Noah Drake (Rick Springfield)

Dr. Noah Drake is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. Noah is the father of doctors Patrick Drake and Matt Hunter and is the grandfather of Emma Scorpio-Drake. Rick Springfield portrayed the role from 1981 to 1983. He reprised the role from November 24, 2005 to August 24, 2007 and from July 8 to September 22, 2008.

Storylines
Soon after Dr. Noah Drake arrives at General Hospital in 1981, he gains a reputation of being a playboy. He becomes involved with nurse Bobbie Spencer, but she realizes that he is unable to commit to her. She fakes blindness in order to keep him by her side, but the lies contribute to the end of their relationship. Noah then becomes involved with Tiffany Hill, but when Bobbie returns to work, she and Noah reconcile briefly, after which Noah tries again with Tiffany, but she pulls away. Noah leaves Port Charles in 1983 for a surgical position in an Atlanta hospital.

He returns to the show over 20 years later, when Dr. Robin Scorpio finds him in a bar near New York City in 2005. She asks that he return to General Hospital to consult on Jason Morgan's injury. Noah realizes that he is in no shape to operate due to his alcoholism, but he tells Robin about his son, Patrick Drake, also a neurosurgeon (and played by actor Jason Thompson, who strongly resembles Springfield). The two had been estranged since the death of Patrick's mother, Mattie. Noah blames himself for Mattie's death, and this guilt is the reason that he became an alcoholic. Years of drinking have caused the destruction of his liver from cirrhosis, and he is in desperate need of a transplant. His son Patrick offers to be the donor. Noah refuses, but Patrick goes ahead with the surgery anyway. They both work as surgeons at General Hospital, and come into conflict frequently. Their relationship continues to be strained, but Noah does what he can to assist Patrick with his ambivalent feelings about giving up womanizing, in order to pursue love interest Dr. Robin.

In July 2007, a "1980s rock star character", Eli Love was introduced. Springfield played both parts, Dr. Noah Drake and Eli Love. The story was played for humor, as Drake talked about how much he disapproved of musicians. Anna Devane, Patrick and Robin were all involved in the Eli Love saga. In 2007, Noah once again left Port Charles to become apart of "Doctors Without Borders." On July 8, 2008, Noah returned to Port Charles, and was surprised to learn that Robin is pregnant with his grandchild. On November 3, 2008 his granddaughter Emma Scorpio-Drake is born. During the week of September 15, 2008, GH new resident Matt Hunter was revealed as the son that Noah had with Donna Hunter while cheating on Patrick's mother, Mattie.