General Hospital Spoilers: Helena Cassadine and The Cassadine Family Tree Explained

Don’t let their royal lineage fool you, the General Hospital‘s Cassadine Family are one of the most traitorous clans in all of soap opera history. Although General Hospital began on ABC in 1963, it really hit its stride in the 1980s and part of that success is due to the mostly evil Cassadine lineage. Back in 1981, we were introduced to Mikkos, Victor and Tony Cassadine and in present day Port Charles, Prince Nikolas reigns supreme (with a little help from his bossy son Spencer) at the family mansion Wyndemere on Spoon Island. Here’s a run down of the entire forked and evil family tree…

Prince Mikkos Cassadine – Oldest of the known Cassadine, he was married to (and survived by) Helena. He was portrayed first by John Colicos then Joseph Mascolo. To achieve his goal of global domination, Mikkos created a weather machine on his Greek island, powered by the world’s largest diamond – the Ice Princess. He froze to death, victim of his own freeze machine, after an epic fight with Luke Spencer. With wife Helena, he fathered Stefan and Stavros. With side piece and Swedish opera singer Kristin Bergman, he fathered Alexis Davis and Kristina Cassadine. He had one other child, Valentin, mother unknown, who is reported to be the worst of all the brood, but has yet to crop up on the show.

Helena Cassadine – Married to Mikkos and mother to Stavros, Stefan and Irina, she was originally portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor, briefly by Dimitra Arliss and then mostly by Constance Towers. She personally murdered a good portion of Port Charles including some of her own family. Also known as a vile kidnapper and attempted murderer, she faked her own death and also survived being shot, poisoned, pushed off a cliff and exploded.

Victor Cassadine – Younger sibling to Mikkos, Victor was in on his big brother’s evil weather plot, but still found time to bed B-movie actress Tiffany Hill. He was portrayed by Thaao Penghlis. Victor managed to escape death in the weather machine disaster, but was imprisoned and thought to have died behind bars (alas, not). He returned, over 30 years later, as head of the WSB and partner in crime with the dangerous Dr. Liesl Obrecht.

Anthony “Tony” Cassadine – Another younger sibling of Mikkos and offspring of Adara and Adrian Cassadine (parents of all three of the elder Cassadine boys that appeared on the show in the early 1980s), he was portrayed by Andre Landzaat. He had an affair with Alexandria “Alex” Quartermaine but they were murdered by brother Mikkos by freezing in an ice chamber.

Sofia Cassadine-Davidovitch – Never seen sister of Mikkos, Victor and Tony.

Petros Cassadine – A cousin and dead ringer for Mikkos, he was also portrayed by John Colicos. He showed up briefly in Port Charles, entangled with Sean Donely and Robert Scorpio and left town swearing vengeance never to be seen again.

Dimitri Cassadine – Another cousin to Mikkos, Dimitri showed up in the mid 80s, portrayed by Michael Carvin. He’s a poor relation from Brazil and plotted with Sean Donely to steal the Quartermaine fortune. He and Sean turned on each other, Dimitri got the cash and fled with it back to Brazil, never to be seen again.

Prince Stavros Cassadine – The prince was first brought in as a cousin, but then the storyline changed to have him as the next generation prince, eldest son of Mikkos and Helena. He abducted, illegally married and impregnated Laura Spencer resulting in the birth of Nikolas. He was first portrayed by John Martinuzzi then Robert Kelker-Kelly. He “died” once in 1983 from a fall down the stairs but was later revived from a cryonic sleep. He died again by falling down a shaft while in another fight with Luke.

Prince Stefan Cassadine – Second son of Mikkos, he was played by Stephen Nichols. He raised nephew Nikolas. He plotted the downfall of the Spencer and the hospital itself in vengeance over Stavros’ death. He married and divorced Bobbie Spencer, was engaged to Katherine Bell, had an affair with Laura whens he was with Stavros and then again when she and Luke were divorcing and fell for Chloe Morgan (Quartermaine adjacent). Stefan was thought to be murdered by Luke but turns out it was a suicide staged to implicate Luke.

Alexis Davis – Alexis is the daughter of Mikkos and Kristin Bergman, sister to Kristina and is played by Nancy Lee Grahn. Her kids are Sam Morgan (fathered by Julian Jerome), Kristina Davis (Sonny Corinthos) and Molly Lansing (Ric Lansing). She grew up not knowing who she was due to trauma induced amnesia caused when Helena cut her mom’s throat in front of her as a child. Luke Spencer helps her recover her identity but she later surrenders her title of Princess. She was in a fake marriage to Jasper Jacks, was in love with Ned Ashton, had a one-nighter with Julian, Sonny and Mayor Floyd. She was married to Ric, dated Shawn Butler and rekindled things with baby-daddy Julian.

Kristina Cassadine – Kristina is daughter of Mikkos and Kristin Bergman and sister to Alexis who named her youngest daughter after her. Played by Jaime Ray Newman, she was also a princess by birth who was stolen by Mikkos and given to the Carters to raise after Helena murdered her mother. Jax brought her to Port Charles to reunite with Alexis. She fell for Ned but was fatally wounded by a bomb at Sonny’s warehouse set by Luis Alcazar.

Valentin Cassadine – Son of Mikkos, mother unknown. Rumored to be the worst of them all, he’s never appeared on the show.

Irina Cassadine – Daughter of Helena, Irina cropped up on Wyndemere claiming to be an amnesiac then fell for Ethan Lovett but who was apparently an assassin working for her mother. She went briefly by the name Cassandra. When she stopped cooperating with Helena, she had her killed. Played by Olga Vilner.

Prince Nikolas Cassadine – Son of Stavros and Laura and half-brother to Lucky Spencer, Nikolas has been played by Tyler Christopher and Stephen Martines then Tyler again. He came to Port Charles to donate bone marrow to half-sister Lulu and the three sibling grow close. He gets involved with Sarah Webber, Gia Campbell but loves Emily Quartermaine who he later marries. He cheats on her with Courtney Matthews who becomes pregnant then dies after giving birth to their son Spencer. He is later involved with nurse Nadine Howell, Elizabeth Webber, Brook Lynn Ashton and was engaged to Britt Westbourne.

Samantha “Sam” McCall Morgan – Sam is daughter of Alexis and Julian as a result of a one night stand. Played by Kelly Monaco, she was also close to adopted special needs brother Danny. She was involved with Jax, Sonny, Ric and Lucky but then marries and has a child with Jason Morgan named Daniel Edward. She was later involved with Silas Clay and Patrick Drake.

Kristina Corinthos-Davis – Daughter of Alexis and Sonny as a result of one night stand. She’s been played by a number of actors when she was a baby and very young child, then Kali Rodriguez, Lexi Ainsworth and Lindsey Morgan. Abused by boyfriend Kiefer, she then goes to Yale after dad Sonny gets her in. There she meets Trey Mitchell, but then she drops out, stars in a mob themed reality show, then marries Trey. After his death, she transfers to Wesleyan.

Molly Lansing-Davis – Daughter of Alexis and Ric Lansing, she has been portrayed most recently by Haley Pullos. She’s involved with TJ Ashford.

Prince Spencer Cassadine – Precocious son of Prince Nikolas and Courtney Matthews, he’s portrayed by Nicholas Bechtel. He’s crushing on Emma Scorpio-Drake and then fake dates Josslyn Jacks to make her jealous.

Daniel “Danny” Morgan – Son of Sam and Jason. Recently survived a bout of leukemia. Played by a variety of very young actors.