American actor Steve Burton returns to General Hospital in 2024. This comes as a surprise to the American soap opera audiences, especially because he was fired in 2021. His return after a three-year absence makes him one of the surprising returning cast members of 2024.
Although Burton’s character had existed since the early 1980s, the actor was recast in 1991. True General Hospital fans and viewers agree Steve Burton is the face most associated with the Jason Morgan character. Here’s more about Steve Burton’s return to General Hospital, character, and career.
Who Is Steve Burton’s Character In General Hospital?
Steve Burton was the third actor to play Jason Morgan’s character, although the first two actors portrayed the character as child actors. The character was created by writers Thom Racina and Leah Laima and was first introduced in November 1981 by TV producer Gloria Monty. Jason Morgan was the son of Dr. Alan Quartermaine (Stuart Damon) and his mistress, Susan Moore (Gail Ramsey). Jason’s birth name was Jason Moore. The character’s first appearance on General Hospital was on November 11, 1981, and was portrayed by child actor Quinn Carlson. After the death of his birth mother and living with his aunt, his father, Dr. Alan Quartermaine, brought him home to the family’s mansion in the fictional Port Charles, New York.
Adopted by Alan’s wife, Dr. Monica Quartermaine (Leslie Charleson), Jason grew up with his half-brother A. J. Quartermaine, with whom he left Port Charles to go to boarding school. When the character was introduced in 1991, Steve Burton was recast as an older Jason. His storyline began after he was involved in an accident with an intoxicated A. J. driving. Losing his memory, Jason resented the Quartermaine family, choosing to change his last name to Morgan legally. The experience hardened Jason, eventually becoming a mob enforcer for Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard).
Most of Jason Morgan’s storyline in General Hospital revolved around him either being shot, presumed dead, leaving Port Charles, having complicated romantic relationships, or fathering/pretending to father a child. One of Jason Morgan’s shocking plot twists in General Hospital was when it was revealed he was born as a twin. Even more shocking was that the Jason everyone knew in Port Charles wasn’t the one they had known. Behind the scenes, it was done to allow actor Billy Miller to stay on as Jason while reintroducing Steve Burton to the show, first as “Patient 6” before exploring the twin storyline.
Why Did Steve Burton Leave General Hospital?
Although it wasn’t the first time Steve Burton had left General Hospital, his 2021 exit was because he was fired from the show. In the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney mandated all cast and crew members be vaccinated, especially since they wouldn’t be wearing masks. With his medical and religious exemption being denied, Burton, despite his love for General Hospital, insisted he wouldn’t take the vaccine. Steve Burton was ultimately fired from the show.
That November, Burton issued a statement on his Instagram stating, “I know there’s been a lot of rumors and speculations about me and General Hospital. I wanted you to hear it from me personally. Unfortunately, General Hospital has let me go because of the vaccine mandate. I did apply for my medical and religious exemptions, and both of those were denied, which, you know, hurts. But this is also about personal freedom to me. I don’t think anyone should lose their livelihood over this. But with that being said, you know me, I’ll always be grateful for my time at General Hospital; I love it there.”
However, he wasn’t the only cast member affected. German-Australian actor Ingo Rademacher, who originated the Jasper “Jax” Jacks character on General Hospital, was also fired. Although he sued the ABC for its vaccine mandate, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the ABC. For Steve Burton, it was always clear that he held no animosity towards General Hospital producers and the show itself. It’s no surprise the producers had no issue bringing him back to the show. As Jason Morgan returns to General Hospital, he’ll reveal he survived the tunnel collapse and has been working as a Military contractor and mercenary.
What Has Steve Burton Been Up To Since He Was Fired From General Hospital?
Besides his work on General Hospital, Steve Burton has also starred in other long-running American soap operas. Although his run on The Young and the Restless ended in 2017, he also played Harris Micheals in a recurring role on NBC/Peacock’s Days of Our Lives. In 2022, he reprised his Harris Micheals role in Chapter 2 of the spin-off limited soap opera Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem.
In his personal life, Steve Burton filed for divorce from his wife, Sheree Gustin, in July 2022. The couple married on January 16, 1999, and had three children throughout their 24 years together. Burton’s divorce was finalized in December 2023. At the time of filing for divorce, Burton’s wife was pregnant. However, Burton clarified that the child wasn’t his, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce. If you’re excited about Steve Burton’s return to General Hospital, also read about Clint Howard joining The Bold and the Beautiful cast.
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