Steve Hardy (John Beradino)

Dr. Steven "Steve" Hardy, MD was a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera General Hospital. Steve was an original cast member of the show, and was portrayed by John Beradino until the death of both the character and the actor in 1996.

History
Steve was born in China to American missionary parents and was very devoted to his career and patients. His first patient at General Hospital was a girl named Angie Costello. Angie had been in a car accident with her boyfriend Eddie Weeks and her face was badly disfigured. She underwent hours of surgery to repair her face and came out covered in bandages. Angie was insecure about her looks after the accident and she contemplated suicide. Steve and nurse Jessie Brewer were able to talk her out of it though.

In February of 1964 Audrey March came to town to visit her sister, Nurse Lucille Weeks. Audrey immediately fell for Steve and decided to stay in Port Charles. The couple became engaged and was married in February of 1965. Audrey believed Steve was sterile when she failed to conceive a child. She had herself artificially inseminated and became pregnant. After a car accident, Audrey miscarried and, devastated, she filed for divorce and left town to go to Vietnam where she aided orphans.

Steve was promoted to Chief of Staff at General Hospital in 1976. Terri, Rick, and Jeff Webber came to town. They were the children of Lars and Helene Webber. When Jeff shot himself and was lying in his hospital bed, Terri told Steve of a letter she knew of that was written by her mother. In the letter, it said that Jeff was Steve's son, not Lars'.

Audrey had married Dr. James Hobart by this time, but her loveless marriage was falling apart. When James left her, she attempted suicide. Steve found her and rushed her to the hospital. Audrey lived and expressed her undying love for Steve. The two remarried and were very happy. Steve planned to adopt Audrey's son Tommy, believing that his father Tom Baldwin had died. But then, Tom returned to Port Charles alive, meaning that Steve and Audrey's marriage was invalid, since Audrey was still legally married to Tom. When Tom finally left town and left them alone, Steve and Audrey remarried, legally, and Steve adopted Tommy.

Audrey and Steve had been keeping the secret that Jeff was Steve's son. But, when an epidemic of Lassa Fever swept the hospital and Steve became ill, Audrey thought he was dying, and so she decided to tell Jeff the truth. Steve recovered though and Jeff became hurt and cold toward him. Eventually, they bonded though.

Steve died of a heart attack in 1996. He had been working tireless hours trying to keep the hospital out of financial ruin.