<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> External links </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Website </Td> </Tr> <P> General Hospital (commonly abbreviated GH) is an American daytime television medical drama . It is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest - running American soap opera in production and the second longest - running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light . Concurrently, it is the world's third longest - running scripted drama series in production after British serials The Archers and Coronation Street, as well as the world's second - longest - running televised soap opera still in production . General Hospital premiered on the ABC television network on April 1, 1963 . Same - day broadcasts as well as classic episodes were aired on SOAPnet from January 20, 2000, to December 31, 2013, following Disney - ABC's decision to discontinue the network . General Hospital is the longest - running serial produced in Hollywood, and the longest - running entertainment program in ABC television history . It holds the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series, with 13 wins . </P> <P> The show was created by husband - and - wife soap writers Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city . In the 1970s, the city was named Port Charles, New York . From its beginning, General Hospital starred John Beradino and Emily McLaughlin, and both actors stayed with the show until their deaths in 1996 and 1991 respectively . They were joined a year later by Rachel Ames who remains to date the longest serving actress on an ABC soap opera, having been continuously on the show from 1964 to 2007 . General Hospital was the second soap to air on ABC (after the short - lived Road to Reality, which aired for several months during the 1960--61 season). In 1964, a sister soap was created for General Hospital, The Young Marrieds; it ran for two years, and was canceled because of low ratings . General Hospital also spawned a primetime spinoff with the same name in the United Kingdom from 1972 to 1979, as well as the daytime series Port Charles (1997--2003) and the primetime spin - off General Hospital: Night Shift (2007--2008) in the United States . Taped at The Prospect Studios, General Hospital aired for a half - hour until July 23, 1976 . The series was expanded from 30 minutes to 45 minutes on July 26, 1976, and then to a full hour on January 16, 1978 . </P>

When was the first episode of general hospital aired