    
General Hospital New Archives: 2009
Here are some of the news stories posted on soapcentral .com during 2009 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 or to review articles with similar themes, please see the News Archive links below this text to access a specific year. Or to view a listing of all years for which news stories are available, simply click here.
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January 2009
General Hospital set to decide on its Dante this month
Tom Pelphrey or David Lago? Which of these Emmy-winning actors would be better able to hold their own as Sonny's son against Maurice Benard? These are the questions that are expected to be answered later this month when General Hospital finally casts the much-talked-about role of Dante.
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January 2009
Marcil says she's "trying" to make a GH return work
It looks like Vanessa Marcil (Brenda Barrett) might be returning to General Hospital in the near future -- but fans may still want to keep their fingers crossed. The actress confirms that she is in talks with the show about a return, but so far there's no news to announce. The actress made her GH debut in 1992 and most recently appeared in 2003.
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January 2009
General Hospital episodes to air online
Can't get enough of General Hospital? Now, if your cable goes out, you don't have cable, or your VCR or TiVo didn't record the show, you can watch episodes of the long-running ABC soap online.
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January 2009
Date, stars announced for ABC's salute to Broadway
There are some minor changes to the soapcentral.com FrontPage this week. While still using the existing format that our readers have come to enjoy, we've incorporated changes that stem from the feedback we've received from you, our readers, over the past few months. None of the changes are jarring, but we've gone back to some of formats used in designs past.
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January 2009
New wrinkle in Marcil's GH "return"
Vanessa Marcil may not be returning to General Hospital after all. There's no official word that the actress and the show have broken off talks, but, according to a new report, Marcil has landed a role on a new primetime series. The recurring role may very well delay Marcil's much-anticipated return to Port Charles.
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January 2009
GH's Coffee served with a pink slip
General Hospital will be serving up less Claire Coffee in the upcoming weeks. The actress has confirmed that she has been taken on contract with the ABC soap. The move comes as her on-screen alter ego's love interest is preparing to move on. Coffee joined General Hospital in late 2007, but was signed to a contract a few months later.
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February 2009
Claire Coffee lands role in ABC pilot
When Claire Coffee exited her full-time role on General Hospital last month, some fans were upset that the show didn't try to develop more story for her on-screen alter ego. Now, those fans can find a silver lining in the star's dismissal. Coffee has landed a role in a fall pilot..
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March 2009
Geary's Luke Spencer will remain in Port Charles
Don't expect five-time Emmy winner Anthony Geary to be going anywhere in the near future. The long-time General Hospital vet has signed a new deal that will keep him playing Luke Spencer. Geary first appeared in Port Charles in 1978.
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March 2009
Long rumored, recast of Michael Corinthos now confirmed
It may not come as a total surprise to General Hospital fans, but the ABC soap has announced that it has recast the role of Michael Corinthos. Rumors of a recast surfaced shortly after the ouster of Dylan Cash from the role last year. Newcomer Drew Garrett takes over the role of Michael in April. Cash made his final GH appearance in December 2008.
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March 2009
Rick Hearst, Megan Ward first casualties of "impending bloodbath"
Rumors of mass firings at General Hospital are turning out to be the worst kind of rumors -- they're true. Emmy winner Rick Hearst and relative newcomer, Megan Ward, have both been taken off contract with the ABC soap. Both performers have agreed to stick around in a recurring basis, but it's unclear for how long. Meanwhile, whispers that more cuts are coming are getting louder.
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April 2009
General Hospital to be broadcast in hi-def
Get ready to see General Hospital like you've never seen it before. The show will start broadcasting in high-definition by the end of the month. GH becomes only the second soap to transition to HD. The move didn't come cheap, but there are already rumblings that ABC's two other soaps could also be broadcast in the high-quality format within a few years.
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April 2009
What ever happened to Dante?
Tom Pelphrey or David Lago? Both of these award-winning actors have been rumored to be joining the cast of General Hospital as Dante, Sonny's long-lost son. Months have passed, and there's still no sign of Dante. Is the show really going to cast the role or was this a diversion so that the show could recast Michael?
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April 2009
GH to address postpartum depression
General Hospital will use one its current storylines to help educate viewers about a problem that impacts ten-percent of all pregnant women: postpartum depression. In an upcoming public service announcement, the show will tell new moms where they can go for help in the event that they are overcome by post-pregnancy emotions.
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April 2009
Billy Dee Williams joining General Hospital
Billy Dee Williams will join General Hospital later this spring in the role he created on the show's primetime spinoff, Night Shift. This will mark the third time that Williams has appeared on a daytime drama series. He's made previous appearances on Another World and Guiding Light, both of which came before he became a major star.
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April 2009
Emma Samms once again tapping into her GH "legacy"
Emma Samms reprises her wildly popular role as Holly Sutton just in time for May Sweeps. Holly's return may finally help to answer questions fans have about Ethan Lovett. Is Ethan related to someone in Port Charles? Some General Hospital fans already have their own ideas about what lies ahead.
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April 2009
Martha Byrne takes on recurring role on GH
Martha Byrne has found a new job -- two of them, actually. The actress recently started work as a member of the writing team of The Bold and the Beautiful. Now, the actress is also returning to television in front of the camera. The two-time Emmy winner has landed a recurring role on General Hospital.
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May 2009
Rick Hearst to make GH exit you "won't want to miss"
Forget about seeing Rick Hearst on a recurring basis on General Hospital. Just a month after the actor was downgraded to recurring status comes word that the three-time Emmy winner is leaving GH -- permanently. The Bold and the Beautiful has expressed an interest in the actor, as has Guiding Light.
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May 2009
Quickly recast GH star finds fame elsewhere just as quickly
Former General Hospital castmember, America Olivo, appears in a six-page pictorial spread in the June edition of Playboy. Since being quickly released from GH, Olivo has appeared in several films and found time to record her first solo album.
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May 2009
Rick Hearst era at GH officially over
Rick Hearst has left the building. Less than two months after news broke that Hearst had been taken off contract comes word that he's taped his final General Hospital scenes. Fans can take heart in known that he's already hard at work on his "new" role on The Bold and the Beautiful.
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May 2009
Rick Hearst is back at work on B&B
Rick Hearst has reported back to work at The Bold and the Beautiful. It was less than a month ago that word first broke that B&B was interested in hiring the then-soon-to-be-exiting General Hospital star. Hearst, a three-time Emmy winner, previously appeared on B&B in 2002.
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June 2009
Dominic Zamprogna hired to play... Dominic
Dominic Zamprogna joins the cast of General Hospital this month as someone Claudia hires to help her carry out her latest scheme. Zamprogna has appeared in numerous primetime projects, but this will be his first daytime role.
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June 2009
Is Ted King returning to General Hospital
Ted King may be returning to General Hospital in the weeks ahead. The soap opera vet has reportedly been spotted on GH set recently. It's been nearly two years since King last appeared as the supposedly murdered Lorenzo Alcazar. King also appeared on Loving and The City.
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May 2009
Forbes March cast as ATWT's Mason
It may be one the biggest casting coups of the year. Former General Hospital and Port Charles star, Lynn Herring, will join the As the World Turns cast in July. Once one of daytime's biggest stars, Herring hasn't been seen on daytime in more than five years and admits she was hurt that GH never asked her to return.
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June 2009
Wallace Kurth set to reprise role of Justin Kiriakis
Wally Kurth will be reprising the role of Justin Kiriakis this summer. News of Kurth's return comes less than a week after it was announced that Crystal Chappell would be returning as Carly Manning. Kurth, who apppeared for 13 years as General Hospital's Ned Ashton, was last seen on DAYS in 1991.
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June 2009
Rick Hearst's blockbuster exit less than thrilling
When Rick Hearst airs for the final time on General Hospital this week, he wants fans to know it wasn't because he disliked working on the ABC soap. His much-hyped exit, however, may leave fans a little disappointed. Hearst has called Port Charles home since 2002.
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June 2009
Sean Kanan to reprise B&B role on Y&R
The Young and the Restless is about to get a little bolder. Television's top-rated soap has signed former General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful star Sean Kanan. Kanan will reprise his B&B role in Genoa City, where he will reunite with another former B&B character, Amber Moore.
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July 2009
ATWT spoils DAYS reunion by hiring Judi Evans
As the World Turns has signed its second former General Hospital in the past month. Emmy winner Stuart Damon will join the CBS soap later this summer in a still-to-be-announced role. Damon portrayed Alan Quartermaine on GH for more than 30 years.
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June 2009
General Hospital finally casts Dante
Tom Pelphrey or David Lago? Both of these award-winning actors have been rumored to be joining the cast of General Hospital as Dante, Sonny's long-lost son. Well, GH fans, neither of the actors will be playing Dante -- in fact, Dante is already a part of the GH canvas.
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July 2009
Rick Hearst: It's a "great time" to be on B&B
Rick Hearst recently brought Whipple Jones back to The Bold and the Beautiful. Many fans wondered why the actor would jump ship from General Hospital after a seven years absence. According to Hearst, the answer is easy: this is a great time to be a B&B cast member.
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July 2009
Herring extends her Oakdale stay
Lynn Herring's short-term stay on As the World Turns just got a little longer. The actress will reportedly air through the fall. Herring is known to daytime fans for her work as Lucy Coe on General Hospital and Port Charles. She first airs on As the World Turns this week
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July 2009
GH adds three-time Emmy-winning writer to its roster
General Hospital is beefing up its writing team. The show, which has won three Daytime Emmys for writing, is adding three-time Emmy winner Josh Griffith to its roster. Griffith has also worked on As the World Turns, One Life to Live, and The Young and the Restless.
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July 2009
Greg Vaughan denies being put on recurring status
Another daytime star has taken to the Internet to deny reports that their soap time is coming to an end. Greg Vaughan, who has played Lucky for six years, is denying reports that he's been taken off contract.
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July 2009
Serena and Scott Baldwin could be returning to Port Charles
General Hospital execs may be preparing for another homecoming. Serena Baldwin, last seen six years ago on GH spinoff Port Charles, could soon be headed back to town. The ABC soap is reportedly "aging" the character, which means Carly Schroeder will more than likely not reprise the role.
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August 2009
Steve Burton extends his stay on General Hospital
General Hospital fans have been waiting for several weeks to find out how contract talks between Steve Burton and the show would end. Though published reports hinted that Morgan would walk, the actor has re-signed with the show. He first appeared in 1990 and earned a Daytime Emmy for his work in 1998.
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August 2009
Casting call for Sam McCall puts Monaco's GH future in doubt
A possible major shakeup is in the offing at General Hospital. ABC has released a casting call for the role of Sam McCall, the role played by Emmy-nominated actress Kelly Monaco since 2003. In addition to her work on GH, Monaco is known to millions of television viewers as the first Dancing with the Stars champion.
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August 2009
Monaco says there was "no doubt" she'd re-sign with GH
Emmy-nominated General Hospital star says there was "no doubt" that she'd renew her contract with General Hospital. The actress' comment comes after a casting call seemingly put her future with the ABC soap in question. Monaco joined GH in 2003.
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September 2009
Wild ride over, Sarah Brown leaving GH
Three-time Emmy winner Sarah Brown will exit General Hospital in the upcoming weeks. The exit has been confirmed by both the actress and a show spokesperson. Brown rejoined GH as Claudia Zacchara in January 2008, after a five-year run as Carly.
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September 2009
GH puts its plans for a Cassadine return on ice
Will the Cassadines once again be descending upon Port Charles? According to setside chatter, it certainly appears that way. Soap vet Matt Borlenghi has been hired for a cryptic new role that was to have debuted in mid-October. That debut, however, has been postponed.
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September 2009
Greg Vaughan out as Jonathan Jackson returns to General Hospital
In a whirlwind development, ABC has confirmed that Greg Vaughan will no longer be playing the role of Lucky Spencer. The actor's exit will allow the original Lucky, Jonathan Jackson, to return to the role he created in 1993. It's been ten years since the multiple-Emmy winner last appeared in Port Charles. Jackson reports to work this week.
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October 2009
Sarah Brown to join B&B one day after GH exit
Three-time Emmy winner Sarah Brown will join the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful next month. The actress has been cast in a newly created role, a role that she almost was unable to secure. How the actress ultimately landed the part is somewhat surprising.
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October 2009
Ex-Y&R star Scott Reeves cast as Steven Lars Webber
Two-time Emmy nominee Scott Reeves has been tapped to play the role of Steven Lars Webber on General Hospital. The former Y&R star hasn't been seen on daytime in nearly nine years. In that time, Reeves has gone on to focus on his musical career.
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October 2009
Vaughan on GH release: I was an expendable asset
As General Hospital fans get reacquainted with Jonathan Jackson this week, Greg Vaughan is speaking out about his ouster from the ABC soap. While a statement from the network explained that Vaughan left to pursue other opportunities, the actor insists that he didn't want to leave GH -- he was fired.
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October 2009
Natalia Livingston to exit General Hospital
Natalia Livingston's run as Rebecca Shaw is coming to an end. The actress, who returned to GH just nine months ago, won an Emmy in 2005 for her work in another role on the ABC soap.
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October 2009
Natalia Livingston to exit General Hospital
General Hospital is continuing to bolster its roster in preparation for James Franco's arrival later this month. The show, which has already started exploring a mysterious graffiti tag that has been appearing all over Port Charles, is now adding a mystery woman that will play in Franco's story.
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October 2009
GH's mysterious CO77X tag has fans playing CSI
Thousands upon thousands of General Hospital fans have become private detectives, all thanks to mysterious graffiti that has started popping up across Port Charles. What does CO77X mean? The secret will be revealed during November Sweeps, in what is sure to be a very dangerous game of tag.
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November 2009
Sean Kanan comes out swinging over Internet rumors
Daytime veteran Sean Kanan is "livid" over anonymous Internet postings claiming that he was fired from The Young and the Restless. The actor is speaking out in a new interview and asserts that fans haven't seen the last of Deacon in Genoa City. The actor joined Y&R earlier this year. He has appeared previously on General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful.
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November 2009
Dominic Zamprogna gets married
The good tidings continue for the male stars of General Hospital. Newcomer Dominic Zamprogna is a newly minted groom.
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November 2009
GH fans "stuck" with Laura Wright
General Hospital viewers will be seeing a lot more of Laura Wright in the future. The actress, who has been with the show for four years, got her start in daytime on Loving. She's also appeared on The City and Guiding Light.
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November 2009
James Franco debuts on GH this week -- and people are talking
While blog sites muse that James Franco's appearance on General Hospital was brought about by the award-winning actor losing a bet, James Franco is saying that he can see himself having an ongoing relationship with the soaps. Find out what Franco and others are saying about his first soap role.
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November 2009
Greg Vaughan gets punked -- Dutch style
If you're old enough to remember the 1980s NBC show TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, you'll easily get the idea of what happens when Japanese reporter Ushi sits down to interview a celebrity. Ushi isn't a real interviewer -- she's actually a Dutch TV star Wendy van Dijk. Her latest victim is former GH and Y&R star Greg Vaughan.
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November 2009
Jackson's GH return came "out of the blue"
In September, General Hospital fans were stunned by the announcement that three-time Emmy winner Jonathan Jackson would be returning to the show. If fans were surprised, so was Jackson. The actor says his return came "out of the blue." In this exclusive interview, Jackson talks about being Lucky.
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December 2009
A "new direction" for Lisa Niles
In an unexpected change, General Hospital has announced that it is recasting the role of Lisa Niles. Newcomer Julie Mond, who made her GH debut just last month, is out. TV and film vet Brianna Brown will take over the role in the new year.
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December 2009
Y&R hires DAYS/GH vet to take over the role of Tucker
He's only been in Genoa City for a little over a month, but Tucker McCall is about to undergo some changes, the least of which involves his storyline. Soap veteran Stephen Nichols has been tapped to replace the recently hired William Russ. A Y&R rep says the recast was necessitated by taking the character in a "new direction."
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