General Hospital fans got a history lesson in Laura’s (Genie Francis) gnarled family tree when she consulted with psychic Chelsea (Jen Ray) about her “brother.”
That part was a ruse, as Laura doesn’t have a brother, she was testing the medium to see if she’s legit, or if she is a big con, or just in general what to do with her now that she’s the mayor and must uphold law and order. Long-time fans have got to be loving how far wild-child Laura has come over the years!
And they will remember that back in the day, when the Cassadines were large and in charge, that Laura and her sister Amy, the late Shell Kepler, got up to quite a lot of daytime drama together.
If you don’t remember, here’s a flashback snapshot of the amazing Shell Kepler, who appeared off and on in Port Charles from 1979 to 2002. The beautiful and talented actress passed away due to renal failure at the age of 49 in February 2008.
After leaving General Hospital, the Ohio native moved to Oregon where the generous lady had a hand in raising funds for charity. She was also a successful businesswoman and sold her clothing line, Lacy Afternoon, on the Home Shopping Network.
Kepler’s credits included Port Charles, Three’s Company, and CHiPs.
For decades Kepler delighted fans with her portrayal of Laura’s younger step-sister. The snoopy nurse was a fixture at General Hospital and was always ready to gab or gossip about the latest hunky doctor or Port Charles shenanigans. She was spirited, full of energy, and not afraid to voice her opinions, even though her bosses reprimanded her regularly.
Amy was silly and fun, and no one since has quite matched the zany exuberance that Kepler brought to our screens.
Fun fact: Nurse Amy Driscoll (Risa Dorken) debuted in 2016. Like Amy Vining, she was blond, peppy, and full of loving mischief. Was her name a shout-out tribute to Kepler?
This fan would love to think so!
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.