History of General Hospital in Timeline

General Hospital, an American daytime soap opera created by Frank and Doris Hursley, has aired on ABC since April 1, 1963. It began as a half-hour show, expanding to 45 minutes in 1976 and a full hour in 1978. The show primarily focuses on the medical staff and patients of General Hospital in the fictional city of Port Charles, intertwining their personal lives with dramatic medical cases and complex relationships. Over the decades, it has become one of the longest-running scripted television dramas in American history.

1960: Road to Reality Airs

In 1960, Road to Reality, the short-lived soap opera, aired on ABC. General Hospital was the second soap to air on ABC after Road to Reality.

1961: Road to Reality Ends

In 1961, Road to Reality ended. General Hospital was the second soap to air on ABC after Road to Reality.

April 1, 1963: General Hospital Premiere

On April 1, 1963, General Hospital, a daytime television soap opera created by Frank and Doris Hursley, premiered on ABC as a half-hour serial.

1963: First Stories Aired

In 1963, the first stories of General Hospital were mainly set at General Hospital in an unnamed midsized Eastern city, revolving around Steve Hardy (John Beradino) and Nurse Jessie Brewer (Emily McLaughlin).

1963: Filmed in Hollywood

Since General Hospital started airing in 1963, it has been filmed in Hollywood.

1963: Series Setting

Since the General Hospital series began in 1963, Port Charles, New York, has been the setting for the show.

1964: Audrey Hardy Arrives

In 1964, Audrey Hardy (Rachel Ames), a flight attendant and sister of Nurse Lucille (Lucille Wall), came to town, and was the woman who won Steve's heart.

1964: The Young Marrieds Creation

In 1964, The Young Marrieds, a sister soap, was created for General Hospital. It was cancelled due to low ratings.

1968: ABC Buys the Series

In 1968, ABC bought the General Hospital series outright and its ownership passed from Selmur to American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

1974: Daytime Emmy Awards Created

Since 1974, when the Daytime Emmy Awards were created, General Hospital's cast and crew have won many awards.

1975: British 'General Hospital' expanded

In 1975, the British television series "General Hospital" was expanded to an hour-long format and moved to Friday evenings.

July 26, 1976: Expansion to 45 Minutes

On July 26, 1976, General Hospital's running time was expanded from 30 minutes to 45 minutes.

January 16, 1978: Expansion to a Full Hour

On January 16, 1978, General Hospital's running time was expanded again to a full hour.

1978: ABC gives 'General Hospital' a second chance

In 1978, after facing cancellation due to low ratings, ABC gave "General Hospital" a second chance by expanding the show from 45 minutes to a full hour. The network gave producers six months to improve the show's ratings, leading to Gloria Monty being hired as the new executive producer.

1979: 'General Hospital' becomes most-watched daytime drama

By 1979, with Gloria Monty as the new executive producer and Douglas Marland as head writer, "General Hospital" became the most-watched daytime drama, marking a significant comeback from near cancellation.

1979: 'General Hospital' Ranks Number One

From 1979, "General Hospital" remained number one in the ratings.

1979: Ratings Dominance Begins

From 1979, General Hospital had more viewers than any other daytime soap opera.

January 1980: WDTN Preempts 'General Hospital'

In January 1980, WDTN in Dayton, Ohio preempted "General Hospital" in favor of cartoons upon joining ABC.

November 17, 1981: Most-Watched Event in Daytime Serial History

On November 17, 1981, the end of the hour wedding of Luke and Laura on General Hospital was the most-watched event in daytime serial history.

1981: Luke and Laura's Wedding

In 1981, the wedding of supercouple Luke and Laura on General Hospital brought in 30 million viewers, the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history.

1984: 'Guiding Light' Briefly Dethrones 'General Hospital'

In the middle of 1984, "Guiding Light" briefly dethroned "General Hospital" from the top ratings spot.

1986: Ownership Passed to Capital Cities/ABC

In 1986, ownership of General Hospital was then passed to Capital Cities/ABC, which was formed after the acquisition of ABC by a smaller media concern, Capital Cities Communications.

1987: Gloria Monty Leaves

After Gloria Monty first left the series in 1987, General Hospital entered into a transitional phase.

1988: End of Ratings Dominance

By 1988, General Hospital's period of having more viewers than any other daytime soap opera ended.

1988: 'General Hospital' Ranks Number One

Until 1988, "General Hospital" remained number one in the ratings.

1989: 'The Young and the Restless' Becomes Highest-Rated Serial

In 1989, "The Young and the Restless" took "General Hospital's" place as the highest-rated serial, though "General Hospital" continued to maintain excellent ratings.

1991: Emily McLaughlin's Death

In 1991, Emily McLaughlin, one of the original stars of General Hospital, passed away. She played the role of Nurse Jessie Brewer.

1991: Decline in ratings for 'General Hospital'

Since the 1991-1992 season of "General Hospital", the show has had a steady decline in ratings.

1992: Wendy Riche Becomes Executive Producer

In 1992, Wendy Riche took the position of executive producer of General Hospital and the show gained critical acclaim for its sensitive handling of social issues.

1992: Decline in ratings for 'General Hospital'

Since the 1991-1992 season of "General Hospital", the show has had a steady decline in ratings.

1994: Interview with John Beradino

In 1994, John Beradino (Steve Hardy) reflected to Entertainment Weekly about the show's concept as being like a big wagon wheel.

1994: Nurses' Ball Started

In 1994, Wendy Riche started an annual Nurses' Ball, a fundraiser and HIV/AIDS awareness event both on the show and in real life.

1995: Stone Cates Dies from AIDS

In 1995, Stone Cates (Michael Sutton) dies from AIDS at the age of 19 on General Hospital. After Stone's death, Robin Scorpio (Kimberly McCullough) had to deal with being HIV-positive as a result of their relationship.

1995: WVNY Brings Back 'General Hospital'

In 1995, WVNY in Vermont and Plattsburgh, New York brought "General Hospital" back to the schedule after dropping it in the 1980s.

December 14, 1996: General Hospital: Twist of Fate Airs

On Saturday, December 14, 1996, General Hospital aired its one of three primetime episodes, General Hospital: Twist of Fate, which picked up where that Friday's episode had left off. The special centered on Laura's supposed death at the hands of Stefan Cassadine.

1996: 'All My Children' ABC's Highest-Rated Soap

From late 1991 to 1996, "All My Children" held the title of ABC's highest-rated soap.

1996: John Beradino's Death

In 1996, John Beradino, one of the original stars of General Hospital, passed away. He played the role of Steve Hardy.

1996: Ownership Passed to The Walt Disney Company

In 1996, The Walt Disney Company bought Capital Cities/ABC, and Disney has held ownership of General Hospital since then.

1997: Port Charles Series Launch

In 1997, General Hospital spawned the daytime series Port Charles.

1997: Port Charles Spin-off Materializes

In 1997, the show's long-rumored spin-off materialized into the half-hour serial, Port Charles.

April 2, 1998: 'General Hospital' 35th Anniversary Special Aired

On April 2, 1998, General Hospital aired a primetime special in celebration of the program's 35th anniversary. Hosted by Anthony Geary, the show focused and recapped on many popular storylines.

September 2000: WDTN Brings Back 'General Hospital'

In September 2000, WDTN's new owners, Sunrise Broadcasting, brought "General Hospital" back to Dayton, pulling "Maury" from the station's schedule.

2003: Port Charles Series End

In 2003, General Hospital's spin-off series Port Charles ended.

February 20, 2006: 11,000th Episode Airs

On February 20, 2006, the series' 11,000th episode aired.

July 12, 2007: 'General Hospital: Night Shift' First Season Airs

On July 12, 2007, the first season of "General Hospital: Night Shift" aired on Soapnet.

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October 4, 2007: 'General Hospital: Night Shift' First Season Ends

On October 4, 2007, the first season of "General Hospital: Night Shift" ended on Soapnet.

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2007: General Hospital: Night Shift Premiere

In 2007, General Hospital spawned the primetime spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift.

2007: Named One of Time's Best TV Shows

In 2007, General Hospital was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-Time".

March 2008: 'General Hospital: Night Shift' Most-Watched Series

As of March 2008, the first season of "General Hospital: Night Shift" was "Soapnet's most-watched series ever".

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2008: General Hospital: Night Shift End

In 2008, General Hospital's spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift ended.

2008: Night Shift Taped in High Definition

In 2008, the season of its primetime spinoff General Hospital: Night Shift was taped in high definition.

April 23, 2009: Began Broadcasting in High Definition

On April 23, 2009, General Hospital became ABC's first regular daytime drama to be taped and broadcast in High-definition television.

June 2009: "Luke and Laura's Wedding" Ranked

In June 2009, TV Guide ranked "Luke and Laura's Wedding" at number forty-five on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.

February 23, 2010: Series Aired its 12,000th Episode

On February 23, 2010, the General Hospital series aired its 12,000th episode.

September 17, 2010: Oldest Ongoing American Soap Opera

On September 17, 2010, General Hospital became the oldest ongoing American soap opera following the final broadcast of CBS' As the World Turns.

April 14, 2011: Cancellation of All My Children and One Life to Live

On April 14, 2011, ABC announced the cancellation of both All My Children and One Life to Live, leaving General Hospital as the last remaining soap opera airing on the network.

December 1, 2011: New Executive Producer and Head Writer Confirmed

On December 1, 2011, ABC confirmed that former One Life to Live executive producer Frank Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati would replace longtime executive producer Jill Farren Phelps and Garin Wolf, respectively, though Wolf would remain on as a regular writer.

January 9, 2012: Change of Producers Takes Effect

On January 9, 2012, the change of producers took effect.

January 13, 2012: General Hospital Becomes the Last ABC Soap

After January 13, 2012, General Hospital was the last remaining soap opera airing on ABC after the cancellation of All My Children and One Life to Live.

February 1, 2012: First Episode Under Valentini Aired

On February 1, 2012, the first episode under the direction of Valentini aired.

April 11, 2012: 'General Hospital' Saved from Cancellation

On April 11, 2012, Deadline Hollywood reported that ABC decided to keep "General Hospital" on the air and cancel "The Revolution" instead.

June 26, 2012: 'General Hospital' Timeslot Change Announced

On June 26, 2012, ABC officially announced that "General Hospital" would move to the 2 p.m. ET/PT timeslot starting on September 10, 2012.

September 10, 2012: 'General Hospital' moved to 2 p.m. ET/PT timeslot

On September 10, 2012, "General Hospital" moved to the 2 p.m. ET/PT timeslot and the network would give the 3:00 p.m. hour back to its affiliates.

2012: Creative Arts Emmy Awards Created

In 2012, the Creative Arts Emmy Awards were created.

April 1, 2013: 50th Anniversary Celebration

On April 1, 2013, General Hospital celebrated its 50th anniversary.

April 6, 2013: 'General Hospital: The Real Soap Dish' Aired on 20/20

On April 6, 2013, as part of the show's 50th anniversary commemoration, ABC's newsmagazine 20/20 aired "General Hospital: The Real Soap Dish"—a retrospective and behind-the-scenes special hosted by Katie Couric.

2013: 50th Anniversary Commemoration

In 2013, Several storylines reminiscent of iconic story arcs of the past were created and popular characters returned to the show in order to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the series.

January 2014: Carlivati's Contract Renewed

Also in January 2014, ABC renewed Carlivati's contract with the soap.

February 24, 2014: Serial Celebrated 13,000 Episodes

On February 24, 2014, the General Hospital serial celebrated 13,000 episodes.

September 5, 2014: Nancy Lee Grahn to host 'General Hospital Now!'

On September 5, 2014, it was announced that cast member Nancy Lee Grahn would begin to host a companion web series for ABC.com in January 2015, "General Hospital Now!", which would feature behind-the-scenes interviews.

April 1, 2015: 52nd Anniversary Episode

On April 1, 2015, the series marked its 52nd anniversary with a special episode revolving around the Spencer family.

July 2015: Carlivati Fired as Head Writer

In July 2015, Carlivati was fired as head writer of General Hospital; Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante were hired as his successors.

2015: 'General Hospital' Airs Live Episodes

In 2015, General Hospital aired two live episodes as part of its 52nd anniversary celebration, using the hashtag #GHLive to promote the broadcast on social media.

2015: Rachel Ames's Last Appearance

In 2015, Rachel Ames made her most recent appearance on General Hospital. She had joined the show a year after its premiere.

September 16, 2016: Valentini, Passanante and Altman Re-signed

On September 16, 2016, Daytime Confidential reported that Valentini, Passanante and Altman re-signed with General Hospital.

June 6, 2017: Passanante Retired

On June 6, 2017, Passanante announced her decision to retire from General Hospital.

July 29, 2017: Van Etten Promoted to Co-Head Writer

On July 29, 2017, Chris Van Etten would be promoted to co-head writer as Passanante's successor on General Hospital.

February 23, 2018: 14,000th Episode Aired

On February 23, 2018, the General Hospital serial aired its 14,000th episode.

July 30, 2019: Altman Announced Retirement

On July 30, 2019, Altman announced her retirement; Dan O'Connor was named as her successor, joining Van Etten as co-head writer.

March 2020: Production of 'General Hospital' Suspended

In March 2020, production of "General Hospital" was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

March 2020: Production Suspended

In March 2020, production of General Hospital was suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

July 22, 2020: Production of 'General Hospital' Resumes

On July 22, 2020, production of "General Hospital" resumed after being suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 3, 2020: New Episodes Began Airing

New episodes of General Hospital began airing on August 3, 2020, after production resumed on July 22 of the same year.

June 22, 2022: 15,000th Episode

On June 22, 2022, General Hospital aired its 15,000th episode.

December 15, 2023: ABC Announces 'General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling'

On December 15, 2023, it was announced ABC would air a primetime special "General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling", in celebration of the soap's sixtieth anniversary.

December 2023: Ranked on "100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time"

In December 2023, Variety ranked General Hospital number eighty-eight on its list of "100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time".

January 22, 2024: Van Etten and O'Connor Dismissed

On January 22, 2024, it was announced Van Etten and O'Connor had been dismissed from their positions as co-head writers on General Hospital; Patrick Mulcahey and Elizabeth Korte were named as their replacements.

March 2024: Former Regime Material Airs

Per reports, material from the former regime on General Hospital aired into March 2024.

October 22, 2024: 10Play to carry 'General Hospital' in Australia

On October 22, 2024, it was announced that 10Play, a free video-on-demand and catch-up TV service by Network 10, would carry the soap in Australia beginning January 1, 2025.