Emily McLaughlin

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Emily McLaughlin
McLaughlin as Jessie Brewer, 1967
Born(1928-12-01)December 1, 1928
DiedApril 26, 1991(1991-04-26) (aged 62)
Alma materMiddlebury College
OccupationActress
Spouses
(m. 1956; div. 1968)
(m. 1969; died 1969)
Children2
Parent
  • Frederick C. McLaughlin (father)

Emily McLaughlin (December 1, 1928 – April 26, 1991) was an American actress, known for her long-standing role as original character Nurse Jessie Brewer on the daytime soap opera General Hospital from 1963 until 1991.

Early life

McLaughlin was born in White Plains, New York, where her father, Frederick C. McLaughlin, was mayor. She was educated at Middlebury College and after studying drama began performing in Broadway and off-Broadway productions.[1]

Career

McLaughlin and John Beradino at the 10th anniversary of General Hospital, 1973

McLaughlin made her television debut in 1959, with regular role of Eileen Seaton on the

]

General Hospital

From 1963 to 1991, McLaughlin starred in the soap opera General Hospital as Nurse Jessie Brewer.[2] She was cast as one of the original leading actresses on the series.[3] Registered nurse Jessie Brewer spoke the opening line of the premiere episode, "Seventh floor, nurses station", a phrase that became a staple in the show's early years. The series' original premise centered around the drama of Brewer and Dr. Steve Hardy's personal lives and experiences at General Hospital.[4]

Awards

In 1974, McLaughlin received a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her role. She became the first and only actress nominated for a Golden Globe Award for a role on the daytime soap.

Her character in General Hospital was seen less and less during the 1980s. Although she wanted the steady work and to keep her job, her failing health made it difficult. She was eventually demoted to day-player status, but still retained her billing at the top of the cast crawl, behind only

Sylmar, California
.

Cast of General Hospital 1973 (top):John Beradino, Emily McLaughlin (bottom): Martin West, Rachel Ames, Peter Hansen

After her death, co-star John Beradino announced at the end of a General Hospital episode that McLaughlin had died. However, the character Jessie Brewer was never written out or referred to; she simply disappeared without explanation. Not until years later, during an anniversary episode, did Dr. Steve Hardy mention that Jessie had died.

Personal life

McLaughlin was married to actor

cerebral hemorrhage
on May 27, aged 42.

On April 26, 1991, McLaughlin died of cancer, aged 62. She is interred next to second husband Jeffrey Hunter in the Glen Haven Memorial Park cemetery in

Sylmar, California
.

In 1994, McLaughlin's daughter[5] Mary Ann Anderson wrote and published Portrait of a Soap Star: The Emily McLaughlin Story.[6]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1959-1960 Young Doctor Malone Dr. Eileen Seaton Series regular
1960 The Twilight Zone Doris Richards Episode: "The Jungle"
1962 Checkmate Sue Stoner Episode: "The Bold and the Tough"
1962 The Eleventh Hour Myra Williams Episode: "The Seventh Day of Creation"
1963-1991 General Hospital Nurse Jessie Brewer Series regular
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama (1974)
1966 The Man Who Never Was Kleiner Episode: "Pay Now, Pray Later"
1982 Young Doctors in Love Cameo

Further reading

  • Don Keefer, "Emily McLaughlin's Life Story". Afternoon TV. September 1975, pp. 48–61.

References

  1. ^ "Emily McLaughlin biodata". filmreference.com. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  2. ^ "Obituaries : Emily McLaughlin, Actress, 61". The New York Times. April 28, 1991.
  3. ^ "Emily McLaughlin; 28 Years on 'General Hospital'". Los Angeles Times. April 27, 1991. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  4. ^ Shaw, Jessica (April 1, 1994). "'Hospital' Birth". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  5. .
  6. .

External links