Genie Francis will soon be reprising the role that brought her to instant stardom in the soap world. Beginning August 26, the 46-year-old actress will be appearing on
General Hospital to play the role of Laura Spencer, a character that had become an international phenomenon, and, along with Luke (
Anthony Geary), the most popular super couple in daytime history.
Appearing on the covers of
TV Guide, Us Weekly, and
People magazines, the television couple Luke and Laura wed on November 16, 1981 with 30 million viewers tuning in, making the episode the highest-rated hour in soap opera history.
At the peak of her success, Francis left General Hospital in 1982 to try her hand at primetime television. Soon after, she landed a starring role in her own series,
Bare Essence, which was not a success and was canceled at the end of the season. On the other hand, she remained popular with soap fans, paving the way for her return to
General Hospital in 1983 for a limited run to coincide with the exit of Luke as Geary decided to leave the series. She abruptly left the show in September 2002 after ABC refused to work out the contract she wanted but returned for a limited run through November 2006 in time to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Luke and Laura's wedding. This time, her stint earned her a Daytime Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, which she ended up winning in June 2007.
Last we saw Laura on
General Hospital, she was slipping in and out of a catatonic state. Next month, she will reportedly miraculously emerge from that state because of her love for her daughter.
"This is a short visit," Francis said in a statement. "It's a mother-daughter story. Years ago when I started playing the character as a 14-year-old girl, it was a mother-daughter story, only I was the daughter. So it's kinda cool this is full circle. It's nice to come back for visits.
General Hospital is my home."
While this is just a “short visit,” fans of Francis will be pleased to know that she has been assured that her character will not be killed off during her guest appearance, which means there's a possibility this won't be her last visit to Port Charles.
-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Soapnet.com
(Image courtesy of ABC)
