General Hospital (UK TV series)
Encyclopedia
General Hospital is a British
daytime soap opera
produced by ATV
which ran on ITV
from 1972 to 1979. It was modelled after the American drama of the same name
.
In 1972 ITV started to broadcast programmes on weekday afternoons triggering a new wave of productions to fill out the extended schedules. Among the first of these shows, which were aimed at giving advertisers access to 'stay at home mums' and housewives in general, were the long-running rural soap Emmerdale Farm (YTV
) and the twice-weekly medical drama General Hospital.
Set in a fictional Midlands
town, the series followed the romantic and professional lives of its doctor
s and nurses. While the location and the characters names had been changed, in most other respects General Hospital was almost identical to its predecessor, Emergency - Ward 10, a deliberate attempt to recreate its success.
In 1975, after 110 twice-weekly episodes, General Hospital was given a primetime slot on Friday evening. The move saw the episode lengths double from 30 to 60 minutes, with each episode being more self-contained, while on-screen medical procedures, including detailed scenes of surgery
, became more prominent.
The main star of the series was actor Tony Adams
who played Doctor Neville Bywaters; he later went on to appear as Adam Chance in Crossroads (1964–1988, 2001). Among the other familiar faces to appear was Lynda Bellingham
, who gained national fame as the mother in a series of commercials for Oxo
stock cubes, and later as Helen Herriot in the series All Creatures Great and Small, based on the books by James Herriot
. Also appearing was Carmen Munroe
, who was also a regular presenter in the Play School children's programme team.
By 1979 the "homely" feel of General Hospital was considered to be old-fashioned, in the wake of newer grittier dramas, and it was cancelled. Many episodes are still missing from television archives.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
daytime soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
produced by ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
which ran on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
from 1972 to 1979. It was modelled after the American drama of the same name
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
.
In 1972 ITV started to broadcast programmes on weekday afternoons triggering a new wave of productions to fill out the extended schedules. Among the first of these shows, which were aimed at giving advertisers access to 'stay at home mums' and housewives in general, were the long-running rural soap Emmerdale Farm (YTV
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
) and the twice-weekly medical drama General Hospital.
Set in a fictional Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
town, the series followed the romantic and professional lives of its doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s and nurses. While the location and the characters names had been changed, in most other respects General Hospital was almost identical to its predecessor, Emergency - Ward 10, a deliberate attempt to recreate its success.
In 1975, after 110 twice-weekly episodes, General Hospital was given a primetime slot on Friday evening. The move saw the episode lengths double from 30 to 60 minutes, with each episode being more self-contained, while on-screen medical procedures, including detailed scenes of surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, became more prominent.
The main star of the series was actor Tony Adams
Tony Adams (actor)
Tony Adams is a Welsh actor, best known for his performances in two British television soap operas.Adams was born in Anglesey, Wales, and he trained as an actor at the Italia Conti Stage School...
who played Doctor Neville Bywaters; he later went on to appear as Adam Chance in Crossroads (1964–1988, 2001). Among the other familiar faces to appear was Lynda Bellingham
Lynda Bellingham
Lynda Bellingham is a Canadian-born English actress, broadcaster and author, who is known for her distinctive husky voice.-Early life:...
, who gained national fame as the mother in a series of commercials for Oxo
Oxo (food)
Oxo is a range of food products, consisting of stock cubes, herbs and spices, dried gravy, and yeast extract. In the United Kingdom, Oxo products are manufactured by Premier Foods...
stock cubes, and later as Helen Herriot in the series All Creatures Great and Small, based on the books by James Herriot
James Herriot
James Herriot was the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight , an English veterinary surgeon and writer, who used his many years of experiences as a veterinarian to write a series of books of stories about animals and their owners...
. Also appearing was Carmen Munroe
Carmen Munroe
Carmen Munroe OBE is a British actress, born in Berbice, Guyana. Since the early 1950s she has been a resident of the UK. She made her West End stage debut in 1962 and has since played an instrumental role in the development of black British theatre and representation on small screen...
, who was also a regular presenter in the Play School children's programme team.
By 1979 the "homely" feel of General Hospital was considered to be old-fashioned, in the wake of newer grittier dramas, and it was cancelled. Many episodes are still missing from television archives.
Cast list
- Tom AdamsTom Adams (actor)Tom Adams is an English actor with roles in horror and mystery films, and several TV shows.He starred as Charles Vine in Licensed to Kill and the sequels Where the Bullets Fly and Somebody's Stolen Our Russian Spy .His television credits include General...
as Dr Guy Wallman - Tony AdamsTony Adams (actor)Tony Adams is a Welsh actor, best known for his performances in two British television soap operas.Adams was born in Anglesey, Wales, and he trained as an actor at the Italia Conti Stage School...
as Dr Neville Bywaters - Lynda BellinghamLynda BellinghamLynda Bellingham is a Canadian-born English actress, broadcaster and author, who is known for her distinctive husky voice.-Early life:...
as Nurse Hilda Price - Victoria Burton as Staff Nurse Nelson
- Judy BuxtonJudy BuxtonJudy Buxton , is an English actress.She graduated from the Rose Bruford College. She then was a regular in the television series General Hospital playing nurse Katy Shaw. She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1979, where she played principal roles until 1982...
as Nurse Katy Shaw - David Garth as Mr Matthew Armstrong
- Monica Grey as SisterNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
Edwards - John Halstead as Arnold Capper
- Lewis Jones as Mr William Parker-Brown
- James Kerry as Dr Martin Baxter
- Eric Lander as Dr Richard Kirby
- Ronald Leigh-HuntRonald Leigh-HuntRonald Leigh-Hunt was a British film and television actor.His father was a stockbroker and he attended the Italia Conti Academy. He began acting whilst serving in the army...
as Dr Robert Thorne - Judy LoeJudy LoeJudith M. "Judy" Loe is an English actress. She was the widow of actor Richard Beckinsale and is now married to director Roy Battersby...
as Dr Helen Sanders - Patricia MaynardPatricia MaynardPatricia Maynard is a British actress. She was the second wife of actor Dennis Waterman, and they have two daughters, one of whom is the actress Hannah Waterman...
as Dr Joanna Whitworth - Carmen MunroeCarmen MunroeCarmen Munroe OBE is a British actress, born in Berbice, Guyana. Since the early 1950s she has been a resident of the UK. She made her West End stage debut in 1962 and has since played an instrumental role in the development of black British theatre and representation on small screen...
as Sister Washington - Carl Rigg as Dr Knight
- Jason Rose as Dr Chipapo
- Pippa Rowe as Sister Holland
- Peggy Sinclair as Sister Helen Chapman
- Archie Tew as Dr Mayhew
- Amber Thomas as Nurse Stevens
- Jenny TwiggeJenny TwiggeJenny Twigge is a British actress who has mainly appeared in television series, though she did appear as a schoolgirl in Vampire Circus and played an air hostess in Holocaust 2000...
as Dr. Cathy Waddon - Ian White as Dr Peter Ridge