Why Jane Elliot Is So Beloved As GH’s Incredible Tracy Quartermaine

She may have been bringing the sad news of Luke Spencer’s passing to many in Port Charles but seeing Tracy Quartermaine gracing our General Hospital screens once again was the best present the soap Gods could bestow on the audience. Daytime Emmy winner Jane Elliot has been thrilling fans since her debut in the role back in 1978.

Jane Elliot — As Sharp As Ever

People may play fast and loose these days using the term ‘legendary’ but that wouldn’t be the case with Elliot. While she may have been a thorn in both her brother Alan Quartermaine’s (the late Stuart Damon) and father Edward Quartermaine’s sides, her mother Lila Quartermaine (Anna Lee) always tried to appeal to her better angels.

Unfortunately — or perhaps awesomely, she wasn’t often successful, and Tracy continued to wreak havoc over the decades. One of her “favorite” targets over the years was sister-in-law Monica Quartermaine (Leslie Charleson). These two knew how to push each other’s buttons in the worst (yes, best) way possible and it was glorious to behold. In recent years, these two have faced so much loss together — and have found a way to support each other, knowing they are the last of the older generation of the family still standing.

Just a mere look between Elliot and Charleson can be supercharged enough to alert the audience to hundreds of words unsaid — we know what has transpired, what they are thinking, and more importantly what they are feeling in a way words on the page probably couldn’t do justice.

While Monica has a long history with Laura Collins (Genie Francis), dating back to the latter’s teen years, the pairing of Laura and Tracy, with their respective spots in Luke’s heart bonding them, is a more recent occurrence but still incredibly potent and fascinating to watch.

But where Tracy and her portrayer excel is within her family dynamic. Who can forget (if you were watching) back in 1980 when Tracy withheld her father Edward’s (David Lewis) heart medication because she thought he was dying and planned to cut her out of the will? Yet, Tracy has a soft spot in her heart for her sons, so it was incredible to see her connecting with Wally Kurth’s Ned Quartermaine. The addition of Ned’s daughter Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) has provided fireworks that fans are loving!

After seven months of keeping the secret of Bailey’s true identity as Louise, Tracy figured it out in five seconds flat. It was a relief to have one more person in the know but even more so that the writers knew the greatest schemer of all time in Port Charles would immediately catch on. They’re keeping Tracy the smartest person in the room — just the way fans love to see her. Here’s hoping this is not a quick trip home and that we get to enjoy Tracy and Jane Elliot for quite a while more.

General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Port Charles, check out all the latest that’s been posted on GH spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.