GLORIA MONTY, FORMER EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF ABC'S GENERAL HOSPITAL,SUBCUMBS TO CANCER
Gloria Monty, who was executive producer for over a decade on ABC Daytimes General Hospital, succumbs to cancer, Thursday, March 30th in Rancho Mirage, CA.

After directing other successful shows including The First Hundred Years and The Secret Storm, she took over the reigns of General Hospital in 1978 at a critical time for the daytime drama. Network executives challenged her to help turn around the show while at a time in its history was struggling.
With her vision, she helped make the show become an international sensation and was the top-rated daytime drama for nearly a decade.

Under her watch, the show garnered five nominations for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series and won two, once in 1980-81 and again in 1983-84. She was single-handedly responsible for changing the face of daytime with her adventurous storylines among the younger characters to reach out to younger viewers and the creation of internationally recognized supercouples Luke and Laura, Frisco and Felicia and Robert and Holly. In addition, she gave the sets a more contemporary look and feel and made sure production values were more like those of network primetime series.

"She created the legacy that we continue to uphold while producing General Hospital. She was a wonderful leader and friend and she will truly be missed," said Brian Frons, president, ABC Daytime.

"As a music director on GH during Gloria's early reign, I had the great good fortune to watch her genius at work. She was tough and fearless and brilliant, and I learned so much from her. General Hospital was reshaped by her vision and daytime as we knew it would never be the same again. She will always be remembered by everyone in the industry but especially by those of us who were part of her beloved GH family," said Jill Farren Phelps, executive producer, General Hospital.

Emmy winning actress Jane Elliot (GHs Tracy Quartermaine) adds, "In the late 1970s, Gloria Monty transformed soap opera viewing from a housewives pastime to ˜the" cool thing to do. As I was a beneficiary of that transformation, I will be eternally grateful and will miss her terribly. I can't wait to see what she does with heaven."

"Gloria was one of the great innovators of daytime TV. She put GH at the top of heap in the early 1980s. More importantly, she also gave me one of the great chances of my career by turning 13 weeks into 28 years. I will be forever grateful, "said Emmy winning actor Stuart Damon (GHs Dr. Alan Quartermaine).

"Gloria Monty was a pioneer with great clarity and vision. Her creative ideas had and continue to have an enormous impact for the entire daytime television industry. For those of us who knew and worked with her, we loved Gloria as family," said Jacklyn Zeman (GHs Bobbie Spencer).

Funeral arrangements are private. Ms. Monty is survived by her sister Norma.