General Hospital fans are so into this show that they think they know all there is to know about Port Charles, but it’s just not true. There’s a lot you don’t know about the show, but only because it’s been on the air so long it’s easy to forget all there is to know. We have a fun set of facts for you about the soap that might just make you realize how much more there is to know about Port Charles.
It Wasn’t An Hour
When the show first began to air in the early 60s, the show was only on television each day for a half hour. It wasn’t for 13 years until 1976 that the show was then changed to 45. Only two years later, it was changed to an hour-long show each day.
General Hospital is not the Original Working Title
Before the show aired, it was meant to be called Emergency Hospital. We suppose it would have worked if they had gone with it, but they didn’t. Now it’s just General Hospital, and that’s how fans like it. We agree the real name is much better.
Anna Devane’s Scar is Gone
When she first began portraying this role on the show, Anna Devane was a woman with a long scar on her face. It was a noticeable scar you didn’t just miss, and it wasn’t one that you covered up with makeup. It was there, and it was obvious. But, it did eventually mysteriously without explanation go away.
Mac’s Accent Disappeared
Anyone who has watched the show for a long time knows that Mac had an Australian accent. Much like Anna Devane lost her scar over time, Mac also lost his accent. It’s one of those things that just happens sometimes.
The City Was Unnamed for Many Years
Right about the same time GH went to a 45-minute show, the name of the city in which it was located was also revealed. For nearly 13 years, no one knew it was Port Charles. That’s one of the most interesting facts about the show to some fans.
Luke and Laura’s Wedding Broke Records
You don’t see a lot of this today, but there was a time when daytime soaps ruled the world. In 1981 when Luke and Laura wed, it was the most watched hour in daytime history. Of course, this doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone considering how much of a power couple they were in the day.
Stone and Robin’s Love Story Was Second Most Famous
While Luke and Laura will forever reign as the king and queen of daytime soap star love stories, it was Robin and Stone who ultimately take the second place. Their love story was a bit more tragic. They were teens, and he was diagnosed with AIDs. He died at only 19, and Robin was diagnosed with HIV when she was 17. It was tragic, but it was one of the most popular storylines of all time.
Social Issues Abound
Social issues were a big deal in the 90s, and the show was praised for their correct and proper handling of storylines that might otherwise go untold. The show featured so much sensitive stuff, it was almost before its own time. Now it’s one of those things you see all the time, but the show once told stories unlike any other.
The Haunted Star Was a Wedding Gift
It was 1981. It was the biggest event in daytime television history. It was the wedding of Luke and Laura, and it was the moment when he was gifted a yacht. That thing has gone on to become a nightclub owned by his daughter, but it was once a very wonderful gift and a lovely yacht. Now it’s just where people go to get into trouble, and that makes us a little sad for its history.
The Quartermaine’s Rebuilt General Hospital
When the hospital burned to the ground in the year 2009, it was the Quartermaine money that rebuilt the place. That’s probably why this family has so much say over how things go, what happens here, and what is going on when there are issues with the hospital. They’ve had some drama of their own since rebuilding, but it’s a centerpiece.
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