General Hospital Classic Character Recap: Blackie Parrish

Throughout soap opera history there have been characters who may have had brief runs, but they have also left lasting impressions. That’s the case with Blackie Parrish, played by John Stamos, on General Hospital! Here’s a look back at the popular Blackie, who is gone but never forgotten in the hearts of soap fans.

Who Is Blackie Parrish

Poor Blackie (born Albert) Parrish was living on the streets as a teen following the death of his mother. He was adopted by two respected doctors, Rick and Lesley Webber. Bringing Blackie into their lives helped occupy Rick and especially Lesley, who was grieving the loss of her “late” daughter, Laura. Blackie helped Rick by cleaning up the waterfront and opening up a youth center.

Laura’s Brother
When Laura returned to Port Charles, initially attempting to hide her identity, she encountered Blackie on the local college campus. It was odd but apparently Blackie had never even seen a photo of his “late” sister.

So when he met Laura, he had no idea that she was the presumed dead wife of his pal and mentor Luke Spencer. Blackie was hurt when Luke decided to quit being mayor and travel the world with Laura, but Luke helped him see that he needed to follow his dreams.

It Had To Be Lou
Blackie Parrish found true love with Lou (AKA Louisa) who, like Blackie, had been living on the street. They bonded over their mutual attraction and their love of music. They formed a band named Blackie and the Riff Raff. In it, Blackie played the drums.

Sneak Attack

Blackie became roommates with the group’s singer, Frisco Jones. Feeling pressure to write a hit song for the band, Blackie “appropriated” a tune from Josh, a bellboy at the Port Charles Hotel. Steffi Brand, the band’s scheming manager, got in the middle of a physical struggle for the tape that proved Josh was the original writer.

During the fray, Lou fell, hit her head, and died. Jake Meyer represented Blackie and the courthouse was filled with supporters for the young man. Even though Blackie wasn’t directly responsible (it was Steffi), he felt so much guilt that he almost wanted to go to jail for Lou’s manslaughter. The judge also noted that Blackie’s role in stealing the tune led to Lou’s death.

Life After Port Charles — and General Hospital
Blackie has never returned to Port Charles despite having paid his debt to society more than 30 years ago. (Stamos, however, did do a guest appearance on GH as himself in July 1992).

Also, Blackie’s sentencing day from 1984 was re-broadcast by ABC in 1997 as part of the short-lived “A Daytime To Remember” series that looked back at classic soap moments. Host Reba McEntire quipped that Blackie went from the “big house to the Full House,” referencing the long-running ABC sitcom on which Stamos starred. General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes.