Robert "Franco" Frank[3] is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama General Hospital. He has been portrayed by James Franco since November 19, 2009 and has been listed as a special guest star before the opening credits. James Franco was last seen on January 13, 2012. Roger Howarth is now currently portraying the character since May 13th and he revealed his identity on May 29th.
James Franco left the role for a short time on January 11, 2010. He returned to General Hospital on June 30, 2010, and his character was part of a summer-long storyline. He returned for two episodes on Febuary 25 and 28, 2011. Franco returned on September 20, 2011 and assumed to be murdered on January 13, 2012 by Jason Morgan. However, it is revealed in May 2013, that Franco (now played by Roger Howarth) survived the shooting and escaped the burning studio. Franco is an eccentric and reclusive photographer, sociopath, and serial killer. He is a former graffiti artist.
Prior to being seen on the show, Franco witnessed Jason, Max, and Milo disposing of the body of Claudia Zacchara, after she had been killed by her step-son, Michael Corinthos on November 5, 2009. He then sent photos of a re-enactment that he had created of Claudia's murder to Jason.
Franco with his signature CO77X tag
Franco disguises himself as a homeless vagrant and spray paints his tag, CO77X, on a wall where Joey Limbo and his crew have been hired by Anthony Zacchara to murder Sonny Corinthos and Dante Falconeri. Limbo notices Franco and asks him what he's doing. Franco says nothing but holds out his hand for spare change. Joey throws down some coins which fall to the floor.
On November 20, 2009, Franco, still dressed as a vagrant, witnesses Jason, Sonny, Max, Milo and Dante engage in a shoot-out with Joey Limbo and his men. Joey and his men get shot; and Jason, Sonny, Max, Milo, and Dante leave. Seeing that Joey is still alive, Franco approaches his body and steps on his neck until Limbo dies. He then repositions his body in an odd position.
Following the incident, Franco attends the opening for his art exhibit, filled with numerous crime scene re-enactments, which has been organized by Maxie Jones and Kate Howard for Crimson. Maxie is placed in charge of insuring that all Franco's needs are met, which takes a turn for the worse when Franco takes her back to his studio. Later on when the two are alone, Franco blindfolds her, takes photographs of her in a chalk outline, and then sleeps with her.
During the week of December 7, 2009, Franco finally comes face-to-face with Jason Morgan, offering him beer and pretzels, unnerving Jason about how much he idolizes how he murders people, calling it art, telling Jason they are the same. Franco is less than thrilled with Jason's lack of respect for Franco and his work. Jason leaves after Franco tells him he saw Michael kill Claudia. Once Jason has left, Franco decides to send Jason another message to let him know he's serious. On December 14, Spinelli goes over to Franco's to confront him about his sleeping with his then-girlfriend, Maxie. Franco tells Spinelli to tell his "Stone Cold" he's not through with him yet.
On December 15, Maxie and Lulu break into Franco's apartment to look for photos of Maxie to dispose of them, and they run into Franco's agent Gillian Carlyle, who informs the two young ladies that Franco's back in Paris. On December 18, Franco is in an alley when he is approached by Dante's cop partner Ronnie Dimestico; it is then revealed that the two have been working together for quite a long time. After Ronnie leaves, he is run over by a dark car driven by Franco, and Lulu rushes him to the hospital. Lulu encounters Franco in Ronnie's room after Franco told Ronnie to give Jason Morgan a message. He then exits, and soon after, Jason and Dante arrive. Ronnie, hooked up on a ventilator, gives Jason the message, and CO77X is seen spray painted in Ronnie's hospital room. During the week of December 28, Franco kidnaps Jason's girlfriend Sam McCall and his best friend Carly Corinthos. Franco waits for Jason to come and try to rescue them. Carly manages to escape, however. On January 6, 2010 Franco goes to Crimson to get Maxie for a game with Jason where he would have to choose between Sam and Maxie, but she is not there, so he kidnaps Lulu. Both Sam and Lulu are strapped to bombs. Jason rescues Sam, and Dante rescues Lulu. Franco soon leaves town after leaving Jason a video message.
2010
While Jason is in prison to protect his nephew Michael, he kills a man, Carter, who has been tormenting Michael. As Carter loses consciousness, he tells Jason that Franco says "hi."
On July 1, 2010, Franco is seen as a homeless person who is holding up a sign saying, "Will entertain for money." Diane Miller comes across him and says she left her purse at home when Franco asks her for some change. So instead, he pulls out a little toy monkey to entertain her and tells her he hopes to get a real one someday as she hands him twenty dollars that she had in her briefcase, and a stick of gum. After she leaves, Franco gets up and spray paints his tag on a crate. When Jason goes home, Franco follows him to Harbor View Towers. The next day, while Maxie is alone talking on the phone, Franco steps out of the elevator and hands her six red roses.
When Dante and Jason visit Franco's mother, Karen Anderson, she tells them that she doesn't have a son.
Jason and Dante later head to Los Angeles, where Franco is preparing a large exhibit at the MoCA based on his exploits in Port Charles. While searching for Franco, the pair discover a DVD revealing that Franco had paid Carter off to attack Michael in order to play mind games with Jason. Jason chases Franco to the top of a building, which Franco seemingly jumps off of. It is later revealed that it wasn't Franco, and that he simply faked his death.
It is revealed that Franco took Aiden Cassadine to give to his mother to raise as the son that she always wanted. Lucky Spencer later reclaims the child without incident or reprisal from Franco.
Franco is mentioned when his agent attempts to ask international model Brenda Barrett to pose for a few pictures. Knowing of Franco's history as a serial killer, Brenda turns down the offer, refusing to glorify violence for money.
2011-2012
Franco is seen in February of 2011, when Brenda Barrett's limo explodes. He asks Jason if he "liked the fireworks."
In late 2011, Franco watched Jason and Sam as they prepared for their wedding. In November, Franco followed them on their honeymoon in Hawaii. Franco tricked both Jason and Sam into drinking a drugged beer. He makes it seem that he has raped Sam while Jason was trapped by him and watching on a TV monitor. Jason finds Franco in an undisclosed studio. Franco taunts Jason upon his arrival. Jason shoots Franco twice in the chest and leaves him there in his burning studio. It is later revealed that Sam is pregnant, and at first it is believed that the baby is either Jason or Franco's. The paternity test results come back and Jason, not Franco, is shown to be the father. But Franco had one secret that died with him.
In early 2012, Jason finds a disc from Franco. He and Sam play it, and it is a recording of a newborn baby in a hospital bassinet with an ID bracelet that says Baby Boy Moore. They assume it's Jason, as his birth mother was Susan Moore. They have no idea why Franco sent this. In late March 2012, Sam visits the hospital where Jason was born. The only information she finds is that Heather Webber was in the room when Jason was born. Sam then goes to Ferncliff after finding out that Heather is there. Heather explains that Susan gave birth to two babies, and that the one in the photograph Sam shows Heather from the video isn't Jason. Heather tells Sam that Jason's twin brother was sold to a nurse, Betsy Frank. Sam realizes that is Franco's "mother's" name, meaning that Jason and Franco were fraternal twins. Heather is happy to know that she is related to Franco, because she admires his work.
Knowing that Jason and Franco were brothers, Sam realizes that the paternity test may not be correct since they didn't take that into consideration. Sam gets a DNA sample of Franco from John McBain, who has connections to the FBI, and has her doctor Kelly Lee do a DNA test against both potential fathers. When Sam gets the results, they say that Franco, not Jason, is the father of her baby.
Jason has trouble coming to grips with the idea of Franco being the baby's father, and doesn't know if he can raise his child as his own. On June 1, Daniel Edward Morgan was born. On June 8 it was shown that Jason was the baby's real father not Franco. Heather Webber switched the paternity test.
2013 Return
A mystery man (being portrayed by Roger Howarth, famous for playing Todd Manning - a characteer originated on One Life to Live) is seen walking into one of The Chew’s green rooms. The man is watching a television screen taping AJ Quartermaine and Tracy Quartermaine trying to deal with the disastrous pickle relish showdown because the food experts, the other personnel, and Elizabeth Webber have just recently gotten food poisoning.It is implied that he is the one that caused the food poisoning.Tracy Quartermaine makes AJ Quartermaine take the blame for the disaster.The mystery man also speaks to the production assistant Todd, but gets him to leave with the excuse that Mario Batali should be treated to.
The mystery man is then seen flying from New York City to Port Charles, New York.A fellow passenger comes and sits with him and the passenger asks if he is famous.He replies with a comment about what constitutes being famous or something down those lines.He states that he is going to Port Charles to hopefully both business and pleasure.
The mystery man is then seen talking to Heather Webber.He states that he hurt Sam Morgan. Then he is seen renting out the Haunted Star from Lulu Spencer-Falconeri, who has just recently lost her memory of past events.He is able to avoid revealing his name and states that the party is where he is going to reveal his identity.
