Robert Voets/CBS

News that “The Young and the Restless’” Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor) passed away this morning has rocked the entertainment community, and the beloved actress’ colleagues have responded with an outpour of memories, loving words and final farewells via Twitter. Soap Opera Network has rounded up all of the sentiments written so far, which include kind words from her “Y&R” co-stars and beyond.

Read More >>

On Saturday, April 6, ABC News’ “20/20″ takes a behind the scenes look at ABC’s “General Hospital” as the soap celebrates 50 years on television.

Hosted by Katie Couric, “The Real Soap Dish” gives you a glimpse at the making of an iconic soap and interviews with such stars as Rick Springfield (Noah Drake), Jack Wagner (Frisco Jones), Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer), Genie Francis (Laura Spencer), Sean Kanan (AJ Quartermaine), Ian Buchanan (Duke Lavery), Jason Thompson (Patrick Drake), Sean Blakemore (Shawn Butler), Lisa LoCicero (Olivia Falconeri), Kelly Monaco (Sam McCall), Laura Wright (Carly Corinthos Jacks), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Webber), and many more.

Ron Tom/ABC

Read More >>

Rick Rowell/ABC

As “General Hospital‘s” 50th anniversary celebration kicks into high gear this week with a very special episode airing Tuesday, April 2 (episode was originally scheduled to air on Monday, April 1 as the 50th anniversary celebratory episode), fans will have no chance of avoiding the cast of the series as they grace your TV screens in more ways than one.

Read More >>

On Monday, April 1, ABC’s “General Hospital” turns 50! In honor of the event, fans have been anticipating the return of one of the shows grandest events…the Nurses Ball. While things don’t kick into high gear for the event until the Friday, April 5 episode, we at Soap Opera Network wanted to make sure you got a glimpse of some of your favorite actors before their characters start singing, dancing, and throwing punches.

Read More >>

If you’ve caught “The Young and the Restless’” Thom Bierdz (ex-Phillip Chancellor III) and “General Hospital’s” Ian Buchanan (Duke Lavery) in the web comedy “Old Dogs & New Tricks,” then you know just how much fun it is to see the pair intermingle with middle-aged gay characters in West Hollywood. If you haven’t seen the pair, you’ve been missing out on all of the fun!

Larilee Productions

Read More >>

As we reported last week, “General Hospital’s” Ian Buchanan (Duke Lavery) is currently part of a four-episode arc on the web comedy “Old Dogs & New Tricks,” which follows the misadventures of four middle-aged gay friends in West Hollywood. He now has two episodes under his belt, meaning half the fun is yet to come!

Read More >>

Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

The web comedy “Old Dogs & New Tricks” is in the midst of its second season, and guess what? Not only is “General Hospital’s” Ian Buchanan (Duke Lavery) popping up on the series as Christoph, a Hollywood photographer who becomes a romantic alternative for one of the show’s leads, but it was “The Bold and the Beautiful’s” Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester) who convinced him to join the show!

Read More >>

ABC

On Friday, March 1, during the east coast broadcast of ABC’s “General Hospital“” (2:00 – 3:00 PM ET/11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT), fans of Jack Wagner (Frisco Jones) will be able to chat  live with the soap star as he discusses his characters quest to win the heart of ex-wife Felicia (Kristina Wagner). In the episode, Frisco reiterates  his intention to win Felicia back, and later Felicia confides her quandary to Duke (Ian Buchanan), who urges her to face the problem head on.

Fans of the soap will be able to submit questions to Wagner via the #AskGH hashtag. The actor will respond using his Twitter account @JackWagnerHPK.

People Magazine/Time Warner

The last time People Magazine offerred a collector’s edition of a soap opera was in September 2011, when the mag celebrated the life and history of the then canceled “All My Children.” This time the magazine is celebrating the continued life and history of “General Hospital” with a special 50th Anniversary collector’s edition that finds Luke and Laura Spencer (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis), Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms), Sonny Corinthos and Brenda Barrett (Maurice Benard and Vanessa Marcil), Duke Lavery and Anna Devane (Ian Buchanan and Finola Highes), and Jagger Cates (Antonio Sabato Jr.) gracing the cover.

Read More >>

UPDATE, 4:40 PM ET: Ian Buchanan is in fact portraying Duke Lavery. In an interview report with TV Guide‘s Michael Logan, Valentini says, “We will eventually find out that the Duke Lavery we saw die all those many years ago was an impostor. This is the real Duke.” So yes, we’re in for one of those storylines, folks.

“In the interim, Luke and Anna will find themselves in a new place with their romance and they will be very surprised by the intensity of it,” said Valentini to Logan. “Anna will, of course, be shocked and conflicted, she’ll run the whole gamut of emotions when she finally comes face-to-face with Duke. She’s going to want a lot of answers and Duke is really going to have to prove himself.”

Buchanan will not be seen on the show again for at least another next five weeks, according to TV Guide.

PREVIOUS, 4:22 PM ET: After promising that today’s episode of “General Hospital” was “not to be missed” as the series has “been keeping a huge surprise under wraps,” executive producer Frank Valentini got some good news today as the big reveal began trending worldwide (see images below) just a short time ago.

While live tweeting along with thousands of others, fans of the daytime drama series learned that actor Ian Buchanan had returned to the ABC soap after a 23-year absence. Of course, Soap Opera Network broke the story on Thursday, August 23.

When we last saw Buchanan on the drama series, it was 1989. His character, Duke Lavery, the love of Anna Devane’s (Finola Hughes) life faked his death and entered the witness protection program only to return to the series with a new face as portrayed by actor Greg Beecroft within the same year. The character was killed off in 1990.

A “General Hospital” representative was unavailable for comment at press time. It is currently unclear as to whether Buchanan is in fact portraying a once again alive Duke Lavery. If he is, does that mean Duke faked his death again? If not, who really died? The Tale of Two Duke’s indeed!

Buchanan had just completed his run on NBC’s “Days of our Lives” on Wednesday, August 22 as Ian McAllister, although the series films three months ahead of airdate, which enabled “GH” to snap the actor up quickly for this “secretive” plot twist.