General Hospital (commonly abbreviated GH) is an American daytime television drama and is credited by the Guiness Book of World Records as being the second longest-running soap opera in production and the second longest running drama in television in production. It premiered on the ABC television network on April 1, 1963. Broadcast weekdays and currently repeated nightly on SOAPnet, it is the longest-running serial produced in Hollywood, and the longest-running entertainment program in ABC television history. General Hospital rose to the top of the ratings in the early 1980s in part thanks to the monumentally popular "supercouple" Luke and Laura, whose 1981 wedding brought in 30 million viewers and remains the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history. In 2003, TV Guide named General Hospital the 'Great Soap Opera of All Time.' In 2007, General Hospital was ranked #31 in Time magazine's 100 best TV shows of all-TIME. On September 18, 2009, General Hospital became the second longest running soap opera currently on air. With the cancellation of CBS's Guiding Light, As the World Turns took the number one spot, having premiered in 1956, just 7 years prior to General Hospital. (via Wikipedia)