She then returned to General Hospital in 1993. GHs Nicholas Chavez Reacts to His Daytime Emmy Nomination. What have been some of your favorite moments from the actress' four and a half decades on the ABC soap opera? And fans arent the only ones happy to have the daytime legend back on GH. It was all men, shooting guns and hanging out. Francis debuted on GH back in 1977 when she took over the role of Laura Webber from Stacey Baldwin, and became a soap star as Lauras romances with Scotty and Luke became popular supercouples. "Well, it's the perfect time to come back, isn't it? Kevin Winter/Getty Images. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Some of the other major storylines that have brought Francis back to the canvas include the supposed (but later found to be untrue) death of Lucky; a 2001 reunion with Scotty following Luke's affair with Felicia; Laura suffering nervous breakdowns and being committed after she was led to believe she had killed Rick in the mid-2000s (which landed her the 2007 Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category); and a 2013 Ice Princess redo involving Laura's daughter, Lulu. We want to hear from you -- and there are many ways you can share your thoughts. Genie Francis. The television couple of Luke and Laura wed on November 17, 1981, with 30 million viewers tuning in to make the episode the highest-rated hour in soap opera history. About The Actor: Learn more about Genie Francis. "It's a wonderful surprise this deep into a character on a show, to finally have them go back and they pulled that out of my past, which is a great thing to do. Genie Francis exits General Hospital but promises "I will be back B&B exec Brad Bell has an answer, DAYTIME EMMYS: DAYS lands seven acting nods, plus directing, writing, and series, DAYS COMMENTARY: And if this world runs out of lovers. Francis has been with "General Hospital" on-and-off over the years, winning the much-coveted Emmy award as Best Supporting Actress for her role as "Laura" in 2007. ALSO READ:General Hospital Spoilers: Will Carly keep Willow above her hatred for Nina? if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'soapcentral_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_6',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-soapcentral_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Though it's hard to imagine today, Francis was actually a recast for the role of Lesley Williams' daughter, who was originally played by actress Stacey Baldwin. Francis owned a store called The Cherished Home. Thats all gone! GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers 4/26/23: The Race to Stop Victor! General Hospital Spoilers: Heather & Ryans Twisted Past Esmes Bio-Parents Revealed. Port Charles will be one fabulous character short for a while, because General Hospital's Genie Fancis (Laura Webber) is taking a break from the ABC soap opera. @GeneralHospital pic.twitter.com/2szXxTILh5. Dozens of The Young and the Restless props up for bid in online auction, Why Mishael Morgan's 50th anniversary Y&R return almost didn't happen. Do you ever think aboutwhythe show was so popular? Y&R SPOILER ALERT! Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items. GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers 4/27/23: Ninas Big Mistake! Nostalgia. Fans were upset when she left back in August, but now Genie Francis (Laura) is returning to GENERAL HOSPITAL just in time for the holidays! Were moving forward with the history. It helps that viewers see the cast as family: For a large part of the audience, it is an incredibly nostalgic, familiar show that they love to check in on, Valentini says. Genie Francis Returns to General Hospital! - Soaps In Depth I came on as a child, and I based my character on my own need to be loved. I got the vaccine really fast. Josh Swickard Teases Chase and Brook Lynns Future on GH. And I said to Genie, I think were onto something.. What was resonating with viewers? General Hospital's Genie Francis: It's a 'New' Laura Without Luke Perhaps, Heather reaches out to Esme after hearing that her baby was kidnapped. Veteran soap actress Genie Francis who plays the role of Laura in the popular TV show "General Hospital," has been married to husband Jonathan Frakes for over thirty years. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Genie first met her husband Jonathan Frakes in 1982, while shooting the TV miniseries "Bare Essence." Would you like to wish Genie Francis a happy 45th anniversary as GH's Laura? We want to hear from you -- and there are many ways you can share your thoughts. Genie Francis is making her way back to the canvas as her iconic character, Laura Webber, who will be involved in "a battle for the soul" of Port Charles this November. And now I base it on, who canIlove? With The Hook running around town trying to kill people, shell definitely want to bring the criminal to justice. And then with COVID, he was the first one because if it didnt succeed, who knows what would have happened? Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Constance Towers to reprise role as GH's Helena Cassadine, The 50th Annual Daytime Emmys will air this June on CBS, William Lipton stepping away as General Hospital's Cameron, "Heartbroken" Days of our Lives star Victoria Grace withdraws herself from Daytime Emmys contention, The Young and the Restless star Eric Braeden reveals he is being treated for cancer, Is Hope in love with Thomas? Benard: Well, 10 years ago, when he came in, I thought we were done and hekept it going. Never. Daniel and Lily had sex. Francis has since returned to GH for several stints over the years, one of which was a 1998 storyline that dug into Luke's past rape of Laura. Speaking to Ronnie Polaneczky of The Inquirer, Genie said: "To stay married a long time, you have to be willing to have a couple of really bad years. General Hospital's Genie Francis Celebrates A Milestone! Well, its the perfect time to come back, isnt it? Despite being a recast, Francis was a big hit with fans, especially when the writers began dishing out some seriously great material for the character under the direction of Gloria Monty, who came aboard the ABC soap opera as an executive producer in 1978 along with new head writer Douglas Marland. Dozens of The Young and the Restless props up for bid in online auction, Why Mishael Morgan's 50th anniversary Y&R return almost didn't happen. Frank saved our jobs twice. They became engaged the following year, and were married on May 28, 1988. Its so cheesy and campy, now looking back on it, but that shaped the character as I moved forward, really, with the rest of my life on that show. [21] It was located at 31 Searsport Avenue, Belfast, Maine 04915, and they also sold items online. [13], In March 2011, it was announced that Francis would join The Young and the Restless as Genevieve Atkinson, the long-absent birth mother of Cane Ashby. Laura has less bad days than I do. A video confirmed Kate was alive. Thomas and Hope Liam and Hope what about both? The TV star gained some excess weight as a result of menopause and having to deal with the stress of her two children leaving the house. GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers: Michael and Willows Wedding Explodes! She is best known for playing the role of Laura Spencer on the television soap opera General Hospital from 1977 to present, for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2007. Soaps are the only thing that you can do in real time, which is phenomenal. General Hospital's Genie Francis is taking a much-deserved leave of absence, which will take her iconic character, Laura Webber, off the canvas for a short period of time. You feel like the#MeToomovement really helped behind the scenes and onscreen? I couldn't really believe that people still care that much. That was the year that General Hospital really went supercharged. B&B exec Brad Bell has an answer, DAYTIME EMMYS: DAYS lands seven acting nods, plus directing, writing, and series, DAYS COMMENTARY: And if this world runs out of lovers. Francis' work in General Hospital marked one of her most successful stints on television. General Hospital's Laura Webber has a tendency to disappear in the summer, and this year is no different. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. I thought it was great, being a Method actor coming in and playing this and its great for acting, but not great for my life. Genie Francis Is Leaving GENERAL HOSPITAL But She'll Be Back! The role of Laura Webber was originally played by Stacy Baldwin from 1974-76, but it was when Francis took over in 1977 that the character became a daytime legend! Published on May 19, 2020 11:41 AM. LAST WEEK ON GH: Michael and Willow were married. Of course, shes presumed dead, but evil never dies on GH, and she might still be alive. Youve gotta admit, one of the nicest human beings whos ever been with us. General Hospital's Genie Francis Addresses Luke and Laura Rape Genie Francis is back on GENERAL HOSPITAL! Hear what Laura - YouTube Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Benard: In the 30 years Ive been here, this is the most Ive seen it be female-driven. GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers 4/28/23: Brick Catches Dex! On the other hand, Valentin, played by James Patrick Stuart, might also be returningto the ELQ world as he is heard telling someone that his attorney is on the case. DAYS RECAPS: What you missed the Week of April 24, 2023, THE SCOOP! Read Next: The Morning Show Renewed for Season 4 on Apple TV+ Ahead of Season 3 Debut, Kristina Malandro (aka Kristina Malandro Wagner), Jack Wagner, (1985). However, Heathers presence might be the start of Esmes memory returning. Wagner: I fell in love with my co-star, and we had two children together. Making her the centerpiece of the show's teen scene drew in scores of younger viewers, and as Laura's popularity grew, so did her romantic storyline with Scotty Baldwin (Kin Shriner). During ABC's Television Critics Association presentation on Wednesday, the actress who has portrayed the role of Laura Spencer since 1977 opened up about the date rape scene from 1979 that has. I love what they did. For Genie, marriage is an agreement to work through everything. Ryans the Daddy Esmes Mom is also a Psycho on General Hospital? Summer was stunned to see Phyllis alive. Currently, Nik is clinging to life in an unknown location, and Helena could very well have a part in it. Do you think Nina reporting Carly will end up tanking Nina's relationship with Sonny? Im into it. Genie Francis Reflects on 45 Years at General Hospital Frank Valentini, its executive producer and showrunner since 2012, says incorporating the shows legacy characters with new cast members is key to its longevity. News and More: Return to Soap Central's GH FrontPage. Unfortunately, this included an extremely controversial storyline in which Luke raped Laura at the Campus Disco. Benard: Yes, there is, and the hard part is that Sonny is bipolar, and Im bipolar. In 1985, she starred in the miniseries North and South as Brett Main Hazard. 'General Hospital' Spoilers: Spencer Cassadine (Nicholas Chavez) And Do you all have any memories of particularly meaningful storylines? General Hospital: Ryan & Heather Unhinged Will They Steal Esmes Baby & Run off with Grandkid? GHs Kelly Thiebaud Is Overwhelmed By Her Emmy Nomination. Laura and Martin can finally come out of hiding! LAST WEEK ON DAYS: Hope broke Bo's programming. As many fans suspected, that phone call will help facilitate Laura leaving GENERAL HOSPITAL as actress Genie Francis takes some time off to enjoy her summer vacation!