Editing Luke and Laura (section)

==Writing==
===General===
In 1978, ''General Hospital'' was close to cancellation owing to low viewership. At that time, they were ranked lowest in the [[Nielsen ratings]]. To save the show, ABC executive Jackie Smith hired [[Gloria Monty]] as the show's executive producer and [[Douglas Marland]] as head writer.<ref name="Worlds Without End">{{cite book| first1=Ron| last1=Simon| first2=Robert J.| last2=Thompson| first3=Louise| last3=Spence| first4=Jane| last4=Feuer| editor-first=Robert| editor-last=Morton| title=Worlds Without End: The Art and History of the Soap Opera| publisher=Harry N Abrams| location=New York, New York| year=1997| isbn=0-8109-3997-5| page=[https://archive.org/details/worldswithoutend00muse/page/37 37]| url=https://archive.org/details/worldswithoutend00muse/page/37}}</ref><ref name="The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television">{{cite book|first=Wesley|last1=Hyatt|title=The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television|publisher=Billboard Books|location=New York, New York|year=1997|isbn=0-8230-8315-2|pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofda00hyat/page/176 176–182]|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofda00hyat/page/176}}</ref><ref name="Simon, p. 136-7">Simon, p. 136-7</ref> Monty wanted to attract a youth-based audience as a way of garnering higher ratings. To do this, she and Marland brought troubled teenager Laura Vining (Genie Francis) to the forefront of the series.<ref name="The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television"/><ref name="Simon, p. 136-7"/><ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81">{{cite magazine| first=Harry F.| last=Waters|title=TV's Hottest Show|magazine=[[Newsweek]] |date=1981-09-28}}</ref> The character went from appearing a couple of times a week to having fifty pages of script a day.<ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/><ref name="Soap Opera Weekly Genie Francis Interview">{{cite magazine| first=Kristen | last=Baldwin | title=Golden Girl |magazine=[[Soap Opera Weekly]] |date=1996-11-19}}</ref> "Gloria put sex and romance into Laura's life," Francis said, "and it bowled me over. Here I was doing things in front of 20 million people that I had never done in my life."<ref name="TV Guide Genie Francis Interview">{{cite magazine| first=May | last=Murphy | title=Soap Opera's Tragic Princess |magazine=[[TV Guide]] |date=1980-08-29}}</ref> Her early stories included killing her older lover, [[General Hospital Characters#H|David Hamilton]], for cheating on her with [[Lesley Webber|her mother]] and a popular romance with [[Scott Baldwin|Scott "Scotty" Baldwin]].<ref name="Soap Opera News: Genie Francis">{{cite news| title=Genie Francis |publisher=Soap Opera News |date=1997-04-29}}</ref> In response, ''General Hospital''{{'}}s ratings rose as younger viewers began watching for Laura. Teenagers connected with her because she was their age and experienced some of the same problems they did, yet also lived "the life of a 28 year old".<ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/>

[[Anthony Geary]] joined the cast in 1978 in what was meant to be a 13-week stint as [[Luke Spencer]].<ref name="Entertainment Weekly">{{cite magazine| first=Abby | last=West | title=Tony Geary Reflects on 30 Years of GH|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=2008-03-31 |access-date=2009-08-07|url=https://ew.com/article/2008/03/31/tony-geary-reflects-his-30-years-gh/}}</ref> His sister, [[Bobbie Spencer]], brought him to town to help her break up Laura's relationship with Scotty. By the end of Geary's contract, Luke was supposed to be killed off.<ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/> Like Laura, Luke appealed to teenage viewers because of his "edgy volatility."<ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/><ref name="other worlds">{{cite book | author = Dorothy Catherine Anger| title = Other worlds: society seen through soap opera | chapter= LUKE AND LAURA, SUPERCOUPLE | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=A3M-BkqXvOcC&q=Supercouple+soap+opera&pg=PA89 |isbn = 9781551111032| publisher = University of Toronto Press | year = 1999 |pages = 171 pages |access-date = 2012-10-07}}</ref> Since viewers expressed interest in Luke and Laura, the writers decided to have Luke die in Laura's arms, after which she would reunite with Scotty.<ref name="From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century">{{cite book|first=David | last=Mansour| title=From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century| publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing |year= 2005|  isbn=0-7407-5118-2 |page= 178}}</ref> Owing to the positive viewer response, the story moved towards a romance between Luke and Laura.<ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/><ref name="From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century"/><ref name="Soap Opera Stars May 1980">{{cite news|title=No, Luke, No|publisher=Soap Opera Stars |date=May 1980}}</ref>

===Rape===
[[Pat Falken Smith]] replaced Marland as head writer of ''General Hospital'' in 1979 since he wanted to go slower with Luke and Laura's story than Monty had.<ref name="The Guide to United States Popular Culture">{{cite book|first=Pat | last=Browne| title=The Guide to United States Popular Culture | publisher=Popular Press 3 |year=2001|  isbn=978-0-87972-821-2 |page= 317}}</ref> Smith wrote a controversial rape storyline between Luke and Laura.<ref name="Simon, p. 136-7"/> To prepare for the story, Geary and Francis both met with a [[social worker]] before taping the rape scenes.<ref name="Soap Opera Stars May 1980"/> Originally intended to be a brutal attack, Monty re-[[choreographed]] the scene's blocking in order for the encounter to come off as a seduction. She also took strong language and violence out of the scenes.<ref name="Soap Opera Stars May 1980"/> ''General Hospital's'' music director at the time, [[Jill Farren Phelps]], chose to use the song [[Rise (instrumental)|"Rise"]], written by Randy "Badazz" Alpert and Andy Armer, performed by trumpeter [[Herb Alpert]] during the rape scene and ensuing scenes that recalled the rape.<ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/><ref name="The Billboard Book of Number One Hits">{{cite book|first=Fred | last=Bronson| title=The Billboard Book of Number One Hits: 5th Edition | publisher=Billboard Books |year= 2003|  isbn=0-8230-7677-6 |page= 512}}</ref> "Every time Laura thought of the terrible rape by Luke, it was played to evoke that memory," Phelps said. "Consequently, we used it constantly for a while. Then we turned the story around so that he was no longer the rapist and that was no longer the appropriate piece of music."<ref name="The Billboard Book of Number One Hits"/> The song already ranked on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], but the exposure "Rise" gained from appearing on ''General Hospital'' helped bring it to number one.<ref name="The Billboard Book of Number One Hits"/> After the story aired in October 1979, it was looked back on as a rape and Laura was shown getting [[rape crisis centers in the United States| rape counseling]].<ref name="From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century"/> However, the writers decided to have the characters look back on the incident as a seduction instead of a rape because the pairing resonated with the audience.<ref name="Worlds Without End"/><ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/> "From that point on, we played [Luke's] regret and his total devastation," Geary said. 

The rape was revisited in 1998 when Luke and Laura's son, Lucky, finds out about the incident.<ref name="Nochimson">Nochimson, p. 361</ref> This time, the writers scripted it as rape instead of a seduction. Lucky struggled to come to terms with the revelation while Luke and Laura dealt with the unresolved issues surrounding the rape.<ref name="Nochimson"/><ref name="Soap Opera Weekly Applause, Applause">{{cite magazine| title=Applause, Applause |magazine=[[Soap Opera Weekly]] |date=1998-08-04}}</ref><ref name="Soap Opera Digest Living Legends">{{cite magazine| first=Kristin | last=Gallagher | title=Living Legends |magazine=[[Soap Opera Digest]] |date=2000-01-04}}</ref> In a 2000 interview with ''[[Soap Opera Digest]]'', Geary said, for the taping of the scenes, "Alan Pultz, who had directed the rape originally, used his original notes and directed me that day to recall all of that. I was able to finally put out what I think is Luke's definitive statement: that it was rape, it was ugly, he'd probably never recover." He added, "I was grateful that the directors and the writers were interested in what Luke's experience was and didn't try to spin it for audience control."<ref name="Soap Opera Digest Living Legends"/>

===Adventure plots===
After the rape storyline, the focus of ''General Hospital'' began to center on Luke and Laura's romance. Before, the show revolved around hospital stories, including [[alcoholism]], [[obesity]], [[mental disorder]]s, and [[cancer]].<ref name="The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television"/><ref name="Simon, p. 136-7"/><ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/> Luke and Laura's adventure based plots took the show away from the hospital. In 1980, the couple spent the summer on the run, an "unprecedented" type of storyline at the time.<ref name="Worlds Without End"/> Monty imbued that plot with elements of [[Frank Capra]]'s 1934 film ''[[It Happened One Night]]'' and the 1941 [[Humphrey Bogart]] film ''[[The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)|The Maltese Falcon]]''.<ref name="Worlds Without End"/><ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/> She later used ''[[Dr. No (film)|Dr. No]]'' and [[Tarzan]] as the inspiration for their plot to stop [[Mikkos Cassadine]] from taking over the world.<ref name="Newsweek 9/28/81"/> As the show became laden with "comic-book fantasies," ratings remained high, but the viewer demographics became younger.<ref name="Simon, p. 136-7"/>

In a 2008 interview with ''[[Soap Opera Digest]]'', [[Kin Shriner]] (Scott Baldwin) said Monty planned to continue the Scotty, Laura, and Luke triangle for a longer period, but his 1980 departure forced a story change. He returned to the show a year later.<ref name="Soap Opera Digest Genie Francis and Kin Shriner Interview">{{cite magazine| first=Tom | last=Stacy| title=Trifecta |magazine=[[Soap Opera Digest]] |date=2008-11-18| pages= 42–46}}</ref> Former head writer [[Thom Racina]] intended to hold off the couple's marriage and allow them to be separated by Scotty for six more months. [[Elizabeth Taylor]] called ''General Hospital's'' studio after reading about the wedding's being postponed in a soap opera magazine. She made a deal to appear on the series if Luke and Laura married.<ref name="Soap Opera Digest 1981 Wedding Secret Exposed">{{cite magazine| title=1981 Wedding Secret Exposed |magazine=[[Soap Opera Digest]] |date=2008-11-18| page= 18}}</ref> Taylor appeared in five episodes as [[Helena Cassadine]], the widow of [[Mikkos Cassadine]], whom Luke and Laura killed.<ref name="People  Liz Taylor">{{cite magazine| first= David | last=Gritten| title=Liz Taylor on General Hospital as Luke and Laura Finally Tie the Knot |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=1981-11-16}}</ref> Luke and Laura's wedding, which aired on November 16 and 17, 1981, achieved the highest ratings in the history of daytime television.<ref name="Simon, p. 136-7"/><ref name="People Magazine 1993">{{cite magazine| first1=Susan | last1=Schindehette|first2=Sabrina| last2=McFarland|title=Luke and Laura: The Sequel|magazine=People |year=1993}}</ref> Shortly after the wedding aired, Francis left the show, taking a portion of the audience with her. To hold onto the younger viewers, the show began focusing more on "action-adventure" and less on "complex characterizations and psychological drama".<ref name="Simon, p. 136-7"/> Francis returned briefly in 1983 to facilitate Geary's exit.<ref name="The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television"/> Both actors returned in 1984 to reprise their roles for six weeks. ABC brought them back hoping to raise ''General Hospital's'' ratings. Their return story involved a location shoot in [[Cuernavaca]], [[Mexico]] and an adventure involving [[Holly Sutton]] and [[Robert Scorpio]].<ref name="Star Magazine September 11, 1984">{{cite magazine|title=Luke and Laura Return to Rekindle Their Sizzling Love|magazine=Star Magazine |date=September 11, 1984}}</ref> The story aired from late October through early December 1984,<ref name="Star Magazine September 11, 1984"/> after which the actors departed again and did not return until the 1990s.<ref name="The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television"/>

===Later years===
Monty, who left the series in 1986, returned in 1991 with the hope she would again raise the ratings of the show. She brought Geary back to ''General Hospital'' that same year as Luke's [[look-alike]] cousin, [[Bill Eckert]]. The actor had refused to return to the show as Luke without Laura.<ref name="The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television"/> The unpopularity of the Bill Eckert character led to ABC's firing Monty, killing off Bill, and bringing Luke and Laura back, played by Geary and Francis.<ref name="The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television"/><ref name="People Magazine 1993"/><ref name="TV Guide October 16, 1993">{{cite magazine| first=Michael | last=Logan|title=Return Engagement |magazine=[[TV Guide]] |date=October 16, 1993}}</ref> Upon their return, the actors took more control of the writing for their characters. Geary, along with a writer friend, Irene Suver, developed the story for Luke and Laura's return.<ref name="TV Guide October 16, 1993"/> Geary's contract allowed him to rewrite his dialogue at his discretion.<ref name="Soap Opera Magazine October 28, 1997">{{cite news|title=Star Power |publisher=Soap Opera Magazine |date=October 28, 1997}}</ref> Francis and Geary were also known for fighting over story direction with executive producer Wendy Riche and the show's writers. The departure of head writer [[Richard Culliton]] days after a tense meeting with Geary caused rumors to circulate that the actor threatened to quit if Culliton were not fired. "The meeting did not go well, but I made no ultimatums and there was certainly no violence," Geary said. "I really don't know if I had anything to do with his departure, but I wouldn't shed any tears if I did."<ref name="TV Guide May 17, 1997">{{cite magazine| first=Michael | last=Logan|title=In Praise of a Classic Couple |magazine=[[TV Guide]] |date=May 17, 1997}}</ref> Francis supported Geary in what they considered to be standing up for the "integrity" of their characters and protecting the "Spencer franchise."<ref name="TV Guide May 17, 1997"/><ref name="TV Guide Francis and Geary Interview">{{cite magazine| first=Michael | last=Logan|title=Tony Geary and Genie Francis Interview |magazine=[[TV Guide]] |date=May 17, 1997}}</ref> "Sometimes people think we're difficult because of that, but we're only difficult because we want to live up to the high standards we've set," Francis said. "I actually like it when Tony gets out of line... He can go to horrid places I can't."<ref name="TV Guide May 17, 1997"/>