‘GENERAL HOSPITAL’ CELEBRATES

“General Hospital,” ABC’s top-rated daytime soap opera which a few years ago faced cancellation, celebrated its 6,000th episode Tuesday.

Some 40 cast members, past and present, were among the 100 people who filled the show’s hospital set at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood where the celebration took place.

Before cutting a cake which pictured the buildings seen on the show’s television logo, producer Gloria Monty made a champagne toast along with John Beradino (Steve Hardy) and Emily McLaughlin (Jesse Brewer), who have been on the series since its debut on April Fool’s Day, 1963.

“I salute our audience and everyone who’s been attached to the show, John and Emily who’ve been here since the very beginning and given their heart and soul. . . . They are ‘General Hospital,’ ” Monty said.

McLaughlin said “General Hospital” appeals to all ages, which explains its popularity. “It deals with problems that are going on in the world today. We have young people, middle-aged and old,” she said.

Monty took over “General Hospital” in 1978 with a two-month cancellation notice and started revising the show.

“I had a chance to try whatever I wanted,” she said. “We tried every new technique and went into it with a great deal of vitality.”

One area Monty decided to develop was the romantic adventures of Luke and Laura, played by Anthony Geary and Genie Francis.

“When Gloria Monty came on the show, she changed the concept of soap operas,” Francis said. “She incorporated fantasy and humor and adventure which you would normally not have. That’s when the show started to change.”

And change it did. “General Hospital’s” 1977-78 Nielsen rating as the 9th-ranked serial in daytime drama jumped to No. 1 by 1979-80.

Said Monty, summing up Tuesday’s party: “I think any show that has been on 52 weeks a year for 23 years and has had 6,000 episodes with no repeats is worthy of celebration.”