Teenagers Laura Vining and Scotty Baldwin were wed, but Laura soon realized that she had made a mistake. She was really attracted to the far more interesting Luke Spencer and his unconventional life-style and offbeat friends. Luke, too, was drawn to Laura and her whole someness and innocence. Taking a job at the Campus Disco, which Luke managed for the mob, Laura had at first become wonderful friends with Luke. But soon their story took a dramatic turn when the mob elected Luke to perform a hit job on Tracy Quartermaine's new husband, Mitch Williams, the corrupt assistant D.A. who was now running for governor and campaigning to crack down on organized crime. Luke surmised that he was soon about to die himself; if he didn't assassinate Mitch Williams the mob would kill Luke, and if he did kill Mitch he would hang for it. Tormented by his fate, Luke confessed to Laura the secret of his love for her and began kissing her passionately, tearing at her clothes, until she resisted. Then, on the floor of the disco, he raped her.

Laura became personally implicated in these underworld doings. She was spotted overhearing a conversation between Luke's boss, Frank Smith, and his henchmen. Laura now knew too much and was being watched by Frank's men. Meanwhile, Frank's daughter, Jennifer, was attracted to Luke, who, pressured by Frank, was forced to propose marriage. Disheartened, Laura decided she had to make the best of her marriage to Scotty. But on the day of Luke and Jennifer's wedding aboard the Smith yacht, Scotty read a letter Laura had written to Luke and found out who her rapist was. Minutes before the wedding ceremony, Scotty beat up Luke, who fell overboard and was presumed drowned. Later, Laura discovered him on shore and the two fled Port Charles.

Frank Smith found out that Luke and Laura, before they left town, had stolen Smith's coded black book which, once uncoded, would detail all of his criminal activities and put him in jail for good. Frank became desperate to get the couple back into his clutches and tried one scheme after another to force them to return. He even severely beat her. Luke's kind-hearted aunt, Ruby Anderson, but failed to bring Luke out into the open. Finally, Frank sent a hit man named Hutch after him. Meanwhile, Luke and Laura were having a glorious time while running for their lives. Although he was ready, she wasn't sure whether she wanted to break her marriage vows and make love to him, so Luke good-naturedly agreed to hold off.

The hit man Hutch found Luke and Laura and befriended them, secretly waiting for the right moment to dispatch the two. The three secured jobs in a local tavern, little suspecting that the owner of the tavern, Sally, was really a hit man named in drag, sent to Smith to kill all three of them.

Luke decoded the black book-at last he had the goods on Smith and he and Laura could return to Port Charles. Suddenly, Laura was kidnapped by Sally Max, the hit man in drag. A shootout took place in which Hutch was critically wounded and Max killed. The black book was turned over to the police, the organization was broken up and Frank Smith was jailed. With the nightmare over, Luke and Laura returned to the farm where they had spent their happiest moments. Luke made advances to Laura and this time, sure of her feelings for him, she made love to him.

They returned triumphantly to Port Charles, but the sight of the reporters brought back the David Hamilton affair all over again. Pressed for a statement about her involvement with Luke, Laura blurted out that she was still Mrs. Scott Baldwin and had been faithful to her husband. Laura regretted what she said and was ready to ask Scotty for a divorce, but Luke, destroyed by her outburst, decided to part with Laura.

1980
Lawyer Joe Kelly (Doug Sheehan)
was really In love with Rose Kelly (Loanne Bishop).
Only one thing stood between them-his father Paddy Kelly
who just happened to be married to Rose.
Once Joe got over his crush,
he became very close friends with Rose
and often confided his problems to her.

Rose Kelly

1980
The funny thing about Luke and Laura's romance
was her refusal to sleep with Luke
before the wedding.
It was like a scene from a movie.

1980
Laura's parents weren't thrilled
when she announced her marriage to Luke.
They still couldn't believe
that he had almost raped her In the disco.

Edward Quartermaine's shrewd, beautiful niece, Alexandria, arrived in town to work on a business deal with her uncle. However, she was really interested in locating an ugly little abstract black statue known as the Ice Princess, and she hired Luke Spencer to find it. Luke certainly didn't know what Alexandria knew, that the Ice Princess was not only the world's largest uncut diamond, but also contained the secret formula for the manufacture of synthetic diamonds. At the same time Laura began working as a receptionist at the Edward Louis Quartermaine Industries, where Luke also worked, although he wasn't ready yet to resume their affair. As Luke started digging for information on the Ice Princess, he was thwarted at every turn by several sinister characters, including Tony Cassadine and Robert Scorpio. Soon Luke and Robert Scorpio, who secretly worked for the World Security Bureau, became good friends. Robert told Luke the truth about the statue and the formula and that if the formula for sythetic diamonds fell into the hands of the infamous Cassadine Brothers, the Cassidines could control the world. Luke also learned that Alexandria Quartermaine had' been in cahoots with them. A second Cassadine brother, Victor, arrived it Port Charles, and it was Victor who finally wound up with the statue.

Robert Scorpio found out that the Cassadines were about to set sail with the Ice Princess, and he and Luke stowed away on their yacht, the Haunted Star. Once on board they found another stowaway-Laura! She would not be parted from Luke. The yacht brought them all to the Cassadine's lush, tropical private island. The Cassadine brothers and their guests were lodged in a huge underground cavern, where they were joined by the eldest Cassadine brother, the evil genius Mikkos. The stowaways, meanwhile, managed to find a hiding place on the island. Mikkos revealed his master plan: with the formula now in his possession, he could manufacture a substance with the ability to alter climates of the world! Back on the surface, Luke and Laura were enjoying their tropical paradise, while Scorpio found his way underground with the help of Victor's mistress, beautiful actress Tiffany Hill. She was horrified by Mikkos's plan. As the four concocted a way to stop the Cassadines, Mikkos gave the head of the World Security Bureau an ultimatum: surrender to him now or her would freeze the major cities of the world, starting with Port Charles! To do just that, Mikkos had invented a terrifying machine. In the end, Luke and Scorpio were able to turn the evil freezing machine back on Mikkos himself, freezing Mikkos, Alexandria Quartemaine and Tony Cassadine all to death! Victor was jailed, and the world was now safe from the Cassadines.

Edward Quartermaine

1981
Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers, right) got involved
with the Spencers during the Cassadine affair.
The Cassadines were trying to "freeze"
Port Charles with a snow-making machine.
Luckily the trio landed on the Cassadine island
and saved Port Charles In the nick of time.
That made Luke a hero in town.

Helena Cassadine

Robert Scorpio
with Helena Cassadine

1981
The much awaited marriage between Luke Spencer and Laura Baldwin
took place at the mayor's mansion on November 17, 1981.
But it was marred briefly when Laura's ex-husband, Scotty,
reappeared on the scene.
He caught the bridal bouquet
and promptly punched Luke in the face.
A brief scuffle ensued.

Dr. Noah Drake arrived at General Hospital. He quickly became known as a ladies man, dating several of the nurses, including Bobbie Spencer. Their romance progressed to the serious stage swiftly.

Robert, Luke and Laura returned to Port Charles as heroes. Laura flew to Mexico to obtain her divorce from Scotty. He agreed. The wedding took place with everyone attending. But, Scotty interrupted the affair by catching the bouquet and vowing to cause trouble.

Joe Kelly proved that Heather didn't kill Diana, but she had died accidentaly in a struggle with Alice Grant. Both Heather and Alice were set free.

Noah admitted to Bobbie that he wasn't ready for a commitment. She left town to start a new life.

Laura modeled for Miss Star Eyes and put a strain on the marriage. Suddenly, Laura disappeared without a trace. Will Luke find his one and only love? Laura's disappearance drove Luke frantic with worry. She was seen on the docks near the yacht and seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth! Jackie Templeton, an investigative reporter from New York City, arrived in Port Charles seeking a different Laura-her sister who disappeared with her boyfriend, Mel. Eventually, Luke and Jackie discovered that both disappearances were engineered by David Gray, a mystery man who intended to steal the treasures of Malkuth from the Port Charles Museum. Laura Templeton appeared unharmed, but Luke discovered that David had had his wife killed. David was killed in a fight with Luke soon afterwards. Jackie and Robert fell in love.

Rick Webber was appalled by the conditions on the waterfront. His clinic was helping somewhat, and he had adopted Mike, a waterfront orphan. But there had to be something he could do. A young boy, Blackie Parrish, helped crystallize his plans, he founded a Sports Center, on land owned by George Dernly (and later taken over by Scotty Baldwin when Dernly was arrested). He hoped that it would give kids a place to go, instead of hanging around on the streets.

The Sports Center became the training camp for a young boxer, Johnny Morrissey. Rick helped train the young man, and Johnny and Amy Vining soon fell in love. Despite attempted interference by the Mob, Johnny won his first fight, and went on to New York to further his career, leaving a heartbroken Amy behind.

Noah and Tiffany began a love affair-Noah confessed that he was in love, probably for the first time in his life. Their happiness was almost destroyed by the return of Bobbie Spencer to Port Charles. Dr. Noah Drake arrived at General Hospital. He quickly became known as a ladies man, dating several of the nurses, including Bobbie Spencer. Their romance progressed to the serious stage swiftly.

1981
Bobbie Spencer found brief happiness
with handsome Dr. Noah Drake (Rick Springfield rock singer),
but he only had eyes for Tiffany Hill.

1982
Laura's disappearance threw Luke Into a frenzy.
He and Scorpio thought reporter Jackie Templeton (Demi Moore)
could shed some light onto the situation,
but she was looking for her own sister, Laura.
That began the mystery surrounding the treasures of Malkuth
and the man with the piercing eyes, David Gray.

Holly Sutton

1982
While hiking in the mountains Luke meets
the lovely Holly Sutton (Emma Samms).
She revealed she inherited some land In town.
While she and Luke searched the land they struck oil,
but it's actually a scam that Holly's family is involved In.
Luke learns the truth, forgives Holly
and they fall in love.

While hiking in the mountains, Luke met Holly Sutton. Holly claimed to be an orphan, and that she'd inherited some land in Port Charles. Luke and Holly seemed to find oil on the land, and began urging people to invest. Luke and Scorpio didn't realize that it was all a scam set up by Holly and her family. After a long struggle with her conscious, though, Holly told Luke the truth and the two recovered the money that the Corsos had stolen.

Luke and Holly spend a few happy moments together before a big fight separates them with Luke going off to the mountains to think. Danger immediately be falls him when he's mugged, then the victim in an avalanche. Paralyzed, Luke learns the people of Port Charles believe he's dead, so he decides not to return. Natalie Dearborn, alias Natasha, a member of the DVX spy organization, poses as a therapist to gain Luke's trust. Holly finds she's expecting Luke's child and Robert marries her to save her from deportation Holly miscarries and after some time, she falls in love with Robert and consummates their marriage. Luke chooses that time to return to Port Charles, almost cured of his paralysis. When he finds Holly is wed to Robert he severs their friendship.

1983
Holly marries Robert Scorpio
when she learns she's pregnant and about to be deported.
Only after she believes Luke is dead
and she has a miscarriage does
she let herself fall in love with handsome Robert.
Although they were wed In City Hall,
they were attendants for Grant and Celia.

1983
Learning Robert had another wife was bad enough,
but when Holly learned he had a child, too,
she was devastated.
She left for England, her home.

As part of her settlement with Alan, Susan Moore becomes a millionearess. Scotty Baldwin, despite Heather's advances, becomes interested in her for financial reasons. After Susan is critically injured in a car accident, Scotty and her are married. Then Crane Tolliver comes to town with papers proving the Quarermaines are illegitimate. He's Lila's first husband and their divorce was never finalized. He conspires with Susan to blackmail the family, but the plan backfires when Susan is murdered by Crane and he's later found out. On his deathbed, he gives the papers to Jimmy Lee Holt, Edward's illegitimate son. Jimmy Lee uses them to his advantage, securing a home for himself and Jason.

Celia Quartemaine arrives in Port Charles engaged to Grant Putnam, an orthopedic surgeon. Grant is, in reality, a DVX operator, in cahoots with Natalie. They are to get hold of an energized disc for their Motherland. In the process Luke, Holly and Celia are kidnapped, but Grant later turns state's evidence and saves them from death. In England, the real Grant Putnam regains his memory after seeing an article in the paper.

Bobbie meets D.L. Brock, a financier from New York. They fall in love and she becomes pregnant. When Bobbie miscarries, and learns she can never have children, she marries Brock anyhow.

Laura returns after two years. Luke, who's been elected Mayor of Port Charles can't believe his eyes. However, Laura's wed to Stavros Cassadine, the man who kept her prisoner in Greece. He follows her to the U.S. and later meets his death in a fall down the stairs at Luke's home. The happy couple leave town.

Celia exposes Grant Putnam as the psychopathic killer he really is. Grant Andrews and Celia reconcile and he is reinstated as a doctor and invests in a new research clinic.

Brock plans to have Rick fired from his position of Health Commissioner because Rick closed down his plant as unsanitary. He hires Mike's real mother, Ginny, to frame Rick by making it appear like he took a bribe. Brock is exposed and Ginny decides to stay in Port Charles. Realizing that she really loves Mike, Ginny wants him back. When Leslie is killed in a car crash, Ginny and Rick decide to get married so they don't have to put Mike through a custody battle. Slowly but surely, they develop a deep affection for each other. When Derek Barrington, Mike's real father, comes to town, it causes problems.

Brock's spoiled daughter Terri shows up putting a big strain on Bobbie and Brock's already shaky marriage. Differences cause Bobbie to move out. Bobbi comes back when Brock promises to support her against Terri. Terri and Brock start fighting and she gets into trouble at a bar and gets arrested. Bobbie bails her out and the two women become closer.

Jimmy Lee's mother, Beatrice, comes to Port Charles and they plot to blackmail the Quartermaines with documents proving their illegitimacy. Along the way, she steals other incriminating evidence against Port Charles' prominent citizens from Lorena's safe at the Health Spa. Beatrice begins blackmailing them also. At a party at the Spa, Beatrice accidentally drinks Lila's heart medication, and coupled with other medication in her system that was slipped to her by her victims, she overdoses and dies. Jimmy Lee vows revenge and gets $20,000,000 from the Quartermaines in return for the document.

Frisco falls for Tania and tries to console her as she tries to get over her affair with Grant Andrews. She later falls for Frisco's brother, Anthony.

1984
Celia was really thrown for a loop
when she learned her husband Grant (Brian Patrick Clarke) was a spy.
She left for Jimmy Lee soon after.

Frisco gets involved with Felicia, an Aztec princess. She's trying to retrieve a ring that, when coupled with a royal scepter, is the key to a hidden treasure. Luke and Robert team up again in Mexico trying to retrieve the royal scepter. They solicit the assistance of an ex-WSB buddy of Robert's, Sean Donely, who in actuality is trying to steal the treasure himself.

Religious differences finally become too much for Jake and Rose and they split. Rose leaves town to work for her stepson, Joe Kelly. Aunt Ruby takes over the diner in her absence.

Terry Brock becomes very nervous and jittery when Kevin and Patrick O'Connor come to town. They are a part of Terry's past life in Laurelton. When they move into the new brownstone that Bobbie and Jake have purchased, it drives Terry to sleepwalking. Then her Grandma Talbot visits, and even more trouble occurs. A man is found dead in the Brownstone with a knife in his back and Terry standing over him.

Grant's marriage to Celia ends when she falls for Jimmy Lee once more. After her divorce becomes final, she weds Jimmy Lee in a lavish wedding ceremony. Grant moves to Egypt to run a hospital ship.

Ginny and Rick suffer marital problems when she's found guilty of Brock's murder. In her distress she turns to Derek Barrington (Mike's real father) for a night of solace. When she and Rick reconcile, Ginny learns she's pregnant. The question is: who's the father? Derek believes he is and tries to blackmail Ginny into leaving Rick. It doesn't work and when the baby is born, both men take a paternity test, with Rick passing with flying colors.

Frisco and Felicia's Aztec treasure adventure comes to an end with Grant and Sean Donely stealing the valuable gold pieces. Robert and Holly solve the mystery and return to Port Charles with Sean in tow. Robert sends Holly off to Australia with plans to join her soon. He gets involved with a cocaine problem in the Asian quarter. Frisco begs Robert to let him go undercover and gets a flavor for the life of a policeman. Once the case is solved, Frisco joins the force and asks Felicia to be his wife. Robert learns he's the father of Anna's daughter, Robin, and is torn between leaving Port Charles to be with Holly or staying with his new daughter. Holly wins out, with Robert promising to keep in touch with his "other" family. Anna and Bert take over as copolice chiefs.

Frisco joins the Port Charles police force and quickly runs into troubles with his partner, Samantha Wells. Her advances don't lure him away, though, and he and Felicia are married.

Terry and Kevin are also married, but it turns out that Kevin is a killer and their relationship ends when Terry hits him over the head with a rock and he falls to his death. Anna questions Terry and Jake about the incident and she's satisfied with Terry's story. The Kevin O'Connor file is closed. Meanwhile, Anna is intrigued with newcomer Duke Lavery.

Monica Quartermaine and Sean Donely swindle the Quartemaine's out of all the money, and while Monica and Sean live it up at the Quartermaine mansion, Edward, Lila and Alan are residing over Kelly's Diner. Anthony and Tania Jones are expecting their first child.

1985
While still a WSB agent Robert met and fall in love
with agent Anna Devane (Finola Hughes).
When she came to town, Holly was stunned.

1985
Jimmy Lee Holt (Steve Bond), Edward Quartermalne's Illegitimate son,
fell hard for Celia Quartermaine (Sherilyn Wolter).
He shared one night of love with her, but then she returned to her fiance, Grant Putnam.
So, on the night before her wedding,
Jimmy Lee kidnapped her, but it didn't work out for him.

Monica Quartermaine

1986
Bobbie Spencer and Jake Meyer (Jackie Zeman and Sam Behrens, right)
set up a brownstone where all the families live.
Frisco and Felicia were thrilled
when Bobble suggested they hold their wedding there.
Bobbie was also in for a surprise, too.
Jake gifted her with an engagement ring, shocking her.

1986
Sister Camelia (Liz Keifer, left),
Duke Lavery (Ian Buchanan, center)
and Anna Devane (Finola Hughes, right)
at the Angus McKay's funeral.

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An Illustred History (1)

General Hospital's History