General Hospital - 1 Hour

General Hospital debuted April 1,1963, making it the longest-running dramatic serial on the ABC Television Network. In April 2006 General Hospital made Daytime Emmy history as the only Daytime drama to ever receive the prestigious Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama series a record nine times.

Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, the General Hospital tradition of passion, intrigue and adventure takes place in the fictional town of Port Charles, set in upstate New York. The glamour and excitement of those who have come to find their destinies in this familiar seaport town intertwine with the lives, loves and fortunes of beloved, well-known faces. Whether it is the mighty Quartermaine family trying to control the business affairs of the community, or daytime’s favorite mob boss, Sonny Corinthos, struggling to maintain his seat of power in Port Charles against the Zaccharas, the complex storylines and movie-quality production values of General Hospital set it apart from standard daytime fare.

In recent years, General Hospital has been praised by national organizations for elevating the public awareness of several important social issues. The program received the Susan G. Komen Foundation Media Award in 1995 for storyline dealing with breast cancer. It has received three SHINE awards (formerly the Nancy Susan Reynolds Award) for its continued contribution to the awareness of sexual responsibility. The Ryan White Foundation presented its 1996 Ryan’s Angels Award to General Hospital for the moving and thorough examination of HIV/AIDS through the characters of Robin and Stone. The show was further honored by the American Red Cross for its HIV/AIDS-related storylines.