General Hospital Black Hole

The General Hospital Black Hole is a term for when characters disappear for no reason at all. This happens when the writers feel they are useless or when the actor/actress who plays that character quits.

Please don't get this confused with characters who left General Hospital and had a reason. For example, Brook Lynn Quartermaine left to start a focus on music. She would not be included on the list because she left to focus on music. She has since returned and been on contract since 2019.

Characters in the Black Hole

• Lee Baldwin - Was on from 1963-2004. After Lila Quartermaine died, he was written off and never talked about. He was mentioned by Scott Baldwin in 2013 when he said that he wished Lee and Gail Baldwin could be at his wedding to Laura Webber. In 2017, Lee was said to be living in Florida, when he passed away off screen.
• Audrey Hardy - Was on from 1964-2007, 2009, 2013, 2015. A nurse, wife of Dr. Steve Hardy, mother of Drs. Tom Hardy and Jeff Webber. She was a guardian to her grandchildren, Dr. Sarah Webber and Nurse Elizabeth Webber. She was seen less frequently, as the actress retired in 2007. She was occasionally mentioned as babysitting Elizabeth's boys. She was seen in an episode in 2013, and later again in 2015, when she wrote a letter to Elizabeth, and then in a mantle photograph in her son Jeff's house in 2022. She was last mentioned when Elizabeth calls her with the news she was promoted to Head Nurse in 2023.
• Amy Vining - Was on from 1975-2002. A popular and gossipy nurse at GH and illegal adoptive sister of ingenue Laura Webber, after an episode, wasn't talked about or seen until 2014, when it was said she passed away, years earlier.
• Gail Baldwin - Was on from 1977-2004. The psychiatrist matriarch of the Baldwin family. Along with her husband Lee, she was written off in 2004. She was also mentioned by Scott Baldwin in 2013 when he said that he wished she and Lee could be at his wedding to Laura. In 2017, Gail was said to be living in Florida. In 2019, she passed away offscreen.
• Roy DiLucca - Was a mobster once engaged to Bobbie Spencer, and the father of Hannah Scott. He was written off of General Hospital which he appeared from 1978-79, then off Port Charles which he appeared from 1999-2002.
• Jackie Templeton - Was on from 1982-84, 2020-21. The renowned journalist mother of Det. Harrison Chase. Ex-wife of Gregory Chase and ex-girlfriend of Robert Scorpio, she was last seen in June when Chase was on his deathbed in 2021.
• Simone Hardy - Was on from 1987-96. The physician ex-wife of Dr. Tom Hardy and mother of Tommy Hardy. After breaking up with Justus Ward, she was written off as her storyline ended and never mentioned.
• Tommy Hardy - Was on from 1989-97. Entered the Black Hole, along with his mother.
• Marcus Taggert - Was on from 1996-2023. The law enforcement father of Trina Robinson, ex-husband of Portia Robinson, brother of Gia Campbell, oft-enemy of mobster Sonny Corinthos, and critic of the Cassadine family. He constantly chased down reasons to arrest or bring charges against the untouchable Sonny or the wealthy Cassadines, as well as being supportive of his sister or helping clean up her messes.He was absent from the show between 2003-2020, when he reappeared as Trina's dad, who was ecstatic at his return to town. Soon after, her mother was introduced along with her previous affair with Curtis Ashford. The dangers of Taggert's job put Trina in harms way several times, leading to his faked death and the revelation that Curtis could be her father. Once Trina was brought home safe after helping to save the world with her boyfriend, Spencer Cassadine, after they were abducted to Greenland, a paternity test revealed Curtis to be her biological father. They promised to maintain their tight family bond (he started secretly drinking), but his character eventually fell off canvas.
• Alice Gunderson - Was on from 2001-14. A beloved maid at the Quartermaine Mansion, as well as a professional wrestler, who had an unrequited crush on Luke Spencer. Her character had a heart transplant in 2014, was said to have retired, and hasn't been seen since.
• Max Giambetti - Was on from 2001-03, 2006-16, 2018. A well-known bodyguard for the Corinthos mob family, and beloved honorary member of the Corinthos family, he first had a crush on Carly Spencer, before he became involved with Diane Miller and they lived together. He's the older half-brother of Milo Giambetti. They broke up and he hasn't been seen since 2018.
• Lainey Winters - Was on from 2005-11. A psychiatrist who dated Stan Johnson and Justus Ward until he was killed due to his Corinthos mob associations. After an episode, wasn't seen or talked about.
• Cruz Rodriguez - Was on from from 2005-08 as the detective partner of Lucky Spencer at the PCPD. He was written off as his storyline ended.
• Mateo Ruiz - Was on from 2006-07. A priest formerly at St. Timothy's, and the identical twin of the late mobster Manny Ruiz. He was written off as his storyline ended.
• Milo Giambetti - Was on from 2006-19. A well-known bodyguard for the Corinthos mob family, and beloved honorary member of the Corinthos family, he first had a crush on Lulu Spencer, before became involved with Epiphany Johnson and moving in with her, until they split up. He's the younger half-brother of Max Giambetti. He was seen in 2019, mentioned sporadically, and he was seen in two episodes in 2023 - Epiphany's memorial and as Magic Milo at the Nurses' Ball.
• Regina Thompson - Was on from 2007-08 as a nurse. She was written off as her storyline ended.
• Nadine Crowell - Was on from 2007-09. A nurse at GH, after Nikolas Cassadine broke things off with her, she was written off as her storyline ended.
• Leo Julian - Was on from 2007-08. A doctor at GH, when Night Shift ended he headed to General Hospital, where he was written off as his storyline ended.
• Toussaint Dubois - Had a major role on Night Shift, but when it ended, he headed to General Hospital, where he was written off as his storyline ended.
• Winifred Leeds - Was on in 2009. A techie FBI agent who hero-worshiped Damian Spinelli. She was written off as her storyline ended after 4 months.
• Mischa Stephens - Was on in 2009. Was a lackey of Helena Cassadine, who was written off when Helena had no use for her.
• Melinda Bauer - Was on in 2010. After her husband Warren and son Kiefer both died, she fell off canvas. When Michael Corinthos graduated high school, Melinda was mentioned because she donated money to her son's class. After her daughter Kendra attacks Alexis Davis, Melinda is mentioned again as possibly being the person who reported on Alexis and Neil Byrne's relationship.
• Claire Walsh - Was on from 2010-11. A lawyer and federal attorney, she came to town to prosecute Sonny for Claudia Zacchara's murder. She uses ethically questionable tactics to get a conviction to boost her career. She and Sonny briefly become lovers. She is last seen becoming a partner at Mason, Petrovich, and Miller.
• Terrell Jackson - Was on in 2011. When his friend, Dr. Lisa Niles, was put in a coma, he was written off as his storyline ended.
• Grace Yang - Was on in 2011. She was part of the custody trial for Josslyn Jacks, when the trial ended, she was written off.
• Liesl Obrecht - Was on from 2012-23. The Swiss-German neurologist mother of Britt Westbourne and Nathan West, aunt of Nina Reeves, grandmother of James West, and ex-life-partner of Scott Baldwin. Started off in league with the villainous Cesar Faison. Was redeemed through the revelation of Peter August as the true villain, when he set her up to take the fall for his misdeeds; and for helping stop the obsessed Victor Cassadine when he attempted mass genocide. She then donated bone marrow to her dying great-niece Willow Corinthos, and accepting a ride home from Scott on May 19, 2023. She was last seen December 12, 2023, when she officially broke up with Scott.
• Felix DuBois - Was on from 2012-22, 2023. Openly gay nurse at GH and best friend of Sabrina Santiago. Is well known for giving "Grey's Anatomy"-esque nicknames to hospital personnel, and his participation in the annual Nurses' Ball - particularly as part of the striptease group "Magic Milo and the Magic Wands", during which was his last appearance on April 4, 2023.
• Rosalie Martinez - Was on from 2014-15. An in-home nurse, she helped Helena Cassadine in one of her many plots and Nikolas Cassadine to attempt to steal ELQ from the Quartermaines. After she married college friend Brad Cooper to get out of testifying against each other, she was written off as her storyline ended. In 2016, Brad revealed he found a way to end his marriage to Rosalie without having to testify.
• Valerie Spencer - Was on from 2015-19, then several episodes in 2020. A member of the Spencer family, she had an affair with her cousin Lulu's husband Dante Falconeri, joined the PCPD, and had brief relationship with Curtis Ashford, then a friendship/flirtation with Kristina Corinthos-Davis. She was seen in 2019 shortly after passing her detective exam and was partnered with Det. Harrison Chase. She was seen again for a few episodes in 2020, taking her cousin Michael Corinthos' statement regarding his son Wiley Corinthos' kidnapping, then she called Wiley's mother, Willow Tait.
• Aaron Roland - Was on in 2016. Once he broke up with Kristina he was written off as his storyline ended. A few years later it is mentioned that he is still the manager at Perks Coffee.
• Francesca Cavallo - Was on in 2018. A nurse at GH when she finished testifying in Dr. David Bensch's trial she was written off as her storyline ended.
• Daisy Kwan - Was on from 2018-20. She was a member of the Dawn of Day Cult, who recruited Kristina Corinthos-Davis, and the late Oscar Nero-Quartermaine (who was manipulated into giving the leader his ELQ shares upon his death). She was last seen attending Shiloh's memorial on January 16, 2020.
• Phyllis Caulfield - Was on from January 2021-June 2022, and on March 17, 2023. A retired nurse, widow of Lenny Caulfield, and friend and mentor to both Sonny Corinthos and Nina Reeves. She left Nixon Falls after Lenny died and their bar, The Tan-O burned down. Thanks to Sonny and Nina, she became the owner of Charlie's Pub, where she is working offscreen and mentioned sporadically by Kristina Corinthos-Davis, the manager and Sonny's daughter. On December 9, 2024, Sonny mentions that Phyllis went back to Nixon Falls and offers Charlie's to Kristina.

Characters who escaped the Black Hole

• Lesley Webber - Was on from 1972 to 1986 and 1996 to 2009. She is seen in May 2013 after about four years without mentioning or appearing. She came back to Port Charles after her grandson Nikolas Cassadine was shot and Lulu was kidnapped. She later officiated her daughter Laura's wedding to Scott Baldwin. Lesley continues to appear less frequently with her appearing in December 2017, April 2019, and January-February 2021.
• Bobbie Spencer - Was on from 1977 to 2010. She was written off and is hardly talked about, even though her daughter Carly Spencer is still on the show and an important character. She was seen briefly in 2013 and is now said to be in Seattle. She returned again in 2013 and is now recurring in the show. The actress unfortunately passed away, with her final scenes in May 2023.
• Steven Webber - Was on from September 2004 until May 2005. He returned in December 2009, and disclosed that he'd been living in Memphis. In early 2013, he is arrested for murder and sent to a prison in Memphis. Released in September 2024, he returned from October 24-28, 2024, when he came to town to collect his also recently released mother, Heather Webber, and they leave for Sedona, AZ.