When the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards take place later this fall, a soap opera icon will be honored with a special award.
According to an announcement from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), “General Hospital” star Genie Francis will be presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Honor during the upcoming ceremony, scheduled to take place on October 30.
50 Years of ‘General Hospital’
February 2027 will mark the 50th anniversary of Francis’ debut on “General Hospital.”
She first appeared as teenage Laura Vining on “GH” back in 1977, a role that catapulted her to unprecedented soap stardom.
Her chemistry with co-star Anthony Geary (who played Luke Spencer) captivated viewers, who breathlessly followed the romance of Luke and Laura.
In fact, when the couple finally tied the knot in 1981, the wedding transcended daytime drama to become a bona fide pop-culture phenomenon. With viewership exceeding 30 million, the Luke-Laura wedding remains the highest-rated soap episode in TV history.
Lifetime Achievement
ABC“We are thrilled to celebrate Genie Francis’s remarkable career,” said Adam Sharp, president and CEO, NATAS. “From Port Charles and beyond, she has left an indelible mark on the landscape of daytime television, and she continues to tackle bold topics as a courageous storyteller to this day.”
“I want to offer my deepest gratitude to the leadership of NATAS for honoring me with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award,” shared Francis.
“This February marks 50 years since I first portrayed Laura on ‘General Hospital.’ Stepping onto that set at just 14, I could never have imagined the extraordinary journey that lay ahead. I am deeply grateful to have been welcomed onto your television screens and into your homes for five decades; for the love, support, and loyalty I’ve been given; and for the privilege of being a small part of your lives.”
She continued by adding, “thank you to NATAS, my colleagues, the daytime community and, most of all, the viewers. My career in daytime television has truly been the adventure of a lifetime, and I am deeply honored by this recognition.”
A Legendary Soap Career
As NATAS points out, the character of Laura “remains a beloved pillar of strength and female empowerment — and even serves as the mayor of Port Charles.”
In addition to “General Hospital,” Francis has also appeared on ABC’s “All My Children” as Ceara Connor, NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” as Diana Colville, and CBS’s “The Young and the Restless” as Genevieve Atkinson.
Francis began her career at the age of 13, as a guest star on primetime drama “Family.”
Other notable roles throughout her acting career include the miniseries “North and South” and “Bare Essence,” in addition to movie of the week “The Note.”
She has also guest-starred on “Third Rock From the Sun,” “Murder She Wrote,” the final episode of “Perry Mason” and “Roswell.”
Her stage work includes productions of “Crimes of the Heart,” the world premiere of “Defying Gravity” at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and the off-Broadway production of “The Baby Dance” at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, which marked her New York City stage debut.
Francis and her husband, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” alum Jonathan Frakes, have been married for nearly 40 years, and have two adult children, Jameson and Eliza.
