About the GH News Archives
General Hospital-related news from 2011
It's impossible to keep up with all of the twists and turns from the world of soaps. Luckily, Soap Central has archived all the General Hospital news from 2011.
Here are the news stories posted on Soap Central during 2011 that focus on General Hospital or past and present GH performers. To read any of the articles listed below, simply click on the appropriate link. To access articles from other years, click here.
January 2011
A Martinez will make a brief appearance on The Bold and the Beautiful in February. The actor was hired to play the role of a doctor who figures prominently into the show's Sweeps storylines. Martinez has appeared on General Hospital, One Life to Live, and Santa Barbara.
January 2011
James Franco's commitment to daytime television apparently knows no bounds. The actor, who is expected to earn an Oscar nomination in the next few weeks, has expressed a desire to host the Daytime Emmys.
January 2011
General Hospital vet Réal Andrews will return to the ABC lineup beginning next month. The actor has landed a recurring role on All My Children. Andrews also appeared on As the World Turns.
January 2011
13-year General Hospital veteran Rebecca Herbst will exit the show later this year. According to a show rep, the exit is dictated by story. Herbst made her first GH appearance in August 1997.
January 2011
The out-ouf-the-blue dismissal of 13-year General Hospital veteran Rebecca Herbst seems to have caught everyone by surprise. Now, Herbst's co-stars are weighing in on her firing.
January 2011
ABC will be blurring the line between fiction and reality this spring with the release of The Secret Life of Damian Spinelli. That's right, the same book that is being written on-screen by Spinelli and Diane Miller.
February 2011
Film. Television. Soap opera. Broadway. The talent of James Franco apparently knows no limits. The Academy Award-nominated actor is in talks to appear opposite Nicole Kidman in a production of Sweet Bird of Youth on the Great White Way.
February 2011
Another daytime star is moonlighting in primetime. Adrienne Barbeau will help catch a killer on an upcoming episode of CSI: NY.
February 2011
Former General Hospital star Greg Vaughan will not be joining the Days of our Lives cast -- at least not in the immediate future. The actor has revealed that he turned down an offer from the show.
February 2011
In a big casting move, Days of our Lives has opted to recast the role of Taylor Raines. "Class act" Natalia Livingston is out, and the show has re-hired Tamara Braun to take the character in a new direction.
February 2011
It would appear that ABC has had a change of heart about letting go of long-time General Hospital vet Rebecca Herbst. Though the show isn't talking just yet, a new report, citing fan outrage, states that the actress will not be leaving after all.
February 2011
Nearly a week after rumblings surfaced indicating that ABC might back down from its decision to fire Rebecca Herbst from General Hospital comes official word that Herbst will be sticking around. Fans were outraged that Herbst, who debuted on GH in 1997, had been let go.
February 2011
Emmy winner Sarah Brown has been bumped to recurring status on The Bold and the Beautiful. Fans speculated the actress was no longer on contract when the actress did not appear in the show's new opening credits. Brown first aired on B&B in November 2009.
February 2011
One General Hospital star's family is about to grow. Bradford Anderson announced on Twitter and he and his wife are expecting a little girl later this year.
March 2011
General Hospital seems to be having a hard time keeping its nurses busy. ddy has confirmed that she is no longer on contract with the ABC soap. Eddy joined GH in 2006 in a recurring capacity, but was offered a contract the following year.
March 2011
Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo's return to General Hospital is apparently coming to a close. In a new interview, the actress revealed that the ABC soap is already working on her exit story.
March 2011
Ted Shackelford is out as The Young and the Restless' Jeffrey Bardwell -- but only for a short time. Kin Shriner, who appeared on Y&R in 2004, will assume the role for several episodes next month.
March 2011
Two young General Hospital actresses took home top honors in the Young Artists Awards. Lexi Ainsworth and Haley Pullos earned wins in their respective categories. Both are pre-nominated for Emmys.
March 2011
The Internet was ablaze after a published report stated that Emmy-winning head writer Bob Guza, Jr., had been relieved of his duties at General Hospital. Guza has been head writer since 2002.
March 2011
Tyler Christopher will be exiting General Hospital in the upcoming weeks. The actor was let go by the show. Christopher will appear in a new series airing on cable later this year.
March 2011
In this exclusive video, General Hospital's Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) discusses the storyline involving the tragic death of Jake Spencer. The actor also discusses his all-star cookbook and the band Port Chuck.
March 2011
Legendary film star Elizabeth Taylor died of heart failure on March 23. The two-time Oscar winner, who took time out of her career to appear on General Hospital and All My Children, was 79.
March 2011
Genie Francis is returning to daytime television, but not to the place that fans might expect. The Emmy-winning former General Hospital star is headed to The Young and the Restless. Francis appeared as Laura Spencer on GH for more than 20 years.
April 2011
Adrienne Barbeau has taped her final scenes at General Hospital -- at least for now. The veteran actress could very well reprise her role as Suzanne in the near future.
April 2011
The daughters of the creators of General Hospital have filed suit against ABC, saying that the network has been dishonest with its record keeping and owes money for syndication and licensing. ABC dismisses the claims.
April 2011
The daughters of the creators of General Hospital have filed suit against ABC, saying that the network has been dishonest with its record keeping and owes money for syndication and licensing. ABC dismisses the claims.
April 2011
Sean Blakemore caught the eye of General Hospital fans -- and apparently show executives. The GH newcomer has been signed to a contract with the ABC soap.
May 2011
James Franco is a man of many talents. Now the movie star and occasional General Hospital guest star is headed back to school. Franco is working towards not one Ph.D., but two. He'll also appear in a Planet of the Apes prequel later this year.
May 2011
Antonio Sabáto, Jr. forever known for his work as General Hospital's Jagger -- and for appearing in Calvin Klein underwear -- is a new dad. The actor welcomed a son on May 1. This is his third child.
May 2011
Uh oh. Trouble is headed back to Port Charles in the form of Helena Cassadine. Next month, Constance Towers reprises the role originated by the late, great Elizabeth Taylor.
May 2011
Two months to the day after Internet rumors claimed that General Hospital would be getting a new head writer comes official word from ABC that Robert Guza, Jr., is no longer the show's head writer. Garin Wolf, who has been with the show since 1997, will assume head writing duties.
May 2011
Viewers of The Bold and the Beautiful will soon seen less of Emmy winner Rick Hearst. The actor will be taken off-contact next month. Hearst has also appeared on Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Guiding Light, and The Young and the Restless.
May 2011
Port Charles will soon be without Jasper Jacks. Long-time General Hospital vet Ingo Rademacher has revealed that he's been let go from the ABC soap. Rademacher debuted in 1996.
June 2011
Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo will, as previously reported, exit General Hospital in the near future. The actress reprised the role of Brenda in 2010, a role she originated in 1992.
June 2011
While ABC says it continues to "support" General Hospital, beginning in September 2012, GH's timeslot will be taken over by a new talk show hosted by Katie Couric. The network has not canceled GH, and there are still several scenarios that could play out and keep the soap on the air.
June 2011
Tamara Braun will exit Days of our Lives this summer. The actress, who'd previously played Ava and rejoined the show this year as Taylor, is the victim of a massive restructuring at the NBC soap. Braun has also appeared on General Hospital and All My Children.
June 2011
The Quartermaines might once again regain their prominence in Port Charles. Just a few weeks into head writer Garin Wolf's reign comes word that Leslie Charleson will reprise the role of Monica Quartermaine. Charleson last appeared in November 2010.
June 2011
Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo and her husband, Carmine, are expecting their first child together. The couple was married last year. Marcil has a nine-year-old son from a previous relationship.
July 2011
General Hospital is taking steps to rebuild the Quartermaine family. Two-time Emmy-nominated actress Robin Christopher will return as Skye Chandler Quartermaine next month. The actress has appeared in the same role on All My Children and One Life to Live.
July 2011
Three-time Emmy winner Sarah Brown will join the cast of Days of our Lives later this year. The actress has appeared previously on As the World Turns, General Hospital, and The Bold and the Beautiful. Brown was taken off contract with B&B earlier this year.
July 2011
Another Quartermaine will return to General Hospital by the end of the summer. Stuart Damon will reprise the role of Alan Quartermaine, but the show is keeping mum on whether or not Alan will be alive or dead. Damon originated the role of Alan in 1977.
July 2011
General Hospital's Bradford Anderson and his wife, Kiera, have welcomed a new addition to their family. The Andersons are the proud parents of a little girl.
July 2011
Kate Howard will resurface in the weeks ahead, but she'll have a new look. General Hospital has recast the role of Kate. Actress Megan Ward originated the role in 2007. She last appeared in 2010.
July 2011
James Franco will return to General Hospital later this year in what is being called a substantial, long-term storyline. Franco, an Oscar-nominated performer, has made three previous guest-starring stints on the ABC soap.
August 2011
Could a soapless daytime lineup be in ABC's future? Two months ago, ABC announced that Katie Couric's new talk show had been given General Hospital's timeslot. Now there's talk that GH could move to the Internet with All My Children and One Life to Live.
July 2011
James Franco will, in fact, return to General Hospital next month. The news comes several weeks after Franco said in an interview that he had no immediate plans to return to the ABC soap. Franco debuted as GH's Franco in 2009.
August 2011
Erin Chambers is out as General Hospital's Siobhan. The actress made her GH debut in September 2010. The role will not be recast.
August 2011
The Port Charles Police Department will get a new member next month. Actress Rebeka Montoya has been cast as rookie cop Delores. There are plans to expand the PCPD even more in the weeks and months ahead.
August 2011
General Hospital's Emmy-winning pet lover, Julie Berman, has co-founded a company designed to provide pet owners with eco-friendly options for their companions.
September 2011
Former General Hospital player Annie Wersching has booked a job on a primetime series. Wersching appeared as Amelia Joffee on GH in 2007.
September 2011
Illness has sidelined another General Hospital star. Kirsten Storms will miss one to two months of work due to illness. The show has opted to temporarily recast Maxie.
September 2011
Oscar-nominated actor James Franco, who appears sporadically as a special guest star on General Hospital, is mourning the unexpected death of his father, Doug.
October 2011
One of General Hospital's younger stars is on her way out. Emmy nominee Lexi Ainsworth has confirmed that she's been let go, and has already taped her final scenes. Ainsworth joined GH in June 2009.
October 2011
Fans are still reacting to the news that Lexi Ainsworth is out as General Hospital's Kristina. Now, Ainsworth's on-screen mom is also opening up about the actress' exit.
October 2011
General Hospital will continue to develop storylines featuring its namesake medical facility. The show has cast the newly created role of a pediatrician, prompting speculation about what the character's storyline might entail.
October 2011
What was supposed to be a simple outing to pick up a wedding gown has turned into anything but a walk down the aisle. A reported dispute between an employee at a Vera Wang store and General Hospital's costumer has a GH star -- and fans -- seeing red.
October 2011
General Hospital has made a change to its writing team. The show has named daytime vet Shelly Altman as its co-head writer. Last week, long-time GH writer Michele Val Jean exited the show after 18 years.
October 2011
Sean Blakemore caught the eye of General Hospital fans earlier this year and was quickly signed to a long-term contract. Now the writers are apparently looking to grow Shawn's family -- but is it with a son?
November 2011
If you're going to Disney World, you might not be able to watch General Hospital. The ABC affiliate in Orlando, Florida, has announced that it is giving away GH's timeslot to a new talk show -- and not the one from Katie Couric.
November 2011
Though unconfirmed by the network, a published report states that it's a "done deal" that Jonathan Jackson will be leaving his role as General Hospital's Lucky by the end of the year.
November 2011
Just in time for a new year, Ingo Rademacher will reprise his role as General Hospital's Jasper Jacks for several weeks. Rademacher revealed earlier this year that he had been fired from the show.
November 2011
Jonathan Jackson will exit General Hospital next month, though the actor says that he told show execs that he'd be willing to stick around if his workload would be lightened. Jackson won an Emmy earlier this year for his work on GH.
November 2011
Underused throughout much of his time with General Hospital, Nathan Parsons will soon have to decide if he wants to continue playing the role of General Hospital's Ethan. The actor, who joined GH in 2009, is at the end of his contract.
November 2011
Kimberly McCullough will exit her Emmy-winning role of Robin Scorpio to pursue her passion of directing. McCullough's exit had been rumored for several weeks, but a General Hospital rep has now confirmed the news. McCullough began on GH when she was just seven.
November 2011
Animals at the nation's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned animals received a gift of animal beds thanks to fans of General Hospital star Julie Berman. Berman and her husband delivered the beds and took time to visit with some of the animals.
November 2011
Jill Farren Phelps's nearly 11-year run as executive producer of General Hospital has come to an end. ABC has hired former One Life to Live executive producer Frank Valentini to take over the position.
November 2011
Emmy-winning writer Ron Carlivati is headed to Port Charles after all. The former One Life to Live scribe has been named head writer of ABC's only soap left in production. Current head writer Garin Wolf's future with GH is uncertain.
December 2011
The Internet has been abuzz with rumors that Bree Williamson is headed to General Hospital. Williamson, however, has taken to Twitter to tell fans that the rumors are not true. A GH rep also dismisses the chatter as rumor.
December 2011
It's been about three months since General Hospital fans got their last glimpse of Kirsten Storms as Maxie. The actress has been sidelined by a condition known as endometriosis. The actress has resurfaced on Twitter with a holiday wish for fans.
December 2011
Finola Hughes will return to General Hospital in early 2012. While the actress will be part of a storyline that involves the exit of her on-screen daughter, a show spokesperson also states that Anna Devane will have additional story.
December 2011
In November, whispers of Nathan Parsons' exit from General Hospital first began to be heard. Now, one of the actor's co-stars has seemingly confirmed that the actor has left the ABC soap. Parsons joined GH in 2009.
