General Hospital

General Hospital News: Genie Francis Got Quite The Luke And Laura Surprise

Published by

Michael Maloney

4 years ago

If you’re old enough to remember the Luke and Laura phenomenon in the early 1980s on General Hospital, it won’t surprise you to learn that there was some merchandise produced in honor of both the show and the program’s supercouple. Now, one such item has found its way into the hands of Genie Francis (Laura).

Genie Francis And That Paper Dolls Connection

“Never knew I was a paper doll! 👗#GH,” a smiling Francis posted on Twitter along with a photo of herself, holding a book of Luke and Laura paper dolls she was recently given!

“Wow. What a find,” posted @miazga. Follower @RuthieFernand10 wrote: “People have been watching your story for many years. As a kid I wanted the romance of my life. You two are the couple of all time.”

“Those were the only dolls I couldn’t play with as a kid,” posted @Rachel0190989. “They were Grammas and she would have our hides if we touched them!!!”

General Hospital puzzles and a board game were produced in the early 1980s, and they occasionally pop up on eBay. However, the Luke and Laura Paper Dolls book appears to be quite a rare item.

Ironically, Francis’s husband, Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) appeared in a 1984 primetime soap titled Paper Dolls, which starred Lloyd Bridges (Sea Hunt), Nicollette Sheridan (Knots Landing), Dack Rambo (Dallas), and Morgan Fairchild (Dallas, Falcon Crest; ex-Anjelica, Days of our Lives).

The series was set in New York City against the glamorous world of modeling and fashion. Fairchild played the uniquely named Racine, a modeling agent who manipulated characters like chess pieces.

Frakes played Sandy Parris, her assistant. Paper Dolls had all the components of a successful nighttime soap — attractive players, heroes, ingenues, villains, and vixens. Alas, it was axed after 13 episodes. Viewers were left with a cliffhanger related to the fate of family matriarch Marjorie Harper (Nancy Olson).

Do you have any classic soap opera memorabilia? Share in the comments section below. General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC. Check local listings for air times.