"General Hospital" circa 1981

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Was there anything about the soap opera that was particularly offensive from a moral standpoint during the period? My late maternal grandmother used to watch General Hospital all the time.
 
Maxirad said:
Was there anything about the soap opera that was particularly offensive from a moral standpoint during the period? My late maternal grandmother used to watch General Hospital all the time.
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From what I’ve heard, only the script and the acting. When I was temporarily unemployed in the 1970’s, I used to watch “Guiding Light” (yes, I can admit it) and actually found it pretty good.
 
If I told you how long I’ve been watching GH you would scream. But “morally offensive”? Hmmm, outside of the rampant lying, racketeering, adultery, fornication, thievery, rape, jealousy and murder, not a thing… 😃 Seriously, everyone knows that soaps are fantastical exaggerations of dream/nightmare lives. Rest assured your maternal grandmother is at peace. Just say a prayer for her and don’t worry. 🙂
 
NeedsMercy said:
If I told you how long I’ve been watching GH you would scream. But “morally offensive”? Hmmm, outside of the rampant lying, racketeering, adultery, fornication, thievery, rape, jealousy and murder, not a thing… 😃 Seriously, everyone knows that soaps are fantastical exaggerations of dream/nightmare lives. Rest assured your maternal grandmother is at peace. Just say a prayer for her and don’t worry. 🙂
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Agreed.

And to the OP, I apologize for possibly appearing insensitive to your question. I likewise can assure you that your grandmother did nothing wrong watching “General Hospital.”
 
Can someone here on CAF tell me if Anthony Geary had a significant male fanbase circa 1981?
 
I didn’t watch it but from what I remember reading in TV guide etc back then., SUPPOSEDLY there was an offensive story line in that time because apparently Anthony Geary’s character raped the character of I believe Genie Francis, and then they later ‘fell in love’ and married, had children, probably divorced knowing soap operas. . .😃 But their ‘wedding’ on the show was apparently a HUGE deal back then.

So I do remember people being upset that this magical couple started out with him raping her and that they actually fell in love AFTER. Because rape is a power crime, not a ‘love crime’, and this made it look as though he just raped her because he 'LOVED her so much he just couldn’t HELP himself, and that she ACCEPTED that as being him LOVING her.

As a woman, hearing that whole scenario just creeped me out. Still does. Guess that’s why I can’t get into soap operas!
 
Does anyone on CAF think Genie Francis was a cutie pie in the early '80s? Too bad she had…issues offscreen.
 
I remember coming home from kindergarten and I would watch All My Children with my mom! LOL

I miss those days…
 
It was also funny that people would die, and then they were not really dead. Then they really died and would not be really dead again!! - Whoo does that make any sense.
 
I was in college during the Luke and Laura years. During the wedding and all days leading up to the wedding, there were massive crowds, 100s of students and teachers, watching the community televisions all campus.

Back then, ABC ran a promotional campaign that always showed half-dressed men and women, usually embracing, and the background music, “Looooove in the afternoon.” We all got the message.

Soaps have always been just shy of “soft porn.” Even during the earliest days of the soaps, when they were still on the radio, they pushed the edge of morality.

My mother used to watch All My Children because she wanted to see how handsome the men were and how pretty the women looked in their gorgeous clothing. She also liked the “big mansion,” which is a staple in every soap, including Dark Shadows. I’ll bet your grandma was the same way–soaps were such a nice break in the day for busy women.
 
PatriceA said:
Funny thing, I’ve been watching GH this week because its the 50th Anniversary. They brought back the Nurses Ball for the occasion.
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I’m sitting up way too late watching the 50th anniversary marathon on SoapNet. I like how they’ve brought back so many classic characters for the Nurses Ball.

I was always a little skeeved by how Luke and Laura started out. And I can’t deny that the stories are full of really awful behaviour and rampant sinfulness. But a habit is a habit and I’ve had this one since the late 70’s. I’m sure God will forgive if I indulge.
 
The Luke and Laura thing was big back then. I remember it well, my mom and sisters used to watch the abc soaps every day. The thing I remembered and dug was the Ice Princess story line when they introduced Robert Scorpio to the show. That was a great story line.

Fun fact: Genie Francis is married to Jonathan Frakes, aka William Riker from Star Trek. Frakes was a minor soap actor in the 80s before Star Trek:TNG.
 
thomasf said:
The Luke and Laura thing was big back then. I remember it well, my mom and sisters used to watch the abc soaps every day. The thing I remembered and dug was the Ice Princess story line when they introduced Robert Scorpio to the show. That was a great story line.

Fun fact: Genie Francis is married to Jonathan Frakes, aka William Riker from Star Trek. Frakes was a minor soap actor in the 80s before Star Trek:TNG.
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thomasf, do you remember when Tommy Lee Jones was on One Life to Live? I think it might have been before the Robert Scorpio line on GH. Another fun fact. 😃
 
thomasf said:
The Luke and Laura thing was big back then. I remember it well, my mom and sisters used to watch the abc soaps every day. The thing I remembered and dug was the Ice Princess story line when they introduced Robert Scorpio to the show. That was a great story line.

Fun fact: Genie Francis is married to Jonathan Frakes, aka William Riker from Star Trek. Frakes was a minor soap actor in the 80s before Star Trek:TNG.
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Katie Couric presented a one-hour special on the 50th anniversary yesterday and mentioned a lot of stars (such as Demi Moore and Jonathan Jackson) who made their starts on GH.
 
I do not remember Tommy Lee Jones on General Hospital, I do remember Demi Moore AND Rick Springfield!
 
thomasf said:
I do not remember Tommy Lee Jones on General Hospital, I do remember Demi Moore AND Rick Springfield!
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I’m sorry, I think I incorrectly worded my post: TLJ was on OLTL. Judith Light was also on OLTL at that time. I don’t remember Demi M. but I do remember Rick S. 🙂
 
NeedsMercy said:
I’m sorry, I think I incorrectly worded my post: TLJ was on OLTL. Judith Light was also on OLTL at that time. I don’t remember Demi M. but I do remember Rick S. 🙂
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Demi came on right after Genie Francis left the show. After Rick S. was on and left.
 
Cat said:
Soaps have always been just shy of “soft porn.” Even during the earliest days of the soaps, when they were still on the radio, they pushed the edge of morality.
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Check out this thread concerning Santa Barbara. In particular, read Post #5.
 
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