General Hospital” vs. “The Young and the Restless:” Actors Who Have Left “GH” For “Y&R

“General Hospital” (GH) has lost talented actors to “The Young and the Restless” over the past few years. Jason Thompson (soon-to-be ex-Dr. Patrick Drake) is the latest actor to leave Port Charles and head to Genoa City. Thompson will see a couple of familiar faces when he sets foot on-set to begin filming his scenes as the new Billy Abbott.

A year ago a Kelly Sullivan arrived at “Y&R” to portray Sage Warner after a nearly two year run as Kate Howard – later discovered to be Connie Falconeri – on “GH.” Sullivan took over the role of Kate/Connie during Jill Farren Phelps tenure as executive producer on “General Hospital.” From the moment Kelly Sullivan brought Sage to Genoa City she has been involved in a front burner storyline with Justin Hartley (Adam Newman/Gabriel Bingham) and Joshua Morrow (Nick Newman).

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Perhaps the most controversial jump from “General Hospital” to “The Young and the Restless” was in 2013 when Steve Burton vacated his role as Jason Morgan, a character the actor had portrayed off-and-on for 21 years. Burton brought Dylan McAvoy to Genoa City in search of Avery Bailey Clark (Jessica Collins) in hopes of rekindling their romance. Since his arrival Dylan has been married to and divorce from Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan), found out he is Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) and Paul’s (Doug Davidson) son, and been engaged to Avery and Sharon (Sharon Case).

Viewers of both soap operas were quite upset, many would say furious, with Steve’s move from “GH” to “Y&R.” Fans of the ABC soap opera were the angriest and either on boycotted both soaps or stopped watching “GH” and began watching “Y&R.” Viewers of the number one daytime drama were upset because they felt new executive producer Phelps was edging out veteran actors and bringing on actors that were deemed “Friends of JFP.”

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Another “General Hospital” actor that has also appeared on “The Young and the Restless” was Genie Francis (Geneviève Atkinson). Though Francis did not leave the ABC soap for the NBC soap – Genie vacated her role as Laura Spencer in 2007 and joined the cast of “Y&R” in March 2011. Geneviève’s time in Genoa City was short – Francis was let go in September 2012.

Tristan Rogers – Robert Scorpio on “GH” – brought Colin Atkinson to “Y&R” in December 2010. But Rogers’s roles on both soaps is a bit complicated. In February 2011Tristan was placed on contract as Colin only to be written out in October 2011.

In March 2012 Tristan Rogers briefly returned to “General Hospital” when it was believed Robin Scorpio- Drake (Kimberly McCullough) had been killed in a lab accident. Robert Scorpio was last seen in Port Charles on March 8, 2012, although he did have another brief appearance in 2015.

Just a few weeks later TPTB announced that Tristan was returning to “The Young and the Restless.”   Though “Y&R” episodes with Rogers as Colin are currently airing, it has been announced that the actor will bring Robert Scorpio back to Port Charles – possibly to facilitate Jason Thompson’s exit as Dr. Patrick Drake.

There has been a lot of movement between the two soap operas over the past few years. “General Hospital” has acquired talented actors from “The Young and the Restless”  also.  Emme Rylan, Maura West, Michelle Stafford and Billy Miller all left front burner storylines at “The Young and the Restless” for “General Hospital.” Does it make you wonder which actor is leaving which soap and going to the other next?

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