You won’t want to miss this year’s General Hospital anniversary episode. April 1st , 2015 marks General Hospital’s 52nd year on the air. The daytime drama aired on April 1st, 1963 and is now more popular than ever. In the last couple of years, the writers and executives over at ABC’s General Hospital have made the anniversary of the show really something special. In 2013, General Hospital celebrated 50 years on the air. Flashbacks and cast come backs have been huge since GH’s 50th with many iconic vet actors coming back to reprise their roles.
Three very special actors have been chosen to carry the weight of this special 52nd anniversary episode. Jason Thompson (Dr. Patrick Drake), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Webber), and Ryan Carnes (Dr. Lucas Jones), will be leading the show with what has been called a time warp epsiode of General Hospital. This trio will be portraying the original characters that debuted in the first ever episode of General Hospital.
Jason Thompson will play the legendary Dr. Steven Hardy (John Beradino), Rebecca Herbst will take on the role of Nurse Jessie Brewer (Emily McLaughlin), while the role of Jessie’s husband, Phil (Roy Thinnes), will be played by Ryan Carnes. These scenes will all be in black and white to display the full effect of the original 1963 GH debut.
The three stars are extremely honored to have been chosen to make this extraordinary tribute come to life. Jason Thomson tells sources, “None of us took it lightly. It was a real honor to pay tribute to the cast that launched our show. Let’s face it: If they hadn’t done their jobs extremely well; if they hadn’t grabbed the attention of the audience right off the bat- none of us would be here today.” Thompson, Herbst, and Carnes studied the original episode in depth, and they are excited for the opportunity. “It was so much fun getting into such a different style of performance.” Everything was very serious and straightforward back then, almost formal but really cool. And no one was overacting.” Rebecca Herbst tells TV Insider.
In the episode, keep watch for the recreation of the original nurses station, with original props, costumes, and more.
It’s safe to say that if you are a fan with a real emotional attachment to this show, whether you have been with it since day one, or have been watching for only a short time, this will really be an amazingly emotional thing to see.
Check out a clip from ABC’s General Hospital in 1963 as the first air time debut on April 1st.