ABC: Why no cast cuts at GH?

[Tzelkos]

Both AMC and OLTL have undergone, and continue to undergo, massive cast cuts. Yet, with the exception of one cheap actor I can think of (who I won't name here) GH has not suffered the same fate. In fact, it brought back Genie Francis and put truckloads of money into promoting and producing Laura's story.

Errol stated a while back that ABC has slashed the budgest of the ABC soaps. So why does GH go merrily along as AMC and OLTL crawl pathetically towards cancellation? Leslie C, Stuart Damon and Jackie Zeman all remain on contract!

Do you think it's true that AMC and OLTL are shouldering GH's budget burdens? It wouldn't surprise me.

[R Sinclair]

Frons totally favors General Hospital over the other two ABC soaps. Bob Guza and Elizabeth Korte are in the catbird seat since they both seem to keep in line with Frons' idea of storytelling. Push the mob, push Jason, push Sonny, push Carly.

[Vee]

GH only seems to cut clear failed characters from time to time, whereas OLTL and AMC take out beloved people. I agree I think it's curious. Especially since when she first came to GH and had power, Jill Farren Phelps wanted to eliminate Bobbie and a lot of other people for her new guard led by Jensen Buchanan.

[Ryan]

Are you saying that you want those GH vets to be cut? Unlike AMC and OLTL, GH doesn't really fire their vets, they just don't use them. And also unlike AMC and OLTL, though we may get tired of seeing the same characters, at least it's not a bunch of damn newbies. The budget has been cut at GH too and I wouldn't be surprised if you saw some of the younger set leave (i.e. Lindze Letherman, Kirsten Storms).

[SteveFrame]

I just see it as a flip from a time back. I remember when GH was the one to cut it's vets first. They took Rachel Ames and Anna Lee both off contract. Rachel Ames was ABC daytimes longest running performer at the time. Anna Lee was it's oldest. At this time, OLTL was cutting some vets, but AMC was still holding on to all of theirs.

Later GH would cut John Ingle but he chose to leave instead of stick around for it. Thankfully they were able to get him back. They also fired Brad Maule, and even though they keep Leslie Charleson, Stuart Damon & Jacklyn Zeman they hardly use them. I would not be shocked to hear in the near future that they have been asked to go to recurring status.

As to them getting Genie Francis and some others. It all boils down to their stays being limited. Hiring someone for a short time is far different than giving someone a contract. With a contract they get paid even if they don't work. Genie Francis is not getting paid what she would if she was on contract. I am sure she is getting a nice price per episode, but it is not what she would get as a contract player. Plus they probably are spending less on her than if they had done another big stunt thing with the special effects and all.

None of the ABC shows have a great record with the use of vets right now. But I agree with Ryan at least GH is not full of newbies. That is the only thing that I give Guza and Phelps any real credit for right now.

[SouthOfSoap]

Ryan, I don't think thats what the poster is saying. I think what the poster is saying is that they haven't been cut because they are subsidized by AMC and OLTL having smaller budgets. I don't know if it is a valid statement because nobody except TPTB know the show budgets.

[whyamcwhy]

I do think that Frons favors GH and that is what makes him a horrible leader. He is neglecting AMC and OLTL and they are just as an important part of his job as GH. In fact, a good businessmen will concentrate on fixing the weakest parts. He is completely destroying ABC daytime by not being proactive and taking care of ALL of his soaps. He is not doing his job and he should be fired because of that.

[dragonflies]

This line sums it up perfectly

[dawn9476]

Well, now that it looks like the Kelly Monoco deal has been set and she is no longer holding out, I wouldn't be suprised if we get cast cuts pretty soon. Didn't the cast cuts for OLTL come shortly after ME re-signed?

[dragonflies]

Yep Dan Gauthier and Heather Tom as far as I'm concerned were sacrificed for ME. I can only imagine who will be sacrificed so they can keep Kelly

[EricaKane70]

I want to know why gh gets all the good actors, they rarely have any actors that outright suck unlike oltl and amc.

[dragonflies]

I don't know GH has had some sucky actors in their day: Alicia Leigh Willis(sorry but to me she was TERRIBLE), the actress who plays Colleen, the actress who played Angel, and others

[EricaKane70]

I've only been watching for the last year and a half, courtney wasn't that bad compared to the awful teens amc has to deal with. An I don't know who angel is.

[SteveFrame]

GH has always had good luck with casting. I am not sure who their Casting Director is now but he/she seems to be good in that department.

I think the weakest performer they have now is Kirsten Storms.

As to Alicia Leigh Willis, I am saying that you are, but I think most people hated the character and think that Alicia was bad. Alicia is a very good actress. Her last week on the show, she really delivered. But her character was so bad, and so many people associated the character with the actress, and that is bad.

[dragonflies]

I think Angel was played by Angel Boris, and she was supposed to be love interest for Sonny a few years ago.

I hated Courtney with a passion, she was like Babe, GH shoved her down our throats and proppped the hell out of her character