As residents of Southern California may know, the exteriors of a real-life General Hospital in Los Angeles have been used in the opening credits over the years for the ABC sudser of the same name.
Now, according to a report in The Architects Newspaper, there are potential plans to turn the hospital building and site into affordable housing for Los Angeles residents (did they steal the idea from Olivia Jerome?)!
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has reportedly approved a recent motion that will examine the possibility of taking the abandoned hospital and turn it into affordable, low-income housing.
The facility first opened in 1933 and served as an 800-bed teaching hospital, playing a key role in the area. The building, familiar to GH fans, was nicknamed “Great Stone Mother,” referring to the building’s hospital wings.
From 1975-1993, the GH credits opened with an ambulance driving by the hospital as a siren blared and the theme music played.
In 1993, GH updated its opening, set to a smooth tune, honoring the previous theme, by jazz musician Dave Koz. Images of cast members, including John Beradino (ex-Steve), Leslie Charleson (Monica), and John J. York (Mac), among others, were added to the opening, but a shot of the exterior of the hospital was kept as a tribute.
The next version of GH’s opening credits, from 2004-10, also included a shot of the familiar facility.
An image of General Hospital in Los Angeles is featured on the cover of the General Hospital Complete Scrapbook by Gary Warner, which was published in 1993 commemorating the show’s 30th anniversary.
Time will tell if the hospital is turned into housing. Soap Hub will provide updates as this story develops.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC. Check local listings for air times.
Video Credit: Anthony Anglin
Video Credit: General Hospital
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