'General Hospital' executive producer infuses old, new to keep soap relevent

NEW YORK (WABC) -- In an era when many soap operas are saying goodbye, ABC's "General Hospital" seems to be enjoying a bit of a renaissance.

When Frank Valentini checked into "General Hospital" a few years back, he asked himself a simple question: how could the show be made great again? And he found his answer by finding the right mix of old and new.

Ryan Paevey, a former model, is part of a new breed of soap star, keeping what fans affectionately refer to as GH relevant in the 21st Century by attracting a younger generation to a show that drew their mothers and grandmothers.

"I just felt as an outsider, I could bring a certain amount of energy to the show that I thought was lacking before I got here," Valentini said.

He is a hands-on executive producer for whom no detail is too small, as entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon discovered when he made a brief cameo appearance.

And upstairs casting director Mark Teschner is always on the hunt for the next big star.

"Daytime is about discovering new faces, not just using familiar faces," he said. "It's finding the balance, and part of our life blood is to take chance on young actors."

Who works and who doesn't is often determined by the show's loyal viewers, though sometimes whether an actor stays or goes depends on his or her ability to memorize lots and lots of words.

"It all boils down to professionalism," Paevey said.

The scripts are written in Manhattan by Ron Carlivati and his team, and Valentini hails from Brooklyn, so while "General Hospital" may be located in Hollywood, the soul of the Big Apple is in its DNA.

"Growing up in Brooklyn makes you tough, makes you strong and stand up for yourself," Valentini said. "I think I like to use that every day."

Valentini said the toughest part of his job is endurance, shooting 250 hours of TV every year in less time than it might take to make a single feature film that lasts just a couple of hours.

You can watch "General Hospital" every weekday afternoon at 3 p.m. on Channel 7.