‘General Hospital’ turns 50

On the seventh floor of a busy eastern United States hospital in 1963 were Dr. Steve Hardy and his friend, nurse Jessie Brewer.

Fast forward 50 years and the town of Port Charles continues to entertain fans.

ABC’s “General Hospital” celebrates a grand milestone today as the daytime drama turns 50.

While it’s no secret I’m a “Days of our Lives” fan, it’s important to note that as daytime dramas remain an easy target for cancellation, fans need to celebrate other shows’ major achievements.

Like “Days of our Lives” on NBC, “General Hospital” is ABC’s lone daytime drama, and just a few years ago was all but canceled as Disney execs chopped its counterparts “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” (both dramas have been re-born and are set to begin airing again later this month online and on TV).

Watch the first scenes of “General Hospital.”

Here’s to a long life ahead for “General Hospital” and daytime dramas!

ABC buys soap opera drama (this is not a joke)

I promise you this is for real … at least according to TV Source Magazine.

The fine folks at ABC (Disney) have purchased a soap opera drama from Josh Duhamel and Mark Gordon Co.

Here’s the link.

From the link:

The show will be about “a daytime soap opera that explores the loves, lives and lunacy at an on-the-bubble network soap opera, where the antics of the cast and crew are crazier than the plotlines they broadcast.

So there’s that.

Cast changes coming to ‘Days’?

What do Jason Cook and Eileen Davidson have in common?

Both are leaving their current soap roles.

Jason Cook (ex-Shawn Brady) will exit as Matt Hunter on “General Hospital,” according to soapcentral.com.

And Eileen Davidson (ex-Kristen Blake/DiMera and Susan Banks) was fired as Ashley Abbott on “The Young and the Restless,” according to soapcentral.com.

Right now, though, only Davidson is rumored to be returning to “Days.” Cook — sadly — is taking a leave from “GH” to work on other “projects.”

Kirsten Storms (ex-Belle Black-Brady) hasn’t returned to “GH,” but still apparently is having medical issues.

And, to add to my ideal Salem … Nadia Bjorlin is rumored to be returning to “Days,” according to this soapcentral.com post. But before we get too excited, she says it’s not true.