What is “General Hospital”?
A: General Hospital is an American daytime television soap opera.
It is listed in Guinness World Records as the what?
A: The longest-running American soap opera in production.
It is the second in American history after what
program?
A: Guiding Light.
Concurrently, it is the world's third longest-running
scripted drama series in production after what British serials?
A: The Archers and Coronation Street.
It’s the world's second-longest-running televised soap
opera still what?
A: In production.
When did General Hospital premiere?
A: On April 1, 1963.
On what network did it premiere?
A: On the ABC television network.
General Hospital is the longest-running serial produced
where?
A: In Hollywood.
It’s the longest-running entertainment program in what?
A: ABC television history.
It holds the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards for
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, with how many wins?
A: 14.
Who created the show?
A: It was created by husband-and-wife soap writers Frank and Doris Hursley.
In the 1970s, the city was named what?
A: Port Charles, New York.
From its beginning, General Hospital starred whom?
A: John Beradino and Emily McLaughlin.
Both actors stayed with the show until when?
A: Until their deaths in 1996 and 1991, respectively.
They were joined a year later by whom?
A: Rachel Ames.
Rachel Ames remains to date the longest serving
actress
on what?
A: On an ABC soap opera, having been continuously on the show from 1964 to
2007.
General Hospital was the second soap to air on ABC
after what?
A: The short-lived Road to Reality, which aired for several months during
the 1960–61 season.
In 1964, what sister soap was created for General
Hospital?
A: The Young Marrieds; it ran for two years and was canceled because of low
ratings.
Where was the show taped?
A: At the Prospect Studios, General Hospital aired for a half-hour until
July 23, 1976.
The series was expanded from 30 minutes to 45 minutes
on what date?
A: July 26, 1976, and then to a full hour on January 16, 1978.
Ever since the late 1970s, most of the storylines have
revolved around what?
A: The Quartermaine family and the Spencer family.
From 1979 to 1988, General Hospital had more viewers
than what?
A: Any other daytime soap opera.
It rose to the top of the ratings in the early 1980s in
part thanks to what?
A: The monumentally popular "supercouple" Luke and Laura.
Luke and Laura’s 1981 wedding brought in how many
viewers?
A: 30 million and remains the highest-rated hour in American soap opera
history.
In 2007, the program was listed as what?
A: One of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-Time".
On April 23, 2009, General Hospital began broadcasting
in what?
A: High-definition television, making it the first ABC soap opera to make
such a transition.
General Hospital became the oldest American soap opera
on September 17, 2010, following what?
A: The final broadcast of CBS' As the World Turns.
On April 14, 2011, ABC announced the cancellation of
both All My Children and One Life to Live, leaving General Hospital as the
last what?
A: The last remaining soap opera airing on the network after January 13,
2012.
When did the show celebrate its 50th anniversary?
A: On April 1, 2013, and its 15,000th episode on June 22, 2022.