Here are some
interesting facts about General Hospital!
- Originally, GH was supposed to be called Emergency Hospital and was
conceived to be an anthology series based specifically in the emrgency room.
Ironically, the show starred Denise Alexander (now Leslie Webber) as a
bereaved patient. After filming a pilot of Emergency Hospital, which
never made it to air, network executives decided the premise was too narrow
and would soon wear thin.
- General Hopsital has 10 flooors, plus a basement and a heliport on the
roof.
- Until 1977, Port Charles didn't exist! The show never specified its
setting. When the writers finally decided the show needed a geographic
setting, the fictional locale of Port Charles in upstate New York (modeled
after Buffalo) was created.
- GH is the longest-running West Coast soap.
- The real-life children of the cast and crew are featured every Christmas
as the sick children from the pediatrics ward during the annual telling of the
Christmas story.
- One day, back when the show was broadcast live, a small fire erupted at
the nurses' station. John Beradino (Dr. Steve Hardy) kept the scene rolling
until the commercial break before tending to the smoldering set. The show must
go on!
- GH's first Tom Hardy (then Tommy Baldwin) was played by Rachel Ames'
(Audrey Hardy) real-life daughter, Christine.
- Leonard Nimoy portrayed Bernie, a pill pusher, way back in 1963 - and was
paid $145 for his performance.
- GH's studio floor floats on thousands of rubber shock absorbers, to
insulate the studio from outside noise.
- The only permanent set on GH is the nurses' station. The rest of the
show's sets have to be trucked in and out each day from a remote location 15
miles away from the studio due to space limitations.
- For several months, the character of Edward Quartermaine was often
referred to by Alan and his family but never seen on-camera. In the meantime,
the show's producers were taking their time to find the right actor for the
role. They cast David Lewis, who was succeeded by John Ingle.
TO CALLEN'S GENERAL HOSPITAL
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