GH: Classic Thread

[depboy]

Monday, April 25, 1966: Jessie tells Steve that Eddie is mixing alcohol and tranquilizers.

Tuesday, April 26: Ken tells Meg he has enlisted in the Medical Corps as a way to put Cynthia behind him.

Wednesday, April 27: Patient Richard McKee tells Phil how much he has come to count on Jessie's presence.

Thursday, April 28: Phil asks Jessie to assist him with patient Richard McKee.  As Lee comes to see Jessie to talk wedding plans, McKee suffers a heart attack, forcing Jessie to stay with him - and Phil - until the crisis has passed.

Friday, April 29: While helping with Mr. McKee, Jessie goes into labor.

Monday, May 2: A miserable Lee tells Steve his plans have collapsed because he didn't marry Jessie in time to legitimatize her child as his own.

Tuesday, May 3: Dr. Prentice tells Jessie that the slowing of her labor is normal, but he will administer a hormone solution.

Wednesday, May 4: Angie and Eddie are reminded of their own child when they hear of Jessie's labor.

Thursday, May 5: As Phil and Lee have a hostile confrontation in the sunroom, Audrey sees Jessie and the labor pains resume. 

Friday, May 6: Steve joins Jessie and Dr. Prentice as she is prepped to go to the delivery room.

Monday, May 9: Jessie is taken to delivery.  A surgical nurse hurries to summon Phil - Dr. Prentice needs a cardiologist.

Tuesday, May 10: Steve tells Lee that Phil has been called to the delivery room, diagnosing his child with pulmonary stenosis.

Wednesday, May 11: Dr. Prentice gives Jessie a reassuring version of why the baby is being kept in an oxygen tent.

Thursday, May 12: Lee is grief stricken when Steve tells him of the baby and the unhappy prognosis.

Friday, May 13: Dr. Prentice tells Lee that there is little hope for the baby's survival, and agrees with Phil that Jessie may see her child.

[victoria foxton]

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Edited January 15, 2023 by victoria foxton

[Dion]

I guess that's how Ken was finally written out.

I believe John Prentice had been appearing since 1964 but this storyline seems to mark the beginning of his increased prominence.

Thanks @depboy

[Planet Soap]

As this year marks 20 years since the panic room storyline, question: how was Ric a functioning charachter after imprisoning a pregnant Carly and slipping Elizabeth birth control? How did he not go to jail or how was he not killed? He was able to become a detective (or was it police commissioner) and was able to marry Alexis. 

[Dion]

Good question! I know the reason he wasn't killed was because he had information about Lorenzo's compound which Sonny needed after Lorenzo kidnapped Carly from the panic room and then I think Jason couldn't leave him to die at the compound because Lorenzo had now kidnapped Courtney. And then Scotty offered to drop the charges if Ric agreed to help him set Sonny up for something.

Ric eventually managed to become District Attorney.

[depboy]

Putting Jessie Brewer through the ringer, again!

Monday, May 16, 1966: Jessie sees the baby and is stricken by its helpless fight for life.  She weeps in Phil's arms.

Tuesday, May 17: Meg and Audrey compare notes on love and luck, with Meg remembering her own recent disappointment with Ken.

Wednesday, May 18: Lucille sees Jessie and manages not to bawl.

Thursday, May 19: Eddie gets Mike's prescription for tranquilizers refilled without the prescription number.

Friday, May 20: Dr. Prentice releases Jessie from the hospital.

Monday, May 23: Mr. Reed, a patient at the hospital convinces Eddie to drink from a bottle of whiskey he has hidden in his room.

Tuesday, May 24: After drinking with the patient, Eddie passes out.

Wednesday, May 25: Steve, Meg and Lucille work on Eddie, who is still unconscious.  Mr. Reed admits that Eddie was drinking in his hospital room.

Thursday, May 26: Steve tells Reed he must transfer to another hospital, but Reed threatens to call his close friend Mr. Longworth, the hospital's chief administrator.  Phil suggests to Jessie that she name the baby Nancy after her mother.

Friday, May 27: Steve fires Eddie from his orderly job as Mr. Longworth's arrival is announced.

Monday, May 30: Bill Longworth meets with Mr. Reed to get his story about Eddie's drinking.  Longworth takes Reed's side and tells Steve to suspend the order to transfer him.

Tuesday, May 31: Angie persuades Eddie to let her tell Al and Jan Weeks he is in the hospital.

Wednesday, June 1: Eddie's parents come to see him, and he finally admits what brought on his collapse.

Thursday, June 2: Eddie is released from the hospital, and Mr. Longworth questions him on the cause of his collapse.

Friday, June 3: Phil tells Jessie that the baby has been put back on oxygen.

Monday, June 6: Mike tells Jessie of Angie and Eddie's desperation, and Jessie can think of nothing other than asking Lee for help.

Tuesday, June 7: Longworth tricks Lucille into admitting that they all (including Steve) were worried about Eddie, and she almost admits he was fired from previous jobs for being drunk.

Wednesday, June 8: Eddie won't tell Angie what he said to Longworth, so she makes an appointment to see him herself.

Thursday, June 9: Longworth confronts Steve with his final report on Eddie.  He realizes that Reed lied about Eddie providing the liquor.  Longworth is eventually won over by Steve and tears up the report.

Friday, June 10: Lee, intending to break his engagement to Jessie, is forestalled by her fears about the baby.

Monday, June 13: Phil is optimistic about the baby, and tells Audrey and Steve that saving her is the most important thing in his life.  Lee, discouraged by Jessie, is heartened by Meg...they speak the same language.

Tuesday, June 14: Eddie reveals a grim view on his chances of making a comeback.

Wednesday, June 15: Angie sees Mr. Weeks and he becomes hostile at her idea of Eddie working for him.

Thursday, June 16: Lee asks Jessie to face the facts and admit that she doesn't still believe that Phil shouldn't have a part in Nancy's life after they are married.

Friday, June 17: Lee breaks the engagement with Jessie and Phil calls with good news about Nancy.

Monday, June 20: Meg consoles Lee about the broken engagement, while Jessie and Phil are elated that Nancy shows signs of improvement.

Tuesday, June 21: Audrey tells Phil that Lee and Jessie are no longer engaged, making Phil wonder why Jessie didn't tell him.

Wednesday, June 22: Meg feels sad as Scotty related what other kids will be doing with their fathers over the summer.  Lee arrives, lost and forlorn.

Thursday, June 23: Eddie, who has accepted his father's job offer, is miserable on his way to work.  Angie is frightened he will learn she begged for the job.

Friday, June 24: After asking Jessie if she minds her seeing Lee more often, Meg invites Lee to dinner.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2023 by depboy

[FrenchFan]

Absolutely fascinating ! It gives us many information we had no idea about !

[Dion]

Yeah, we'd all be forgiven for thinking Angie and Eddie left town immediately after kidnapping their child from the adoptive parents as that's what other sources seem to indicate but no it turns out they stayed on for months afterwards with Eddie battling addiction.

And little Nancy Brewer survived for at least six weeks after birth.

[depboy]

Continuing 1966...Glad you're enjoying!

Monday, June 27, 1966: Meg introduces Lee to Scotty.

Tuesday, June 28: Steve interviews a new doctor, Peter Lindsay.

Wednesday, June 29: Angie tells Steve that Eddie is working for his father, and is being a good sport about it.

Thursday, June 30: Meg arranges to meet Lee at the Isle of Capri, not knowing that Jessie is going there to talk to Angie.  Later, Meg arrives to find Lee and Jessie together.

Friday, July 1: Steve who is leaving to go to Washington, commends Dr. Lindsay to Meg's care.  Phil proposes to Jessie, who tells him she can't marry him.

Monday, July 4: Meg and Peter Lindsay go to lunch at the Isle of Capri to get better acquainted.  The Weeks are excited that Angie and Eddie agreed to join them for dinner.  The dinner doesn't go as hoped.

Tuesday, July 5: Phil sees a new patient, Pamela Carter.  It becomes clear that this attractive divorcee is smitten with him.

Wednesday, July 6: Lee goes to Jessie and finally understands and accepts her inability to make a commitment to him.

Thursday, July 7: Pamela Carter confides in Audrey that she is scared and Phil keeps brushing her off.  Audrey persuades Phil to be sympathetic to Mrs. Carter.

Friday, July 8: Meg learns that Jessie has said the final "no" to Lee.

Monday, July 11: Peter unpacks a picture of his wife Carol, who later calls him.  Peter remembers the cause of his and Carol's separation.

Tuesday, July 12: Jessie suggests that Angie might like to train to become a nurse.  Mrs. Carter makes another play for Phil, and is rejected.

Wednesday, July 13: Eddie is hurt when Angie tells him she wants to be a nurse, taking it as a reflection on him as a provider.

Thursday, July 14: Audrey has a heart-to-heart talk with Pamela Carter, and tells her that Phil's ex-wife is Jessie.

Friday, July 15: When Nancy stops breathing, Phil saves her with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Edited January 17, 2023 by depboy

[janea4old]

MILESTONE!!!!!

Scotty meets his future stepfather Lee who will adopt him and make him a Baldwin!

[dc11786]

I'm watching the early months of 1993. Riche has been there for a year and Bill Levinson is head writing. I find the show mostly enjoyable, and fairly strong. The only story that I have absolutely no interest in is the Bill/Holly/Richard Halifax art theft triangle. Prior to starting January 1993, I watched a couple of strings of episodes from 1991-1992 and Bill Eckert is such a hot mess of a character that his story being the weakest in 1993 is not the biggest surprise. It is disappointing to see Emma Samms wasted in such a nothing plot considering I found her quite charming and delightful in the March 1992 episodes I watched where Holly had almost no actual plot, but was just living with Mac and Robin while they all await news about the fate of Robert and Anna (Riche had tried to get Rogers and Hughes to return right after they resigned when Monty was still in charge). The biggest issue with the story is it so disconnected from the rest of the canvas. 

The rest of the show is fun. The Ryan Chamberlain stuff isn't necessarily my favorite, but Lindstrom is engaging as the Ted Bundy-esque Ryan and Kristina Wagner has such energy as Felicia. York and Wagner are very cute together and play the adventure angle well, and the overall plot impacts the canvas much more than the Bill and Holly adventure. I was very surprised to see a dark haired Woody Brown as the rapey orderly Jimmy Montogomery. Lorna Scott (who I recognized from "Sordid Lives") plays Felicia's friend as the institution. There's a bit too much liberty in the story (Ryan's involvement with the mental hospital is a strech and testifying in Felicia's hearing seems wildly unethical). I do appreciate though that as batshit crazy as Ryan working at the psychiatric facility is, it gives Steve Hardy an excuse to finally give it to Ryan aftetrying to give him the benefit of the doubt. In where I am at now, Felicia and Mac have just escaped so I'm curious to see where it goes. 

I like the intersections with the custody of Lucas, which is a really engaging plot. In the first episodes I received, Lucas has had a severe diabetic episode which is picked up on by Bobbie, who rushes him to General Hospital in effect saving his life. I like that Tiffany and Bobbie are able to put aside their differences and just be there for Lucas before resuming their animosity. The escalating tension between the two women is interesting, but it seems to have a Bill Levinson trademark that I struggle to get past. There is always a sleazy misogynist angle to so many of the stories. Of course, Tiffany makes sure the social worker learns that Bobbie used to be a hooker, which Tiffany's lawyer John Harmon is sure to bring up in court. Bobbie, since it is now open war, has hired Marco Dane to dig up dirt and discovers Tiffany, during her early acting days, starred in the "Debbie Does Dallas" inspired "Trixie Does Tennessee" or something to that effect. I appreciate the exploration of Tiffany's acting days, but it just seems to be another chance to exploit women. The overall arc though is strong, and the desire on Bobbie's part to be friends is important. Were people upset at the way Tiffany was presented? Her desperation is a lot, but creates a great trajectory for the next few months as Tiffany and Sean's marriage spirals out of control. 

The emotional stories are really the best. Dominique's tumor is heartbreaking. There are so many beats that are just very sweet. The Dominique/Lucy relationship that develops is probably the biggest surprise in terms of what was going on at the time. It is a little jarring at first (I knew it was coming but it really comes out of no where with Lucy accusing Dominique of trapping Scotty with a (nonexistent) pregnancy. Lucy's humanity has been a nice arc to see. Dominique and Scotty's Valentine's Day wedding is really lovely complete with Lucy again playing savior, Michael Lynch returning to sing a brief refrain from "Someone to Watch Over Me," and beautiful vows. I really liked the way Lee was incorporated into the ceremony and I appreciated the little moments at the reception with Lee and Gail and Steve and Audrey talking about marriage. 

I'll have to continue to gush about Karen and Jagger another time and try to figure out how I feel about Jenny Eckert and the Jack Kensington saga. I am happy A.J. is back because the Quartermaines were in limbo wihtout him. And I am not sure if this is an unpopular opinion, but early Brenda Barrett is one of the most unlikeable characters I've encountered. I've never gotten so much pleasure out of a character's unhappiness. And when you got me cheering for Jenny Eckert, we got a problem. 

 

[Vee]

I seem to recall Randolph Mantooth (Halifax) having a lot to say about his time at GH.

[Forever8]

He was like let me go back to New York City so I can play Alex Masters once again on Loving.

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[depboy]

We're halfway through 1966, with more to come for 1967and beyond, and while these are a part of a larger project I am working on, I thought I'd offer some of my thoughts on the material I've been sharing.  The close knit, small cast format of the early days of GH makes this research really enjoyable, and the focus on the hospital really makes the show unique among the serials of this era.  The hospital as the hub of the action has been sorely missing for many years.  Now I know that there comes a time where the show became unbearable to watch for some of the viewing audience of this era, with overdone organ music, the perils of Jessie, etc., but I think that the first few years prove that this thing had longevity, and played a huge part in getting the show to 60 years on the air.

More of 1966...

Monday, July 18, 1966: As Meg's friendship with Peter advances, Peter gets a letter from Carol asking for authorization to collect unpaid bills of his patients.

Tuesday, July 19: Lucille tells Angie she can start as a helper in the hospital on Monday.  Phil tells Jessie they are considering doing a cardiac catheterization on Nancy.

Wednesday, July 20: Steve admits that Audrey may never have a baby.

Thursday, July 21: Phil asks Jessie to agree to let Dr. Rockford do the exploratory catheterization tomorrow and she does.

Friday, July 22: Jessie waits with Steve as Phil goes to be with Nancy during the procedure.

Monday, July 25: Phil tells Jessie that the procedure shows that Nancy will have to have surgery.

Tuesday, July 26: Meg, working in Dr. Lindsay's office, is present when Carol calls from San Francisco.  Peter tells Meg that she's asked for a divorce.

Wednesday, July 27: Audrey consults Dr. Prentice about the possible cause of her infertility.  Bill Henderson calls Audrey, who finds his return to be a nuisance.

Thursday, July 28: Phil makes an all-out pitch of marriage to Jessie.

Friday, July 29: Dr. Rockford is called in because of a new and frightening development with Nancy.

Monday, August 1: While the 7th floor waits for word on Nancy, the work of the hospital goes on as a new patient is admitted. While Peter and Meg work to save patient Kent Harmon, reports of Nancy's death circulate.

Tuesday, August 2: Lucille finds Phil weeping.

Wednesday, August 3: After Nancy's funeral, Phil tells Jessie he failed as a doctor and father.

Thursday, August 4: Peter asks Meg for dinner, but she's arranged to see Lee.  Carol calls Peter and tries to make their estrangement more 'civilized'.

Friday, August 5: Jessies collapses in Steve's office and Steve orders total rest. She agrees and will go visit her brother in Auburn, New York.

Monday, August 8: Eddie surprises Angie and Mike with a motorcycle he bought.  Lee has a meal with Meg and Scotty, where he is shocked to learn that Jessie left town without telling him.

Tuesday, August 9: Eddie and his father argue over the motorcycle.  Steve receives a moving letter from Jessie.

Wednesday, August 10: Phil decides not to return to Boston.  Peter asks Meg if she has any objection to him retaining Lee as his lawyer.

Thursday, August 11: Meg and Lee take Scotty on a picnic at the beach.

Friday, August 12: Carol makes another effort to be friendly with Peter, who calls Lee and retains him as his divorce lawyer.

Monday, August 15: Audrey and Steve have Phil over for dinner.

Tuesday, August 16: Carol calls Peter and asks if he has any regrets about the divorce.

Wednesday, August 17: Jan Weeks and Angie conspire on how to handle the effect the motorcycle has had on Eddie's relationship with his father.

Thursday, August 18: In an effort to help rehabilitate Phil, Audrey persuades him to rent an apartment and move from his hotel.

Friday, August 19: Peter tells Meg he's fallen for her.

[Darn]

I've been thinking lately that the hospital as the center of all the action on GH has kept it alive and in better shape than the other soaps still around (in my opinion of course, the show is certainly not great right now but it's the most watchable daytime drama by a mile at this point). Is it absolutely ridiculous that characters who aren't medical professionals are constantly at a hospital? Yes. Do I care? No.