‘Baywatch’ fame Kelly Monaco has managed a big exit from the world of daytime television as she leaves one of the longest-running TV dramas ‘General Hospital.’ The show has been on air for over two decades and the official news is out by Variety.
Kelly Monaco first appeared on screen as Susan on ‘Baywatch’ from 1997 to 1998. She will now be leaving the successful soap opera ‘General Hospital.’ Monaco has been a key figure on the show since 2003. She portrayed the character of Sam McCall. Sam’s complicated storyline captured significant audience interest. Monaco’s portrayal of Sam involved a tumultuous family past and a turbulent personal life. Her exceptional performance earned her a substantial reputation.
‘General Hospital’ is a soap opera that time has had as an inseparable part of American daytime television, created by a pair of spouses, Frank and Doris Hursley. The show originally premiered in a hospital setting. The original setting was purportedly in an unnamed city. However, in the 1970s, the show established its setting and was based in Port Charles, New York. John Beradino is one of the first famous actors in the show alongside Emily McLaughlin. Both appeared on the show from its original airdate until their deaths. Beradino died in 1996, and McLaughlin died in 1991. Over the years, these two actors, along with many others who have come and gone due to changes in storylines, have significantly contributed to ‘General Hospital’s’ longevity. Their collective efforts have helped make it one of the longest-running serial dramas on television.
Kelly Monaco began her role in ‘General Hospital’ in 2003, already prepared with much experience from her series ‘Port Charles’. Here she played the character Livvie Locke from 2000 to 2003. In ‘General Hospital,’ the character Sam McCall—a role under Monaco—was introduced as a con artist. The character is determined to rise from the misfortunes that have come into her family’s life. Sam is the very biological daughter of Julian Jerome, a tough and powerful mob leader played by William deVry, and attorney Alexis Davis, portrayed by Nancy Lee Grahn. She is also an adopted daughter by Cody McCall, played by Stanley Kamel, and Evelyn Bass. With such a complex history for Sam and the storyline issues she experiences, it has given a very great storytelling element with Sam all the time on the show.
Over her epic run on ‘General Hospital’, Kelly Monaco appeared in over 2,200 episodes. And became one of the iconic figures in the serial. Her role as Sam McCall was thoroughly appreciated and Kelly got a lot of awards for that role. She got a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, back in 2006. The award plastered that Monaco was very talented and that she had built a huge fan base for the show.
In August 2020, the character of Sam McCall, portrayed by Kelly Monaco, was also recast temporarily, and Lindsay Hartley was chosen for the role. However, the return of Monaco came in October 2020, and Hartley remained with the show for a few extra episodes. This recast emphasized the heavy identification Monaco had with her character. And how the show was faithful, in an attempt to keep continuity going despite changing the cast.
Monaco’s exit from ‘General Hospital’ comes at a time when the show is seeing a return of other characters. Jonathan Jackson returned to the role of Lucky Spencer, and starting from the beginning of September. Variety reports that Emma Samms will also be back in the cast in the role of Holly Sutton. These are all demarcations of new interest and new energy that a show is experiencing at the same time that Monaco leaves it.
Besides the very evident work in ‘General Hospital,’ some of the works worth noticing in Kelly Monaco’s career are while playing the role of Susan in ‘Baywatch,’ she was also the body double of Carmen Electra when shooting scenes in the water; Carmen did not know how to swim at that time. Her early film credits include minor roles in late 1990s films. Such as ‘Basketball,’ ‘Idle Hands,’ and ‘Mumford.’ Her appearance in ‘Port Charles brought her a nomination for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2003 and further established her as an actress of great talent and versatility.
Kelly Monaco leaving ‘General Hospital is the end of an era. And something to leave a lasting mark on the legacy of the show. This series is having its changes, so it will be very interesting to see the influence that the topic change. Considering such an important figure, will bring to an audience at large.
ANI
