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Former One Life to Live stars turned General Hospital stars Michael Easton (John), Roger Howarth (Todd), Kristen Alderson (Starr) will cease work at GH on Friday, February 8.
UPDATE 12:56PM: Soap Opera Digest confirms that Howarth and Alderson will exit as well. In addition, Prospect Park intends to recast the roles of Todd, Starr and John after failing to work out a contract with the stars.
Original Report: As previously reported, due to legal issues surrounding GH’s usage of One Life to Live characters John McBain, Todd Manning (Roger Howarth) and Starr Manning (Kristen Alderson), Easton (and presumably Howarth and Alderson) will exit General Hospital this month. Easton posted the following message on his Facebook page, commenting publicly for the first time on the issues involving his status and future at GH.
[textblock style=”6″]I heard a rumor of some lovely people who were going to stop by the studio for a certain riff raff’s birthday. Some others who wanted to deliver a cake. Even more wonderful folks who wanted to send cards and treats and I want you to know I am incredibly humbled by these gestures but unfortunately I will not be around to enjoy them. I’ve been informed, that due to some ongoing legal this and that, I cannot be at “General Hospital” after February 8th and since I know many of you go to great trouble to do something special, I just don’t want to see anybody’s efforts go to waste (especially the lovely person who always sneaks in the fine Irish Whiskey). If it’s not too bold, may I suggest a donation to The American Cancer Society instead. Then some good will have come out of this…
…Miss you guys already.
Michael[/textblock]
An hour later he posted an update, apologizing if he upset any fans.
[textblock style=”6″]Didn’t mean to upset anybody, was just trying to address the birthday stuff. Honestly not sure what the future holds but I think it’s going to take some time and some very bright people to resolve it. Thank you again for all your kindness and support…[/textblock]
Prospect Park reclaimed rights to the characters, which were licensed to ABC last year, for the online version of One Life to Live. The three stars are under contract with General Hospital.
TVSource Magazine reached out to General Hospital for comment. “‘General Hospital’ is excited about Michael Easton, Kristen Alderson and Roger Howarth staying on the show and we are exploring ways to allow that to happen,” says a rep for the show.
We will continue to follow this story as it develops.
ARCHIVED: THE PROSPECT PARK TIMELINE – OLTL/AMC
- ABC Cancels ‘All My Children’ and ‘One Life to Live’
- Brian Frons Reveals AMC/OLTL Cancellation Was A Year In The Making
- Ron Carlivati Joining ‘GH’ Writing Team After ‘One Life’ Series Finale
- New Life for ‘All My Children’ and ‘One Life to Live’
- Prospect Park Negotiating With Unions; Meets With Stars from ‘AMC’
- Four ‘OLTL’ Stars Sign On With Prospect Park
- Susan Lucci Declines Prospect Park Offer, Will Not Continue with ‘All My Children’
- Prospect Park Announces Tentative Launch for TOLN
- More Stars Sign on to Continue With ‘One Life to Live’ Online
- Prospect Park Shelves ‘One Life to Live,’ ‘All My Children’ Online Projects
- ‘GH’ Shake-Up: Jill Farren Phelps OUT; ‘OLTL’s’ Frank Valentini Named New Executive Producer
- ‘One Life to Live’s’ Frank Valentini, Ron Carlivati To Take Over ‘General Hospital’ Effective January 2012
- Prospect Park Revives Plans for ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘All My Children’
- Susan Lucci In Talks with Prospect Park for ‘All My Children’ Reboot
- Prospect Park’s Plans for ‘All My Children,’ ‘One Life to Live’ Unveiled
- Vincent Irizarry Joins ‘All My Children’ Reboot; Prospect Park Names New ‘OLTL’ Executive Producer
- ‘All My Children,’ ‘One Life to Live’ Creator Agnes Nixon Issues Statement on Prospect Park’s Reboot
- Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams Sign On To ‘All My Children’ Reboot
- It’s Official: Prospect Park Confirms ‘All My Children,’ ‘One Life to Live’ to Begin Production Next Month
- Jerry verDorn Signs on for Prospect Park’s ‘OLTL’; Cameron Mathison, Alicia Minshew to Rejoin ‘AMC’?
- Prospect Park and WGA Reach Deal for ‘All My Children,’ ‘One Life to Live’ Reboots
- Robin Strasser signs on for ‘One Life to Live’ reboot
- Robert S. Woods and Erika Slezak Sign on for ‘One Life to Live’
- ‘General Hospital’ Characters Todd, Starr and John to Exit, Return to ‘One Life to Live’
- ‘All My Children’ Cast, Production Update From Prospect Park
- One Life to Live Cast, Production Update From Prospect Park
- ‘All My Children,’ ‘One Life to Live’ to Premiere in the Spring on iTunes, Hulu Platforms
[…] Michael Easton, Roger Howarth, Kristen Alderson to Cease Work at ‘General Hospital’ on February … […]
[…] writer Ron Carlivati is working on “clever” ways to work around the issue. This was a scenario hinted at months ago when GH reps confirmed they were exploring ways to keep the actors on the […]
[…] actors, who last aired on General Hospital at the end of March, were forced to vacate their roles on February 8 as a result of failed negotiations between ABC and Prospect Park, the […]
[…] this spring, crossed-over characters from One Life to Live were forced to leave General Hospital. Viewers eventually learned they would return, but as new characters, and […]
[…] today it was reported that Howarth, Alderson and Easton would cease working on General Hospital at the end of next week, […]
Ment Todd and Carly. YES
Keep Roger with Carly. YES
Wherever Roger Howard goes He has active followers.
He really needs to stay on GH. Todd and Carly were beginning a great thing.
Recasting Todd (unless Trevor St John agrees to return but that is unlikely) and John will no doubt be a failure. I don’t get why PP wants the characters so badly, it’s not like recasts are going to draw in many John/Jolie, Todd/T&B and Starr fans. I wonder how GH will be able to keep the actors on the show, with Michael Easton all they have to do is bring back Caleb Morely (but not as a vampire) but finding a way to keep Roger Howarth and Kristen Alderson will be extremely difficult.
screw u ABC for always effin everything up!!! Leave them on GH…finally started likeing GH and there they go ruining it again
I guess what the fans want is irrelevant when it comes to FV’s selfishness and bias towards his faves. He doesn’t deserve to be EP of GH because the only thing he cares about is himself and OLTL.