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hiding from organized crime, committing murders, and making love on a daily basis to the backdrop of tropical paradises. GH set the precedence and whatever happened on GH, other soaps could only copy. For a time, GH was like a steamy locomotive, hurtling unstoppable down the track, gathering prestigious awards along the way; more daytime Emmys than any other soap to date; designation as one of the Top 100 shows of all time by TV guide; and inclusion in Time Magazine's Top 100 shows of all time.

The most watched soap opera event in history, the GH wedding of Luke & Laura, was equated with such romantic theatrical films as Gone With The Wind and Breakfast At Tiffanys. More than thirty million people tuned in to watch the nuptials. Only the real-life wedding of princess Diana to The Prince of Wales drew more viewers. Actors Genie Francis and Tony Geary were in demand for personal appearances. Their pictures graced the covers of everything from Time Magazine to the Enquirer and they turned up on late-night talk shows and early morning news programs alike. The term "Super-Couple" was coined by Executive Producer, Gloria Monty, and Francis and Geary, in the persona of Luke & Laura, were the poster-children.

But with the Super-Couple idiom came problems. GH's biggest asset eventually became it's biggest downfall. Basing the entire show around the romance of these super-couples created a monster no-one saw coming; dependency on the actors who portrayed them. When Genie Francis decided to leave the role of Laura, fans were so outraged that the show had to create a mystery about her departure. For more than a year, the character of Luke searched for his soul-mate and the fans went along with the search, believing that Francis would return to the role. During the year when Laura was missing, a lot of history was created for the character. The Casadine family, a powerful family with ties to the mob, had supposedly kidnapped her and during her exile, she gave birth to a Casadine heir. The ramifications of this exile still resurfaces as front-burner storylines even today.

The fan's love for the couple as one entity, made it impossible for Luke to move on. The fans grieved and hungered for more of Luke & Laura. Popular recording artist, Christopher Cross, even recorded a song, "Think Of Laura" that soared to the top of the pop charts. Francis, however, steadfastly refused to return to the role, and finally, unable to sustain life as a single character, Luke left Port Charles

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