson, Sofia’s first husband and the father of her two daughters. At a gala to launch Sofia’s fragrance line, McCloskey’s character will share actual words written by Zeman’s real-life daughters, Cassidy and Lacey Rose. The episode will also include a collage of never-before-seen images and home video clips shared by Zeman’s family.

    Tamara Braun, who played Zeman’s daughter Carly Corinthos on “GH,” will also appear in the special-guest star role of Rita “Elise” Kennedy, a blind woman who is given the gift of sight after receiving Sofia’s donated corneas.

    “Knowing how special Tamara was to Jackie, I created the role of Elise specifically for her,” says Martin. To that end, Martin reached out to Daytime scribe Michele Val Jean, the showrunner of the upcoming new — and highly anticipated — CBS soap “The Gates” — for advice on what to name the character. He took Val Jean’s advice and named Braun’s character after Zeman’s mother, Rita, and her two granddaughters. “I also knew whatever name we gave this character had to be something extra special to Jackie,” he says.

    Real Andrews (“GH”), James Preston (“The Gates) and Kym Whitley (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) return as series regulars. Daytime legend Darnell Williams (“All My Children”) joins the cast in the recurring role of psychiatrist Dr. Josef Givens.

    Behind the scenes, Martin and Wendy Riche will continue serving as executive producers, with Nadine Aronson also promoted to that rank. All-new episodes of “The Bay” are expected to be released daily this fall on Popstar! TV followed by a VOD release on multiple streaming platforms.

    ‘The Substance’ Teaser: Demi Moore Takes Black Market Drug To Reverse Age In Mubi’s Cannes Prize Winner

    (7/11/24) (Video) Mubi on Thursday morning unveiled the first teaser trailer for The Substance, its explosive feminist take on body horror which drew a 13-minute standing ovation and won the award for Best Screenplay in its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

    Starring Margaret Qualley (Kinds of Kindness), Demi Moore (Feud) and Dennis Quaid (Happy Face), the film hails from writer-director Coralie Fargeat, the French filmmaker behind 2017’s TIFF genre-bender Revenge starring Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz. It’s slated for release in theaters nationwide on Sept 20th.

    The Substance watches as fading celebrity Elizabeth Sparkle (Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself. Fargeat produced the pic alongside Working Title partners Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan.

    “Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Younger, more beautiful, more perfect?” asks a disembodied voice in a wild trailer, introducing both Moore’s Elizabeth and her younger alter ego, Sue, played by Qualley.

    The Substance is set to open against the Apple/Sony thriller Wolfs starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, Paramount Pictures’ Transformers One, A24’s darkly comedic horror thriller A Different Man starring Sebastian Stan, indies All Shall Be Well and What We Find on the Road, and the documentary Happy Clothes on Emmy-winning costume designer Patricia Field.

    Most recently releasing the Ross brothers’ Gasoline Rainbow, Mubi will next unveil Levan Akin’s drama Crossing on August 30th.

    Check out the first trailer for The Substance by clicking above.

    Modern Little Women Christmas Movie Set at GAF — Jen Lilley, Trevor Donovan, Gladys Knight Among Cast

    (7/10/24) A Little Women’s Christmas will air on the Great American Family channel this holiday season, it was announced on Wednesday morning.

    Described as “a contemporary retelling of the beloved classic novel” by Louisa May Alcott, the TV-movie will follow “the lives and loves of the March sisters in a small Tennessee town at Christmas.”

    The cast includes Jillian Murray (Code Black and any number of other Christmas movies) as Jo March, Trevor Donovan (90210) as Friedrich “Fritz” Baehr, Jen Lilley (Days of Our Lives) as Meg March, Hallmark movie vet Laura Osnes as Beth March, Julia Reilly (Gritz?) as Amy March and Jesse Hutch (Batwoman) as John.

    Additionally, 10-time Grammy winner Gladys Knight will appear and perform her new original Christmas song “Joy”; Knight also has an executive producer credit on the flick.

    “A Little Women’s Christmas is a new Christmas classic in the making, with an incredible ensemble cast and an adaptation of an original story that is one of the best I have read,” Great American Media CEO Bill Abbott said in a statement “Louisa May Alcott was intentional about focusing on the culture of young women, their hopes, ambitions, and dreams, and it remains one of the most widely read and beloved stories ever written.”

    ‘Baywatch’ Docuseries With Never-Before-Seen Interview With Pamela Anderson Set At Hulu

    (7/10/24) A Baywatch docuseries is headed to Hulu. After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, a four-episode docuseries that takes an inside look at Baywatch, “the cultural phenomenon that defined an era”, from ABC News Studios, will premiere Wednesday, August 28 on the platform.

    After Baywatch will feature new cast interviews as well as a never-aired interview with Pamela Anderson, who starred as CJ Parker, and home videos shot by the cast themselves.

    The “docuseries unpacks how the show captured the mythology of California’s beach culture, set physical beauty standards for an entire generation, and capitalized on the adage “sex sells,” according to the press release. The series also explores the show’s impact on pop culture and its enduring legacy.

    Produced and directed by Matthew Felker in collaboration with ABC News Studios, the series features exclusive interviews with over 35 cast members and the show’s creators, including Nicole Eggert, Carmen Electra, Billy Warlock, Alexandra Paul, Gregory Alan Williams, David Chokachi, Jeremy Jackson, Traci Bingham, Erika Eleniak, Michael Newman, Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz and more.

    After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun was produced by ABC News Studios for Hulu. Matthew Felker is director and executive producer, Nicole Eggert is a producer, and Ari Shofet is executive producer on the series. For ABC News Studios, David Sloan is the senior executive producer, and Muriel Pearson is executive producer.

    Felker is repped by Daniel Benge at Fox Rothschild.

    John Stamos Is Joined by Son Billy, 6, on Drums During Beach Boys Show: 'Had a Little Help From My Son'

    (7/9/24) (Video) Like father, like son!

    On Saturday, July 6, John Stamos posted a cute video showing that he had been joined by his son Billy, 6 onstage, as they played the drums together in concert with The Beach Boys on the band’s Endless Summer Gold 2024 Tour. The sweet moment came during the tour stop at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre in Michigan on Friday, July 5.

    “Had a little help from my son BILLY on good vibrations last night,” Stamos wrote in the caption. “Wasn’t it nice! @thebeachboys."

    In the footage, Billy stood beside Stamos onstage wearing bright green headphones while banging on a drum beside his dad as the pair went into a drum solo together during The Beach Boys 1966 hit “Good Vibrations.”

    Stamos shares son Billy with his wife Caitlin McHugh Stamos, whom he married in 2018.

    Billy’s drumming skills at the Michigan show left concertgoers impressed as they wrote comment in praise of the six-year-old in response to the video.

    “He did a great job! Loved seeing you live last night! Thanks for an amazing night! ?,” one follower wrote in the comment section, as another said, “He stole the show last night!”

    It's not the first time the little boy has joined his father on stage during one of his performances with the legendary band. In March, 2023, Billy made an appearance during a Beach Boys show, and even helped his dad with playing the guitar.

    Stamos is currently performing with the Beach Boys on their Endless Summer Gold Tour, celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary of their album of the same title, in a series of shows across the country.

    The actor played his first set of shows with the band from May 30 to June 20, and then on July 5 to Sunday, July 7. He is set to return with the band in concert from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, per ABC News.

    In another touching video posted by Stamos, which appeared to be from his show with the Beach Boys at Everwise Amphitheater in Indianapolis on July 6, he got emotional onstage as he introduced a song in tribute to his late father, who died on July 6, 2001.

    “I lost my father 23 years ago tonight,” he said to the audience in the clip while choking back tears. “And he’s with me tonight. Sorry … but, um, I’m grateful to be here and every moment counts …” Stamos added, before playing The Beach Boys' song “Forever.”

    Stamos has performed many times with the Beach Boys over the decades, dating back to 1985, per ABC news, and including as recently as 2022, before rejoining the band onstage this year.

    The actor has a long history with the band after he also featured in the band’s 1992 music video for “Problem Child” and sang lead vocals on the updated version of their song "Forever" for the band’s album Summer in Paradise, released in the same year.[

    Candace Cameron Bure Books Next Holiday Movie For Great American Family; Cameron Mathison Co-Stars

    (7/9/24) Candace Cameron Bure (A Christmas Less Traveled, The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries) has lined up her next holiday movie at Great American Family. She’ll star opposite Cameron Mathison (A Kindhearted Christmas, General Hospital) in Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells, which is set to premiere in November as part of Great American Christmas 2024.

    In Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells, Gracie (Bure) is Peachtree Inn’s perfect wedding planner whose mantra “No problems, only solutions waiting to be discovered” makes blushing brides’ dreams come true. When Charlie (Mathison) brings his sister and future brother-in-law to their former hometown of Butler, South Carolina, expecting to create a magical Christmas Eve wedding at the Inn for Lindsay and Josh, the trio is stunned when Gracie stubbornly declines the job, saying it is not possible to pull off the perfect wedding two weeks before Christmas. Eventually, Gracie relents and agrees to plan the wedding, only to discover there are more hurdles to overcome than expected.

    Great American Christmas is in its fourth season.

    Executive Producers are Cameron Bure, Holly A. Hines, Eric Jarboe, Jeffery Brooks, Ford Englerth, Gerald Webb, Paula Elle, and Trevor McWhinney. Produced by Mick MacKay. Supervising producers Michael Shepard, Jonathan Shore, and Robyn Wiener. Associate Producers are David Oland and Trudi Thorwaldson.

    Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells is directed by Paula Elle from an Original screenplay written by Katie Main.

    In February, Great American Family announced that it’s launching a Great American Mysteries series with The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker. Bure and Aaron Ashmore (Ginny & Georgia) will star.

    ‘Landman’: Paramount+ Reveals Premiere Date, Drops First Looks Of Billy Bob Thornton Oil Drama

    (7/9/24) Paramount+ has announced the premiere date for its latest Taylor Sheridan drama.

    Landman, starring Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton, will premiere Sunday, November 17. The series will launch with two episodes, and subsequent episodes of the 10-episode long first season will be available weekly on Sundays. See the first-look images from the series below.

    Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs. Based on the 11-part podcast “Boomtown,” the series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.

    In addition to Thornton, the series stars Ali Larter (The Last Victim), Michelle Randolph (1923), Jacob Lofland (Joker 2), Kayla Wallace (When Calls the Heart), James Jordan (Yellowstone), Mark Collie (Nashville), Paulina Chávez (The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia), and Demi Moore (Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans).

    Jon Hamm (Mad Men) will star in a recurring guest role with Andy Garcia (Expendables franchise) and Michael Peña (End of Watch) also serving as guest stars.

    Landman is executive produced by Sheridan, David C. Glasser, David Hutkin, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, Christian Wallace, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman and Stephen Kay. Dan Friedkin and Jason Hoch, for Imperative Entertainment, and J.K. Nickell and Megan Creydt, for Texas Monthly, also executive produce. Peter Feldman serves as co-executive producer.

    Landman is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios and Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions. It’s distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution. (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4, Pic5, Pic6, Pic7, Pic8, Pic9, Pic10, Pic11)

    Joseph Hardy Dies: Tony-Winning Broadway Director, Exec Producer Of ‘Ryan’s Hope’ Was 95

    (7/8/24) Joseph Hardy, the stage director who introduced the enduring charmer You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, won a Tony Award for 1970’s Child’s Play and, as an executive producer in daytime drama, attempted to rescue the fading serial Ryan’s Hope with some of the most controversial changes in soap history, has died. He was 95.

    His June 6 death was confirmed by New York’s Primary Stages Off Broadway theater company. A resident since 2020 at the Actors Fund Home in Englewood, NJ, his passing last month was not widely reported.

    Born March 8, 1929, in Carlsbad, NM, Hardy graduated from the Yale School of Drama and began his show business career working as a script editor for New York-based soap operas. He was soon making his way into the Off Broadway world, working extensively in small theaters before making his early mark with the original 1967 production of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown at Theater 80 St. Marks in Manhattan’s East Village.

    The musical, with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner based on the wildly popular Peanuts characters crated by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, was a simply-staged production that would go on to become a staple of amateur and school theater seasons. The show featured a book by John Gordon — a pseudonym later revealed to cover Gessner, production staff and the original cast that included Bob Balaban, Gary Burghoff, among others.

    By the time the Peanuts musical transferred to Broadway in 1971, Hardy already was there, having directed several Broadway productions including Play It Again, Sam, the 1969 Woody Allen comedy that first teamed Allen with his greatest muse, Diane Keaton. The actress was nominated for a Tony for her performance in the comedy.

    In 1970, Hardy won the Tony Award for his direction of Child’s Play, Charles Marasco’s Tony-nominated dark mystery drama set in an exclusive boys boarding school. The production also won Tonys for actors Fritz Weaver and Ken Howard, as well as for sets and lighting.

    Hardy’s other Broadway credits include Johnny No-Trump (1967); Bob and Ray – The Two and Only (1970); Children! Children! (1972); Gigi (1973); The Night of the Iguana (1976); and, in 1978, Diversions and Delights, a one-man show starring Vincent Price as Oscar Wilde. Hardy’s final Broadway credit was 1979’s Romantic Comedy starring Anthony Perkins and, in her Broadway debut, Mia Farrow.

    His stage career also included a stint as Associate Artist at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, and he was a frequent director at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.

    Hardy also had a busy TV career: He directed, among other projects, Lily Tomlin’s first TV special in 1973; a 1974 TV-movie adaptation of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; and, that same year, the TV film Great Expectations starring Michael York and Sarah Miles. He directed and executive produced the headline making 1970s teen drama James at 15 (later retitled James at 16).

    Returning to his roots in daytime soaps, Hardy was hired in 1983 as an executive producer of ABC’s Ryan’s Hope, a once-popular serial that had experienced dwindling viewership since its mid-1970s heyday. Hardy became part of a new producing team that overhauled the serial by firing some of its most popular cast members and shifting the focus from its longtime setting of the Ryan family bar to the goings-on at a nearby deli. The ratings crashed, many ABC affiliates dropped the show, and within a few years the network replaced Hardy’s crew and rehired original producer Claire Labine.

    Hardy’s Ryan’s Hope era became something of a cautionary tale for the daytime drama industry, as networks and producers would tread carefully ever after about making major shifts away from a serial’s founding focus.

    Hardy, however, landed on his feet, soon hired as executive producer of ABC’s Loving and, from 1989-91, the hugely popular General Hospital.

    After leaving General Hospital, Hardy spent much of the 1990s living and working in France. He returned to New York City later in the decade and continued directing at the Old Globe Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival and the Charlotte Rep. In 2008, he directed his old friend Lynn Redgrave in Grace for MCC Theater Off Broadway, and he reteamed with the star the following year for her acclaimed solo show Nightingale for New York City Center.

    He is survived by sister Caroline Rackley of New Mexico. He requested that no service or memorial be held.

    'General Hospital' Star Joan Benedict Dead at 96

    (7/8/24) Joan Benedict -- known for TV favorites like "General Hospital" and "Candid Camera" -- has died.

    A family spokesperson announced Monday that Joan, who was the widow of actor Rod Steiger, died on June 24 at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center due to complications from a stroke.

    Joan had a remarkable career, kicking things off in the 1950s with "Candid Camera" ... where one of her most famous moments was playfully tickling men with her feathered hat as they sat next to her.

    Throughout the 70s and 80s, Joan also starred in shows like "The Steve Allen Show," "Apple’s Way" ... and had recurring roles on "General Hospital" and "Days of Our Lives" -- and also appeared in films such as "The Prize Fighter."

    Some of Joan's recent credits include the 2006 film "The Theory of Everything" and the 2009 TV show, "Dollhouse."

    On the personal front, Joan was married to actor John Myhers from 1962 until his death in 1992. Later, she married Oscar-winning actor Steiger in 2000 ... a marriage that lasted until his passing in 2002.

    Joan was 96.

    Doug Sheehan Dies: ‘General Hospital’, ‘Knot’s Landing’ Actor Was 75

    (7/8/24) Doug Sheehan, known for his breakout role as Joe Kelly on General Hospital and as Ben Gibson on Knots Landing, among many other credits, has died. Sheehan “passed away peacefully” June 29 at his home in Big Horn, Wyoming, with his wife his side, according to a Kane Funeral Home announcement. He was 75. A cause of death was not revealed.

    Born on April 27, 1949, in Santa Monica, Sheehan’s first screen role came in a 1978 episode of Charlie’s Angels. He went on to join the cast of daytime soap General Hospital as a series regular in his first major role, appearing in 205 episodes as lawyer Joe Kelly from 1979-82. He earned a supporting actor Daytime Emmy nomination for his work.

    He segued from General Hospital to the role of reporter Ben Gibson on Knots Landing, appearing in 115 episodes from 1983 to 1988.

    He also starred as Brian Harper on comedy series Day by Day, created by Andy Borowitz and Gary David Goldberg, which aired for two seasons on NBC from 1988-89. The series centered on Brian (Sheehan) and Kate Harper (Linda Kelsey), a married couple with two successful careers (Brian as a stockbroker, Kate as a lawyer) and their teenage son, Ross (Christopher Daniel Barnes). He also portayed Mel Horowitz, Cher’s father, on the sitcom Clueless, based on the movie, taking over the role from Michael Lerner after the first season.

    His other television credits include Cheers, Columbo, MacGyver, Diagnosis Murder, among others. His final on-screen roles were in 2003, as Edward Gibson, Sabrina’s (Melissa Joan Hart) father in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and in a guest-starring role in What I Like About You.

    Sheehan appeared in three films over the course of his career, 1979’s 10 starring Bo Derek and Dudley Moore, Victor/Victoria (1982) and most recently, Cops n Roberts in 1995.

    Rick Springfield Fan Shows Up at His Home Twice, Cops Called

    (7/8/24) Rick Springfield is dealing with an unwanted pest ... cops say an overzealous female fan made her way onto his property on more than one occasion.

    Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a woman in her 40s was determined to meet the rock legend, showing up at his Los Angeles-area home twice in the last week. We're told the fan talked her way into Rick's gated community ... telling security she was his maid.

    Though the fan didn't interact with Rick, we're told she did make her way to his door the 2nd time ... where she chatted up one of Rick's sons. Sounds like Rick's kid didn't take his 1982 anthem, "Don't Talk to Strangers," to heart!!!

    Our sources say deputies were called to the home ... where they spoke with the woman and told her to scram. We're told she was also instructed to not come back to the house.

    Sources say this isn't considered a stalking case ... that would involve someone following, harassing or threatening someone to the point they fear for their safety.

    Cops say the woman bounced and has yet to come back, so hopefully this should be the end of it.

    Still, we're told the police will be doing some extra patrolling in the area just to be safe.

    John Stamos on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

    (7/8/24) WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 (ABC)

    8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: “In the Hot Seat: Nicole Byer & Sasheer Zamata / John Stamos & Dave Coulier” (303)

    Logline: Playing for charity this week includes comedians Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata, plus a “Full House” reunion with John Stamos and Dave Coulier.

    ‘General Hospital’s Michael Easton On His Abrupt Departure From ABC Soap: “I Would Have Liked To Have Brought A Little More Subtlety”

    (7/5/24) Michael Easton is grateful for his time on General Hospital. But the actor, whose last day on the ABC soap was June 27, has one regret over the way his character, Dr. Hamilton Finn, wrapped his time in Port Charles.

    “From an acting standpoint, I would have liked to have just brought a little more subtlety and nuance to it,” he recently told Soap Hub about how his character fell off the wagon and immediately went off to rehab. “I had to get to a point very quickly.”

    But, Easton added, “I was the beneficiary of a lot of really good writing and directing. I got to work with some really wonderful actors.”

    On June 26, Easton revealed via social media that he was leaving the ABC sudser. Easton first joined GH in 2012 after departing One Life to Live, where he had played John McBain since 1999. He previously starred on Port Charles and Days of Our Lives.

    “I’ve always been partial to the Irish goodbye. That’s where you leave the party without actually telling anyone you’re gone,” Easton said in a video. “But I thought you all deserved better, so I just wanted to let you know that I just filmed my final scenes here at General Hospital.”

    Easton told Soap Hub that his hardest goodbye on the show was having to say farewell to Jophielle Love who plays his TV daughter Violet.

    “That was the hardest goodbye of them all,” said Easton. “I have a daughter [in real life], and so Jophielle and I had this immediate connection. People said that our relationship looked so natural, as if we’d known each other in past lives. I think [Jophielle] is going to do amazing things both as an actress and as a singer. She’s going to do amazing things in life.”

    Jonathan Jackson Says He's 'Excited' to Return to General Hospital: 'I'll Be Seeing You All Fairly Soon'

    (6/29/24) Jonathan Jackson is making his return to General Hospital.

    The actor, who played Lucky Spencer on the popular series, is reprising his character later this summer, a rep confirms to PEOPLE. Jackson, 42, also took to his Instagram to share the news in a video on June 25.

    “I’m super excited and can’t wait to dig in and see what’s going on in Port Charles,” he said. “Excited to see Genie Francis and so many others. Just wanted to say thank you to all of the fans over the years — your persistence and love has certainly played a part in all this. Thank you also to Frank Valentini and everybody at ABC also for welcoming me back.”

    He added: “Sending much love and I guess I’ll be seeing you all fairly soon.”

    Deadline was first to report the news.

    The Tuck Everlasting actor played Lucky from 1993 until 2011, leaving the role behind to take on new opportunities.

    After playing Avery Barkley in Nashville during its six-year run, which ended in 2018, Jonathan appeared in the 2024 film Unsung Hero before deciding to return to GH.

    His time on the long-running soap earned him five Daytime Emmy Awards, and actors Jacob Young and Greg Vaughan stepped into the role of Lucky once he was gone.

    Jonathan Jackson in a scene that airs the week of September 27th on ABC's GENERAL HOSPITAL

    Earlier this month, fan speculation grew after executive producer Frank Valentini teased a male cast member’s return to GH.

    “A former cast member is coming back,” he told ABC7. “And I think that the audience will go crazy for him.”

    Many wondered if Valentini was referring to Bryan Craig, who PEOPLE confirmed on Monday, June 24, would be reprising his role as Morgan Corinthos — who died in a car bomb explosion and has only come back once for an on-camera cameo once — in a brief appearance in an upcoming episode.

    Now, fans know Jackson was likely the “him” they’ve all been wondering about, given the fact that his character is still a series regular.

    General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC (check local listings).

    ‘Chicago Med’: Dominic Rains Exits After 5 Seasons

    (6/28/24) Chicago Med fans’ fears following the Season 9 finale have materialized: Dr. Crockett Marcel is checking out of the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. Dominic Rains, who has portrayed the ace emergency room surgeon since Season 5, is departing the NBC medical drama as a series regular. It is unclear whether he will reprise his character as a guest star in the upcoming 10th season.

    The Season 9 finale of Chicago Med set up a potential exit for Rains when Crockett was told by Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) to take all the time he needs following the deaths of one of his patients, a boy, and the boy’s father.

    The boy died after Crockett canceled his planned liver transplant because of an infection over the father’s pleas that not proceeding with the surgery would be a death sentence for his son. Following the boy’s death, his devastated father took his own life.

    Crockett was shaken by the news which brought up memories of losing his own baby daughter to leukemia.

    Chicago Med follows the emotional day-to-day chaos of the city’s newest state-of-the-art trauma center and the lives of the doctors, nurses and staff who hold it all together.

    Emergency room surgeon Crockett Marcel was introduced as a recurring character at the start of Season 5, with Rains promoted to a series regular soon thereafter. He also appeared on the other One Chicago series in crossovers. Before joining Chicago Med in 2019, Rains recurred on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

    Chicago Med is undergoing a major transition heading into next fall, with co-showrunners Diane Frolov and Andy Schneider stepping down after nine years. They are being succeeded at the helm by Allen MacDonald.

    ‘General Hospital’: Michael Easton Set To Depart ABC Sudser

    (6/26/24) One door opens and another closes: a day after General Hospital thrilled fans by announcing that Jonathan Jackson is returning to the ABC sudser, Michael Easton has announced that he’s moving out of Port Charles.

    The veteran soap star said his last day is June 27.

    “I’ve always been partial to the Irish goodbye. That’s where you leave the party without actually telling anyone you’re gone,” Easton says in a video posted to Instagram. “But I thought you all deserved better, so I just wanted to let you know that I just filmed my final scenes here at General Hospital.

    “I’ve loved every minute that I’ve been here. I want to thank the entire cast and crew for allowing me to share their stage this past 10 years,” he continued. “Most importantly, I want to thank all of you for the kindness and love you’ve shown me and my family. I won’t ever forget you. And as I walk out here for the last time, and with apologies to the great Lou Gehrig, I feel like the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”

    Easton first joined GH in 2012 after departing One Life to Live, where he had played John McBain since 1999. He previously starred on Port Charles and Days of Our Lives.

    Spencer Milligan Dies: ‘Land Of The Lost’ Star Was 86

    (6/25/24) Spencer Milligan, who starred in the 1970s Saturday morning series Land of the Lost from Sid & Marty Krofft and was a regular guest star on TV into the late 1980s, has died. He was 86.

    An obituary on the Huehns Funeral Home website said he died April 16 but did not provide details.

    Born on September 10, 1937, in Oak Park, IL, Milligan was active in local theater during the 1960s before serving a tour in the Army. His screen career began with a small as a head-change specialist in Woody Allen‘s futuristic 1973 comedy, in which the filmmaker starred with Diane Keaton. He also appeared in the 1974 features The Man from Clover Grove and The Photographer, serving as an associate producer on the latter.

    The following year, Milligan was cast as Rick Marshall in the Krofft brothers’ hybrid live-action/stop-motion sci-fi/adventure series Land of the Lost. It focused on Rick and his kids Will and Holly (Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman), who are plunged into an alternate world ruled by dinosaurs. The trio explores this strange new land as they struggle to survive and find a way back to the world they knew.

    Milligan starred in the show’s first two seasons from 1974-76 before his character accidently escapes the Land of the Lost, sans kids. The series went on for one more season with a new adult star. Known for its campy, low-budget style, the show has gone on to cult status. It spawned a 1990s revival series led by Timothy Bottoms that aired on ABC and later Nickelodeon and a Razzie-winning 2009 feature that starred Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel.

    Milligan continued to work regularly in TV for the next decade, guested on such popular series as Gunsmoke, Baretta, McCloud, The Bionic Woman, Alice, The Dukes of Hazzard, Vega$, Hardcastle & McCormick and Quincy, M.E. He had a seven-episode arc as Ray Gibbons on General Hospital in 1987.

    He also starred as a New York Jets quarterback accused of killing his sister’s attacker in the 1976 TV movie The Keegans and appeared in early-1980s telepics Terror Among Us and Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story.

    After his TV career, Milligan taught classes and directed stage plays in his adopted hometown of Sturgeon Bay, WI.

    He is survived by his wife, Kerry Milligan, and godchildren Andee Solis, Hilary Williams and Spencer Williams. The family asks that donations in his name be made to The Actor’s Fund.

    ‘General Hospital’ Is Bringing Back Jonathan Jackson As Lucky Spencer

    (6/25/24) This is the announcement that General Hospital fans have been waiting for: Lucky Spencer, aka the Emmy-winning Jonathan Jackson, is on his way back to Port Charles.

    Soap viewers have been salivating over the possibility of a major star returning after GH executive producer Frank Valentini teased it on the red carpet earlier this month at the Daytime Emmys. “A former cast member is coming back,” he told ABC7. “And I think that the audience will go crazy for him.”

    That him turned out to be Jackson, who hasn’t been on the soap since 2015 when he returned for a brief stint. He’s coming home to the ABC sudser later this summer in what is expected to be a long run.

    More characters from GH‘s past will make appearances in the next few months, too. The sudser already confirmed that Bryan Craig will reprise his role as Morgan Corinthos for one day in August.

    For those who lost track, Jackson originated the role of Lucky in 1993; he’s the beloved son of super-couple Luke and Laura Spencer (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis). Jackson played the part on and off until 2011, when he left to star as Avery Barkley in ABC’s Nashville for six seasons. But he had already started branching out beyond daytime long before that, having appeared in The Deep End of the Ocean, On the Edge, Insomnia, Tuck Everlasting and Venom. Meanwhile, actors Jacob Young and Greg Vaughan took turns playing Lucky.

    During his time on GH, Jackson was nominated for nine Emmys and won five in 1995, 1998, 1999, 2011 and 2012.

    As a musician, Jackson has written and recorded hundreds of songs and toured internationally with the cast of Nashville, and his band Jonathan Jackson + Enation. He’s a writer, too; he penned the theological prose The Mystery of Art, which has been translated into Greek, Romanian and Russian, and the epic poem The Harrowing of Hell.

    This year, Jackson starred in Unsung Hero opposite Terry O’Quinn and Candace Cameron Bure.

    In 2022, Jackson was awarded the Distinction of Excellence by Royal Literary Magazine for his “contribution to the understanding of authentic art, for literary works written with inspiration and talent, for highlighting the values of Eastern culture.”

    Jackson is also the Associate Dean and Primary Lecturer at Theoria School of Filmmaking in Nashville. He lives in Tennessee with his family.>

    General Hospital Comeback That Will Drive Fans ‘Crazy’ Officially Confirmed

    (6/24/24) The month-long guessing game that’s been giving General Hospital fans heart palpitations is over: The popular cast member returning to the ABC soap this summer is… Bryan Craig.

    A GH rep confirms to TVLine exclusively that Craig will reprise his role as Morgan Corinthos, the late son of Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Carly (Laura Wright), for one episode in early August. It’s unclear what form the dearly departed Morgan will take when he resurfaces, although his comeback will come as his mob boss dad has alienated himself from everyone in Port Charles.

    Speculation about a big GH comeback began earlier this month when GH executive producer confirmed on the Daytime Emmys red carpet that a male “former cast member is coming back… that the audience will go crazy for.”

    In recent weeks, Craig himself has been hinting at the possibility that the returnee could be him in a series of social media posts, one of which included a recent backstage photo of the GH set.

    Craig’s nearly four-year GH run concluded in 2016 after Morgan (presumably) perished in a car bomb. He briefly returned in 2018 when he appeared in a vision to Maura West’s Ava. During his time on the soap, he won two Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series.

    Craig recently wrapped a two-season run on the Freeform drama Good Trouble.

    More ‘St. Elmo’s Fire?’ Sony Explores Reuniting Cast Of Seminal ’80s Brat Pack Movie

    (6/20/24) Andrew McCarthy‘s Hulu documentary Brats has brought back memories of the coming-of-age film where the term “Brat Pack” was coined. Deadline can reveal that Sony is exploring the possibility of making a new version of St. Elmo’s Fire. This version would hinge on reuniting original cast members McCarthy, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and Mare Winningham.

    The 1985 film that the late Joel Schumacher directed and co-wrote with Carl Kurlander, focused on that transitional period between college and the pressures of finding jobs and starting lives. It was a surprise summer hit with a hugely successful soundtrack. The follow-up would capture the characters as they’ve come out the other end of all that.

    Movies get remade all the time, with concepts resuscitated and roles populated by younger actors, but to me this sounds a far more interesting way to reconnect with the original movie. Who doesn’t want to find out what happened in their lives? It is very early going, they don’t even have a script, and I don’t even know that the cast has been talked to yet, but it will be worth watching to see what happens.

    As for the reticence McCarthy showed about the “Brat Pack” label, maybe a second wind will result for him. In an upcoming The Film That Lit My Fuse, Lowe had a pithy assessment of it all, saying that it was really like being identified as a member of the coolest kid club, and who wouldn’t want that?

    Lowe does not seem to take himself too seriously, and importantly, still has his hair and youthful looks, to the point he’s arguably more handsome now than he was in the Brat Pack days. Maybe that helps the fact that he’s fine, continuing as a card-carrying member of that club as he stars in and is co-writer and co-creator of the series Unstable, which has Season 2 coming through Netflix.

    ‘Blue Bloods’ Cast Marks Final Day Of Filming: Donnie Wahlberg, Marisa Ramirez & Vanessa Ray Share Moment As Series Wraps Shoot

    (6/20/24) Blue Bloods is wrapping up after 14 seasons and the cast of the CBS series is marking the final day of filming.

    Donnie Wahlberg, Marisa Ramirez, and Vanessa Ray shared a moment on social media where they were seen embracing each other.

    “Last day feels,” read the Instagram post Ray re-shared, adding, “I love them so much it hurts.”

    The long-running series will wrap in December after the second half of Season 14 airs on CBS.

    Wahlberg also took to Instagram to share his thoughts after he finished filming the last episode.

    “Last day of Blue Bloods. Not sure I have the words to describe how I feel about today, or the last 14 years on this special Blue Bloods journey, but I do know how incredibly thankful I am for every moment of it,” he shared. “To the cast, the crew, the guest cast, every background actor, writer, producer and every member of every single dept — thank you.”

    Wahlberg continued, “To the people of New York, in every neighborhood and borough, thank you for always showing your love. To the NYPD, thank you for your support and sacrifice, I hope we did you proud.”

    The actor also dedicated some words to his fans saying that without them, making 14 seasons of a show wouldn’t be possible.

    “Your love and support for this show has been one of the great blessings of my life. Thank you,” he concluded.

    Earlier this year, while making an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Wahlberg expressed he was “upset and sad” over Blue Bloods ending.

    ‘General Hospital’ Responds To Trolls Attacking Star Tabyana Ali Online: “Racism Has No Place In Port Charles”

    (6/18/24) General Hospital has released a statement after one of its stars, Tabyana Ali, addressed the shocking amount of racism she has endured on social media.

    “General Hospital does not tolerate hatred or bigotry of any kind,” according to the GH statement posted on Instagram. “Racism has no place in Port Charles.” #GH Is For Everyone.

    John J. York opens up about 'very welcoming' return to 'General Hospital' amid cancer battle

    (6/17/24) (Video) "General Hospital" star John J. York is feeling the love from his TV family after he was forced to take a break from the show amid his battle with cancer.

    York, who plays Mac Scorpio on the ABC soap opera, opened up about his emotional return to the series in an interview with "Good Morning America" on Monday.

    "Everybody has been very welcoming, very supportive," York said as he choked up. "And here I go already, right off the top 'cause I can’t tell you how nice it's been, the support that I've gotten."

    York revealed in September 2023 that he was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and smoldering multiple myeloma in December 2022. The 65-year-old actor also shared with fans that he would take a "brief hiatus" from production on "General Hospital" while he underwent treatment.

    Myelodysplastic syndrome consists of a "group of cancers that keep your blood (hematopoietic) stem cells from maturing into healthy blood cells," according to Cleveland Clinic. Smoldering multiple myeloma is a condition that signals someone may develop multiple myeloma, "a rare blood cancer that happens when certain white blood cells mutate into abnormal cells."

    "I said, 'How long would I have if I did nothing?' " York recalled asking his doctor after receiving the diagnosis. "He said, 'Three to five years.' I was like, 'Three to five years, are you crazy? I feel fantastic!' "

    John. J York reflects on receiving blood stem cell transplant

    For his cancer recovery, York opted for a rigorous treatment plan, which included chemotherapy and a blood stem cell transplant. The "Werewolf" actor teared up as he described the moment he learned of his transplant match.

    "She said we found an exact match, and I just couldn't talk," York said. "It's just a little bag of blood and fluid, and they put it in my body. Forty minutes later, and now I'm this person."

    He added: "And my cells are now fighting each other and battling each other and getting to know each other."

    York made his debut on "General Hospital" in 1991. He received a nomination for outstanding male daytime newcomer at the Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1992, per the actor's IMDb page.

    York's "General Hospital" return is expected to air Wednesday on ABC.

    "I just felt so attached that I didn't feel like I missed anything," York said of his absence. "I feel like I just had a little break – a little vacation, I guess – and had to go through something, and now we’re here on kind of the other side of it."

    Morning Show Appearance

    (6/14/24) Good Morning America - ABC

    Jun 17, 2024

    actor John York

    Conrad Vernon & Danielle Sterling Launch Animation Straight Up Creative; First Project With John Stamos At Netflix

    (6/13/24) Sausage Party and Addams Family animated feature filmmaker Conrad Vernon has opened the doors to the animation production company, Straight Up Creative with producer and development executive Danielle Sterling.

    Under the shingle, the group will develop and produce a slate of original content focused on animation aimed at a global audience, not just for kids, and with an edgy take.

    To spearhead development, Vernon and Sterling have hired producer Lauren Ito as Head of Development, and Jeremy Ross as Chief Operating Officer.

    Straight Up Creative is currently developing an animated feature at Netflix Animation with John Stamos producing and written by Ali Adler (Supergirl, The New Normal) and Zoë Worth (Thelma, Shut Up and Drive).

    “At Straight Up Creative, we are departing from the misconception of animation as solely a children’s genre and see animation as a versatile medium capable of expanding the ability to tell any story, in any genre, for any audience,” Vernon and Sterling tell us.

    “We’re drawn to edgy material that offers a fresh perspective. While animation is often associated with comedy, we’re intrigued by its potential to explore genres like romantic comedy or horror. We’re also, equally enthusiastic about undertaking projects independently or in collaboration with studios,” the duo add.

    Vernon has served as a director, actor, and producer on several animated projects, including the films Shrek 2, Monsters vs. Aliens, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Sausage Party, The Addams Family and Addams Family 2, the last three of which he also served as a producer.

    Sterling launched her career at MGM Studios before moving on to become the SVP of Davis Entertainment. During her tenure, she contributed to projects such as First Daughter, I, Robot, and Flight of the Phoenix. Transitioning to 3QU Media, an independent animation studio, Sterling served as Producer and Head of Development producing four films released on Netflix: Charming, Gnome Alone, Fearless, and Dog Gone Trouble. In 2019, she co-produced The Addams Family and produced the sequel for the MGM franchise.

    Ito has been involved in the development, on-set, and post-production stages of over 30 films spanning various genres. Her notable credits include Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Netflix’s The Babysitter, as well as television series such as Snapchat’s Commanders, Funny or Die’s Brockmire, and Blumhouse’s 12 Deadly Days.

    Ross, along with Sterling, co-founded 3QU Media, specializing in animated film financing and production. Their releases include Gnome Alone, Charming, Fearless, and Dog Gone Trouble. Additionally, Ross served as an EP on the Oscar-winning animated short film If Anything Happens I Love You. Over his career, he has facilitated over $150M in debt financing for independent productions.r

    Dozens March In Downtown Los Angeles To Demand Justice For Actor Johnny Wactor

    (6/12/24) (Video1, Video2) Dozens of people marched in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday to demand justice for former General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor, who was shot and killed May 25 in Los Angeles.

    The 37-year-old actor was walking back to his car with a co-worker at Pico Boulevard and Hope Street after a bartending shift when he noticed three men attempting to steal his catalytic converter. When he confronted them, he was shot.

    Before the march, family and friends held a press conference to demand justice for Wactor.

    “You guys probably don’t notice because the sun’s out but it’s the only street down there that doesn’t have lights on,” said Bryan Barkley, a security guard for Level 8 Restaurant and Lounge where Wactor worked. “It probably could have been any one of us.”

    “It’s important for us this story remains top of mind for his family, for his friends because we loved him and because Johnny deserves justice,” added friend Micah Parker, as reported by ABC7.

    The district attorney’s chief deputy Joseph Iniguez told the crowd that the major crimes division is working with Central Bureau homicide detectives on the case. No arrests have been made but Iniguez said: “We have a number of leads.”

    Marchers then walked to City Hall, where they were invited into the City Council meeting.

    “We’re committed to ensuring that we bring those responsible for this heinous act to justice,” said Councilmember Kevin de León. “Johnny’s death was senseless and unnecessary.”

    On Tuesday, Wactor was memorialized at the end of General Hospital with a title card. Wactor appeared in the ABC soap between 2020 and 2022 as Brando Corbin.

    John Stamos Helps the UnPrisoned Family Work on Themselves in Season 2 Trailer

    (6/12/24) (Video) A “family healing coach” played by Full House alum John Stamos is here to help the Alexander family, in the first trailer for Season 2 of UnPrisoned.

    The Kerry Washington comedy returns to Hulu this summer, with all eight episodes set to drop Wednesday, July 17.

    In Season 2, “the Alexander family is still a mess, Paige’s (Washington) therapy practice is in trouble and Finn’s anxiety is through the roof,” according to the official description. “Edwin (Delroy Lindo) is still figuring out how to get his life together outside of prison, and their relationships are more complicated than ever. The family needs help, and it’s time to call in a professional — other than Paige. The Alexanders turn to a ‘family radical healing coach’ (Stamos), who throws out all the rules to free them of the issues, old wounds and family secrets holding them back.”

    Inspired by the life of creator Tracy McMillan and showrun by TV vet Yvette Lee Bowser (Living Single, Dear White People), the cast also includes Marque Richardson (Dear White People) as Edwin’s parole officer; Faly Rakotohavana (Raven’s Home) as Paige’s impressionable teenage son; Brenda Strong (Supergirl) as Edwin’s former girlfriend; Tim Daly (Private Practice) as Paige’s almost-divorced boyfriend; Jee Young Han (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) as Paige’s foster sister; and Jordyn McIntosh as Little Paige.

    ‘General Hospital’ Star Tabyana Ali Addresses Racist Trolls On X: “To Anyone Who Hates Me…Sending You Peace, Safety & Prosperity”

    (6/11/24) ‘General Hospital’ Star Tabyana Ali Addresses Racist Trolls On X: “To Anyone Who Hates Me…Sending You Peace, Safety & Prosperity”

    Online hate toward actors — especially those in genre projects — is, sadly, nothing new in Hollywood. But a recent spate of attacks on General Hospital actress Tabyana Ali has demonstrated that even daytime soap stars are not immune from such trolling.

    Racist comments about Ali on social media prompted the actress to speak out on X about “anyone that hates me.”

    “That’s absolutely fine,” she continued. “I don’t know you and you don’t me but regardless I’m sending you peace, safety, and prosperity… I also pray you touch some grass, see the sun, eat a delicious meal, and find something to do.”

    Ali, who has played Trina Robinson on the ABC sudser since 2022, ended up posting multiple comments about the trolling she has endured.

    Tabyana Ali @iamaliford

    And Im sorry that this is the away you feel like you have to be seen. I'm sorry that life isn't happening how you want. But if you found something you loved to do other than hurting people. You would never have the energy to say what you've been saying to people ONLINE! 2/4

    I promise life is more beautiful and peaceful and full when you give people and yourself LOVE. I pray you don't meet God and find yourself disappointed when he shows you the life you could've had, if all you had to do was stop giving out that type of energy and just went OUTSIDE!

    Okay this is the last time I'm going to speak on this today but we cannot be feeding in to peoples hate. We cannot be giving it back. We cannot stoop to rude/racist people's level. It doesn't help. We are fighting too many wars as it is. I believe we will have our world peace 1/2

    But we got to find another way to fight. I've realized ignoring doesn't help but neither does giving the energy back. We're going in circles and that doesn't get us anywhere. Everybody might not agree with me but thats okay. I just want to let "those" people know, I see you.

    If you see anybody sending hate, send a "mirror" so they can reflect on themselves and start becoming the person the Lord intend!

    To anyone that hates me. That's absolutely fine. I don't know you and you don't me but regardless I'm sending you peace, safety, and prosperity... I also pray you touch some grass, see the sun, eat a delicious meal, and find something to do.

    Peace and love

    Deadline understands that ABC is engaging with Ali and her team on how to navigate the situation. There has been no official statement from the network or the soap, which was just named Outstanding Daytime Drama at Friday’s Daytime Emmys.

    In the meantime, several of Ali’s co-stars have come to her defense. Maura West, who plays Ava on GH, wrote on X that “I love you, Tabyana. I admire your strength and loving, open heart. You are a shining example of the best of humanity.”

    Lydia Look (Selina Wu) said, “Love! You go sis. Show them what you’re made of. Pure Love, that’s what.”

    Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) addressed the haters directly: “You hide behind a profile pix & spew hatred & racism at Tabyana, you spew it at every cast member of General Hospital & we condemn & reject it. We stand by our friend & colleague in her dignified & gracious response. There’s no place 4 racism of any kind in r beloved GH community.”

    Even Michele Van Jean, who is penning CBS’ new soap The Gates, wrote “My question here is – why would anyone hate you?”

    ‘General Hospital’ Pays Tribute To Johnny Wactor In Latest Episode

    (6/11/24) (Photo) Johnny Wactor was memorialized by General Hospital with a touching tribute.

    On Tuesday’s episode, a title card with Wactor’s image appeared on screen honoring the late actor who was killed over Memorial Day weekend.

    “In loving memory of Johnny Wactor,” read the title card.

    Wactor appeared in the ABC soap between 2020 and 2022 as Brando Corbin.

    Following news of his death, the General Hospital team said, “The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Johnny Wactor’s untimely passing. He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”

    Wactor was killed after he received a fatal shot following a bartending shift in Downtown Los Angeles. He was reportedly walking with a female co-worker when he noticed three men attempting to steal a catalytic converter from his car.

    According to Wactor’s brother Grant, the General Hospital alum saw the thieves and asked if he was being towed.

    “He came across them and he thought his truck was being towed. So he said something to the guys, like, ‘Hey, are you towing?’” Grant Wactor told the Daily Mail. “And then once he turned around, he saw what was happening and he put his coworker behind him. And that’s when they shot him.”

    The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner recently confirmed that Wactor died from a gunshot wound to the chest, and his death was considered a homicide.

    The suspects remain at large, and Wactor’s family is planning a march. A $25,000 reward has been implemented for information leading to the arrest of the suspects responsible for killing Wactor.

    Murdered Actor Johnny Wactor’s Friends And Family Plan March, Ask For Reward

    (6/9/24) Friends and family of the late actor Johnny Wactor are calling for a reward to be established to catch whomever shot him, and plan a march to City Hall on Wednesday in his honor.

    Wactor was shot and killed on May 25 at Pico & Hope St. in Los Angeles. The 37-year-old actor was walking back to his car with a co-worker after a bartending shift at Level 8 Restaurant & Lounge around around 3:15 a.m. He noticed some men tampering with his car, and when he confronted them, he was shot.

    The suspects fled the scene and no arrests have been made.

    Wactor’s family and friends intend to keep the incident alive.

    “Unfortunately, what happened to Johnny can, and is likely to, happen again,” reads a news release from the group.

    “Johnny’s family and friends are urging local community leaders to explore legislative and municipal actions that will hopefully not only lead to breakthroughs in Johnny’s case, but that will also help make the city that Johnny chose to call home safer,” the news release reads. “This should be important to us all.”

    The group has called for a $25,000 reward to be implemented for information leading to the arrest of the suspects responsible for killing Wactor.

    Ratings: Daytime Emmys Audience Grows 39% to Mark 4-Year High

    (6/8/24) The 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday night averaged 2.82 million total viewers on CBS, marking the event’s largest overnight audience in four years — since the early-pandemic, virtual “ceremony” held in June 2020 (which drew 3.3 million lookie-loos).

    The audience for this year’s kudoscast was up +39% from last year (where it didn’t air until December, due to the Hollywood strikes) and up +1% from June 2022.

    Over on Paramount+, live streaming of the Daytime Emmys reportedly was up some 87% to mark the event’s largest live streaming audience to date.

    During Friday night’s tight, two-hour telecast, ABC”s General Hospital grabbed gold four times, including its fourth straight Outstanding Daytime Drama win.

    Daytime Emmys host CBS’ The Young and the Restless followed with a pair of wins, including for lead actress Michelle Stafford, while CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful and Peacock’s Days of Our Lives each picked up a singular statuette.

    Among the daytime talkers, The Kelly Clarkson Show took best show honors, while Live!‘s Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos won for hosting.

    And quite notably, Dick “Spry for a 98-Year-Old Guy” Van Dyke became the oldest Daytime Emmy winner,m for his guest-starring performance as Days of Our Lives‘ Timothy Robiocheaux.

    'General Hospital' Star Johnny Wactor Was Cremated After Downtown L.A. Murder

    (6/6/24) Johnny Wactor's body was cremated after he was murdered in Los Angeles ... TMZ has learned.

    According to the late actor's death certificate, obtained by TMZ, his remains were transferred to his mother, Scarlett, cremated, and now reside at her home in South Carolina. Johnny's family had made it known they wanted his body sent over after he was killed in L.A.

    Johnny's occupation is listed as an actor, and the doc also notes he'd been in the entertainment industry for 15 years.

    The official cause of death is also detailed -- with the Medical Examiner citing a gunshot wound to the chest as the primary cause ... and no other significant factors contributing.

    The death cert goes on to say he died on a street and/or highway -- with officials pointing out he was shot by another -- and his death was ruled as a homicide.

    We broke the story ... JW was shot and killed by a group of thieves who were trying to steal his catalytic converter from his car -- with his car up on a jack as he and a coworker approached them after a late shift at their bar.

    Without provocation, Johnny was shot square in the torso ... with the assailants fleeing. They were never caught, and cops are on the hunt -- asking for the public help in finding them.

    His coworker Anita Joy -- who was with him when he was killed -- detailed his last moments on 'GMA' ... saying she was covered in his blood and trying to keep him conscious on the ground. Eventually, Wactor succumbed to his injury and was later pronounced dead.

    The bar he worked at has caught some heat after his murder -- with many alleging management had ignored calls for better safety measures for employees working late. Level 8 honchos said they're also mourning Johnny's death ... and looking into changes on this front.

    Wactor was 37.

    Michelle Obama, Regina King, Dwyane Wade & Ricky Martin Among Speakers And Attendees Set For 2024’s CAA Amplify Summit

    (6/6/24) CAA on Thursday announced the speakers and attendees set for its seventh annual CAA Amplify Summit, the invitation-only convening of artists, thought-leaders, and executives of color from leading organizations in entertainment, sports, media, brands, and technology, and beyond.

    Confirmed speakers and attendees include: former First Lady of the United States and Co-Founder, Higher Ground Productions, Michelle Obama; Oscar and Emmy-winning Actress, Producer, and Director, Regina King (Shirley); NBA Hall of Famer, Activist, and Entrepreneur, Dwyane Wade; Grammy-winning Singer, Songwriter, Actor, and Activist, Ricky Martin; Emmy, Golden Globe, Grammy, and Academy Award-winning Singer and Songwriter, Jon Batiste; Emmy-nominated Television Host, Producer, Bestselling Author, and Activist, Padma Lakshmi; Actress and Comedian, Ego Nwodim (SNL); Academy Award-winning Writer and Director, Cord Jefferson (American Fiction); Chief Legal Analyst and News Anchor, Laura Coates (Laura Coates Live); Actress Ashley Park (Emily in Paris); Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre; Emmy-nominated Producer and Comedian, Roy Wood, Jr. (former correspondent for The Daily Show); three-time Emmy-winning Writer, Director, Creator, Lee Sung Jin (Beef); Academy Award-nominated Actor Demián Bichir (The Hateful Eight); Athlete and Civil Rights Activist, Colin Kaepernick; Peabody-winning Creator, Writer, Director, and Actor, Mo Amer (Mo); Errin Haines, Editor-at-Large, The 19th and MSNBC Analyst; Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, ACLU; Fatima Gross Graves, President and CEO, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund; Kelley Robinson, President, Human Rights Campaign and Human Rights Campaign Foundation; and Imran Ahmed, CEO, Center for Countering Digital Hate, among others.

    Kicking off in Ojai, CA on June 10, the event is organized by a diverse cross-section of CAA agents and executives and will explore business opportunities, social justice initiatives, and collaborations to accelerate transformational change in rooms of leadership and popular culture.

    Said CAA’s Natalie Tran, who has helped organize this annual convening since its inception, “CAA Amplify has become a place to activate a community of artists, thought leaders, and influencers of color. Our super power is connecting luminaries across business, philanthropy, entertainment, technology, politics, and beyond to inform, strategize, and take action to create a more optimistic future. Now, more than ever, as commitments to impact become less visible, the collective expertise and collaboration within the CAA Amplify network are essential to driving meaningful opportunities for those that help shape culture, storytellers, and global brands.”

    Since launching in 2017, CAA Amplify has become a powerful platform to create and empower a network of dynamic leaders of color. These include Olympic gold medalists, Fortune 500 CEOs, philanthropists, industry-leading entrepreneurs, and award-winning artists, among others. In addition to the signature annual summit, CAA Amplify created CAA Amplify Town Hall, a series of special livestream events that address a range of urgent social issues of our time.

    The first Town Hall event, hosted in June 2020 in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, was an unprecedented gathering of more than 11,000 artists and cross-industry leaders who were able to discuss the state of race in America and hear about critical action steps necessary to help end systemic racism. Other Town Halls have focused on threats to democracy and civic engagement, the impact of the Covid pandemic on America’s youth and education system, the staggering increase in violence impacting the AAPI community, and the importance of allyship and humanity.rideProvider€

    Daytime Emmy Presenters

    (6/4/24) CBS and The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced today the star-studded list of presenters for THE 51ST ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARDS, airing live on Friday, June 7 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+*.

    Hosted by ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT’s Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner, the lineup of presenters from daytime’s biggest names includes: Kristos Andrews (“The Bay”), Lidia Bastianich (“25 Years with Lidia: A Culinary Jubilee”), Lauralee Bell (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS), Eric Braeden (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS), Steve Burton (“General Hospital”), Derrick Camana (“Wizard of Paws”), Kelly Clarkson (“The Kelly Clarkson Show”), Stefan Dennis (“Neighbours”), Zooey Deschanel (“What Am I Eating with Zooey Deschanel”), Scott Evans (“Access Hollywood”), Jackée Harry (“Days of Our Lives”), Amelia Heinle (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS), Annie Jones (“Neighbours”), Star Jones (“Divorce Court”), Christel Khalil (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS), Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL), Eric Martsolf (“Days of Our Lives”), Kiara Liz Ortega (“The Bay”), Danielle Pinnock (GHOSTS), Melvin Robert (“Extra”), Lawrence Saint-Victor (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL), Jonathan Scott (“Backed by the Bros”), Laura Wright (“General Hospital”), and Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant (“Wild Kingdom”). In addition, THE TALK hosts Amanda Kloots and Jerry O’Connell will make a special appearance.

    As previously announced, Daytime Emmy® Award nominated and multi-award-winning actress Melody Thomas Scott and Daytime Emmy-winning producer Edward J. Scott will receive Lifetime Achievement honors for their contributions to the world of Daytime television.

    THE 51ST ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS is produced by NATAS and Associated Television International (ATI), which produced Daytime Emmy Awards ceremonies on The CW in 2009 and on CBS in 2010, 2011, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Adam Sharp and Lisa Armstrong are executive producers from NATAS, while David McKenzie is executive producer from ATI.

    *Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the episode airs.

    Janis Paige Dies: Prolific Film, TV & Stage Actor Known For ‘Pajama Game’, ‘Silk Stockings’ & Soaps Was 101

    (6/3/24) Janis Paige, who racked up more than 100 film, TV and stage credits over six decades including The Pajama Game, Silk Stockings and Santa Barbara, died June 2 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 101.

    Her friend Stuart Lambert told The Associated Press about Paige’s death.

    During her long career, Paige toured with Bob Hope and danced onscreen with Fred Astaire, along with originating the Babe Williams role in The Pajama Game on Broadway in 1954. That same year she headlined It’s Always Jan, a CBS sitcom about the problems of single-parenthood during which she usually sang a song. It lasted a single season.

    Born Donna Mae Tjaden on September 16, 1922, in Tacoma, WA, she began singing in talent shows at a tender age and moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school.

    Paige made her Broadway debut in 1951 opposite Jackie Cooper in the mystery comedy Remains to Be Seen but found her signature stage role three years later in the hit musical comedy The Pajama Game. Babe Williams is a union organizer in a factory who falls in love with the new superintendent. Her role was played by Doris Day in the 1957 film version.

    Paige later returned to Broadway three times, including starring roles in Here’s Love (1963) and Alone Together (1984). In 1968, she played the title role in Mame as part of a replacement cast. Angela Lansbury was the original star.

    Along the way she appeared in dozens of movies and television series including 1946’s Hollywood Canteen, named for the famous nightclub where Paige was discovered. Through the next five years, she appeared in several Warner Bros films, often opposite Jack Carson, Dennis Morgan and/or Robert Hutton.

    “When you go on an audition as an actor, it’s not about the job,” she said in a 2005 interview for the Television Academy Foundation. “It’s about the privilege of acting. Of working in front of somebody and acting.” Watch some of that interview below.

    Among her most recognizable silver-screen roles were opposite Day in Please Don’t Eat the Daisies and with Astaire and Cyd Charisse in the 1957 romp Silk Stockings, which also starred Peter Lorre and George Tobias.

    The upstart TV medium came calling in the mid-1950s. Along with toplining It’s Always Jan, Paige guested on such popular ’50s and ’60s series in as Lux Video Theatre, Shower of Stars, Wagon Train, The Fugitive and The Red Skelton Hour.

    Paige continued to work sporadically in films, but she was a familiar face on TV during the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. She appeared on hit shows including All in the Family — during which she kissed Carroll O’Connor’s Archie Bunker — Happy Days, Columbo, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Hawaii Five-O, Charlie’s Angels, The Rockford Files, Police Story, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Too Close for Comfort, Night Court, Caroline in the City and Trapper John, M.D.

    She also appeared in dozens of episodes of daytime dramas General Hospital as Iona Huntington and Santa Barbara as Minx Lockridge. Her final credit was a 2001 episode of Family Law.

    John Stamos Warns Of The Wonkapocalypse In Sneak Peek At Musical Inspired By Glasgow’s Bizarre Willy Fest

    (6/3/24) When John Stamos warns of a chocolaty apocalypse, pay attention.

    He does just than in a sneak listen of what could be a pretty delicious musical parody inspired by that hilariously misguided (and unlicensed) Willy Wonka experience event in Glasgow a few months back.

    The Stamos track is one of three demos released to Deadline today by the producers of Willy’s Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody. With a line-up of songwriters including Riki Lindhome, Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, Tova Litvin and Doug Rockwell, and Daniel Mertzlufft, and performances by TikTok’s The Sharpe Family Singers and the real fest’s actual sad, gone-viral Oompa Loompa actress Kirsty Paterson, the demos will debut today on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and at willyscandyspectacular.com.

    Sample lyric, as delivered by Stamos with classic rock god moves: “It was the start of the end of the world/It’s significance was easy to miss/A scheme gone bad turned viral fad/brought us to the apocalypse/Some thought it’d be Trump or Putin/setting the world ablaze/Some thought it’d be masks or Covid vaccinations/that led to the ends of days/ But no! It was Willy’s Candy Spectacular!”

    The parody’s lead producer Richard Kraft of Kraft-Engel Productions had previously directed Stamos in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl that also featured Finn Wolfhard as Charlie and “Weird Al” Yankovic as the Oompa Loompas.

    Said Kraft, “The process of creating a brand-new musical, which usually spans years, is being condensed into just a couple of months, with the team sharing their progress through social media.”

    The first three demo tracks released today are:

    “Willy’s Candy Spectacular” – Stamos performs a post-apocalyptic opening number that traces the downfall of civilization back to the disastrous event in Glasgow. This track is the brainchild of Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, known for their work on Broadway’s First Date and ABC’s Once Upon a Time. Said the songwriters, “We love musicals with epic opening numbers. And we thought — what could be more epic than John Stamos singing about the end of humanity and linking our species’ demise to an underwhelming immersive experience in Scotland?”

    “Where Dreams Go To Fly” – An uplifting number written by Emmy-winners Doug Rockwell and Tova Litvin (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Julie & The Phantoms) captures “the unbridled optimism of the impresario behind Willy’s Candy Spectacular.” “There’s such a fine line between soaring optimism and crushing defeat,” they said. “In our song, we’ve tried to capture the range of emotions one goes through when creating art, even when that art is mind-numbingly awful.”

    “Dreamed to Dare” – Written by Daniel Mertzlufft, who launched the viral TikTok musical Ratatouille the Musical, features TikTok singers The Sharpe Family and the actual sad Oompa Loompa actress Kirsty Paterson from the viral Wonka Experience in Glasgow as “attendees preparing to enter the world of dreams (or nightmares).” Said Mertzlufft, “Not many shows have such high stakes and absurd characters that we deserve a bombastic anticipatory ensemble number – but with a plot like this I couldn’t resist!”

    Demos of additional songs are expected to be released every Sunday in the coming weeks, including a song from Riki Lindhome based on the sad Oompa Loompa Wannabe, culminating in the debut of a staged reading of the musical at the Pleasance King Dome from August 9 to 26 during Edinburgh Fringe Fest 2024.

    Willy’s Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody, producers want to make clear, is a parody production “and not sponsored, endorsed by or affiliated with Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Illuminati, Willy’s Chocolate Experience, The Ferrero Group, The Roland Dahl Story Company, Netflix, Village Roadshow Pictures, HeyDay Films and Domain Entertainment, or any of their subsidiaries or affiliated companies and/or third party licensors.”

    Listen to the three numbers below:

    Willys Candy Spectacular: (feat John Stamos): Video.

    Dreamed to Dare: (Feat Sharpe Family Singers and Sad Oompa Loompa Kirsty Paterson): Video.

    Where Dreams Go To Fly: featuring Doug Rockwell and Tova Litvin): Video.

    ‘The Rings Of Power’ Actress Nazanin Boniadi Not Returning For Season 2

    (5/31/24) Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power actress Nazanin Boniadi won’t be returning as her human healer character Bronwyn for season 2 of the Prime Video series.

    Deadline has also confirmed that Boniadi’s role has not been recast. Bronwyn is the mother of Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) and the lover of elf warrior Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova). Both Muhafidin and Cordova are returning for season 2. Bronwyn didn’t make an appearance in the recent teaser trailer for season 2 of Rings of Power.

    Boniadi recently wrote on Instagram that she paused acting “to focus solely on the #WomanLifeFreedom uprising in Iran and to advocate or the people in my homeland who have been risking everything for freedom.”

    She also mentioned Deadline’s announcement of her movie, A Mosquito in the Ear, which she said, “Despite my passion for acting, I knew it would take a very special project to convince me to once again split my time between my day job and my calling as an activist.”

    The movie is based on the Italian graphic novel Una Zanzara nell’Orecchio from Andrea Ferraris, which tells the true story of Andrew and Daniela, an American couple eager to form a family, who travel to India to bring home their newly adopted child. A Mosquito in the Ear reps the feature directorial debut of BAFTA Newcomer Nicola Rinciari.

    This past week, Rings of Power showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay said that a fan-fave character, Tom Bombadil, from the J.R.R. Tolkein novel was finally making his debut, that part played by Rory Kinnear.

    Johnny Wactor Co-Worker Describes Horrifying Final Moments: “Everything Happened In An Instant”

    (5/30/24) In an emotional and disturbing account of the final moments in the life of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor, the co-worker who was with him when he was shot by a thief provides new details of what she calls the “unimaginable events” of that night.

    “Everything happened in an instant,” writes Anita Joy in an Instagram message. “I’ve come to describe it as a glass of water that gets tipped over and you’re scrambling to grab it and save it from spilling out completely but it just runs through your fingertips and is gone.”

    Joy writes that she and Wactor, whom she affectionately calls Johnny Wacky, had finished their late shift at a downtown L.A. bar when, at about 3 a.m. last Saturday, the two were walking to their cars parked nearby. Friends for eight years, Wactor and Joy were “laughing together, walking side by side” when the encountered three people standing by Wactor’s vehicle.

    “We cautiously approached the men,” she writes, “questioning what they were doing, at first thinking the car was being towed. We were no threat and Johnny kept his cool as he always did, simply stating that it was his car and for them to leave. Hands open to his sides in peace. Johnny was between me and the man who shot him – as I heard the shot ring into the night, he forcefully tumbled back into my arms and as I grabbed for him, I shouted ‘Hunny you ok?’ And he only responded ‘Nope! Shot!’

    “We toppled onto the street,” she continues, “where I pushed my legs under him and tried to hold his body up while screaming for help and screaming at him to stay with me.”

    At that point, she says, a security guard from the bar, identified only as Bryan, came running to the wounded man while calling 911 on his phone. The guard wrapped a denim jacket around Wactor in an attempt to stop the bleeding, and began performing CPR.

    “It was too close range,” she writes, “too extreme of a wound for him to survive it but my god, he fought to stay. My only peace is that I was with him and this didn’t happen to him alone – my only other peace will be seeing these awful men brought to justice.”

    In addition to calling for justice and directing readers to the Go Fund Me page set up by Wactor’s family, Joy also calls out the bar where the two worked to provide late-night staff with secure parking “to prevent anything like this ever happening again to the best of their ability.” The bar, she says, “needs to contribute to Johnny’s family to honor and respect him for all the hard work and effort he did for them.”

    She further describes Wactor: “He was beautiful, goofy as hell, full of work ethic and values, he never put people down, even when joking, he never made you feel unsure of yourself – he knew how to be hilarious in such a positive way and it just made him that much more lovable. It just filled your heart to be around him. He called me ‘Anita Bonita’ and I hope the stamp of his voice saying that every time I saw him never leaves my memory. Just one look into his big blue eyes, followed by a big goofy grin, Johnny made you love him instantly. Absolutely one of the best men I’ve ever known. I’m so grateful to have been a part of his world and him, mine.”/

    John Stamos to Guest Star on UnPrisoned Alongside Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo

    (5/30/24) John Stamos won’t mince words when he appears in the second season of UnPrisoned.

    The actor, 60, will guest star on the Hulu comedy as Murphy, a bestselling author, reality star and self-proclaimed “family radical healing coach,” PEOPLE has learned. The “cut-to-the-chase” type therapist prides himself in being very direct with patients about “what’s wrong with them.”

    Stamos is one of several actors joining the upcoming season, premiering July 17, with other guest stars including Jamie Chung, Brandee Evans and Oliver Hudson. Brenda Strong, who appeared in the first season as Delroy Lindo’s onscreen love interest Nadine, will also return as a guest star.

    Season 2 of UnPrisoned picks up where the season 1 finale left off, with Edwin (Lindo) deciding to move out of Paige's (Kerry Washington) home. According to the synopsis, this season will see Edwin work on figuring out his life after getting out of prison during the season 1 pilot. Paige’s therapy practice, meanwhile, is in jeopardy and Finn (Faly Rakotohavana) must navigate his anxiety. The Alexander family turn to Murphy, who tosses out all the conventional rules of therapy to “free them of their issues, old wounds and family secrets holding them back.”

    Stamos is no stranger to playing a therapist, portraying the pot-smoking Dr. Nicky Reynolds in You’s first and second seasons, who is wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail). Despite being innocent of Guinevere’s murder, the existential feeling Dr. Reynolds, contends in the season 2 episode entitled “Love, Actually” that he's “guilty” of other things, including destroying his marriage, his wife and his kids and of "using" Guinevere.

    “I’m guilty of using her [Guinevere] — and she’s not the first. … She’s just the first to end up dead,” Dr. Reynolds says in the episode.

    Stamos rose to fame playing Blackie Parrish on General Hospital from 1982 to 1984, for which he earned a Daytime Emmy nomination. He landed on another hit show, Full House, portraying Jesse Katsopolis, from 1987 to 1995 — a role he would later reprise for the Netflix sequel series Fuller House, which ran for five seasons, from 2016 to 2020.

    "It's [Full House] a story critics can get contemptuous about but also one that moms and dads can enjoy with their kids," Stamos wrote in his 2023 memoir If You Would Have Told Me, adding the show "was sentimental in a way that feels brave" and displayed "a vulnerability that is almost retro."

    During his decades-long career, the actor has also starred in TV projects including the Disney+ sports dramedy Big Shot and the Fox comedy Grandfathered, for which he won a People’s Choice Award in 2016 for favorite actor in a new TV series. He has also starred onstage in productions of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Cabaret, Bye Bye Birdie and Nine.

    Season 2 of UnPrisoned premieres July 17 on Hulu.

    ‘General Hospital’ Actor Johnny Wactor’s Cause Of Death Revealed

    (5/29/24) The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has confirmed actor Johnny Wactor died from a gunshot wound to the chest. His manner of death is classified as a homicide.

    Wactor was shot early Saturday morning, May 25, in Los Angeles when he confronted three armed thieves who were trying to steal a catalytic converter from his car. The suspects fled the scene and the LAPD has asked for the public’s help for tips.

    In a May 28 news release, Los Angeles Police Department said, based on witness statements, Wactor had ended his shift as a bartender at a local bar and was walking to his vehicle when “he was confronted by three individuals who had Wactor’s vehicle raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter.

    “Without provocation, the victim was shot by one of the individuals,” police said. “The three suspects involved were wearing all dark clothing and driving a dark-colored sedan. The suspects fled northbound on Hope Street. Central Bureau Homicide is investigating this case and is requesting the public’s help.”

    Wactor’s family has said that the actor was walking a female co-worker to her car and, upon encountering the thieves at Wactor’s car, the actor positioned himself in front of his co-worker just before he was shot. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

    Wactor appeared in the ABC daytime soap General Hospital between 2020 and 2022, playing the role of Brando Corbin. His other television credits include Station 19, Westworld, NCIS and Criminal Minds among others. On the film side, he was most recently seen in Dead Talk Tales: Volume I, released this year, in which he played Marcus.

    LAPD Seeks Public’s Help In Johnny Wactor Killing; Suspects Remain At Large

    (5/28/24) The Los Angeles Police Department is asking the public for tips in the tragic shooting death of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor on Saturday.

    In a news release confirming earlier accounts of the crime, the Los Angeles Police Department said today that, based on witness statements, Wactor had ended his shift as a bartender at a local bar and was walking to his vehicle when “he was confronted by three individuals who had Wactor’s vehicle raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter.”

    “Without provocation, the victim was shot by one of the individuals,” police said. “The three suspects involved were wearing all dark clothing and driving a dark-colored sedan. The suspects fled northbound on Hope Street. Central Bureau Homicide is investigating this case and is requesting the public’s help.”

    While the police statement mentions a witness, the LAPD has not confirmed that person’s identity. Wactor’s family has said that the actor was walking a female co-worker to her car and, upon encountering the thieves at Wactor’s car, the actor positioned himself in front of his co-worker just before he was shot.

    Per LAPD: When police arrived at the crime scene in the 1200 block of Hope Street downtown at around 3:25 a.m. on May 25, officers found Wactor suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers began to render aid to the victim and requested the response of emergency medical services. Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and transported Wactor to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

    Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to call LAPD Detectives Gonzales or Martinez at Central Bureau Homicide, at (213) 996-4142. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to (877) LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go to http://www.lacrimestoppers.org.

    Elizabeth MacRae Dies: ‘General Hospital’ & ‘Gomer Pyle: USMC’ Actor Was 88

    (5/28/24) Elizabeth MacRae, known for her recurring roles in General Hospital and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., has died. She was 88.

    MacRae died on May 27 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she grew up.

    After graduating, MacRae pursued a career in acting and auditioned for Otto Preminger’s production of Saint Joan in 1956. Although she didn’t land a role, she continued to pursue acting. She moved to New York City where she studied with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio and gained experience in off-Broadway productions.

    MacRae landed her first television role playing a witness in the courtroom series The Verdict Is Yours. Over a career that spanned 25 years, MacRae would be featured in television shows like Route 66, Surfside 6, Rendezvous, The Fugitive, Judd for the Defense, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, I Dream of Jeannie, The Andy Griffith Show, and many more.

    One of her most prominent roles was in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., where she played Gomer’s girlfriend Lou-Ann Poovie.

    MacRae also appeared in soaps like General Hospital, where she played Meg Baldwin starting in August 1969. She remained on the ABC daytime soap until 1973, when the character was killed off. Other soaps MacRae starred in were Another World, Days of Our Lives, Guiding Light, and Search for Tomorrow.

    MacRae’s film credits include Live in a Goldfish Bowl, Everything’s Ducky, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, and Frances Ford Coppola’s The Conversation.

    She continued to work in television and featured in shows like Kojak, Barnaby Jones, and Rhoda. MacRae’s last film credit was in 1989, where she played a reporter on Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives!

    Following her acting career, MacRae and her husband, Charles Day Halsey Jr., moved to North Carolina and, years later, returned home to Fayetteville.

    She is survived by five stepchildren, Terry Halsey, Peter Halsey, Hugh Halsey, Cate Halsey, and Alex Halsey Topper.

    ‘General Hospital’ Alum Johnny Wactor Has GoFundMe Set Up By Grandmother To Support Loved Ones After Fatal Shooting

    (5/27/24) Johnny Wactor, the former General Hospital actor who was fatally shot on Saturday, has been set up with a GoFundMe to help support his loved ones.

    Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, endorsed the crowdfunding effort opened by the actor’s grandmother Michaelle Kinard.

    “I want to raise money for his mother, Scarlett, and his brothers, Lance and Grant to be able to travel the distance of 2000 miles (the many times it may take) to take care of this heartbreaking business which they have been sentenced,” reads the GoFundMe page.

    The fundraiser has a goal of $100,000, of which more than $35,000 has been raised as of this publication.

    Kinard noted that “any excess donations” would “be donated to the charities the family chooses in memory of Johnny.”

    Wactor’s grandmother said her “heart is utterly broken” and added, “somehow we NEED justice for Johnny!”

    “With God‘s will the killer will be arrested and the family will see him face to face. This may help bring closure to this tragedy,” Kinard added.

    Wactor received a fatal shot after finishing a bartending shift in Downtown Los Angeles. He was reportedly walking with a female co-worker when he noticed three men attempting to steal a catalytic converter from his car.

    According to Wactor’s brother Grant, the General Hospital alum saw the thieves and asked if he was being towed.

    “He came across them and he thought his truck was being towed. So he said something to the guys, like, ‘Hey, are you towing?’” Grant Wactor told the Daily Mail. “And then once he turned around, he saw what was happening and he put his coworker behind him. And that’s when they shot him.”

    Wactor appeared in the ABC soap between 2020 and 2022 as Brando Corbin.

    ‘General Hospital’ Actor Johnny Wactor Was Shielding Female Co-Worker When Fatally Shot

    (5/27/24) Actor Johnny Wactor had just finished a bartending shift and was walking an unidentified female co-worker to her car when he was shot and killed by thieves apparently attempting to steal a catalytic converter from his car.

    The General Hospital actor’s brother Grant has told the Daily Mail that Wactor initially thought his vehicle was being towed, but when he realized what was actually happening he shielded the co-worker by putting her behind him.

    “We’re Southern, born and raised, and we would never let a female walk to their car by herself,” Grant Wactor told the news outlet. “He came across them and he thought his truck was being towed. So he said something to the guys, like, ‘Hey, are you towing?’

    “And then once he turned around, he saw what was happening and he put his coworker behind him. And that’s when they shot him.”

    Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, confirmed that account to CNN affiliate KABC. She said her son occasionally worked as a bartender between acting gigs.

    The fatal shooting occurred around 3:25 a.m. Saturday near Pico Boulevard and Hope Street. The three thieves fled the scene, and as of Monday morning had not been apprehended.

    Wactor played the character Brando Corbin on General Hospital from 2020 to 2022. His other credits include Westworld, Criminal Minds, Siberia and Station 19.

    'General Hospital' Actor Johnny Wactor Shot & Killed ... Alleged Theft Gone Wrong

    (5/26/24) Johnny Wactor -- an actor best known for appearing in nearly 200 episodes of "General Hospital" -- has died, TMZ has learned.

    Wactor was shot and killed in downtown Los Angeles early Saturday morning, his mother Scarlett tells TMZ. She says Johnny was with a coworker when they saw three men messing with Johnny's car. While authorities haven't release his name, this matches the description of an incident where three suspects allegedly tried to steal a catalytic converter.

    Scarlett says she was told Johnny didn't try to fight or stop them ... but, the men shot him anyway before taking off. According to police info, paramedics rushed to the scene just after 3 AM PT. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

    Police have not provided a description of the suspects ... but, Johnny's mother says she hopes they'll be found quickly.

    Johnny got his start in acting back in 2007 on the hit Lifetime show "Army Wives," playing a few different roles before working steadily over the next two decades.

    Some of his bigger credits include "Westworld," "The OA," "NCIS," "Station 19," "Criminal Minds," and "Hollywood Girl."

    Many of Johnny's fans will remember him for his time on 'GH' where he played Brando Corbin -- married to drug addict Sasha Corbin in the series. He played the role from 2020 until his character was written off the program in 2022.

    Wactor's mother remembers him as a loving young man ... adding his death leaves a huge hole in the family's heart.

    He's survived by his mother, and his younger brothers Lance and Grant. He was 37.

    Daytime Emmy Hosts Will Once Again Be ‘Entertainment Tonight’ Anchors Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner

    (5/23/24) “Entertainment Tonight” anchors Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner are back to once again host the Daytime Emmys, as the 51st edition of the kudocast airs live on Friday, June 7, at 8 p.m. ET (tape delayed on the west coast) from the Westin Bonaventure hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The event airs on CBS and Paramount+, marking the 18th time the Daytime Emmys has been broadcast on the Eye network.

    The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and CBS were set to announce the news, which Variety has exclusively learned, on Thursday morning. Frazier and Turner previously hosted the Daytime Emmys in 2022 and 2023. The duo is also nominated this year in the outstanding daytime personality – daily category, while “Entertainment Tonight” is nominated in outstanding entertainment news series.

    Frazier has been co-host of “ET” since September 2014; before that, he was co-host and managing editor of “The Insider” and a correspondent and weekend host of “ET.” Turner has been co-host of “ET” since 2021, first joining the show as a correspondent in 2014. She preciously served as a contributor for CNN.

    Also on Thursday, NATAS revealed that Rachel Schwartz has been named head of daytime and children’s & family at the org. The landmark promotion makes Schwartz the first woman to ever lead the Daytime Emmys.

    NATAS has additionally announced its 2024 Gold and Silver Circle Honorees, recognizing “admired individuals who have made enduring contributions to daytime television. Inductees are exceptional professionals who have performed distinguished service within the television industry, setting standards for achievement, mentoring, leadership and professional accolades for 50 or 25 years, respectively. They represent the best and brightest in the industry.”

    2024 Gold Circle Inductees:

    Jerome Dobson (writer, “Guiding Light,” “As the World Turns,” “General Hospital,” “Santa Barbara”)

    A Martínez (actor, “The Bay,” “Santa Barbara”)

    Suzanne Rogers (actress, “Days of Our Lives”)

    2024 Silver Circle Inductees:

    Patricia Denney (former hair and makeup department head, “The Young and The Restless”)

    Kathleen Finch (chairman and CEO, US networks, Warner Bros. Discovery)

    Linda Grand (set master props, “The Bold & The Beautiful”)

    Janet Spellman-Drucker (co-executive producer, “Days of Our Lives”)

    Mark Teschner (casting director, “General Hospital”)

    Rolonda Watts (talk show host, actress and voiceover talent, “Sherri,” “Curious George,” “Divorce Court”)

    The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards is produced by NATAS and Associated Television International. Adam Sharp and Lisa Armstrong are executive producers from NATAS, while David McKenzie is executive producer from ATI.

    Simmons planning Broadway show, audiences will join in on workout dance numbers

    (5/23/24) Will audiences be “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” on Broadway?

    Fitness pioneer Richard Simmons is putting together a show for the Great White Way.

    “I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who is an attorney and manages famous artists in music,” Simmons — who’s been something of a recluse for the last decade — posted on Facebook last week. “She wants to do an interactive Broadway show about my life.”

    The show would create an open space near the stage where theatergoers could join in on workout dance numbers.

    Simmons, 75, told us: “I am so excited about the prospect of my own Broadway show. I have so many ideas and I’m writing them all down … Broadway is in my blood!”

    To get in the groove, the exercise pioneer has also been reminiscing about some of his own favorite Broadway shows for fans on Facebook.

    He posted this month, “I saw a musical called ‘La Cage Aux Folles,” the 1983 Broadway show that was adapted from a 1978 French film, and later remade by Hollywood as “The Birdcage” starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.

    Simmons recalled of the ’80s production starring Gene Barry and George Hearn, “This show began with all these dancers singing ‘I Am What I Am,’ one of my favorite songs. The dancers spotted me in my seat and waved at me. I did go backstage and said hello. I had tickets to see it the next evening. I sent each dancer a long stemmed white rose. About a week later they sent me a handmade thank you card and they all signed it. I still have that card today.”

    He also posted of his theater experiences seeing musicals including “Gypsy,” “The Lion King,” “Flora the Red Menace,” “Barnum,” “Sweet Charity,” “Chaplin,” “Wicked,” “Mama Mia,” “Hair,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Fiddler On the Roof,” and many more.

    Andrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore and Others Revisit ‘Brat Pack’ Ignominy in Hulu’s BRATS Trailer

    (5/22/24) (Video) “Oh, f–k” was Andrew McCarthy‘s reaction upon seeing the June 1985 New York magazine cover that would forever label him, Demi Moore and other peers as “Hollywood’s Brat Pack,” he shares in a first trailer for Hulu‘s upcoming BRATS documentary.

    Hulu also announced a Thursday, June 14 release date for the feature-length docu.

    McCarthy, who wrote, directed and hosts the documentary film, said at the TCA press tour in February that the infamous New York issue was originally just to have a profile of Emilio Estevez. But then St. Elmo’s Fire came out and it blew up into a “Hollywood’s Brat Pack” cover.

    “It’s been a blessing more than a curse in my life,” McCarthy shared at TCA. “We were branded as ‘partying, wanting to have a good time, get famous.” In turn, he, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore and others lost control of the narrative of their careers.

    McCarthy suggested at TCA that the bona fide Brat Pack consists of him, Estevez, Lowe, Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and Molly Ringwald.

    McCarthy hadn’t spoken to Estevez since the June 1985 St. Elmo’s Fire movie premiere when he phoned him to discuss participation in the BRATS documentary. Nelson decided not to participate, telling McCarthy, “The Brat Pat didn’t exist, so I’m not gonna talk about it.” Ringwald also passed.

    An ABC News Studios co-production, BRATS looks at the iconic films of the 1980s that shaped a generation and the narrative that took hold when their young stars were branded the “Brat Pack.” The documentary explores the cultural phenomenon of films such as St. Elmo’s Fire and The Breakfast Club that tapped into teenage angst and connected with young audiences in a way that had never been done before.

    McCarthy, whose 1980s film credits included Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire and Less Than Zero, and who wrote the New York Times bestselling memoir Brat: An ‘80s Story, reunited with several fellow Brat-Packers to answer the question: What did it mean to be part of the Brat Pack?

    McCarthy also speaks to key members of the “Brat Pack” films’ production, including directors, casting directors, screenwriters and producers. He also sits down for a first-time conversation with David Blum, the New York writer who fatefully coined the Brat Pack term..

    ‘General Hospital’ Says Farewell to Gregory Harrison

    (5/21/24) Port Charles is losing a favored denizen. Gregory Harrison, who first joined General Hospital in 2020, has left the sudser.

    His last episode aired May 21.

    Harrison, best known to boomers for his long-running role on Trapper John, M.D., played Gregory Chase, the father of Finn (Michael Easton) and Chase (Josh Swickard). His character died in his sleep after suffering from ALS.

    Easton paid tribute to his co-star on Instagram by saying “One of the finest actors I’ve ever had the privilege of working with and an even better human being. I learned so much from you, my friend, and it was an absolute honor to get to share a stage with you these past three years. Your talent, grace and powerful presence will be greatly missed around the studio."

    Nancy Lee Grahn, who plays Alexis on GH, said on X that it “was hard to say goodbye to working with my friend, Gregory Harrison. What a treat to share the stage with this guy, and getting to know him was a gift. I truly love & respect everything about him. And I know he’s seeing this. He doesn’t post, but likes to read mine.”

    Harrison told Soap Opera Digest in 2023 that he had many opportunities over the years to join a daytime drama — especially All My Children. But “it scared me so bad.”

    But after the pandemic, Harrison was offered the part on GH and immediately said yes. “It was almost like an out-of-body experience, because I was just desperate to go do what I love to do,” he told the outlet. “And then after I hung up the phone, I went, ‘Oh, my God, what did I just say yes to?!’ You know, ‘Why did you wait till you were 70-something to test your brain with 30 pages of dialogue a night? What, are you crazy? Are you out of your mind?’ I went through terror for a couple of weeks and then I started the show… The terror ended after two or three weeks.”

    A longtime journeyman actor, Harrison’s other TV credits include stints on One Tree Hill, CSI: NY, Ringer and Joey.

    Polish Brothers Re-Team To Make Innovative Movie ‘There There’ Starring Gretchen Moll, Shannon Sossamon & More

    (5/17/24) Out at the Cannes market, LA-based production company Convergence Entertainment Group is launching There There, which is being written and directed by the Polish brothers in their first collaboration in more than a decade.

    The film has begun principal photography and the duo are hopeful it will premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. This would be the sixth Polish Brothers film to premiere at the festival.

    On There There, each of the twin brothers will write and direct one half of the movie without the other knowing anything about the other, resulting in two separate storylines that will be interwoven into a single feature-length film. This approach will enable each brother to explore the nature of the twin relationship from their own unique perspective without being influenced or constrained by the other’s vision.

    The cast includes Gretchen Mol (Yellowstone), Shannon Sossamon (The Rules of Attraction), Corbin Bernsen (Major League), Zack Pearlman (The Intern), Logan Polish (The Mosquito Coast), and D.W. Moffett (Friday Night Lights).

    The movie will chart the story of two brothers who have spent 40 long years apart, unaware of each other’s existence. As fate would have it, their paths cross and they are forced to confront the truth that has been hidden from them for so long.

    “By allowing each of us to create our own storylines, we hope to capture the complexity, honesty and richness of the twin relationship in a way that has never been seen before on screen,” said Mark Polish. “This is a journey that will tug at audience’s heartstrings and leave people inspired by the incredible resilience of the human spirit.”

    Michael Polish added: “We took painstaking measures to keep all details of our respective halves from each other. This has never been done before in the history of cinema and will in many ways be reflective, we think, of the relationship between the two of us.”

    The Polish brothers are known for movies including Twin Falls Idaho, Northfolk and Jackpot. Michael Polish most recently directed Sylvester Stallone movie Alarum.

    Convergence is the company set up by Randall Emmett and Joel Cohen in 2022. Recent credits include Savage Salvation (2022), starring Robert De Niro, John Malkovich and Jack Huston, and Gunner (2024) starring Morgan Freeman..

    ‘General Hospital’ Shakes Up Writers Room; Patrick Mulcahey Is Out As Co-Head

    (5/16/24) More change in the writers room at General Hospital.

    Patrick Mulcahey — who was promoted in January to help fill the void left by co-head writers Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor — is no longer on the soap’s head-writing team, Deadline has confirmed.

    Elizabeth Korte, who was upped alongside Mulcahey, will become the sole head writer for now. Korte has been a part of the GH family since 1992.

    Mulcahey is a longtime vet of daytime dramas, having started in the biz on Search For Tomorrow. He wrote for Loving, Santa Barbara, Guiding Light and The Bold and the Beautiful. He first started penning episodes for GH in 1996.

    Episodes that he crafted with Korte will air through mid-summer. A spokeswoman for the show declined comment.

    In December, GH took the prize for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series. It also racked up four Emmys in the acting categories (the late Sonya Eddy, Robert Gossett, Eden McCoy and Alley Mills) and another in the Outstanding Directing Team category.

    Andrew McCarthy’s Brat Pack Documentary ‘Brats’ Sets Hulu Premiere Date

    (5/14/24) ABC News Studios, Neon and Network Entertainment announced on Tuesday that Brats, the feature-length Brat Pack doc directed by Andrew McCarthy, will premiere on Hulu in the U.S. on Thursday, June 13.

    Set to launch on Disney+ in select territories later this summer, after world premiering at the 2024 Tribeca Festival, Brats looks at the iconic films of the 1980s that shaped a generation and the narrative that took hold when their young stars were branded the “Brat Pack.” McCarthy reunites with his fellow Brat Packers — friends, colleagues and former foes, including Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Jon Cryer, Lea Thompson and Timothy Hutton, many of whom he had not seen for over 30 years — to answer the question: What did it mean to be part of the Brat Pack? The actor-filmmaker also sits down for a first-time conversation with writer David Blum, who fatefully coined the term Brat Pack in a 1985 New York Magazine cover story.

    McCarthy’s involvement in the Brat Pack is primarily attributed to his roles in iconic ’80s films like St. Elmo’s Fire and Pretty in Pink. He directed Brats from his own script, with Neon and Network Entertainment producing for ABC News Studios. In a statement on Brats, McCarthy mused that making the film “was that rare opportunity to dive back into the frozen past and bring it up into the living present.”

    Derik Murray and Adrian Buitenhuis served as the doc’s producers. Exec producers included Brian Liebman and McCarthy, Neon’s Dan O’Meara and Tom Quinn, Network Entertainment’s Brian Gersh, Paul Gertz and Kent Wingerak, and ABC News Studios’s Victoria Thompson. David Sloan served as senior executive producer.

    Stated Mike Kelley who heads ABC News Studios, “The Brat Pack captivated a generation and defined cool for so many. Andrew, as a seminal member, brings unbelievable access and perspective to the phenomenon as director of this film. It’s a deeply personal, surprising and entertaining journey and a film we are so proud of at ABC News Studios.”

    James Franco & Tommy Lee Jones Team For Action Thriller ‘The Razor’s Edge’

    (5/13/24) We can tell you that James Franco and Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones are leading the action thriller The Razor’s Edge from producer Corey Large (Paradise City, It Follows, The November Man) and filmmaker Demian Lichtenstein (3000 Miles to Graceland).

    Red Sea Media is handling international sales and will debut the film for buyers at the upcoming Marche du Film in Cannes. Cameras roll June 25 in Georgia.

    Lichenstein is helming off a screenplay he wrote with Vance Duplechin. After a mob hitman vows to leave his deadly past behind, he faces an impossible choice when his daughter is kidnapped and the woman he loves becomes a target of the syndicate. He is forced to undertake one final, perilous mission while being pursued by an assassin even more lethal.

    Pic is executive produced by Kirk Shaw (The Hurt Locker, Papa Hemingway in Cuba, Extraction). BondIt Media Capital is financing with Matthew Helderman (Clerks III, Book of Love), Luke Taylor (Dual, Redemption Day) and Jordan Nott (Assassination, Cold DeckI) also executive producing.

    “I’m excited that we have signed the superbly talented actors James, Suki and Tommy Lee to bring The Razor’s Edge to the big screen. They are perfectly suited to embody the protagonists in director Demian’s script,” said Large. “We cannot wait to begin filming this taut thriller next month with an assist from our seasoned executive producer Kirk,” he added.

    “We’ve worked with Corey on over a dozen projects throughout the years and always appreciate his ability to get projects made in many different industry climates. We’re excited for another adventure here with Corey and his team,” commented Bond It Capital co-founder CEO Matthew Helderman.

    Large is producing through his 308 Enterprises. His other feature production, Assassination directed by Rain Man Oscar winner Barry Levinson and starring Academy Award-winner Al Pacino and BAFTA winning Shia LaBeouf is shooting this fall.

    Franco was Oscar nominated for Best Actor for 127 Hours and is a 2x Golden Globe winner for James Dean, in which he played the title role, and took home Best Actor in Miniseries, and for The Disaster Artist which he won Best Actor Feature Comedy/Musical. He starred in Sony’s original Spider-Man trilogy from Sam Rami.

    Oscar, Emmy, SAG, Golden Globe, and Palme d’Or winner Jones counts an Oscar and Golden Globe supporting actor win for The Fugitive and starred in Sony’s Men in Black trilogy. Jones won a Lead Actor Emmy for NBC’s The Executioners’ Song, and a Cannes Palme D’Or for Best Actor for Sony Pictures Classics’ The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada which he also directed. He also directed The Homesman which starred Hilary Swank.

    Franco is represented by UTA and Anonymous Content, Jones is represented by CAA and Jacobson, Russell, Saltz, Nassim & De La Torre.

    ‘When Calls The Heart’ Renewed For 12th Season By Hallmark Channel

    (5/10/24) Hallmark Channel‘s longest-running original series shows no signs of stopping; the network picked up When Calls the Heart for a 12th season.

    The new season will consist of 12 episodes and production will begin in July.

    “When Calls the Heart continues to exceed our expectations and the number of fans and viewers continue to grow every year,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, EVP Programming. “Bringing Season 12 to life is a huge milestone and is a true testament to the cast and crew’s hard work and dedication throughout the last decade. We cannot wait for Hope Valley’s next chapter full of exciting characters and storytelling.”

    Season 11 of When Calls the Heart ranks as the most-watched entertainment cable series year-to-date among households, total viewers and women 18+. After four episodes, it is averaging 2.1 million households, 2.5 million total viewers and 1.8 million women 18+.

    As Hope Valley enters the 1920s in the current season, schoolteacher Elizabeth Thornton (Erin Krakow) embarks on a fresh start – with new romance, new challenges and new style. She and Mountie Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry) navigate their growing romantic feelings while also leaning on each other for support as they face new parenting obstacles. Newly elected Governor Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally) must confront his past in order to embrace his strengths and lead Hope Valley into the future. Retired Mountie Bill Avery (Jack Wagner) and newspaper reporter Rosemary Coulter (Pascale Hutton) team up to unravel a mystery putting their entire community at risk.

    “I am overjoyed that When Calls the Heart is coming back for a 12th season,” said Krakow, WCTH star and executive producer. “Our fantastic writers, cast and crew couldn’t be more excited to begin filming this next season. We are proud to tell stories that warm hearts in homes around the world and so grateful to Hallmark for being such champions of that positivity. Having the Hearties’ support over the past decade has been a true testament to what this show is all about: community and love. We cannot wait for our fans to see what Hope Valley has in store.”

    Jeff Bridges, Dave Bautista, Bryan Cranston, Sam Elliott & More Set For Live-Action ‘Grendel’ Movie

    (5/10/24) Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart) will play the title role in Grendel, a live-action monster flick from The Jim Henson Company, for which Palisades Park Pictures is launching international sales ahead of Cannes.

    Grendel is the tale of the legendary monster at the heart of the Beowulf epic poem who steps forth to tell his side of this riveting story. Directed by Robert D. Krzykowski (The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot), the film’s ensemble also includes Dave Bautista (Dune: Part Two) as Beowulf, Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) as King Hrothgar, Sam Elliott (A Star is Born) as The Dragon, Thomasin McKenzie (Last Night in Soho) as Queen Wealhtheow, and Aidan Turner (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies) as Unferth. In addition to playing the role of The Shaper, famed recording artist and record producer T Bone Burnett will provide original songs for the film.

    Krzykowski adapted the script from John Gardner’s critically acclaimed novel of the same name. Producers on the project include Brian Henson (The Muppet Christmas Carol, Farscape) and Vince Raisa (The Happytime Murders) for The Jim Henson Company, Krzykowski and Jay Glazer (Body Language, Get Luke Lowe), who together acquired the rights to the novel in 2020, Dennis Berardi (Monster Hunter, Frankenstein), and Jon D. Wagner (Bone Tomahawk, Haunt).

    Exec producers include Bridges, John Sayles (Lone Star, Eight Men Out), Tamara Birkemoe, and Joe Jenckes of Ashland Hill Media Finance. Palisades Park Pictures are launching international sales at the upcoming Marché du Film, with CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent Film Group co-repping rights for North America. Ashland Hill Media Finance is financing, with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop (Five Nights at Freddy’s, Where the Wild Things Are) to handle the practical creature work and design. Production is slated to kick off in Europe later this year.

    “Grendel represents everything I love about the movies,” Krzykowski said. “John Gardner’s mad masterpiece cleverly tackles what it is to be human through the wild-eyed lens of a monster. It’s an honor to work with such a remarkable group of storytellers, all of whom seek to bring something wonderful and unexpected to audiences now.”

    Stated Palisades Park Pictures CEO Tamara Birkemoe, “We are delighted to be introducing this elevated, high-concept story to our distributors around the world. With this brilliant cast, Bob’s vivid vision and the extraordinary creative track record of our friends at The Jim Henson Company, we cannot wait to see Grendel come to life.”

    Other feature titles on the Palisades’ Cannes sales slate include The Magic Faraway Tree starring Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy; That’s Amore! starring John Travolta, Katherine Heigl and Christopher Walken; Philip Noyce’s action-adventure Fast Charlie starring Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin and James Caan; and Neil Marshall’s action thriller Duchess, starring Charlotte Kirk, Philip Winchester, Sean Pertwee, Colm Meaney and Stephanie Beacham.

    Bridges is repped by CAA, MGMT Entertainment, Special Artists Agency and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum; Bautista by CAA, Meisner Entertainment Group, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Cranston by UTA and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole; Elliott by Gersh and Berwick & Kovacik; McKenzie by UTA, Untitled Entertainment, Gail Cowan Management and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole; Turner by Curtis Brown Group, Lisa Richards, and Felker Toczek Suddleson; Burnett by LJ Entertainment; and Krzykowski by Neon Kite, Verve, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.

    ‘General Hospital’ Casts Giovanni Mazza As Brook Lynn’s Cousin

    (5/9/24) A new player — both literally and figuratively — is about to show up at the wedding of Harrison (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton).

    Giovanni Mazza is joining the cast as Giovanni Cerullo, a cousin of Brook Lynn who will play the violin at the nuptials that are set to occur the week of May 13.

    In real life, the Chicago-based Mazza has performed the violin at several NBA events and on TV shows. He started acting professionally at the age of 8, when he appeared in a two-year Walmart commercial campaign, as well as in Chicago-based independent films.

    At age 10, Mazza made his TV debut in a small speaking role on Nickelodeon’s Bella and the Bulldogs. He currently attends high school in Chicago and is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Italy. He is repped by Arise Artist Agency.

    Typically, GH boosts its teen cast during the summer when youths are out of school.

    General Hospital, which won the top prize at the 2023 Daytime Emmys, airs weekdays on ABC. The sudser garnered 11 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, for the 2024 Daytime Emmys set for June 7 on CBS and Paramount+.

    Jake Lacy & Nazanin Boniadi To Topline Adoption Dramedy ‘A Mosquito In The Ear’

    (5/8/24) (Photo) Jake Lacy (Apples Never Fall) and Nazanin Boniadi (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) have wrapped production on A Mosquito in the Ear, a new film marking the feature debut of BAFTA Newcomer Nicola Rinciari.

    An adaptation of the Italian graphic novel Una Zanzara nell’Orecchio from Andrea Ferraris, which tells the true story of his adoption journey, the film follows Andrew and Daniela, an American couple eager to form a family, as they travel to India to bring home their newly adopted child. The girl, however, is unaware and unwilling to leave the orphanage where she lives in India to become their daughter.

    Also starring Ruhi Pal, the film was shot in partnership with Lasutra Pictures, a division of YOYOGOA Communications PVT LTD helmed by Laurens Postma (Exitz, The Interview: Night of 26/11) and Sunitha Ram (The Archies, After the Wedding), as well as 3DMC, Ratan Films, Whiskey Stream, Greenmachine Films, 5x Media, Foothill Productions, Steak & Rosè, and Wooden Trailer Productions. Producers on the project include Emily Dillard, Darren Dean (The Florida Project, Tangerine), Ali K. Rizvi (Skin, Human Capital), Frank Hall Green (Gonzo Girl, Wildlike) and Stephen Stanley (What Lies Below, They Live in the Grey). Boniadi and Lacy served as executive producers.

    “A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR captures the evolving relationship between a couple and their adopted child,” Rinciari told Deadline. “In this case, the parents know little about the world of their newly adopted daughter and can’t speak her language. It leads to a question that I’ve asked myself since I moved to the U.S. as a teenager: how much do you need to understand someone to form a relationship with them?”

    Added the film’s producer, Dean, “After nearly two decades of producing independent features, I can honestly say that Nico is one of the most promising emerging directors I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with. His refreshingly earnest approach and his empathetic lens make A MOSQUITO IN THE EAR a gift for the senses that we cannot wait to share.”

    Most recently seen starring in Peacock’s limited series Apples Never Fall, a Liane Moriarty adaptation that debuted at No. 5 on Nielsen’s streaming charts, Lacy garnered his first Emmy nom a few years ago for his role on The White Lotus and has also recently been seen starring in Peacock’s A Friend of the Family. On the film side, recent credits include Willian Friedkin’s The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial and Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos.

    Best known for her role as the human healer Bronwyn on Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which is heading into its second season, Boniadi’s other recent TV credits include Counterpart and Homeland. On the feature side, notable recent credits include Bombshell, Hotel Mumbai, Passengers and Ben-Hur, to name just a few.

    Rinciari previously collaborated with A Mosquito in the Ear producer Dillard on Our Side, a short film that won the prize for Best Scripted Series at the College Television Awards and was a finalist for the Student Academy Awards. In addition to making a number of other shorts, he’s worked as a previs artist on such DreamWorks titles as Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken and the upcoming The Wild Robot, along with live-action tentpoles like Thor: Love and Thunder, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Fast X.

    Lacy is represented by Beth Rosner Management, UTA, and Schreck Rose Dapello; Boniadi by Jordan Lee Talent, CAA, The Artists Partnership, and Glaser Weil Fink; Ferraris by AM-Book; and Dean by 5x Media.

    #FreeToomaj : ‘LOTR: The Rings Of Power’s Nazanin Boniadi, ‘Extraction’s Golshifteh Farahani Call For World To “Rise Up” To Stop Execution Of Iranian Rapper

    (5/6/24) “Rise up and unite,” says Nazanin Boniadi in a video appeal released today to save the life of Toomaj Salehi .

    The rapper was been given a death sentence by Iranian authorities last month for his involvement in the protests against attacks and killing of women and activists that swept the Islamic Republic in 2022.

    The 32-year-old Salehi has long been critical of the regime in Tehran and called out the theoracy for its assault on its own citizens in his rap lyrics and on social media. Hauled in by authorities in October 2022 and labeled as “one of the leaders of the riots” by pro-government media, Salehi was released from prison last year for a short spell, Salehi soon rearrested sent back behind bars. The rearrest came after Salehi revealed in a video that he was tortured and placed in solitary confinement for 252 days.

    Promoting the hashtag #FreeToomaj, the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Boniadi is joined in the video appeal by Extraction actor Golshifteh Farahani and many more – as you can see above. With Salehi’s fate already spotlighted by Meek Mills, the Recording Academy and the President Biden’s National Security Advisor in recent days, the intent of this new plea is to persuade more artists around the world to use their platforms and status to generate more attention to the rapper/activist’s sentence.

    The video released by the Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran on Monday also features filmmaker and cartoonist Marjane Satrapi, and Toomaj’s cousin and a leader in the international #FreeToomaj campaign.

    According to the American-based Human Rights Activists News Agency last year, over 20,000 people have been thrown in jail by the rulers of Iran since the protests started. While it is unknown exactly how many have been killed or executed while detained, up to 600 people have died since the latest uprising against the policies of the Islamic Republic began on the streets of the country.

    “Toomaj Salehi is a national hero,” Iranian-born Boniadi told Deadline today.

    “With his lyrics and his platform he has captured the aspiration of the Iranian people for freedom,” the the Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran board member added. “He is the voice of the streets in Iran, particularly in the #WomanLifeFreedom uprising. He should be on stage, not in prison. He should receive accolades, not a death sentence. For 45 years the Islamic Republic has persecuted and silenced artists, and anyone who opposes the regime’s repressive ideology. Because there’s nothing they fear more than a voice that galvanizes people for change. And that is exactly what Toomaj does. When we talk about the power of art and artists, this is why. We must all stand by this courageous soul.”

    Mark Hamill Kicks Off White House Press Briefing After Meeting The President, Reveals Joe Biden’s Jedi Nickname

    (5/3/24) (Video) “How many of you had ‘Mark Hamill will lead the press briefing’ on your bingo cards?” the Star Wars icon joked as he took the podium at the White House. “Yeah, me either.”

    It’s not such a far-fetched idea, however, when one considers the date. It’s May 3, the last weekday before that sacred Star Wars holiday, May the Fourth. Also, anyone who follows the quick-witted Hamill on social media knows he’s a staunch Democrat.

    For his support, Hamill got to meet with Biden before the press briefing and, while Hamill noted that he had visited the White House during the terms of both Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, “I never was invited into the Oval Office.”

    Sounds like he finally checked that one off his bucket list.

    “I only expected to be there for, like, five minutes,” Hamill said of his meeting with Biden, “[but] he showed us all these photographs…It was really amazing to me.”

    What’s more, Hamill entered the briefing room wearing aviators that he said President Biden had just gifted him — Biden has made a habit of gifting his signature “Dark Brandon” glasses to visiting celebrities, including Chris Evans.

    “I love the merch,” said an appreciative Hamill.

    The actor, it turns out, gave something to the president, as well.

    “I asked him what I should call him,” recalled Hamill, “and he said, ‘You can call me Joe.’ I said, ‘Can I call you Joe-B-Wan Kenobi?’ He liked that.”

    Nicholas Alexander Chavez on his GH Status

    (5/3/24) @nicholasachavez: I’m so appreciative of the opportunity that GH gave me, and I wouldn’t be as busy as I am professionally if it weren’t for the talented producers, writers, directors and fellow actors.

    Frank Valentini is a mentor and a friend, and we’ve had some pretty extensive conversations about my future on the show. While there are no current plans for me to return, we are still talking very openly about future possibilities for Spencer in Port Charles.

    Beyond the people I’ve already mentioned, I want to take some time to thank and honor the GH fan base… especially the Sprina fans… who must be THE most loyal and kind fan base in the universe of entertainment.

    Words fail to show the depth of my gratitude, thank you, I love you all very, very much.

    Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer - We All Have a Story

    (5/2/24) (Watch Here) Join hosts Michael Fairman of The Michael Fairman Channel and Alan Locher of The Locher Room as the stars of daytime unite for “Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer.”

    Tune-in live on Thursday, May 16th from 8 p.m-11 p.m ET / 5 p.m - 8 p.m. PT. as favorites from As the World Turns, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Guiding Light, One Life to Live, The Young and the Restless and more, come together for this worthy cause. Hear inspiring stories of courage, resilience, and hope as guests share their personal connections to cancer, or the impact they have made portraying characters battling the disease. Watch moving tributes to beloved daytime favorites we lost: Andrea Evans, Jackie Zeman, Kamar de Los Reyes, Jerry verDorn, Elizabeth Hubbard and more. In addition, look for special musical performances and segments during this one-night only virtual event. The show will stream simultaneously across Michael and Alan's YouTube channels, as well as the Stand Up To Cancer website.

    Featuring: Eddie and Kristen Alderson, Brandon Barash, Carson Boatman, Eric Braeden, Jeremy Bennett (Elizabeth Hubbard's son), Elia Cantu, Sharon Case, Eileen Davidson, Kassie DePaiva, Don Diamont, Michael Easton, Linsey Godfrey, Lacey Gorden (Jackie Zeman's daughter), Leo Howard, Lesli Kay, Liz Keifer, Wally Kurth, Cassidy Macleod (Jackie Zeman's daughter), Cameron Mathison, Eric Martsolf, Eden McCoy, Stephen G. Rodriguez and Kylie Rodriguez (Andrea Evan's husband and daughter), Kin Shriner, Erika Slezak, Tina Sloan, Michelle Stafford, Trevor St. John, Beth verDorn (Jerry's wife), Colleen Zenk and Kim Zimmer.

    We all have a story, help us write a brighter future! (DONATE HERE)

    ‘Blue Bloods’ Future Is Sealed: The Long-Running Series Will Wrap For Good In December

    (5/2/24) Tom Selleck may have warned CBS earlier this year that there are an “awful lot of people” who aren’t ready to say goodbye to Blue Bloods, but there are no plans to extend the police procedural beyond its 14th and final season.

    During a press conference Thursday to discuss the fall schedule, Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach conceded that while they will miss the series at CBS, the drama will still wrap after the second half airs this fall.

    The first half of Blue Bloods‘ 14th season kicked off February 16. The second half of the season will return in October.

    “We really want to thank the cast and crew, everyone involved in the show,” Reisenbach told reporters. “We absolutely will miss the family dinners. It is important to give show the sendoff it deserves.”

    When reminded that the cast has made personal pleas to the CBS brass to reconsider the cancellation, Reisenbach added, “We love this cast, we love their passion for the show. All shows have to come to an end. It’s important to us to refresh the schedule. We are going to end the show come December.”

    The police procedural drama has been airing on CBS since September 24, 2010. Its main characters are members of the fictional Reagan family, an American Irish-Catholic family in New York City with a history of work in law enforcement.

    When the show’s final season was announced, star Selleck released this statement to fans. “For the past 13 years, it has been an honor and a privilege to work on a show that not only celebrates the men and women who protect and serve in New York City, but also displayed the importance of family,” he wrote. “Working alongside these incredible actors, writers, producers, directors, and crew has been a dream come true and I’m grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary group for over 275 episodes.”

    General Hospital to Reunite Santa Barbara Duo (Again)

    (5/1/24) One of Santa Barbara‘s premiere supercouples will reunite (again) on General Hospital, when Lane Davies, Nancy Lee Grahn‘s scene partner on the long-defunct NBC sudser, pays a return visit to the ABC soap — but in a different role.

    On NBC’s Santa Barbara, Grahn played legal eagle Julia Wainwright to Davies’ Mason Capwell, the black sheep of the uber-wealthy Capwell clan. An original cast member, Davies parted ways with Santa Barbara in 1989; Grahn, who joined its cast early in its run, stuck with the NBC soap until it went dark in 1993.

    Davies and Grahn first reunited on GH back in 2002, when he was cast in the role of Dr. Cameron Lewis and lightly crossed paths with her (déjà vu alert!) legal eagle Alexis Davis. Davies’ first GH run ended in 2004.

    This time around, beginning the week of May 22, Davies will play the GH role of Fergus Byrne, an attorney who crosses paths with Grahn’s Alexis. TVInsider was first to report on the casting.

    Grahn was quick to comment on the re-reunion, writing on Instagram, “It never gets old. We do ??…. but it doesn’t ??. Lookin’ forward to another romp.”

    'General Hospital' Star Haley Pullos Jailed for 90 Days in DUI Case

    (4/29/24) Haley Pullos got thrown into jail this week over her DUI case -- and from the way she looked going into court ... it's almost as if she knew what was coming.

    The "General Hospital" star was photographed walking into court Monday -- and she definitely didn't look too happy with what she was about to face. As it turns out, Haley ended up pleading no contest to one of the charges against her ... driving under the influence with .08 BAC causing bodily injury.

    Officers at the time claimed they found edibles and mini-bottles of tequila in her car -- and that she showed clear signs of intoxication. Even before this nasty wreck -- which landed the other driver in the hospital -- police alleged she'd been involved in an earlier hit-and-run incident.

    We're told Haley was remanded into custody for 90 days in jail and then will be placed on 5 years probation and have to perform 200 hours of community service, as well. She'll also have her license suspended for a year.

    In the meantime ... Haley will be in L.A. County Jail -- and it appears she may have realized her fate a few weeks ago ... when she was photographed crying and hugging a woman. Daily Mail broke the story of Haley getting taken into custody Monday.

    You'll recall ... this whole thing stems from an incident back in April 2023 -- when Haley was first arrested after cops claimed she was driving on the wrong side of a freeway, and collided with another car head-on. Photos of the aftermath surfaced, and they looked gnarly.

    Per the terms of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the other 2 charges she was facing -- felony DUI causing bodily injury and misdemeanor hit and run.

    We've reached out to Haley's team for comment ... so far, no word back.

    Marla Adams Dies: ‘The Young And The Restless’ Daytime Emmy Winner Was 85

    (4/26/24) Marla Adams, best known for her 37 years in the role of Dina Abbott Mergeron on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless, died Thursday in Los Angeles. She was 85 and the cause was not disclosed.

    Born in Ocean City, New Jersey, on August 28, 1938, Adams’ love for the stage was ignited after winning the Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May pageants. She also finished as a runner-up in the Miss New Jersey pageant and was the Miss Diamond Jubilee Queen during the 1954 celebration of the 75th anniversary of Ocean City’s founding.

    A student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Adams appeared on Broadway in the 1958 production of The Visit at the Morosco Theatre with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. She also starred as June in the 1961 feature film, Splendor in the Grass.

    Adams starred as Belle Clemens on The Secret Storm from 1968-1974¸and joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in 1982 as the Abbott family matriarch, Dina Abbott Mergeron, who returned to Genoa City to reunite with her estranged family.

    She appeared on and off in the role though the years, returning full time to Y&R in 2017. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for her work on the show in 2021 and was previously nominated in 2018.

    Adams also appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, Generations, General Hospital, and Capitol. Over the span of her career, Adams starred in more than 40 productions including The Golden Girls, Hart to Hart, The Love Boat, and the feature film, Beneath the Leaves.

    She is survived by her daughter, Pam Oates, son, Gunnar Garat, grandchildren, Gefjon and Stone, and her great grandson, Remi. No information on memorial plans has been revealed.

    Nicholas Alexander Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital as Spencer

    (4/25/24) Nicholas Alexander Chavez‘ leave of absence from General Hospital has gone from temporary to permanent.

    Although there’s been no official confirmation from GH, multiple sources confirm to TVLine exclusively that the actor behind Spencer Cassadine — who vacated the role earlier this year to shoot Season 2 of Ryan Murphy’s Netflix anthology Monster — will not be returning to the ABC soap after all.

    Chavez’ indefinite departure was hinted at in late March when, as eagle-eyed GH fans noticed, his name abruptly disappeared from the show’s closing credits.

    A GH spokesperson declined to comment for this story. A rep for Chavez has not responded to TVLine’s request for comment.

    When Chavez’ Monster gig was first announced last summer, an GH rep noted at the time, “We support Nicholas’s endeavors and look forward to having him return to General Hospital once this project is wrapped.”

    Chavez, who began shooting Monster in December, exited GH in late January. In his final episode, Spencer was presumed to have died alongside his ex Esme after being injected with a drug and falling off a boat into France’s Seine River.

    Chavez joined GH in 2021. He won a Daytime Emmy the following year for Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series.

    “It’s changed everything about me,” Chavez previously told People.com of the impact GH has had on his career. “Before the show, I was selling cars in Florida. I live across the country now. I was driving my dad’s old Jeep and now, I’m sitting in a car that I paid for. This show has given me the opportunity to become my own guy. It’s also given me the gift few people get in life — the privilege to earn an income doing what I love to do every single day. If I’m not the luckiest guy in the world, I’ve got to be damned close.”

    Some had likened Chavez’ onscreen romance with Tabyana Ali’s Trina to GH super couple Luke and Laura, a comparison actor called “the greatest compliment we could ever get.”

    In Season 2 of Monster — officially titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story — Chavez will play Lyle Menéndez opposite relative newcomer Cooper Koch (as brother Erik). Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny round out the cast as the murdered parents, Jose and Kitty Menéndez.o

    Meg Bennett Dies: ‘The Young And The Restless’ Star Who Played Julia Martin Was 75

    (4/21/24) Meg Bennett, an actress and writer on soap operas General Hospital and The Young and the Restless, died April 11 of cancer at 75, her family said.

    Bennett grew up in Pasadena began her career in 1975 on Search For Tomorrow, playing the role of Liza Walton on several episodes.

    From there, she segued to The Young and the Restless, where she played Julia Martin, a role that was featured on the long-running soap in appearances over four decades.

    She also contributed to the soap industry as a writer, becoming the associate head writer at General Hospital and penning 197 episodes.

    Survivors include her husband, Sunset Beach co-creator and writer Robert Guza, Jr., two stepdaughters, four grandchildren, and two siblings.

    Charlie Day, Billy Eichner, Gabby Beans, Talia Ryder & 9 Others Join Ethan Coen’s ‘Honey Don’t!’

    (4/19/24) Ethan Coen has rounded out the cast for his comedy Honey Don’t! for Focus Features and Working Title, on which we were first to report. Newcomers include Charlie Day (Fool’s Paradise), Billy Eichner (Bros), Lera Abova (Anna), Jacnier (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory National Tour), Gabby Beans (Presumed Innocent), Talia Ryder (Dumb Money), Kristin Connolly (The Cabin in the Woods), Lena Hall (Your Friends & Neighbors), Don Swayze (All Saints Day), Josh Pafchek (Marvel’s Runaways), Kale Browne (Mike), Alexander Carstoiu (Magnolia Flowers) and Christian Antidormi (Netflix’s Lincoln Lawyer).

    As previously announced, Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza and Chris Evans will lead the ensemble. Details as to the film’s plot are currently under wraps, though it’s said to be in the same vein as Coen’s comedy Drive-Away Dolls, starring Qualley, which Focus released earlier this year. Production is currently underway in New Mexico.

    Coen is directing from his script written with wife Tricia Cooke, the veteran editor who cut such Coen Brothers classics as The Big Lebowski and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, also co-writing Drive-Away Dolls. Pic’s producers are Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Coen, Cooke, and Robert Graf.

    Day is represented by CAA, 3 Arts Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern; Eichner by UTA, 3 Arts, PJ Shapiro, and Ziffren Brittenham; Abova by Paradigm, AFA Prime Talent, and Accelerate in the UK; Jacnier by Kreativ Media Partners; Beans by TalentWorks and Brillstein Entertainment Partners; Ryder by UTA and Untitled Entertainment; Connolly by Paradigm and Authentic Talent and Literary Management; Hall by Independent Artists Group, Diarmuid Quinn at TourDForce, and Granderson Des Rochers; Swayze by David Shapira & Associates; Pafchek by The Park Agency and 23 Management Group; Browne by the Lisa Lax Agency; Carstoiu by Presley Talent and ADS Management.; and Antidormi by AKA Talent Agency, manager Nils Larsen of Integral Artists, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.

    Y&R Casts Christopher Cousins

    (4/17/24) The Young and the Restless has cast Christopher Cousins (Breaking Bad, One Life to Live) as Alan Laurent, a psychiatrist and friend of Ashley’s from her time in Paris. He will appear in multiple episodes beginning Tuesday, April 30.

    ‘The Workout’: Peter Jae, Josh Kelly, And Ashlee Evans-Smith To Star In James Cullen Bressack Action Film

    (4/16/24) The action film stars Peter Jae (Darkness of Man), Josh Kelly (General Hospital), UFC fighter Ashlee Evans-Smith to star in James Cullen Bressack latest film The Workout.

    Written by David Josh Lawrence and James Cullen Bressack (also story credit), other cast members include Kristos Andrews (Survive the Game), Augie Duke (Mayans M.C.), Galadriel Stineman (Murder, Anyone?), David Josh Lawrence (Darkness of Man), and BJ Hendricks (Darkness of Man).

    The film follows two army rangers set out to create a workout video, but their plans are abruptly halted when a mob hit interrupts their filming. Tragically, one of the rangers loses his wife in the attack, sending him on a relentless mission to take down the mob and anyone who stands in his way.

    10 days before his birthday, Bressack’s catalyst for the production, casting, and financing came from a post he made on Instagram. He mentioned that he usually shoots at least one film between his birthdays, but due to industry strikes, his last film was over a year ago – that film was Darkness of Man, which Saban will be releasing in May. After the post gained a lot of attention, a producer provided financing and actors expressed interest in joining the project, leading to a quick production.

    The film’s producers are James Cullen Bressack, Jarrett Furst, and Ben Stobber. Executive producers are V Channel’s Mario Niccolo Messina and Valentina Cau with Gregori J. Martin, BJ Hendricks, James Rundquist as co-executive producers.

    “As artists a painter paints, a musician makes music, a writer writes, but as filmmakers we have to ask permission to create. It’s time to change that narrative. This film spawned from a necessity to create. We create. We tell stories. We play pretend. I’m excited to take this journey. This is the truest form of collaboration and a community of friends coming together to make something fun. While our industry has had a rough time recently with strikes and a possible strike looming in the future, it’s nice to remind ourselves why we got into film to begin with. To have fun telling stories,” said James Cullen Bressack.

    “V Channels was founded with the intent to create a supportive ecosystem for young talents, not only offering financing but also providing visibility for films that, in this new media era, might not otherwise reach a wide audience. When James, having co-produced ten films with V Channels that showcased ten extraordinary talents in 2023, introduced this idea on Instagram, the notion of joining forces felt like a natural step. Having a greatly acclaimed talent like James in the V Channels roster also sends a powerful message to the youth: there is an alternative path in the entertainment industry where artistic freedom and expression are at the forefront,” said EP Mario Niccolo Messina.

    James Cullen Bressack is represented by the Gersh Agency, Gallant Management, and Mortimer PR. Peter Jae is represented by Media Artists Group and Rectangle Entertainment, and Josh Kelly is represented by The Rosenzweig Group.

    Ryan Paevey to Take Acting Break, Says There Is ‘No Word’ of Upcoming Hallmark Channel Movies

    (4/11/24) Hallmark Channel‘s TV-movie lineup might be missing a familiar face this year.

    Actor Ryan Paevey, who has starred in more than a dozen films at the cable network, shared on social media that he plans to step away from acting during 2024, with no plans to reteam with Hallmark at the moment.

    “Sadly no word of a [Hallmark] film,” Paevey told fans in an X post on Tuesday. “I may take 2024 off from filming, unless the project is with friends. The last 8 months of life in this industry have left a pretty bitter taste in my mouth, and I need some time away from a world so full of fake friends and empty promises. I’m weary…”

    Paevey later reassured disappointed followers that he has “much to be grateful for” and will “figure out a way to stay afloat without acting income,” though he didn’t rule out the possibility of returning to Hallmark Channel for future projects.

    “I’d like to think the powers that be know I’d happily do another film if they wanted me to,” he said. “But I don’t know anymore… so I’m just gonna do life, and make plans, and work… and whatever happens happens.”

    TVLine has reached out to Hallmark Channel for comment on Paevey’s remarks.

    Paevey, who is also known for his work as Nathan West on ABC’s General Hospital, most recently starred in the Hallmark flicks Fourth Down and Love and Under the Christmas Sky in 2023. Previous titles include Harvest Love, Hope at Christmas, From Friend to Fiancé, Coyote Creek Christmas and the network’s Pride & Prejudice-inspired Unleashing Mr. Darcy and Marrying Mr. Darcy.

    Andrew Keegan To Star In Soapy PR Drama Series From Horror Actress Devanny Pinn

    (4/10/24) Andrew Keegan (10 Things I Hate About You, O, Living Among Us) is to star in an indie drama series from horror actress Devanny Pinn.

    He will play an entertainment titan in The BLVD, which is being worked up as a six-part series set in LA’s hottest boutique public relations agency during awards season.

    Keegan’s character will be Jake Flynn, head of a rival PR firm that is poised to depose longstanding celebrity publicist Persephone Reed (Kinmont).

    Also starring in the indie production are Chelsea Gilson (Hawaii 5-0, Black Mass), Jordi Vilasuso (The Young and the Restless, Guiding Light), Vincent Irizarry (Bold and the Beautiful, All My Children), Nichole Tom (The Nanny, Beethoven), Adam Huss (Power, General Hospital), Candace Kita and Eric Himel.

    The show is currently in production in LA, with Pinn (Camp Lake Pleasant) producing through her Jaguar Motion Pictures imprint from a script from Brandon Slagle and Eric Pereira. Sonia Blangiardo (Days of Our Lives) and Brian Beacock are serving as consulting producers with Michelle Romano (Escape From Ensenada) co-producing. Miranda Mariposa (The Black Mass), David Zagorski, Kimberly Cole, Robin Cote, Heather Cusick and Eleanore Sunchild are executive producing.

    Keegan is rep’d by Deanda Management and Pinn is rep’d by Sheila Legette Entertainment.

    Shanna Moakler all smiles on date with actor Greg Vaughan at Black Keys album release party

    (4/6/24) (Photo1, Photo2, Photo3) Shanna Moakler appeared to be having a great time on her date night with actor Greg Vaughan.

    According to photos obtained by Page Six, the couple were all smiles in a car while leaving the Black Keys’ “Ohio Players” album release party held at Bar Marmont in Los Angeles on Friday night, sparking rumors of a potential new romance. They shared a laugh in the vehicle as they drove off together.

    Moakler, 49, looked casual in an all-black ensemble which included a pair of white and black Nike shoes and a long black coat.

    The “Days of Our Lives” actor, 50, wore a green jacket and a black shirt underneath.

    Reps for Moakler did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

    The outing comes just months after the “Meet the Barkers” alum made comments on her “Dumb Blonde” podcast alleging that her ex-husband, Travis Barker, made plans to “f–k Kim Kardashian” during their time together.

    Both Travis and Kim have denied allegations of their involvement in an affair with each other.

    Moakler shares two children — Landon, 20, and Alabama, 18 — with the Blink-182 drummer, 48, who is now married to Kim’s sister Kourtney Kardashian. Travis and the Poosh founder welcomed a son, Rocky, in November 2023.

    The former Miss New York also has a 24-year-old daughter named Atiana with ex-partner Oscar De La Hoya. Her last public relationship was with Matthew Rondeau, 29. They broke up for the second time in 2021.

    Sandrine Holt & Corbin Bernsen Join Apple’s ‘Your Friends And Neighbors’ As Recurring

    (4/5/24) Sandrine Holt (House of Cards) and Corbin Bernsen (The Curse) have been tapped for recurring roles on Your Friends and Neighbors, Apple’s new drama series created by Jonathan Tropper, which is based on his original idea.

    The duo’s roles are under wraps. As previously announced, Jon Hamm leads the cast, which also includes Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Lena Hall, Hoon Lee, Mark Tallman, Aimee Carrero, Isabel Gravitt and Donovan Colan.

    The show centers on Coop (Hamm), a recently divorced hedge fund manager who, after being fired, resorts to stealing from the wealthy residents in his tony upstate New York suburb in order to keep his family’s lifestyle afloat. These petty crimes begin to reinvigorate him until he breaks into the wrong house at the wrong time.

    Hailing from Apple Studios, the series’ showrunner is Tropper, who exec produces under his overall deal with Apple TV+. Hamm also exec produces alongside Connie Tavel (Confess, Fletch). Craig Gillespie, the Emmy nominee in talks to helm DC’s Supergirl, as we were first to report, will direct the first two episodes, with Greg Yaitanes and Stephanie Laing to helm three apiece.

    A series regular on The Crossing, Hostages, and MacGyver, Holt has previously recurred on series including American Gigolo, Better Call Saul, The Expanse, Homeland, House of Cards, The L Word and 24, among many others. Up next, she’ll be seen starring in David Cronenberg’s horror thriller The Shrouds.

    Most recently recurring as Emma Stone’s father on Showtime’s The Curse, Bernsen’s also recurred on series like Showtime’s City on a Hill, CBS’s Tommy, Marvel’s The Punisher, Showtime’s Billions, CBS’s Magnum P.I., and Fox’s The Resident. Up next, he’ll be seen recurring on Max’s Duster and FX’s Donald Sterling series Clipped opposite Ed O’Neill.

    Holt is repped by IAG, Agence Adequat in France, and Strand Entertainment; Bernsen by Paradigm and Randy James Management.

    Game Show Network Unveils New Series ‘Beat The Bridge’ Hosted By Cameron Mathison

    (4/2/24) Game Show Network is gearing up to premiere three new original series this year: Beat The Bridge, hosted by Cameron Mathison, based on BBC’s Bridge of Lies, in June; Tic Tac Dough, hosted by Brooke Burns, in August and previously announced Jaleel White-hosted Flip Side, which is launching in national syndication, in September. The news was announced by GSN as part of Sony Pictures Television Advertiser Sales upfront today in New York City.

    Hosted by Mathison (General Hospital, Home & Family), based on BBC’s Bridge Of Lies from STV Studios, Beat The Bridge features an enormous interactive bridge that dares players to cross by stepping on the right answers to challenging trivia questions. Each step forward puts money in the team’s bank, with bonus money for each successful crossing. However, the team gets to keep the money only if it can “beat the bridge” by returning one of its players back across before time expires in an exciting end game.

    Beat the Bridge is a Game Show Enterprises Studios production. Ed Egan serves as executive producer and Sabrina Hybel Snow as co-executive producer. Josephine Brassey, Gary Chippington and David Mortimer serve as executive producers for STV Studios.

    Tic Tac Dough is an update of NBCUniversal’s classic format originally created by Robert Noah. Burns (Master Minds, The Chase) guides two contestants as they compete to place three of their marks in a row on the giant trivia board. Both players must try to avoid the dragon, who lurks to steal their turns and stands in their path to victory. After three rounds, the winning player moves on to face the dragon in the grand prize round, where the dragon moves strategically on the board to block the player’s ability to make three-in-a-row and take home $10,000.

    Tic Tac Dough is produced by Game Show Enterprises Studios with Rane Laymance as executive producer and Sabrina Hybel Snow as co-executive producer. Village Roadshow Television serves as the studio with Harry Friedman, NBC’s Brenda Milinkovic and VRTV’s Shannon Perry executive producing.

    Casting announcements were posted for both Beat the Bridge and Tic Tac Dough earlier this year, but this is the first official announcement from GSN.

    Previously announced Flip Side is described as a fresh take on a traditional game show based on the format created by Keller/Noll. The easy to play-along game show pits two teams of players against each other to test them on how they think two different groups of people feel about the same issue. The teams compete for a shot at $10,000 by guessing the top answers based on anonymous surveys.

    Flip Side is a Game Show Enterprises Studios production for CBS Media Ventures with Jay James, Corin Nelson and Rich Sirop serving as executive producers. Cleve Keller and Dave Noll (Keller/Noll) and Ken Ross also serve as executive producers. T. Jones serves as co-executive producer.s

    ‘The Weight Of Darkness’: Angus Macfadyen, Jaime King, Doug Jones, Corbin Bernsen & Angus Benfield Sign On For Indie Thriller

    (4/1/24) Angus Macfadyen (Braveheart), Jaime King (Sin City), Doug Jones (The Shape of Water), Corbin Bernsen (LA Law) and Angus Benfield (Inventing Anna) have signed on to star in action-thriller The Weight of Darkness, directed by Mark Furmie (Terminus).

    Sean Rainwater and Furmie penned the script, with Benfield and Simone Bonser aboard to produce. LAMA Entertainment Studios will arrange financing and represent U.S rights. The film marks the first collaboration for LAMA Entertainment and Furmie’s Rezistor.

    The film centers around Mark Besson (Benfield), a psychiatrist trying to encourage reform in the public health system. He is offered a helping hand from John Gatlin (Jones), a favorite mayoral candidate, with an interest in supporting Mark’s vision. But Mark’s world is soon rocked by tragedy when his young daughter Emma goes missing at a social event for victims of PTSD. Despite the efforts of the Sheriff Eli Watson (Bernson) and his deputy, Emma remains missing.

    Mark’s estranged brother, Jim (Macfadyen), a church pastor, agrees to help an undocumented mother find her missing daughter, leading him to unravel a shadowy conspiracy that may lead to Emma’s whereabouts. The Besson brothers are soon forced to face the demons of their past, reconcile their differences and unite to find both children, uncovering a sinister underworld of unspeakable evil in the process.

    Shooting for The Weight of Dakness is currently underway in Los Angeles.

    Ricky Martin Says Dad Encouraged Him to Come Out, Team Told Him Not To

    (3/21/24) Ricky Martin says his dad was all for him living his truth out loud ... telling him he needed to come out publicly -- this while his professional team tried to talk him out of it.

    The singer sat down for an interview on Sirius XM's "Andy Cohen Live" when he opened up about deciding to come out as gay -- and he says not everyone was in alignment on whether or not he should let the world know.

    Martin told Andy his professional team told him it wasn't a good idea to reveal himself as an openly gay man ... in fact, he says they were quite certain it could kill his career.

    But, Ricky goes on to explain his dad understood the importance of coming out and pushed him to tell the world after his two sons were born in 2008 ... with his pops saying RM couldn't start out by teaching his children it's better to lie than be yourself.

    In any case, Martin says he took his time formulating a letter to tell the world he was gay and then tweeted it out ... and he said he felt instant relief -- sobbing tears of joy.

    Of course, Ricky's since had some very public relationships with men ... including his high-profile marriage to Swedish artist Jwan Yosef from 2017 ... until their divorce last year.

    Anyhoo, Ricky's clearly living his life authentically now .. and it's all thanks to a little fatherly advice!

    Kelly Thiebaud Says a “Final Goodbye” to Her Dog, Ranger

    (3/20/24) (soapsindepth.com) It’s been a rough week for pet parents. Just a few days after GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Rena Sofer (Lois) lost her beloved pooch Alfie, previous Port Charles resident Kelly Thiebaud (ex-Britt) revealed that she sadly said a final farewell to her former dog, Ranger.

    As Thiebaud explained on Instagram, it’s been several years since Ranger has lived with the Emmy winner and her dog, Whiskey, but she still loved him very much and will miss him now that he’s gone. “My little big boy Ranger, and Whiskey’s best friend in the whole world, left us yesterday,” she wrote. “He hasn’t been in our lives for a while, but I loved him just the same. My heart goes out to the family that loved him and gave him a wonderful home for the last five years. I know you are feeling a huge hole in your heart.”

    Ranger is one of the dogs that Thiebaud shared with her ex-fiancé and former GH co-star Bryan Craig (ex-Morgan). “I had to say goodbye to Ranger twice before and it ripped me to pieces,” the actress continued, presumably referring to when the couple quietly split back in late 2016.

    Although Thiebaud didn’t specify who Ranger has been living with over the past few years, we’re sure she appreciated being told by his new owners that her old doggie had crossed over the rainbow bridge. “This is our final goodbye. You were such a sweet, cuddly, good boy who never understood how big you were,” she concluded. “I love you forever, Rangy.”

    Fans who follow Thiebaud, who currently lives in London with her boyfriend PJ Harrison, on social media are quite familiar with Whiskey, as the actress often shares photos of her furbaby. Whiskey, who even has his own Instagram page, suffered an injury in late January that required surgery on his leg, and he is hopefully coming to the end of his six-week recovery period.

    Greg Vaughan Shares a Health Update

    (3/20/24) (soapsindepth.com) Just a couple of days after sharing the frightening health crisis he experienced while on vacation with his sons, DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Greg Vaughan (Eric) shared an update on how he’s feeling now. On March 15, the actor revealed that he had fallen ill on a ski trip with his boys in Colorado and a trip to urgent care revealed that he had fluid in his lungs and a dangerously low blood oxygen level.

    “Basically, my situation was a high-altitude pulmonary edema,” Vaughan explained in a selfie video he shot at home. “And so with some good friends’ doctors that have reached out to me and kind of gave me some understanding on the aftermath which was very beneficial. I’ve been resting, taking care of myself… even though I live in a hamster wheel. I gotta get up and do my normal domesticated stuff eventually. I’m tired of lying down in this bed. But I am feeling much better.”

    Vaughan, who also has numerous fans from his previous run as Lucky on GENERAL HOSPITAL, was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support from everyone around him, both personally and on social media. And he became very emotional when expressing his gratitude in his video.

    “I just felt such an appreciation of gratitude for… everything,” he expressed, his voice catching. “Reaching out. Your prayers have been felt. It’s been a struggle, but I am over the top.

    “Wherever you are, I love you,” Vaughan added. “And I appreciate you. Just the time and the thoughts that you’ve shared with me. I am on the uppity up. I didn’t realize that it would make such an impression on so many people around the world but I feel tremendously loved and I can’t say enough. And I’m good. Be safe out there, be well… there’s nothing gonna hold me down. We’re good. Take care of yourselves. Enjoy your spring break with your families.”

    GH’s Rena Sofer Mourns the Death of Her Family’s Dog, Alfie

    (3/20/24) (soapsindepth.com) It’s never easy to say goodbye to a beloved pet, so our hearts go out to GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Rena Sofer (Lois) and her family as they grieve the death of their sweet dog, Alfie. In a pair of Instagram posts, the GH star and her husband, director Sanford Bookstaver, announced the sad news that Alfie had died of cancer.

    “I have too much to say. But I have no words right now. It’s all just so much pain,” wrote Sofer. “Yesterday was the most devastating yet expected day. But it was too soon.”

    Alfie and his sister, Mega, were the first dogs that Sofer rescued, back in 2017 when she was playing THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Quinn. Over the years, the actress and Bookstaver (as well as their daughter, Avalon) have opened up their home to several other rescue dogs and have fostered countless other canines. Alfie’s death comes eight months after the family lost one of their other rescue dogs, Princess Carolyn, in July 2023.

    “I only had my boy for seven years and eight days. Cancer stole him from me, from Sandy, from Avalon, and from his sister, Mega. From everyone who knew and loved him,” Sofer continued. “I love all my dogs, but without remorse, Alfie was my favorite. My heart and soul dog. I am destroyed and numb. The greatest gift we ever gave each other was each other. I will miss you forever and ever and ever.”

    “We will miss you every day forever and ever,” wrote Bookstaver.

    “We have had many, many dogs, but Alfie was Rena’s baby boy and true love,” shared Sofer’s husband.

    Alfie and his sister, Mega, were a bonded pair when Sofer rescued them.

    “He was only alive for seven years, but they were beautiful,” Bookstaver said of Alfie’s life with the family.

    In a sweet video, Sofer cried while kissing Alfie’s head while hugging Mega with her other hand. “That’s your brother,” she laughed through her tears.

    Richard Simmons Reveals Skin Cancer Removal Treatment

    (3/20/24) Just days after Richard Simmons alarmed fans with a misguided “I’m dying” Facebook post – he isn’t – the former fitness guru now says he has recently been treated for skin cancer, specifically the burning off of a basal cell carcinoma on his face.

    Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and highly treatable. With proper care, the prognosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is “excellent.”

    In a Facebook post yesterday, Simmons, who had noticed “this strange looking bump under my right eye,” detailed his doctor visits and treatment. After being told by his doctor that he’d need to see a “cancer doctor,” Simmons made the recommended follow-up appointment.

    “I waited in his waiting room and said hello to all of these people who had skin cancer as well,” Simmons writes. “I was shocked to see all of the skin cancers that they had. Some had cancer on top of their heads…their face …and their neck.”

    In the exam room, Simmons was told by his doctor that the cancer would need to be burned off the skin. “There was no numbing it just had to be done with a small instrument,” he said. “As he started burning my skin a tear dropped down my cheek. You can’t cry during this and he wiped my tear. The burning really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.”

    Later that day, the doctor called Simmons back for a second treatment. Simmons ends the post with, “to be continued…”

    Earlier this week, Simmons posted his now infamous “dying” message, which read: “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am ….dying. Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death. Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy.” He went on to offer diet and exercise advise.

    He later added a second post: “Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying. It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. Sorry for this confusion.”

    Beth Peters, Actor on ‘General Hospital,’ Dies at 92

    (3/18/24) (variety.com) Beth Peters, an actor and singer who had a recurring role on “General Hospital,” died on March 14 in central Florida after a short illness. She was 92.

    In the early 1980s, Peters appeared in eight episodes of the popular ABC soap opera as the character Mrs. Whitaker. In an obituary for Peters provided to Variety by her son, her character description reads, “The motherly Mrs. Whitaker dispensed country wisdom from her farm kitchen in Beecher’s Corners, serving as a surrogate mother to Laura Spencer, played by Genie Francis, as the teenager’s story arc saw her fall in love with Luke Spencer, portrayed by Anthony Geary.”

    Peters started her acting and singing career as a teenager in coastal New Jersey. In 1955, she appeared on Broadway for the first time as an extra for the play “Inherit the Wind,” later taking on the role of Mrs. Brady in the last months of the show’s production.

    Peters acted in regional theater for much of her career, appearing on stage at the Sacramento Music Circus, Circle Star Theatre, Melodyland, Carousel Theater, Hyatt Music Theater, Dallas State Fair Summer Musicals, Fiesta Dinner Playhouse and Galveston Summer Musicals, among other venues. She played the matriarch Mrs. Paroo in “Marion the Librarian” more than 20 times. She also acted several times in “Sound of Music,” “Show Boat,” “Big River” and “Funny Girl.”

    In addition to “General Hospital,” Peters’ television credits include “Mr. Belvedere,” “Quantum Leap,” “Beyond Belief,” “Hart to Hart,” “Simon and Simon,” “Highway to Heaven” and “The Waltons,” among other titles. She also appeared in the films “Where Love Has Gone,” “Fitzwilly,” “Kandyland” and “Back to School.”

    Peters is survived by her son Sean Williams, step-daughters Barbara Davison (Don) and Monica Lange, as well as nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband Jack Danon, who died in 1996; he was also an actor.

    Peters was a longstanding member of the Actor’s Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Peters’ name to the Entertainment Community Fund.

    Chrissy Metz, Jaime Ray Newman, Katie Lowes & George Ferrier Join Cast Of Starz Drama ‘The Hunting Wives’

    (3/18/24) Chrissy Metz (This Is Us), Jaime Ray Newman (Dopesick), Katie Lowes (Scandal), and George Ferrier (One of Us Is Lying) have been cast as series regulars in Starz‘s upcoming drama series The Hunting Wives, alongside previously announced Malin Åkerman, Brittany Snow, Dermot Mulroney, and Evan Jonigkeit. Production is underway in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    Written by Rebecca Cutter based on May Cobb’s novel of the same name, The Hunting Wives tells the story of Sophie O’Neil (Snow) and her family’s move from the East Coast to deep East Texas, where she succumbs to socialite Margo Bank’s (Åkerman) irresistible charms – and finds her life consumed by obsession, seduction and murder.

    Metz plays Starr. Abby’s mother, a proud working-class woman and staunch Christian. Although she’s active at church and her daughter dates the star point guard Brad, she is not welcomed in the high-society world of the Hunting Wives. As a result, she will clash fiercely with Brad’s mother Jill.

    Newman portrays Callie, who is married to the powerful Sheriff Jonny, and a powerhouse in her own right. She’s an amazing marksman, and she’s the second in command of the Hunting Wives (right below Margo). But she is also deeply in love with Margo and jealous of Sophie’s newfound influence.

    Lowes is Jill, the wife of Reverend Clint, and the queen of the mega church. But she’s trapped in a loveless marriage, and as a result, she is overly invested in her son Brad’s life. And as we will soon find out, she will do anything to protect him.

    Ferrier plays Brad. On the outside Brad is the perfect All-Texan boy – rich, handsome, and athletic with a bright future. But behind closed doors, Brad is the keeper of many secrets – including an emotionally incestuous relationship with his mother Jill, and an affair with one of his mother’s best friends.

    The Hunting Wives is executive produced by Cutter (Hightown), who will write and serve as showrunner, Erwin Stoff (The Serpent Queen, The Matrix, Edge of Tomorrow, Julia) for 3 Arts Entertainment and Cobb. The series is produced by Lionsgate Television and 3 Arts Entertainment.

    Metz is best known for her breakout role as Kate Pearson in NBC’s This Is Us. She’ll next be seen in the upcoming British comedy, Bank of Dave: The Sequel, based on a true story about victims of payday lenders. Metz is repped by CAA and Luber Roklin Entertainment.

    Newman will next be seen in a recurring role on Apple TV’s The Big Cigar, directed by Don Cheadle. Xhe can currently be seen starring in the Titus Kaphar directed Exhibiting Forgiveness, which premiered in competition at the 2024 Sundance festival. She most recently played Kathe Sackler in the Emmy winning Hulu series Dopesick. She’s repped by The Burstein Company and Greene Talent.

    Lowes, best known for her role as Quinn Perkins on all seven seasons of ABC’s Scandal, was most recently seen in the romantic comedy Merry Kiss Cam. Lowes is repped by The Gersh Agency, Framework Entertainment and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

    Ferrier first garnered attention with a breakout performance in Matthew Saville’s feature Juniper. He went on to appear in multi-season recurring roles in Peacock series One Of Us Is Lying and Netflix’s Sweet Tooth. He’s repped by Circle of Confusion and Odd Management in New Zealand.i

    'Days of Our Lives' Star Greg Vaughan Hospitalized with Fluid in Lungs

    (3/17/24) Greg Vaughan's recovering after a scary illness sent him to the hospital ... and, it turns out it's all because he got too high, too fast.

    The soap opera star -- best known for playing Eric Brady on nearly 1,000 episodes of "Days of Our Lives" and Lucky Spencer on over 600 episodes of "General Hospital" -- posted a couple photos from earlier this week of him hooked up to an oxygen machine.

    Vaughan assured fans he was doing just fine before but had to rush to an urgent care after getting hit with a really bad case of altitude sickness.

    GV says he took his kids to Breckenridge, Colorado for a skiing and snowboarding trip, but started feeling tired, congested, and short of breath just a day into what was supposed to be a fun, relaxing vacay.

    Greg says he popped some NyQuil and drank a ton of Pedialyte ... but that didn't fix the problem, and he ended up heading down the mountain to seek some medical attention.

    While he thought the issue wasn't going to be anything too serious ... Vaughan's lucky he didn't try and tough through this illness -- 'cause he says the oxygen level in his blood was at a paltry 54% and fluid was filling his lungs.

    Vaughan says they hooked him up to a couple IVs and told him it was probably best he head for some lower altitude.

    Greg's ultimately using his experience as a teaching moment ... telling people the Rockies are no joke -- so be careful on your next ski trip.

    From "General Hospital" to generally hospitalized ... glad you're feeling better, Greg!

    Talk Show Appearance

    (3/15/24) Live with Kelly and Mark - Syndicated

    AIRING Mar 18, 2024

    Ricky Martin

    Robyn Bernard Dies: ‘General Hospital’ Alum Was 64

    (3/13/24) Robyn Bernard, who played Terry Brock on General Hospital in more than 140 episodes from 1984-90, died March 12 in San Jacinto, CA, law enforcement officials said Wednesday. She was 64.

    The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said Bernard was found in an open field behind a business but did not reveal a cause of death (see the report here). Detectives were investigating, but sheriff’s Sgt. Wenndy Brito-Gonzalez said, “Foul play was not suspected in this death.”

    Bernard was born on May 26, 1959, in Gladewater, Texas. She began performing at a young age, singing gospel songs with her younger sister, future longtime Wings star Crystal. The elder Bernard’s first screen appearance was in the 1981 film Diva, and she followed that with guest spots on such series as The Facts of Life, Simon & Simon and Whiz Kids.

    Her signature role began in September 1984, playing singer Terry Brock aka Terry O’Connor. During her run on the ABC daytime drama, Bernard’s character — the daughter of the ill-fated D.L. Brock (David Groh) — developed a drinking problem that hindered her music career. Her run on the show ended in March 1990, when Terry scored a recording contract and left Port Charles.

    During her run on the hugely popular General Hospital, Bernard also appeared in the 1986 French pic Betty Blue, which was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar and BAFTA Film Award.

    Bernard worked only sporadically after her GH stint, appearing on the French mystery series Maigret in 1992 and the 1997 Gallic feature Kings for a Day. Her final screen credits was as a psychologist in the 2002 film Voices from the High School.

    “THE 51ST ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS” TO BE BROADCAST FRIDAY, JUNE 7 ON CBS

    (3/12/24) The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) and CBS announce THE 51ST ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARDS will broadcast LIVE Friday, June 7 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+*. This year marks the 18th time CBS has broadcast the Daytime Emmy Awards, more than any other network.

    The ceremony is set to take place at the historic Westin Bonaventure Los Angeles. The Lifetime Achievement honoree, nominations, host and additional information will be announced in the coming weeks.

    “We eagerly anticipate our return in June as we once again partner with CBS to recognize the exceptional and talented individuals who make daytime television great,” said Adam Sharp, president and CEO of NATAS. He added, “We’re thrilled to kick off our second half-century of the Daytime Emmys.”

    The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of categories, including daytime dramas, talk shows, instructional programming, hosting, culinary and legal/courtroom programs. In 2021, NATAS and the Television Academy jointly announced plans to realign the Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards to be organized by content genre, as opposed to program airtime.

    THE 51ST ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS is produced by NATAS and Associated Television International (ATI), which produced Daytime Emmy Awards ceremonies on The CW in 2009 and on CBS in 2010, 2011, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Adam Sharp and Lisa Armstrong are executive producers from NATAS, while David McKenzie is executive producer from ATI.

    ‘Gringo Hunters’ Casts José María Yazpik, Sebastian Roché, Harold Torres & Mayra Hermosillo Among 11 As Production Begins

    (3/12/24) Production has begun on the new Netflix series The Gringo Hunters in Mexico City and the core cast has been revealed. They include José María Yazpik (Narcos, Madame Web), Sebastian Roché (1923, The Young Pope), Harold Torres (ZeroZeroZero, El Chapo) and Mayra Hermosillo (Narcos: Mexico, Thursday’s Widows). Plans to shoot in Tijuana are also in place.

    Torres and Hermosillo are part of the gringo hunters’ core group alongside Manuel Masalva, Andrew Leland Rogers, Héctor Kotsifakis, Dagoberto Gama and Regina Nava. Gerardo Trejoluna and Paulina Dávila also star. All 11 are contracted as series regulars on the bilingual crime series which will be shot mostly in Spanish with some English.

    As Deadline revealed exclusively in 2022, a series based on The Washington Post story “A U.S. murder suspect fled to Mexico. The Gringo Hunters were waiting,” by Kevin Sieff was in development for Netflix. The series is inspired by a real elite Mexican police unit that catches American fugitives on the run to Mexico.

    The series will be coming to Netflix in 2025 and promises to delve into the reality of the International Liaison Unit, with mysteries to solve, suspense, twists and turns and the challenges and intrigue faced by this type of police operation.

    “Our commitment to the best Mexican stories and creators is clearly reflected in The Gringo Hunters. Our producers have put together a very strong cast and crew. Partnering with Imagine Entertainment has been a very enriching experience. I’m sure our subscribers will find The Gringo Hunters thrilling,” said Francisco Ramos, Vice President of Latin American Content for Netflix.

    Directors include Adrián Grünberg, Alonso Álvarez, Jimena Montemayo and Natalia Beristáin. The project is produced by Woo Films and Redrum in co-production with Imagine Entertainment and in association with The Washington Post. Luis Rosales, who was behind casting for Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, served as casting director. Netflix will announce writers at a later time.

    The Gringo Hunters is the first series that hails from Imagine Entertainment and The Washington Post’s partnership. The series will be executive produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Kristen Zolner and Lilly Burns for Imagine Television. Nicole Scott will oversee the project for Imagine. Sieff will serve as a consultant on behalf of The Washington Post.

    Since its formation in 2002, the real “gringo hunters” have apprehended over 1,600 fugitives — ranging from murderers on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list to billionaires accused of securities fraud.

    Roché is repped by Elevate Entertainment and Felker, Toczek, Suddleson and Abramson; Masalva is repped by Integral Artists and Jim Management.

    CBS Studios NAACP Venture To Develop New Daytime Drama For CBS Called ‘The Gates’

    (3/6/24) In a move that could bode well for the future of daytime dramas, CBS Studios and the NAACP, in partnership with P&G Studios, is developing a new sudser for CBS that would follow the lives of a wealthy Black family in a posh, gated community.

    Dubbed The Gates, the new daytime drama is from Michele Val Jean, who has written more than 2,000 episodes of daytime dramas and won multiple Daytime Emmys for her work on The Bold & The Beautiful and General Hospital. She will serve as writer and showrunner and will also executive producer alongside CBS Studios NAACP Venture President Sheila Ducksworth, along with Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson and Kimberly Doebereiner.

    “The Gates will be everything we love about daytime drama, from a new and fresh perspective,” said Ducksworth. “This series will salute an audience that has been traditionally underserved, with the potential to be a groundbreaking moment for broadcast television. With multi-dimensional characters, juicy storylines and Black culture front and center, The Gates will have impactful representation, one of the key touchstones of the venture.”

    “I’m excited to develop this project with CBS and P&G, two of the longest and most passionate champions of broadcast and daytime television, and the NAACP, whose enduring commitment to Black voices and artists is both powerful and inspiring,” continued Ducksworth. “I also want to thank CBS’ George Cheeks, NAACP’s Derrick Johnson and P&G’s Marc Pritchard for their personal involvement and support to take our next step forward with The Gates.”

    It’s been years since one of the broadcast networks launched a new daytime sudser. There are only three still existence between CBS and ABC — B&B and The Young and the Restless on CBS, and General Hospital on ABC.

    CBS continues to rank No. 1 in daytime with its dramas but all three of the soaps are down in the key demos versus last year. Days of Our Lives is now streaming on Peacock — having moved from NBC to the the platform in 2022.

    The CBS Studios’ production venture and development deal with the NAACP was established to help elevate a diverse range of voices as well as increase the visibility of Black artists on broadcast and streaming platforms in an ever-evolving media landscape.

    P&G Studios is a division of Procter & Gamble.

    Michele Val Jean was represented by Gersh in the deal with CBS and the NAACP.

    Tuc Watkins Inks With Greene Talent

    (3/4/24) Tuc Watkins has signed with Greene Talent for theatrical representation. Known for his work on Desperate Housewives, Watkins will soon be seen recurring on the new Hulu series Paradise City starring Sterling K. Brown. He also recurred on Showtime’s comedy Uncoupled, The Other Two at Comedy Central and Black Monday at Showtime. On the stage, Watkins co-starred in Inheritance at The Geffen Theatre, and before that the Broadway production of The Boys in the Band as well as the Netflix film, opposite Jim Parsons and Matt Bomer. Watkins was previously represented at A3 and continues to be managed by Karen Forman.

    Emma Caulfield Ford Updates Health After MS Reveal

    (3/3/24) In a People interview, Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress Emma Caulfield Ford (ex-Lorraine, General Hospital), who played the demon Anya on the TV series, updated her health and detailed her MS battle, which she kept quiet for more than a decade.

    The report indicates Caulfield Ford’s symptoms have been extremely mild, and she doesn’t take medication. She has acute sensitivity to heat and stress, but severe symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, and lesions have not manifested.

    “I’m very, very fortunate,” Caulfield Ford, 50, told People. “But I’m also aware that, with MS, this could all change tomorrow. I’m stable — and I’ve made it a huge priority to do things so I stay that way.”

    MS affects an estimated 1 million Americans. Caulfield Ford received her diagnosis on the autoimmune disease in 2010 after finding the left side of her face had gone numb.

    Because her symptoms went away after a few weeks, Caulfield Ford decided to keep her diagnosis secret, even from her family. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, what’s going to happen? What am I going to do?'” she said in the interview. “So I told no one, not even my sister. There are just too many reasons people don’t hire you as it is. I didn’t need to give them any other excuse.”

    But when Caulfield Ford was working on WandaVision in 2020 on an extremely hot August day, she ran into trouble. “We were all in a sort of hot box,” she recalled. “I started feeling dizzy and faint. I was like, ‘My body can’t take this.’ I was putting myself under too much physical duress, being out in the heat and breathing the bad air.”

    After cooling herself with ice packs, she vowed to no longer keep her condition a secret. “I was like, ‘I can’t be afraid anymore. I have to tell the truth. It’s not good for my health,'” she said.

    Caulfield Ford publicly disclosed her diagnosis via Vanity Fair in October 2022. Revealing her condition was designed to provide hope to fellow afflicted. “It’s one of the reasons I decided to go public,” she said, “because if someone can recognize themselves or gain some inspiration from my experience, that’s wonderful.”

    Steve Burton Makes Bloody Return to General Hospital — See the Menacing First Look!

    (3/2/24) (Photo) Steve Burton is back on General Hospital — and this time he has blood on his hands.

    PEOPLE has the exclusive first look at Burton’s return to the popular ABC soap opera, airing Monday, March 4.

    In the image, Burton, who plays Jason Morgan, is clad entirely in black and stands behind a dumpster, one hand covered in blood.

    The actor, 53, was last seen on General Hospital in November 2021 when a tunnel collapsed on his character as he was trying to save his brother Drew (Cameron Mathison) — a disastrous event that left viewers presuming Jason was dead.

    Burton has made his mark on soaps for more than three decades, starring on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives and its spinoff, Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem.

    He played Jason on General Hospital from 1991 until exiting in 2012. The actor eventually returned to the daytime series in 2017 but was let go in 2021 over his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

    Burton went on to rejoin the cast of Days of Our Lives in 2023, playing Harris Michaels for the first time since 1988. Although he later announced his exit from the beloved show on Jan. 4, he revealed his plans to return to General Hospital just one day later.

    During his decades-long acting career, Burton won a Daytime Emmy in 1998 for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his portrayal of Jason on General Hospital and another Daytime Emmy in 2017 for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for playing Dylan McAvoy in The Young and the Restless.

    News of Burton's return to General Hospital was announced in January during the final moments of ABC's primetime special General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars & Storytelling.

    "Happy anniversary, General Hospital," Burton said in a pre-recorded clip. "Stay tuned. Big things are coming to Port Charles."

    In a video posted to the Daily Drama's YouTube channel in early February, the actor offered a glimpse of his return to the ABC soap's set, teasing what's in store for his big comeback.

    "So, here's what's crazy is I'm back on the set! We're getting ready to shoot right now," he began. "I got to talk to the head writers. This story is going to be sick. It’s gonna be awesome. So, make sure you keep watching, because the pieces of the puzzle are gonna be fit for when I return."

    Burton's return to General Hospital will air Monday, March 4 on ABC (check local listings).

    ‘Outer Banks’ Season 4: Pollyanna McIntosh, J. Anthony Crane, Brianna Brown, Rigo Sanchez & Mia Challis Join Cast Of Netflix’s YA Drama

    (2/29/24) Season 4 of Netflix‘s Outer Banks has some new cast members.

    Pollyanna McIntosh, J. Anthony Crane, Brianna Brown, Rigo Sanchez and Mia Challis have joined the cast of the show, which has been a breakout show for Netflix over its past three seasons.

    Created by Jonas Pate, Josh Pate and Shannon Burke, Outer Banks is a coming-of-age story that follows a tight-knit group of local teens — the “Pogues” — in the beach vacation destination of the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

    Crane (Dead Ringers, Billions) will play Chandler Groff, a man darkly grief-stricken over the loss of his wife, who is welcoming to the Pogues on their latest adventure. McIntosh (The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, Double Blind) will Dalia, a revolutionary-like leader and worldly baddie on a plunder who comes face to face with the Pogues.

    Brown (Dynasty, Eastsiders) will play the biggest realtor on the island who previously worked with Ward Cameron in a successful business deal, she now has her eye on Rafe for a new venture and Sanchez (Animal Kingdom, Station 19) will play an imposing stranger with a piratical nerve. Challis (FBI: International, Clickbait) will play Ruthie, a wild child with a toxic streak who develops a close relationship with Topper.

    The young adult action-adventure drama stars Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss and Rudy Pankow and follows a group called The Pogues in a coastal town in North Carolina where the wealth divide is stark.

    Challis is repped by Karli Doumanis at Zero Gravity Management, Stewart Talent, and Moore Creative Artists from Australia.

    ‘Outer Banks’ Creators Set Music Drama ‘The Runarounds’ at Amazon

    (2/26/24) (hollywoodreporter.com) Amazon is heading to North Carolina with the creators of Netflix’s drama Outer Banks.

    The retailer and streamer has handed out an eight-episode, straight-to-series order for The Runarounds, a music drama that follows a post-high school band as they try to make it big. The series is not a spinoff of Outer Banks but it does feature the same group — The Runarounds — that was previously featured in a season three episode of the hugely popular young adult drama on Netflix.

    From OBX co-creator Jonas Pate and with a teleplay from David Wilcox (Fringe), the fictional drama is inspired by the real band of the same name and will star the group’s members — William Lipton (General Hospital), Axel Ellis, Jeremy Yun, Zendé Murdock and Jesse Golliher — as well as Lilah Pate and Kelley Pereira. Lilah Pate, the daughter of The Runarounds creator Jonas Pate, has had a recurring role in OBX.

    Like Outer Banks, The Runarounds will be set and film in Wilmington, North Carolina. Skydance Television is the studio. Jonas Pate, who directed the 2022 pilot, will exec produce alongside Wilcox, Joon Yun, fellow OBX creators Josh Pate and Shannon Burke, as well as Lisa Mae Fincannon, Scott Lambert and Skydance TV’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Matt Thunell.

    “When we first met with Jonas and Skydance about The Runarounds, it was immediately clear that they brought us a special show featuring an incredibly talented cast and real-life band,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “We are very much looking forward to sharing the exhilarating journey of The Runarounds with our global Prime Video customers.”

    The Runarounds was formed as a band in 2021, when Jonas Pate issued a casting call for a group to appear on Outer Banks. The group first performed together when they played for Pate ahead of appearing in season three after being selected from a more than 5,000 musicians who responded to the casting call. At the time, Pate had already begun writing what ultimately became The Runarounds. The group filmed the pilot with Pate in 2022 and has since recorded an EP and gone out on tour.

    Outer Banks, heading into its fourth season on Netflix, has become a breakout hit for the streaming giant. All three seasons are in Netflix’s top 50 shows of the first half of 2023.

    The Runarounds becomes the fifth Skydance TV show at Amazon, joining Reacher, Jack Ryan, Cross, and a recently ordered action-adventure series starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham.

    “I am thrilled to reunite with Jonas, David, Josh and Shannon on a show that is so personal to them, and so brimming with heart and soul. We are grateful to Amazon for their partnership, and we can’t wait for the world to meet The Runarounds,” said Matt Thunell, president, Skydance Television.

    A premiere time frame for The Runarounds has not yet been determined.

    Sebastian Roché To Make K-Drama Debut In Netflix’s ‘Queen Of Tears’

    (2/26/24) Sebastian Roché (1923) is making his K-drama debut in Netflix‘s Queen of Tears premiering March 9. He will portray Dr. Braun, a German doctor who has an interesting relationship with the two leads.

    From Studio Dragon, Showrunners and Culture Depot, the series follows Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-won), the third-generation heiress to Queens Group and the queen of department stores, who has been married for three years to Baek Hyeon-u (Kim Soo-hyun), Yongdu-ri village chief’s son and the prince of supermarkets. As the couple weathers a marital crisis, they discover a miraculous new beginning that rewrites their love story.

    Additional cast includes Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, Lee Joo Bin with a guest appearance by Song Joongki.

    Queen of Tears is written by Park Ji-eun. Jang Young-woo and Kim Hee-won direct.

    Roché can currently be seen in Paramount’s Taylor Sheridan series 1923 starring opposite Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. He will return for Season 2 reprising the role of Father Renaud. Before that, he appeared in Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix.

    Additional roles include HBO’s The Young Pope alongside Jude Law and James Cromwell and in Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle. He starred in Salome with Al Pacino on Broadway and appeared in a supporting role alongside Daniel Day-Lewis in The Last of the Mohicans. Other early work includes Roar with Heath Ledger and Vera Farmiga; Jeff Daniels in The Crossing; and Robert De Niro in 15 Minutes.

    Roché has also starred alongside Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie in Beowulf, lent his voice to Steven Spielberg’s animated The Adventures of Tintin and acted opposite Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington in Safe House.

    He is repped by Elevate Entertainment.

    Pamela Salem Dies: ‘Doctor Who,’ James Bond & ‘The West Wing’ Actress Was 80

    (2/23/24) British actress Pamela Salem (General Hospital), who starred in the James Bond film Never Say Never Again and TV’s Doctor Who, died on Wednesday, according to Big Finish Productions. She was 80.

    Born in 1944 in India, she played Bond’s secretary Miss Moneypenny in Sean Connery’s 1983 film Never Say Never Again, which is considered an unofficial addition to the Bond canon because it was not produced by Eon Productions.

    Salem made guest appearances in Doctor Who as Professor Rachel Jensen, first appearing in 1988’s Remembrance of the Daleks episodes with Sylvester McCoy’s seventh Doctor.

    She reprised the character in Counter-Measures, a Big Finish audio spin-off series. The more recent story in the series, The Dalek Gambit, was released in 2020.

    She also guest starred in Big Finish’s The Fourth Doctor Adventures (reunited with Tom Baker) and then reprised the role of Toos in The Robots.

    Other screen roles included 1978 crime film The Great Train Robbery and The West Wing, in which she featured as fictional UK prime minister Maureen Graty. ER and Blake’s 7 were also notable credits.

    Salem moved to Los Angeles in the 1990s and then lived in Miami.

    David Richardson, who produced all Salem’s work at Big Finish, said: “Whenever there was a Big Finish recording for her, she’d fly in from Miami on her own steam, without fuss or fanfare, and appear at the studio armed with the warmest smiles, the biggest hugs and often presents.

    “She was a very gentle person – always interested in everyone, from her co-stars to the production team to the guest actors and visitors.”

    Karen Gledhill, an actress who worked alongside Salem in Counter-Measures, said: “Pamela was the kindest, most generous actor I have ever worked with.

    “Back in the 80s on Remembrance Of The Daleks (my first proper TV job), she took me under her wing and led me through a wonderful but slightly daunting experience. We became friends, and whenever we met were always so pleased to see each other.”

    Judge Sticks It To ABC: ‘General Hospital’ Crew Members’ Vaccine Mandate Suit Heads To Trial

    (2/21/24) ABC and Disney might be feeling a little under the weather right now.

    The network and Mouse House owners have lost their attempt to dismiss a discrimination suit by two General Hospital crew member over Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Now, the religious discrimination action will go to trial unless ABC wants to make a deal to make it all go away.

    Unlike ex-GH actor Ingo Rademacher in his own now tossed vaccine mandate suit, father and son James Wahl and Tim Wahl “cooperated” with the soap opera and the network on establishing their “genuine” Christian “religious beliefs” and desired exemptions from getting the then mandated vaccines.

    Of course, cooperation or not, ABC and GH still canned the duo when they refused to abide by the protocols and get the jab. The network told the Wahls that it was ‘unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief, practice, or observance.”

    While not common, such refusals occurred on several shows and projects with more than a handful of those objecting during the pandemic return to work months. In particular ABC seems to have stumbled more than once in deftly handling religious objections, as the Wahls’ case and possible workarounds that were rejected makes clear-ish

    Which means, this week’s decision, even though LA Superior Court Judge Stephen Goorvitch did agree with ABC to jettison an invasion of privacy claim, will see the GH VFX department members will get their wish and have a jury make the final judgement on their faith, so to speak.

    “Because this necessarily involves a credibility determination, it is difficult to grant summary adjudication of this issue,” wrote Judge Goorvitch in a February 20 minute order. “While Defendant’s counsel identifies seeming inconsistencies, Plaintiffs raise sufficient facts to give rise to a triable issue, viz., their explanations of their religious beliefs,” he added.

    “The jury, not the judge, should determine whether Plaintiffs were genuine in their beliefs, given the disputed facts and the necessity of making credibility determinations.”

    READ THE ORDER REJECTING ABC’S MOTIONS TO DISMISS THE GENERAL HOSPITAL CREW MEMBERS’ VACCINE MANDATE LAWSUIT HERE

    Fired by ABC and GH in late 2021, the Wahls initially sued for religious and disability discrimination, retaliation and more in June 2022. As the case moved through the backlogged courts, the family members dropped the disability, wrongful termination, and retaliation claims.

    Disney and ABC did not respond to request for comment on the decision when contacted by Deadline. If and when they do, we will update this post. On the other hand, the Wahl’s main lawyer was very vocal today.

    “As many people move beyond the pandemic, this ruling should serve as a reminder of the thousands of people who lost their careers because they asserted their rights and stood up to their employers’ efforts to make them violate their conscience,” Scott Street told Deadline. “The pandemic won’t be over until every corporation that violated its employees’ rights has been held accountable. We look forward to presenting this case to a jury soon.”

    A trial setting conference has been set for March 11 in DTLA.

    One more thing, if you have this odd feeling you’ve heard this before – you kinda have.

    Street was Rademacher’s attorney in the fired actor’s unsuccessful vaccine suit. Adding to the mix, Judge Goorvitch was the LASC judge in that case too. A case he dismissed in June 2023 – about a year after the Wahls filed their still ongoing case.a

    Writers Guild Awards Nominees

    (2/21/24) DAYTIME DRAMA

    Days of Our Lives, Head Writer Ron Carlivati Creative Consultant Ryan QuanWriters Sonja Alar, Jazmen Darnell Brown, Joanna Cohen, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Cheryl Davis, Kirk Doering, Christopher Dunn, Jamey Giddens, David Kreizman, Henry Newman, Dave Ryan, Katherine D. Schock; Peacock

    General Hospital, Head Writers Dan O’Connor, Chris Van Etten Writers Ashley Cook, Emily Culliton, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Shannon Peace, Stacey Pulwer, Dave Rupel, Lisa Seidman, Scott Sickles; ABC

    ABC President on the Future of GENERAL HOSPITAL

    (2/14/24) (soapsindepth.com) The Television Critics Association held its Winter Press Tour this February, and as part of that event, Craig Erwich, the president of Disney Television Group, met with hundreds of TV critics to discuss their various properties like ABC, Disney+, and Hulu.

    However, after the Q&A, Soap Hub caught up with the television exec to ask more specifically about GENERAL HOSPITAL, the long-running soap opera that has been airing on ABC for over six decades now. In addition to recently celebrating its diamond anniversary, GH took home numerous Daytime Emmy Awards in the 2023 ceremony including Outstanding Drama Series.

    “[GH is] absolutely a tremendous pride for us,” Erwich told the outlet. “The show’s been on for 60 years. That is a remarkable achievement. And the great thing about GENERAL HOSPITAL is that it’s on daily. It’s an opportunity for us to delight, entertain, and surprise people on a daily basis. The joy is to have an audience who has watched the show for 60 years; they’re now watching with their kids and grandkids.”

    That generational storytelling has made GH an integral part of the ABC daytime lineup for decades, and the exec promised that wasn’t about to change anytime soon.

    “Because the stories are on on a daily basis, they just become a part of people’s lives, and that’s the goal of ABC,” Erwich declared. “We’re very committed to the show. You saw the way that we celebrated the 60th [anniversary with the primetime special GH: 60 YEARS OF STARS AND STORYTELLING]. We do that because it’s a show we’re very proud of. We remain deeply committed to GENERAL HOSPITAL.”

    That’s great news for soap fans, so here’s to another 60 years of daytime drama in Port Charles!


    For Older News Visit The Daytime Soap Operas News Archives: Here!



    Facts

    1. January 26, 1990: Felicia and Frisco’s second wedding was a private and impromptu affair at Sean’s penthouse.

    2. February 7, 1983: Robert Scorpio wed Holly Sutton.

    3. February 9, 1994: A heap of trouble spoiled the wedding of Mac Scorpio and Felicia Jones.

    4. February 11 & 12, 1992: NFL Quarterback Jim Kelly played himself in two episodes

    5. February 15, 1993: Scott wed his true love, Dominique, even though the bride had an inoperable brain tumor.

    6. February, 23, 2010: General Hospital aired it's 12,000th episode

    7. February 26, 1988: Dr. Tom Hardy wed Dr. Simone Ravelle.

    8. February 27: Sage Alcazar celebrates her birthday.

    9. March 7: In 1997, Brenda told Sonny she loved him, and they made love while trapped in a cave.

    10. March 30, 1994: Jagger Cates and Karen Wexler were married at Kelly’s Diner

    11. April 1, 1963: GH premiered on ABC.

    12. April 11, 2000: Robin Christopher (Skye) and Matt Crane (Ross, GH/ex-Matt, AW) tied the knot.

    13. April 26, 1990: Alan Quartermaine wed Lucy Coe, who wore a red cocktail dress and matching hat for the ceremony.

    14. April 28, 2000: Lucky returned from the "dead" — and from Helena’s clutches.

    15. May 1, 1987: Anna Devane walked down the aisle to marry Duke Lavery.

    16. May 4, 1998: Luke and Alexis plotted to kill Helena.

    17. May 4, 1998: The ELQ jet crashed with Jason and Brenda on board.

    18. May 15, 1998: Brenda and Jax took a romantic trip to Malibu as her old flame, Sonny, returned to Port Charles.

    19. May 29, 2000: Sonny and Carly both grieved for the baby they lost.

    20. June 1, 2001: In real life, Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth) and Michael Saucedo (ex-Juan) wed.

    21. June 13, 1997: Billy Warlock debuted as A.J., succeeding Sean Kanan (now Deacon, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL).

    22. June 20, 1986: Star-crossed lovers Frisco and Felicia wed for the first time.

    23. June 28, 1991: The spy team of Robert and Anna married for the second time.

    24. June: Scotty Baldwin made Laura Webber his teen bride in 1979.

    25. June: In 1986, Anna Devane met Duke Lavery, the man who would soon sweep her off her feet.

    26. June: Felicia wed Colton Shore, unaware that presumed-dead husband Frisco had returned in time to watch in 1989.

    27. June: In 1990, Ned and Lois were married again — this time in a Brooklyn church, surrounded by friends and family.

    28. June: Breast cancer claimed the life of Emily’s mother, Paige Bowen, in 1995.

    29. July 6, 1979: Scott Baldwin and Laura Webber were married.

    30. July 11, 1980: Luke nearly tied the knot with Jennifer Smith.

    31. July 11, 2001: Amber Tamblyn (ex-Emily) last appeared as the teenage daughter of the powerful Quartermaines.

    32. July 15, 1997: While enjoying a romantic dinner with Robin, Jason was shot by the Tin Man.

    33. July 24, 1964: Jessie and Phil’s marriage was shattered when she suffered a miscarriage

    34. July 30, 2001: Jax breezed back into Port Charles, after his fruitless search for Brenda, with no excuse for his absence or his whereabouts.

    35. July: Duke first appeared on the serial as Anna’s dangerous new love, in 1987.

    36. August 1, 1997: Elizabeth was first seen in Port Charles as Sarah Webber’s younger sister.

    37. August 6: In 2002, Alexis’ sister Kristina died from a warehouse explosion caused by Alcazar.

    38. August 13, 1993: Sonny made his first appearance in Port Charles as Karen’s charismatic boss.

    39. August 15, 1977: Alan and Monica tied the knot.

    40. August 16, 1999: Sonny learned that Juan was his dead wife Lily’s child.

    41. August 19, 2005: The vows that Sam said when marrying Andrew- I take you to be my husband, my life partner, and my one true love. I will honor our commitment by loving you more each day than I did the day before. By trusting you above all others. By laughing and crying with you. By staying loyal to you, in good times and in bad. By being the one person in the world you can count on. I give you my heart, and all my love - tonight and forever.

    42. August 26: On this date in 2002, after nearly being drowned by Alcazar’s men, Zander was fished from the water with amnesia

    43. August 2001: Sorel held Carly and Alexis hostage in Sonny’s penthouse. Zander, trying to be a hero, was shot for his effort.

    44. September 25, 2000: Eva Longoria played a "Brenda Barrett look-alike" (uncredited)

    45. October 1, 1999: Roy DiLucca returned to Port Charles after being presumed dead since 1979.

    46. October 5: In 1979, Luke raped Laura on the Campus Disco floor.

    47. October 13, 1989: Tony Jones surprised Bobbie with a wedding ceremony in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

    48. October 16, 1987: Anna Devane married Duke Lavery in a traditional Scottish ceremony.

    49. October 17, 2005: "I Just Wanna Live" by Good Charlotte was the song/artist playing during Sonny's shootout with the Ruiz family

    50. October 1977: Dr. Rick Webber married fellow doctor Lesley Faulkner for the first time; their second trip down the aisle came four years later.

    51. November 9, 2001: After a bitter fight with Luke, Stavros plunges to his death.

    52. November 23, 1993: Scott almost married conniving Katherine Bell until Lucy Coe informed the unsuspecting groom that the bride-to-be was a con artist.

    53. November 25, 2003: Tony Geary (Luke, GH) celebrated 25 years on GH

    54. November 1979: Laura was raped by her then boss Luke.

    55. December 6, 1999: Jerry and Bobbie’s nuptials came to an abrupt end when the Feds arrested the groom for money laundering.

    56. December 29, 1997: Carly gave birth to her son, Michael

    57. Wednesday, April 17 2005 GH aired it's airs its 10,000th episode

    58. Song at Luke & Laura's 2nd wedding: 'Angels' by Robin Thicke (son of Growing Pains star Alan Thicke). You can find it on the album "The Evolution of Robin Thicke"

    59. Broken by Lifehouse played at the end of the Novemer 21, 2007 (Thanksgiving) episode

    60. The suit that Carly was wearing on 10/17/2007 was made by Bebe and can be found at Bebe stores nationwide.

    61. Mark's Song by EastMountainSouth played as Nikolas remembered Emily at her funeral

    62. The song at the end of the January 21, 2008 episode was "I should Get Up" by Teddy Thompson

    63. "Broken" by Lifehouse played for May 1, 2008 Nikolas & Emily montage

    64. GH's Zaccharas: The new "family" on the block: The Patriarch: Anthony Zacchara. He drove his first wife away, killed his second wife, neglected his daughter, and smothered his son. This was all before he went on a killing rampage at a charity ball! Anthony ended up paralyzed from the neck down and put in an asylum. With manipulative lawyers on his side, Anthony may be allowed to return to the Zacchara throne...and pretty soon he might even ditch that wheel chair.

      The Mafia Princess: Claudia Zacchara. Sent away at sixteen, Claudia's back with a vengeance. There's no love lost between her and daddy, with both itching to wipe the other out. The only person Claudia cares about protecting is her younger brother Johnny, but a little betrayal goes a long way if it means taking over the family business.

      The Tortured Son: Johnny Zacchara. While older sis was banished from the home, Johnny was left to fend for himself in the crazy Zacchara household. He coped with his father's dysfunction by racing cars and jumping off buildings. But when he met Lulu Spencer, he realized the power of love may far outweigh the love of power.

      The Lawyers: Trevor and Ric Lansing. This father and son legal team hates each other, but working together means better aim at stabbing each other in the back. They may not be biologically related to the Zacchara's, but they fit right in.

    65. August 2008: The Tie-dye dress that Carly wore the other day is availble at here! (Thanks to Kaysie for the link)

    66. The song used in the fall 2008 preview ads for "GH," is called "Wonderful Surprise" by Shawn Hlookoff

    67. Q. Why does Luke call Carly "Caroline"?
      A. Carly was born "Caroline Benson," and Luke was the first person in Port Charles to learn her true identity. He used to call her "Caroline" to let her know he was on to her scheming. Now he just does it as a term of endearment.

    68. Q. When did Sonny and Brenda first meet?
      A. Back in 1993 -- quite by accident! Sonny ran into Brenda on the docks of Port Charles, and he was smitten from the start.

    69. Q. Where can I get the compass necklace that Jason gave Sam before he was sent to prison?
      A. The sterling silver locket can be purchased here.

    70. Q. On General Hospital, how many Quartermaines are there?
      A. The Quartermaine family is pretty large and has many branches. However, the main branch in Port Charles was headed up by Edward and Lila Quartermaine (who is now deceased), who had two children, Alan and Tracy. Alan (who married Monica) had three children: Jason (whose son is Jake Spencer), AJ (whose son is Michael Corinthos), and Emily -- the latter two are deceased. Tracy has two children: Ned (whose daughter is Brook Lynn Ashton) and Dillon. Edward had two illegitimate children, Jimmy Lee Holt and Bradley Ward.

    71. Q. Can you tell me where to get the leather jackets that Claudia and Rebecca wore in the 4/8/2009 episode of General Hospital?
      A. Claudia's jacket was a navy quilted Moschino. Rebecca's jacket was a putty leather piece by Ben Sherman.

    72. Q. Maxie is referred to as baby Emma's aunt on General Hospital. But aren't they technically cousins?
      A. Actually, Maxie and Emma are technically second cousins since Maxie and Robin, Emma's mom, are cousins. The term "aunt" is sort of shorthand for the closeness between Maxie and Robin, much like many women's best friends are "aunts" to their children.

    73. Q. I really like the scrubs that they wear on General Hospital. Where can I get them?
      A. Scrubs that look exactly like those worn by the staff of General Hospital are available at the ABC store

    74. Q. Is the actress who plays Kate on General Hospital in the movie Encino Man?
      A. Megan Ward, who portrays Kate, was in Encino Man. She played the part of Robyn.

    75. Q. Where can I get the cute green handbag Maxie wore on the July 25, 2008 episode of General Hospital?
      A. Maxie's bag comes from Bebe.

    76. Want Maxie's jacket? Bebe's Ruffled Cropped Leather Bomber Jacket in Pearl Grey is a bit of a splurge, but with details like tuxedo-style pleats, ruffles, and a belted mock collar, you'll be seriously fashion-forward.

    77. Q. Who sings the song "Believe" that plays in the OLTL and GH ads?
      A. It's by a band called "The Bravery."

    78. Q. Where did Kate get those hoop earrings she wore on the 7/7/08 episode of General Hospital?
      A. The earrings are by Nadri and can be purchased at Nordstrom's.

    79. Q. There was a silver diamond shaped necklace that Claudia on GH wore in a few episodes in May. Where can I find it?
      A. It's from Bloomingdale's.

    80. Q. Who sings the song played during Lulu and Johnny's love scene on Friday, 5/23/08?
      A. The song is titled "I'm in Love" by Ana Victoria.

    81. Q. What was the song that played during Carly and Jax's moment at the end of General Hospital on 6/5/08?
      A. It is the ABC owned song "Patience" by Robert Hartry and Jason Belt. Sung by Chad Heam. It's available on iTunes.

    82. Q. I must have the brown & white off shoulder dress GH's Kate was wearing in the 4/30, 5/1 and 5/2, 2008? Who designed this dress?
      A. Kate's brown and white dress is by St. John's and was purchased at the Beverly Hills Store.

    83. Q. Where can I find the white shirt Sam McCall was wearing when she visited Dr. Devlin's hotel room on April 23, 2008's GH?
      A. Sam's white T-shirt was purchased in Los Angeles at the Bleu Clothing Store. The label is A La Disposition.

    84. Q. Where can I find the grey and black animal print sweater and tee that Lulu wore on the March 27, 2008 episode of GH?
      A. Lulu's sweater is by LAMB and the t-shirt is by Club Monaco.

    85. Q. I am dying to find the navy sleeveless dress with ruffled edge Maxie wore on the 4/2/08 GH episode. Where do you get her fabulous outfits?
      A. Maxie's navy ruffle dress is by Milly purchased at Saks.

    86. Q. I Love the gorgeous dress Maxie wore on the March 26, 2008 GH episode! It was navy blue on the bottom and tan with a bow on top. Where can I buy it?
      A. The 2-tone dress is by Marc Jacobs and is available wherever his line is.

    87. Q. What was the song played at the end of March 3rd, 2008 episode of General Hospital with the lyrics "It's time to fly a final delight my love arise you touch me tonight..."
      A. The song is called "This Love" by Robert Howard Hartry.

    88. Q. What song was used in the 2/21 episode of GH, where Johnny and Lulu make love to one another?
      A. The song is called "Breathless" by Better Than Ezra.

    89. Q. What's the name of the song played at the end of the 01/21/08 GH episode when Sonny was destroying a Bensonhurst restaurant?
      A. The song is called "I Should Get Up" by Teddy Thompson.

    90. Q. GH's Cassius sang the most beautiful song while Logan and Kate were in the hospital. Can you give me the name of the song?
      A. Actor Reign Morton, who plays Cassius, sang the hymn "Take my Hand Precious Lord."

    91. Q. Robin conceived a baby with Patrick and she's HIV-positive. Does that mean Patrick and the baby are also infected with HIV?
      A. Patrick tested negative for HIV after the condom broke with Robin, which was the incident resulting in her pregnancy. There is only a 2% chance that Robin will pass on her HIV status to her unborn child.

    92. Q. Can you please tell me the name of the tune Johnny Zacchara played on the piano on GH's January 24, 2008 episode? Does the actor play the piano?
      A. The tune was called "Clair de Lune" by Claude Debussy. Brandon Barash, who plays Johnny, plays the piano and the harmonica.

    93. Q. Where can you get the beige or tan short sleeved sweater that Maxie's been wearing on GH? She wore it on 1/29 until about the beginning of February.
      A. The sweater jacket that Maxie wore was from Barney's Co-Op in New York City.

    94. Q. Carly on GH has been sporting a fabulous leather coat with fur-trimmed hood during the first two weeks of January 2008. Please tell me where I can purchase it.
      A. Carly's black leather coat was purchased from DKNY

    95. Q. Was Anthony Geary (Luke) really singing on the 2007 Christmas episode of GH?
      A. Yes. Anthony Geary sang "My Way" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas" for General Hospital's Christmas episode.

    96. Q. Where can I find the dress that Robin wore to the Black and White ball (2007) on GH?
      A. Robin's dress was from Nicole Miller Bridal.

    97. Q. Please tell me the name of the song that played at the end of GH on Dec. 21, 2007. It was played while they were showing the past clips of Georgie. It was beautiful.
      A. The song used for Georgie's funeral was "When I'm Gone" by Brian Vander Ark

    98. Q. What song was played when Elizabeth and Jason were kissing after Emily's funeral on GH? The episode aired on November 29, 2007.
      A. This song is called "Ours To Keep" by Deborah Ellen and Rachael Lawrence. It is part of the ABC library.

    99. Q. Who designed the dress that Nadine wore to the black and white ball on GH and where can I buy it?
      A. Lulu and Nadine were wearing identical dresses during the ball. They were from Alfred Sung and if you're interested in purchasing, you can look at Alfredsungbridals.com

    100. Q. What was the song played at the end of the Thanksgiving episode of GH? The singer and the lyrics of the song were both awesome. It had the lyrics, "I'm holding on, I'm barely breathing" in it. I want to listen to this song over and over!
      A. The song used at the end of the Thanksgiving (November 21) episode is called "Broken" by Lifehouse.

    101. Q. Where can I find the black and white cocktail dress Maxie on General Hospital wore on the October 4, 2007 show?
      A. The dress Maxie wore was by LaRok from Harmony Lane in Beverly Hills, CA.

    102. Q. On the August 13, 2007 General Hospital, Spinelli wore a large medieval dragon on the left side of the shirt. I would like to get one. Where was it purchased?
      A. The shirt that Spinelli wore on August 13 was purchased at Pacific Sunwear.

    103. Q. Where can I get the red dress Kate Howard was wearing on GH's 10/19 episode?
      A. The red dress is by Diane von Furstenberg. It can be found at Bloomingdales or Diane von Furstenberg retail stores.

    104. Q. What was the song played on General Hospital during Kate and Sonny's love making scene on the 10/02/2007 episode?
      A. That song is called Lost Without U by Robin Thicke.

    105. Q. Elizabeth was wearing a beautiful top on the 8/23/2007 episode. It was a cream colored baby doll blouse with lace on the bottom. Can you tell me the brand and where to purchase?
      A. The label of Elizabeth's blouse is Language and the top was purchased at Nordstrom's Department Store.

    106. Q. Maxie has been wearing really cute clothes lately -- where did you get the darling brown blouse she wore on the episode on 8/30/2007?
      A. The label of Maxie's brown blouse is Joie and it was purchased at Bleu on La Brea in Los Angeles

    107. Q. What is the name of the song played during Elizabeth and Jason's amazing kiss in the barn on the 9/24/2007 episode of General Hospital?
      A. Elizabeth and Jason's love song is called "Ours To Keep" written by Deborah Ellen and Rachael Lawrence.

    108. Q. Logan has tattoos on his upper arms, what are his tattoos and are they real?
      A. Yes, Josh Duhon's tattoos are real. One of them is an American flag and the other one is an American flag with Texas in the middle.

    109. Q. I was really touched by the scene of Elizabeth and Lucky's goodbye on the 9/25/2007. What was the song played in the background?
      A. "Where You Are" by Rie Sinclair and it's now available on iTunes.

    110. Q. Can I please get more information on Kate's cream colored blouse with chains and dress pants outfit worn on GH on the week of 8/27/2007?
      A. Kate's blouse is a Tori Burch top and her pants are by Alice & Olivia.

    111. Q. Where can I purchase the flower tank top that was worn by Lulu on General Hospital weeks ago and then again by Sarah on One Life to Live?
      A. The flower tank top is by Lucky Brand and should be available at their stores.

    112. Q. I love the T-shirt that Noah Drake was wearing while impersonating Eli Love on the August 7 episode. Where can I find this fabulous shirt?
      A. Noah/Eli's shirt brand is Division E and is available at Nordstrom stores.

    113. Q. What song was playing when Logan gave Lulu the charm bracelet for her birthday?
      A. The song is called "Something About You" written by Rie Sinclair and Dan Beyer. The singer is Ryan Hanifl. The song will be available on iTunes

    114. Q. I love the skirt and blouse that Elizabeth wore at Jason's trial. Who is the designer and where can I purchase?
      A. The skirt and blouse are from Nannette Lepore. Her line is available in many department stores and she also has stores from New York to Los Angeles.

    115. Q. What is the tattoo that Jason Thompson (Patrick, GH) has on his right underarm and what is the meaning behind it?
      A. It is a symbol of his creation that represents his family.

    116. Q. Lulu had a shirt on that said "Monaco" across it. Where can I find that shirt?
      A. Lulu's shirt is Lucky brand. The brand is carried in various department stores and Lucky Jean stores nationwide.

    117. Q. Is the beautiful wedding dress that Carly wore for her wedding available for purchase? If so, who designed it and where can it be purchased? I'd also like to now about the gorgeous shoes she wore.
      A. Both the dress and the shoes are from Renee Strauss in Los Angeles. You can go to www.reneestrauss.com for more info. All of her wedding jewelry can be found in the GH on-line store at abc.com

    118. Q. What is the name of the song playing during the shootout with Jason and Sonny on the 4-12-07 episode of GH?
      A. The song is called "Shooter." It's by Robin Thicke

    119. Q. I really want to know who made Elizabeth's wedding dress.
      A. The dress is by BCBG. The straps were altered on it by the wardrobe department.

    120. Q. Where can I buy the black and gold tunic that Carly wore on GH on March 7-9? Also, who is the designer?
      A. Carly's top is by Marciano. You can visit marciano.com to see the collection, and check the list of store locations throughout the country

    121. Q. What is the name of the song that was playing when Sonny and Carly made love on GH after they got out of the hostage situation on Thursday the 22nd?
      A. "The Nearness of You" by Nora Jones.

    122. Q. What is the breed of dog that Maxie found outside of Kelly's?
      A. It's a four-month old Shetland Sheepdog.

    123. Q. Where can I buy the dress Carly wore to Luke and Laura's wedding?
      A. Carly's dress is by Dina-Bar-El. The brand can be found at Neiman's, Saks, Nordstrom, and Specialty Boutiques.

    124. Q. I'm getting married next year and I need to find dresses for my bridesmaids. I loved the dress Lulu wore at Luke and Laura's wedding. Where can I find it?
      A. Lulu's dress is by Jessica McClintock.

    125. Q. Where did you get the dress that Elizabeth wore to Luke and Laura's wedding?
      A. Liz's dress is from Laundry.

    126. Q. Can you tell me what the name of the store is that Laura (Genie Francis) owns in her private life in Maine?
      A. The Cherished Home (www.thecherishedhome.com)

    127. Q. What's the name of that instrumental theme that played during the scene when Luke and Laura were dancing in Wyndhams back in the '80s?
      A. The name of the song is "Fascination."

    128. Q. Who makes the black nail polish that Sam, Maxie, and Lulu have been wearing on GH?
      A. The polish is from Opi.

    129. Q. Sam had on the prettiest blue blouse with matching tank underneath this week (10/13).
      A. Sam's blouse is from Armani Exchange.

    130. Q. Where can I buy the "Everyone Loves a Brunette" t-shirt that Georgie wore on GH on Oct. 4 &5?
      A. Georgie's t-shirt is from Macy's.

    131. Q. Can you tell me where Robin (on GH) got that sweater that she's been wearing for the past couple of shows? It's the grey, blue, and yellow striped one.
      A. Robin's sweater is from Banana Republic.

    132. Q. Can you please tell me where Sam's dress is from that she wore to the Mayor's Ball?
      A. The dress is by "ABS" by Allen B. Schwartz and can be purchased at ABS stores nationwide.

    133. Q. Could you tell me where to get the yellow dress that Carly (on GH) wore to the Mayor's Fundraiser party on the 9/14/06 episode?
      A. The dress is by "ABS" by Allen B. Schwartz and can be purchased at ABS stores nationwide.

    134. Q. Georgie (on GH) wore a rainbow striped halter top that was backless except for a green strip of fabric across the back on Aug. 10th, 2006. Could you please tell me where I can get one?
      A. Many of you asked about this one. Georgie's rainbow striped halter is by "MISS SIXTY." The line is sold at various stores nationwide.

    135. Q. I like the jeans that Carly wears on GH. What are the designers?
      A. Carly wears either Joe Jeans (style "Honey") or Lucky Brand Jeans. Both of these labels are sold nationwide.

    136. Q. Sam wore a brown and turquoise tankini on the July 15 episode of GH. Who made it and where can I get it?
      A. Sam's bathing suit was from the Everything But Water store, and the label is W Swim.

    137. Q. I love the black and white top that Carly was wearing on May 26, 2006. Where can I buy it?
      A. The top is by Trina Turk. The brand can be found in stores nationwide.

    138. Q. I loved the top that Elizabeth was wearing on the 5/25/06 episode of GH. Could you please tell me where it was purchased?
      A. The light blue chiffon top is by Tahari and was bought at Macys.

    139. Q. When Emily was visiting Jason and was shot at (on May 25/26, 2006), she was wearing a gorgeous orange top with beadwork on the chest. Who makes it?
      A. The brand of the top is Skye. It was purchased at the store on Robertson Blvd in Los Angeles, but it may also be carried by other stores.

    140. Q. Could you please give me the name of the artist as well as the song that played at the end of the May 11 episode as Sam was being wheeled into surgery?
      A. The artist is Anna Nalick and the song is "Breath." Her website is www.annanalick.com. Tell her that you heard her song on GH

    141. Q. I love Sonny and Emily. Can you please tell me what they said to each other in Spanish during the March 31st show? A. Emily said, "Your hands speak and my heart listens." Sonny replied, "I hope it never stops."

    142. Q. Could you please tell me the name of both the song and the artist that was played at the end of the show on GH on Monday, Feb. 27, 2006?
      A. Yes. The song was "Answer" by Sarah McLachlan. The song was on her 2003 release "Afterglow"

    143. Q. Can you tell me where Lulu got the sweater she was wearing last week (Feb 2006)? It had green and red stripes and it looked like it was a sweater with another shirt underneath.
      A. Yes - the sweater was by L.A.M.B. (Gwen Stefani's clothing line) that is available at select retailers nationwide. The thermal t-shirt underneath it was by the label Free People.

    144. Q. Could you please tell me who Lucas Jones' biological parents are? And how did Bobbie end up adopting him? A. Lucas' birth parents were Cheryl Stansbury and mobster Julian Jerome. At one time it was thought that Robert Scorpio may be his father, but DNA tests revealed that Julian was his real father. Bobbie came to adopt him by buying him on the black market when she was driven to desperation when a planned legal adoption fell through (Cheryl was told that her baby had died). Bobbie named the baby "Lucas" after her brother, Luke Spencer.

    145. Q. Who sang the version of "Auld Lang Syne" at the end of GH on 12/30/05? A. It was performed by Kate Taylor (James Taylor's sister)

    146. Q. The wedding episode for Emily and Nikolas (on GH) was played again on Thanksgiving (2005) so I thought I would ask it now. Who made Emily's wedding dress? I think it's gorgeous and want to know the designer of if it was designed for the show?
      A. So many of you have been asking about this, that we thought we would post the information again. Her dress, veil and crown are all from Renee Strauss Bridal in Beverly Hills, CA, tel. (310) 657-1700. The dress was custom altered by the GH costume department.

    147. Q. the butterfly top that Maxie wore on Wednesday, May 25, 2005. Where can I get one?
      A. It's by Lucky Brand, so you could check at a Lucky Store near you or at a major department store that carries that brand.

    148. Luke & Laura's 20th anniversary is November 15, 2001

    149. In 1995, GH took the groundbreaking step of fully involving one of its major characters in an AIDS storyline. It was revealed the Robin Scorpio’s boyfriend, Stone Cates, had contracted the HIV virus from an ex who was an IV drug user. In November of that year, Stone became the first soap character to succumb to the disease on-screen.

    150. After being named soaps’ most outstanding Drama for the third year in a row at 1999’s Daytime Emmys, GH became the first show to have won the award six times.

    151. GH is a 24 hour operation. A night crew arrives at 9:00PM, after the taping day is completed, to take down sets and rearrange the lighting. They also erect the next day's sets before leaving at 5:00AM.

    152. Steve Burton (Jason Quartermaine) made his daytime drama debut in the recurring role of Harris Michaels on "Days of Our Lives."

    153. GH's casting department receives more than 350 unsolicited photos and resumes each week.

    154. Jonathan Jackson (Lucky Spencer) has appeared in the TV movie, "Legend of the Ruby Silver," and the cable feature, "The Prisoner of Zenda."

    155. The original pilot for GH, entitled "Emergency Hospital," starred Denise Alexander as an anguished patient. Denise later starred on GH as Lesley Webber

    156. In July of 1994, two weeks into Maurice Benard's new role as brooding Sonny, he phoned the show's producers to say he could not physically report to work. As he recounted in a later interview, "I said, 'I'm wacked out, I'm not going back to GH.' My mind was gone." Benard, who had previously been diagnosed as manic-depressive, had stopped taking his prescribed medication under the mistaken impression that it would help his acting. He was coaxed back to work by Exective Producer Wendy Riche and Director Shelley Curtis (who was then GH's supervising producer). "They saved my ass," Benard praised. "They could've fired me. When you go through a breakdown, it's tragic. You're weak...fragile...vulnerable."

    157. What Is The Ice Princess?: When GENERAL HOSPITAL executive producer Frank Valentini and headwriter Ron Carlivati said there were some surprise returns as the show approached its 50th birthday on April 1, they weren't kidding! They orchestrated the comeback of all comebacks -- the Ice Princess! For those unfamiliar with the chunky knick-knack, here's a little history lesson:

      The Ice Princess was to the Cassadines what the One Ring was to Sauron in The Lord Of The Rings -- an artifact that would bring them ultimate power! It began in 1981, when Edward Quartermaine's niece, Alexandria, obtained the Ice Princess, the world's largest uncut diamond, which she painted black, had mounted on a pedestal and shipped from Rio to Port Charles. When it reached the docks, Alex realized it had been stolen. She and Edward hired Luke to find the assumed thieves, the Cassadines, and regain possession of the statuette.

      Luke, Laura and WSB agent Robert Scorpio (his introduction onto the canvas) wound up on the Cassadine's private island, where they learned that Mikkos Cassadine (Helena's husband) was planning on using the Ice Princess to hold the world for ransom. His master scheme was to create a new ice age, and Port Charles would be the first to feel the chill! Luke figured out how to turn off Mikkos' weather machine and, in the process, the Cassadine patriarch was killed.

      Mourning the death of her husband, Helena placed a curse on Luke and Laura during their lavish wedding... and the three-decade vendetta between the Spencers and the Cassadines began.



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