Film star James Franco has been a guest star on the popular ABC daytime drama, General Hospital (GH) since mid-November. His decision to join the soap, even for a short period of time, left many in the industry puzzled and wondering the reasons behind his decision. Franco's character was promoted with a sense of mystery and intrigue and has GH fans wanting more.
James Franco and General Hospital (GH)
With decreasing soap opera ratings and the cancellation of other popular soap operas on other networks, daytime television is constantly searching for creative ways to increase viewership. ABC daytime took advantage of an opportunity to accomplish this by incorporating film star, James Franco into the storyline for the Emmy winning daytime drama, General Hospital.
James Franco has starred in several successful films, including Pinneaple Express and Milk, and is a Golden Globe winner and nominee. This type of recognition proves that the actor's career is not suffering, so many people are wondering why he would choose to do a soap opera at this point.
Franco approached General Hospital to appear on the soap. According to the November 6, 2009 issue of the Wall Street Journal (Digital), Franco approached the soap for research on an upcoming project. The details of that project are still not clear.
ABC & General Hospital Promotion of Franco
ABC promoted Franco's debut in several ways. In the two weeks prior to his debut, television promotion was a major factor. This included commercials with mysterious undertones that announced Franco's appearance and used Adam Lambert's version of "Mad World" as background music.
Furthermore, it was clear from the promotions, at least to GH fans, that Franco's character would be involved with the General Hospital mob storyline. James Franco's character, ironically named "Franco", plays the role of an artist that apparently has a passion for crime scenes and murder. From the advertisements, his character interacts with the lives of the fictional mobsters of GH, including Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan.
ABC daytime was not the only source of publicity for Franco's General Hospital debut. At least two publications also noted the actor's appearance:
- Entertainment Weekly - Franco's debut was chosen as a "must watch of the week"
- People Magazine - Franco's debut on November 20th was #5 of the "5 things to watch this week"
Franco's GH Performance and Storyline
The characters that surround the GH mob storyline are mob boss, Sonny Corinthos (portrayed by Maurice Benard) and mob enforcer, Jason Morgan (portrayed by Steve Burton). Both of these actors are Daytime Emmy winners. Franco's character is especially linked with Jason Morgan because it appears that the character is obsessed with Jason's "work", or the art of murdering people. But how the entire storyline will unfold is still unclear.
Franco's performance to date has lived up to its mysterious expectations. He has created an atmosphere of danger and sensuality surrounding his character. The interesting aspect of his performance is his ability to portray his character without overshadowing the performance of his costars. However, at times Franco's performance can be very powerful, which crosses the line between soap and movie star.
James Franco made his debut on ABCs General Hospital in mid-November for a limited two month run. Although his choice to join the soap was misunderstood by his peers, GH fans eagerly anticipated his appearance on the soap. His performance has lived up to the promotional expectations that surrounded it and fans are looking forward to watching how the story unfolds.
Reference
Kung, M. (2009, November). James Franco's Upcoming "General Hospital" Appearance Explained. Speakeasy: The Wall Street Journal Digital Network.
Michele Whitney - Over 10 years of diverse professional experience, PhD candidate in Public Service with an undergraduate degree in Marketing and an MBA.
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