Following Patrick Mulcahey’s departure as co-head writer earlier this year, a new head writing team has been established at “General Hospital.” The new team’s material will appear on screen starting with the Thursday, August 8 episode.
Elizabeth Korte, named co-head writer alongside Mulcahey in January, will continue as the show’s co-head writer. This time, however, she will work alongside co-head writer Chris Van Etten and associate head writer Cathy LePard as part of a new structure by ABC.
Fans will recall that Van Etten had been the show’s head writer from October 2017 until January of this year, when the show decided to make changes at the top with the sudden ouster of Van Etten and co-head writer Dan O’Connor. Their material aired through mid-March.
In May, it was revealed that Van Etten had returned to the show as a breakdown writer following a pitch he made over the Heather Webber (Alley Mills) storyline, which would explain why the character went on a murderous rampage as a serial killer. Within moments after Van Etten’s name appeared back in the credits, it was announced that Mulcahey would be exiting the series as co-head writer. Initially, it was reported that Korte would be the sole head writer. However, Van Etten was immediately promoted to the position of co-head writer alongside Korte.
Before head writing at “General Hospital,” Van Etten had been a breakdown writer at the show since May 2012, joining the writing staff under the show’s then-head writer, Ron Carlivati. Before that, Van Etten had been working at “One Life to Live,” where he started as the assistant to the show’s executive producer, first for Gary Tomlin and then Frank Valentini (now executive producer at “General Hospital”) from 2001-2003.
Van Etten became a writer’s associate at “One Life to Live” before being promoted to continuity supervisor, followed by associate head writer in August 2005. By November 2006, Van Etten had become a breakdown writer at the since-canceled New York-based daytime drama series. In 2008, Van Etten won his first Daytime Emmy Award as a member of the “One Life to Live” writing team.
A veteran of primetime television with a background that includes writing and producing for such shows as The WB’s “Safe Harbor” and “7th Heaven” and ABC’s “For the People” and “The Fix,” LePard is relatively new to the daytime world, having joined the “General Hospital” writing team in late 2023 as a scriptwriter/breakdown writer. Her other writing credits include the comedy “The John Laroquette Show” and dramas “The Division” and “Love Boat: The Next Wave,” the latter of which she helped create.
According to sources, while all three will break down storylines for the series, LePard, in particular, will also continue writing scripts and outlines.
In June, “General Hospital” won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing Team, marking the series’ first win in 15 years. The series also took home the award for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series and Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series.