Genoa City looks a lot like Port Charles- #YR and #GH Soap Swaps

What city am I in again?

Dear readers, many moons ago I used to tour in a theatre group, and I did six tours of six months each, so three years of life on the road. And often times we would wake up and ask that question, “Where are we? What city is this?” because while being in a new town every day is thrilling, it also gets confusing.

I found myself with that familiar confused feeling this week as I was spending time in Genoa City WI, because it suddenly looked a lot like Port Charles, NY. Have you noticed how many long-lost residents of GH have ended up on YR?

I want you to know I made this list off the top of my head with minimal googling. I did have to Google the character names of Judith Chapman on GH and Genie Francis on YR, but I knew the rest by heart. And if you see any omissions on my list, feel free to let me know!

I will list the actor; the roles they played on each show and then decide which show can claim them should there be a custody battle.

GH and YR Actors in Common

 

Jason Thompson

·      Patrick Drake-GH/Billy Abbott-YR

On a personal note, I love Jason Thompson. I met him once at an event. He knew who I was and had read my old Soap Central column or was at least aware it existed. He could not have been nicer. 

 

I saw him first on GH as dreamy Dr. Patrick Drake. He was beloved, in a front burner storyline, and was on the GH canvas from 2005-2016 according to IMDB. A good long run on GH. I was distressed to lose him. But you know what? He made the right move because his role as Billy Abbott has been fire. He’s been on YR from 2016 to present and has had storylines as Billy Abbott that sweet Patrich Drake would never have been able to touch.

 

At present, Patrick and Robin’s daughter Emma is on a front burner storyline on GH, so even without Patrick’s physical presence, we still feel him. But over on YR, Billy Abbott is lighting up our screens in a fiery storyline about revenge, betrayal and self-destruction. This is definitely Emmy worthy work from Jason Thompson.

 

Verdict: GH found him, but YR gave him wings. YR can claim Jason Thompson as their guy.

 

 

Billy Miller

 

·      Drew Cain-GH/Billy Abbott-YR

Interestingly enough, the Billy Abbott character was first embodied by the incomparable Billy Miller. His run on YR was from 2008-2014. His character lit up my sky. Billy falling in love with Victoria (Amelia Heinle) was my favorite romance for Victoria, bar none. Billy Miller had this internal light, and you could always see the twinkle in his eye. I am still grieving his loss. Billy left YR opening the door for Jason Thompson to take over his role as Billy. 

 

Billy Miller went to GH and was supposedly going to be a recast Jason Morgan when Steve Burton left the soap, but down the line we discovered that he was in fact Drew Cain, Jason’s twin who had only been implanted with Jason’s memories. We adored Billy’s version of Drew, he was a wonderful love interest for Sam McCall, played by the beloved Kelly Monaco, a fantastic dad to Oscar, and a military hero. We adored him.

 

But now Drew on GH is played by Cameron Mathison, and we hate him so hard. Not CM, but the demon version of the Drew character the writer’s cooked up is one we can’t stomach.

 

Hey Cameron, let Drew get killed off on GH and YR will most likely find a spot for you. I don’t want you to e unemployed, especially since the loss of your home, but Drew is irredeemable.

 

But back to Billy.

 

Verdict:

 

Who gets to claim him? This one is a toss-up. He was on both shows 5 years give or take. Fans of both shows adore him. I call it a tie.

 

Sharon Case

·      Dawn Winthrop-GH /Sharon Newman- YR

Readers, did you remember that Sharon Case started on GH as Monica’s long lost daughter Dawn Winthrop? I did. She was on GH from 1989 - 1990 in 66 episodes per her IMDB account. But on YR – She’s been on YR from 1994-present starring in 3441 episodes. 

 

Dawn was briefly engaged to Ned (What is it with mother’s and daughter’s sharing lovers in Port Charles? But she left Ned for a dude named Decker who I can still see in my mind’s eye. She was murdered shortly thereafter and gone.

 

But Sharon Newman on YR? She is a main character, a tragic heroine who has endured more loss and heartache than anyone should have to handle. She has lost one child to an auto accident and seems on the verge of losing another in the same way this week. 

 

Sharon Case started on GH, but she is YR through and through. GH fans can say we knew her first, but YR fans have known her longest and loved her the hardest. And she never ages. Gorgeous then, gorgeous now.

 

Verdict: - Sharon Case made her mark in Port Charles, but she’s a Genoa City resident through and through. YRholds the bragging rights to Sharon Case.

 

Matt Cohen

·      Griffin Munro/Detective Burrow

This is new. Matt Cohen just showed up in Genoa City this week. He introduced himself as a detective, but by the end of the day Friday, we are fairly certain he is not a cop at all.

 

This shady YR character is a far cry from Matt’s stint on GH of Father/Doctor Griffin Munroe, who starred on GH in 276 episodes intermittently between 2014 and 2022. Griffin Munroe was a man deciding between Ava Jerome and God, and guess who won? Damn straight she did. God was no match for the feminine wiles of Ava Jerome. 

 

As of today, Matt Cohen’s new character has only been on two episodes of YR, so at present, the verdict goes to GH. But let’s see how this unfolds. Perhaps his character has legs and will become a fixture in Genoa City. He’s in L.A. now, but the GCPD is down one detective with Chance biting the dust on the Crazy Train in France.

 

Tamara Braun

·      Carly Spencer/Kim Nero/-GH Sienna Bacall – YR

 

Tamara is a special case. She was on GH as two separate characters over 715 episodes. She was Carly Spencer from 2001-2005 and returned as Kim Nero from2017-2019. 

 

When Sarah Joy Brown left as Carly #1, I was positive I would hate the replacement based on my adoration of SJB. And then Tamara Braun walked in, and I was instantly smitten with her. She brought something new to Carly, and she had immediate chemistry with Maurice Benard. I loved them together. When she left GH, I was sure I’d hate the replacement, and I actually did hate that one. No names mentioned. OMG she was not Carly, no way, no how. She only lasted a few months. When Laura Wright came in, it was lightning in a bottle. She was instantly Carly, and I have adored her ever since. 

 

But back to Tamara. Her new role on YR is very fresh, just like Matt Cohen, she just arrived in Genoa City this week. Like Detective Burrows, she seems shady. I am not sure if all of these L.A. characters are going to stay in L.A. and launch a spin-off of some sort or move to Genoa City. It seems like if they were just bit players in a side story, the casting people wouldn’t have brought in people like Tamara Braun and Matt Cohen. 

 

Verdict: For now, Tamara Braun is GHs to claim, but we shall see how her storyline develops over on YR.

 

This brings me to my next multi character actor:

 

Roger Howarth

·      Todd Manning/Franco Baldwin//Austin Gatlin Holt -GH //YR -TBD

Roger Howarth loved Port Charles. How do I know? It was so nice he did it thrice!

 

Roger first came to Port Charles in the big OLTL migration in 2012 as Todd Manning, but then there was a lawsuit telling GH they could not use the One Life to Live characters, so Todd Manning morphed into serial killer Franco, previously played by James Franco. It was an odd transition and at first it was too nuts for me, but Howarth took Franco from a serial killer with a brain tumor to a loving dad and in my opinion Elizabeth’s best love match. And since they were so happy and so perfect for one another and Liz’s kids finally had a father figure, that the writers killed him off. Then, they brought him back in a third role which never really took off or went anywhere, I will never understand what they were trying to do or why they killed a popular couple like Liz and Franco only to bring him back as someone else with no clear storyline. 

 

But now, Roger is on his way to Genoa City, but all the press releases just say he’s coming in a Mystery Role. Oh goodness that sounds exciting. I’ve already decided who I want him to be involved with; Phyllis because the two of them had a moment as love interests on GH as Nina and Franco and they were wonderful together.

 

Verdict- GH. But really OLTL if only it were still around.

 

So, while we are speaking of her, let’s talk about Michelle Stafford. 

 

Michelle Stafford 

·      Nina Reeves-GH / Phyllis Summers - YR

 

I have watched Michelle as Phyllis Summers for decades and that character is a hurricane. There are days in my life when I need to be assertive and I think, “What would Phyllis do?” then I dial it back by 20. Haha. But her character is undeniable and always in control of any scene she is in. 

 

When she came over to GH in 2014, I was over the moon. She originated the character of Nina Reeves, and she had one of the best couplings on GH in eons, Valentin (My soap crush) and Nina were this beautifully broken mess, and they were impossible to resist.

 

If you have been reading my work the past two decades it will come as no shock to you to hear I am a huge fan of Michelle’s work. To me, she is one of the actors I can’t take my eyes off of when she’s in a scene. I never fast forward her scenes.

 

But I knew she would go back to YR eventually. I knew we wouldn’t get to keep her. She was too much of a staple on that show. Sure, Gina Tognoni was engaging in the role, but the role belongs to Michelle.

 

Verdict: YR gets the win here, but GH gets points for having the good sense to hire her for a while.

 

Rory Gibson

·      Michael Corinthos-GH/Noah Newman-YR

 

Readers, when Chad Duell said he was quitting I was sad right up until the day Rory Gibson walked into the Nurse’s Ball and scooped Wiley up in his arms and that was it for me.

 

In my humble opinion YR wasted this man’s talent. We never saw this brooding, sultry, layered character acting in Noah Newman. Rory has grabbed the role of Michael Corinthos with both hands and is wringing every ounce of fire out of him. Every scene he is in he owns and has instant chemistry with his dad Sonny (Maurice Benard) Mom Carly, his brother Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) Willow (Katelynn McMullen) and every other scene partner. While he has only been in Port Charles for 71 episodes so far, 

 

Verdict: GH gets the bragging rights as they have made the best use of this actor and should sign him now to a multi-year contract.

 

Maura West

·      Ava Jerome - GH/ Diane Jenkins – YR

 

I first saw Maura West on YR as Diane Jenkins in 2010 and when she started GH in 2013, I kept asking myself where I knew who from. This first scene of hers is find of a fun one if you want to see her and Phyllis with shorter hairstyles. 

 

Her stint on YR was memorable, but not long. Maura only did 97 episodes on YR, and over 1100 on GH as the feisty, lethal but lovable Ava Jerome.

 

She is one of my favorites and another actor who has chemistry with everyone. I’m still rooting for her, and Nikolas should he ever get out of prison. While Susan Walters is now Diane on YR, I wonder how differently the character would have turned out if Maura had stayed in Genoa City?

 

Verdict: GH – Maura is Ava and Ava is a GH Jerome.

 

Now let’s discuss the late great Tristan Rogers

 

Tristan Rogers

·      Robert Scorpio-GH / Collin Atkinson-YR

 

Oh, I loved this man. Not only was Tristan on GH and YR, but also on Studio City and the Bay, GH Night Shift, and the Bold and the Beautiful. He was wanted by all soaps everywhere and I get it. He was handsome, charming, talented, and brought eyes to any project he touched. 

 

Right now, on YR, he is still involved in a major plot although his character Collin Atkinson has died, his son Cane is swept up in Collin’s final con. 

 

I loved Collin, his relationship with Jill, and yes, I knew he was a scoundrel. But just like Jill, I couldn’t stay away.

 

But all that said, Robert Scorpio was a GH legend and Tristan’s first sudsy home and his longest will always be in Port Charles.

 

The adventure storylines of the 80’s with Robert and Luke brought new life to daytime. Robert was a superspy, a wonderful father, the love of Holly and Anna’s life, and a daytime legend.

 

Verdict GH – but I can’t think of a soap lover who doesn’t want to claim him as their own.

 

Steve Burton

·      Jason Morgan/Dylan McAvoy

 

Jason “Stone Cold” Morgan is a soap icon. His origin story is dark. A handsome and wealthy young medical student hops into the car with his idiot drunken brother, loses his memory, and becomes a hit man for the mob. Is there anything soapier than that?

 

When Steve made the decision in 2013 to move to YR, it sent shockwaves through the soap world. Apparently, he and his family needed him to have a more flexible schedule, and YR offered him what GH couldn’t. 

 

When Dylan McAvoy walked into his first scene and didn’t have a black leather jacket on, it was weird to see him in normal clothes. I loved Dylan’s relationship with Sharon if only to bust her free from the Newman brothers for a while.

 

But ultimately, Stone Cold belongs in Port Charles and has gone back to Carly, Sonny, Danny and the Qs.

 

Verdict- GH can claim Steve now and always despite his detour to YR.

 

Daniel Goddard

·      Professor Dalton – GH/Cane Ashby-YR

 

Cane Ashby was originated by Daniel Goddard, and he spent over 1000 episodes as Jill’s pseudo son, Lily’s husband and dad to Charlie and Maddie. Currently Cane is being embodied by Billy Flynn, who has done a wonderful job of reshaping the role and making it his own.

 

Meanwhile, over at GH, Daniel Goddard is languishing. ABC made a big deal about Daniel joining the cast of GH, yet he has only appeared in 13 episodes since April. Why? The character is an evil scientist who is testing on animals and maybe building weapons at the PCU campus? Who knows? We never see him. Outback the beagle has had more scenes than Professor Dalton. 

 

An actor with Daiel Goddard’s considerable talent and charm should be in many more scenes. In fact, he might play well with Ava, even If it’s just a fling.

 

Verdict – YR wins the challenge. GH has completely underutilized this amazing actor.

 

Judith Chapman

·      Ginny Blake-Weber-GH /Gloria Baldwin -YR

 

Readers, did you know that Michael Baldwin’s mother Gloria used to be Laura’s stepmom on GH? Well, sort of. Ginny Blake was married to Laura’s adoptive father Rick Weber. 

 

Verdict? YR – Gloria belongs to Glo by Jabot.

 

Genie Francis

·      Laura Spencer-GH/Genevieve Atkinson -YR

I don’t think I need to build a case here. Laura belongs to GH. Laura and Luke had the wedding that broke the soap TV ratings record that is still standing. 30 million viewers tuned in to see Luke and Laura’s wedding.(“Luke and Laura’s Iconic Wedding on General Hospital - November 17, 1981”) Laura is now the Mayor of Port Charles, although she does a lot more visiting people than mayor-ing in my humble opinion.

 

To be honest, I remember Genevieve being on YR, but that’s about it.

 

Verdict- GH can claim Genie and she will always be the soap character I hold dearest in my heart. She’s the reason I started watching GH and one of the reasons I still watch.

Emme Rylan

·      Lulu Spencer-GH/Abby Newman-YR

I first saw Emme as Abby Newman on YR. She was a spitfire. She was the Naked Heiress. She made Victor’s hair turn grey. It’s hard sometimes to reconcile the soft-spoken mom Abby with this wild child Abby that Emme Rylan brought to life. No matter.  E

 

When Julie Marie Berman left GH and Emme stepped in as Lulu, I already liked her from YR and I was fine with the recast, although I dearly loved JMB. 

 

In my mind the verdict goes to GH on this one for the sheer fact that Emme was on GH for 618 episodes and on YR only 229, but I still think that those 229 YR episodes were substantial in introducing us to Abby Newman.

Now, Emme if out of the soap world and Lulu has been recast with Alexa Havins who is doing wonderful work, and Anny Newman is Melissa Ordway. A completely different version of Abby, but a lovely one.

 

Finally, let’s tale about Hayley Erin.

Hayley Erin

·      Kiki Jerome-GH/Abby Newman/Claire Newman-YR

Kiki Jerome was Ava Jerome’s daughter, and Morgan Corinthos’ love interest. She was wild like Ava, a gambler and fearless. Sadly, she was murdered by GH’s resident serial killer Ryan Chamberlain.

ON YR, Hayley is currently playing her second role, Claire Newman. Her first role was as YR’s Abby prior to Emme Rylan.

Claire is now a daughter of Victoria Newman, so I expect she will be staying in Genoa City long-term. 

Verdict goes to YR, as she has played multiple roles there and appears to be headed for a long run in Genoa City.

Did I miss anyone? Which soap-switchers do you miss on your soap?

Let me know in the comments!

Tamilu