General Hospital is bringing back a familiar face. This time, the hit ABC soap is going way back with this actor.
Entertainment Weekly revealed that Chad Brannon will return to General Hospital in March. It is interesting because the last time General Hospital viewers saw him as Zander Smith, he was shot dead.
He is to begin taping at the end of this week. Chad will air sometime in March as the mystery character. This leads to many questions and speculation among viewers who remember the time Chad Brannon aired in Port Charles.
Who was Zander Smith on General Hospital?
Zander Smith was the biological father of Cameron Webber. He had a short fling with Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and they conceived a little baby boy. She was married to Rick (Ric Hearst) and he was in a hot and cold relationship with Emily (Natalie Livingston).
He led a troubled life and was involved with the mob and drugs. That is how he fell into the same social circle as Emily Quartermaine. Their relationship more like star-crossed lovers, which ended in him being shot dead after taking her hostage.
Chad Brannon held the role from 2000-2004.
Is Zander coming back to General Hospital?
Details surrounding Chad Brannon’s return to General Hospital are being kept under wraps. It was confirmed he will begin taping at the end of this week and begin airing in March. That, however, could change if the shows are continuously preempted due to the ongoing impeachment hearings.
Speculation is that he could be used as Zander Smith as a figment of someone’s imagination, presumably Cameron (William Lipton). This is his senior year, and he is dealing with a lot because of Franco’s (Roger Howarth) brain tumor news being made public.
Based on Zander’s involvement with the mob in the early part of his existence in Port Charles, his death could have been faked. Although returning nearly two decades later is a bit mysterious. But, stranger things have happened on the soaps, and with the way things are headed on General Hospital, Chad’s return may not be the most strange thing viewers will have seen.
Of course, playing Zander Smith again may not be the case. Soaps love to throw in twin storylines to liven things up, and this would be the perfect opportunity. Chad Brannon could be playing Zander’s long-lost identical twin brother.
There is also the possibility that Chad will be someone completely new. They did this with other actors in the past, including Roger Howarth and Michael Easton. Whoever he plays, it is likely to bring back some nostalgia when seeing him in scenes with Rebecca Herbst.
Be sure to tune into the episodes leading up to his debut, February sweeps promises lots of surprises on the way.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.