“General Hospital” fans are ecstatic (at least I am) about the news that Luke and Laura Spencer (the ABC soap opera’s most popular couple) will be reunited once again.
According to ABC, Genie Francis, who originated the role of Laura nearly 30 years ago, will return to the show to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Luke and Laura’s wedding. The fictional wedding, seen by 30 million viewers on Nov. 16, 1981, is still ranked as one of the most watched shows in television history. At the time, there was so much hype surrounding the TV nuptials that Newsweek magazine put Francis and Anthony Geary, who plays Luke, on its cover. The episode is also remembered for featuring Elizabeth Taylor as the malicious Helena Cassadine.
Fan-favorite Francis will return to Port Charles in a series of episodes set to air in the middle of October. In a statement released Wednesday Francis said, “I’m very happy to be returning to my ‘General Hospital’ family and look forward to portraying a role that means a lot to me as well as the fans who have supported the character throughout the years.”
Francis has left the show several times; her most recent departure was in 2002 when her character suffered a mental breakdown after she killed her father. Laura has been living at a psychiatric hospital in a catatonic state ever since. The network remains tight-lipped on the details of the upcoming anniversary (especially the story line that will reunite the daytime power couple).
Personally, I am looking forward to the reunion. I was a “General Hospital” die-hard in college and started watching the show again soon after my daughter’s birth (it happened to coincide with her afternoon feedings). Now my days are spent trying to keep up with a rascally 2-year-old and, alas, soap operas are but a distant memory. However, I will figure out a way to watch Laura’s return. (Thank goodness for TIVO.)