Helena Cassadine is a fictional character on the American soap opera
General Hospital, famously originated by film actress Elizabeth Taylor
in November 1981. The character later is known to be portrayed by
Constance Towers. After a brief stint by Dimitra Arliss in 1996,
Towers took over the role in 1997 and has returned â€" for periods of
varying length â€" nearly every year since.A fan of the series and
wildly popular supercouple Luke Spencer and Laura Webber (Anthony
Geary and Genie Francis), Taylor called then-Executive Producer Gloria
Monty in 1981 and asked for a featured role. She was cast as Helena,
the vengeful widow of villain Mikkos Cassadine (John Colicos), who had
died at the climax of that summer's popular "Ice Princess" storyline.
Arriving on the canvas on November 10, 1981, Mrs. Mikkos Cassadine
sends her Emissary to all the prominent citizens of PC with
invitations to attend a reception she is giving. Luke and Laura's
November 16, 1981 wedding, featuring Taylor's Helena, was watched by
30 million viewers and remains the highest-rated hour in American soap
opera history. Taylor's last appearance as Helena aired on November
19, 1981. Though gone, the character was mentioned several times in
her absence until Dimitra Arliss appeared briefly as the character on
July 25 and 26, 1996, and Constance Towers was later introduced as
Helena on December 19, 1997. Towers was a regular presence on the
series until April 9, 2002, later returning on October 16 and 17,
2003, in December 2003, and from January 16 to October 2004. Towers'
Helena reappeared in January 2005, April to May 2005, October to
November 2005, January 2006, and from October 2006 to January 2007.
Towers returned from April 13 to April 21, 2009, on June 4, 2009.,
September 30 to October 20, 2009; February 10 to August 6, 2010; June
30 to September 29, 2011 and once again from January 11 to February
29, 2012. On October 31, 2012, it was announced that Towers would once
again return to the canvas in November. She first aired on November 30
and ended her limited run on December 3, 2012. On March 2, 2013,
Highlight Hollywood reported that Towers had returned to the set to
begin work on a new storyline in honor of the show's 50th anniversary.
Towers returned on March 29 and left on April 3 when Helena was
presumed dead. Towers later returned to the role from September 17,
2014 to February 20, 2015 and again on July 9, 2015. Although Helena
allegedly died on camera of natural causes in November 2015, Towers
would return on several occasions in 2016, first for a videotaped will
reading, then as part of several characters' nightmares. In May 2017,
Soap Opera Digest announced that Towers would once again reprise the
role of Helena. In 2019, it was announced that Towers would reprise
the role for a brief guest appearance, which began on August 19 and
ended on August 21. In February 2020, it was announced that Towers
would again make another appearance for the sweeps period.In the
summer of 1981, Luke, Laura, and Robert Scorpio foil Mikkos
Cassadine's plot to freeze the world using a weather machine, and both
Mikkos and his brother Tony are killed while their other brother
Victor is arrested. Mikkos's widow Helena appears in Port Charles just
in time to curse Luke and Laura from the sidelines of their November
16, 1981 wedding. Laura later vanishes without a trace in 1982,
leaving a devastated Luke to search for her. Presumed dead, Laura
reappears in 1983, having been kidnapped by the Cassadines in revenge.
Told that Luke was dead, Laura had been forced to marry Mikkos and
Helena's son Stavros Cassadine, who had fallen in love with her. She
had returned to Port Charles upon learning that Luke was alive,
followed by Stavros; he is ultimately killed, and Luke and Laura are
reunited. Discovering that Laura is pregnant with their first child,
she and Luke leave town in 1984.Having returned to Port Charles in
1993 with son Lucky, Luke and Laura have a daughter they call Lulu in
1994. In 1996 she is diagnosed with aplastic anemia. A mysterious
young man comes to town hoping to help. Laura is forced to reveal that
he is Nikolas Cassadine, her son with Stavros, born during her
captivity. She had been sworn by the Cassadines to leave him behind
and keep his existence a secret as a condition of her release, to
protect Luke from their wrath. Nikolas saves Lulu's life with a bone
marrow transplant, but Luke and Laura's marriage is destroyed by the
revelation of this secret. Around this time, Luke visits a bedridden
Helena, gloating at her condition but vowing to have his revenge when
she is well enough to fully experience him murdering her. Nikolas had
come to town with his calculating but benevolent uncle and guardian
Stefan Cassadine (Mikkos and Helena's younger son) and Stefan's
adopted cousin Alexis Davis. Stefan and Laura had been romantically
involved while she had been married to Stavros and confined on
Cassadine Island. Stefan still harbors feelings for her. With Laura's
marriage to Luke faltering, her own feelings for Stefan are rekindled
as he comforts her. With Helena no longer a threat, Stefan discovers
one of her secrets: Laura's mother Lesley is alive, having been
kidnapped by Helena in 1984 and her death faked. Stefan frees Lesley
and reunites her with Laura.
General Hospital, famously originated by film actress Elizabeth Taylor
in November 1981. The character later is known to be portrayed by
Constance Towers. After a brief stint by Dimitra Arliss in 1996,
Towers took over the role in 1997 and has returned â€" for periods of
varying length â€" nearly every year since.A fan of the series and
wildly popular supercouple Luke Spencer and Laura Webber (Anthony
Geary and Genie Francis), Taylor called then-Executive Producer Gloria
Monty in 1981 and asked for a featured role. She was cast as Helena,
the vengeful widow of villain Mikkos Cassadine (John Colicos), who had
died at the climax of that summer's popular "Ice Princess" storyline.
Arriving on the canvas on November 10, 1981, Mrs. Mikkos Cassadine
sends her Emissary to all the prominent citizens of PC with
invitations to attend a reception she is giving. Luke and Laura's
November 16, 1981 wedding, featuring Taylor's Helena, was watched by
30 million viewers and remains the highest-rated hour in American soap
opera history. Taylor's last appearance as Helena aired on November
19, 1981. Though gone, the character was mentioned several times in
her absence until Dimitra Arliss appeared briefly as the character on
July 25 and 26, 1996, and Constance Towers was later introduced as
Helena on December 19, 1997. Towers was a regular presence on the
series until April 9, 2002, later returning on October 16 and 17,
2003, in December 2003, and from January 16 to October 2004. Towers'
Helena reappeared in January 2005, April to May 2005, October to
November 2005, January 2006, and from October 2006 to January 2007.
Towers returned from April 13 to April 21, 2009, on June 4, 2009.,
September 30 to October 20, 2009; February 10 to August 6, 2010; June
30 to September 29, 2011 and once again from January 11 to February
29, 2012. On October 31, 2012, it was announced that Towers would once
again return to the canvas in November. She first aired on November 30
and ended her limited run on December 3, 2012. On March 2, 2013,
Highlight Hollywood reported that Towers had returned to the set to
begin work on a new storyline in honor of the show's 50th anniversary.
Towers returned on March 29 and left on April 3 when Helena was
presumed dead. Towers later returned to the role from September 17,
2014 to February 20, 2015 and again on July 9, 2015. Although Helena
allegedly died on camera of natural causes in November 2015, Towers
would return on several occasions in 2016, first for a videotaped will
reading, then as part of several characters' nightmares. In May 2017,
Soap Opera Digest announced that Towers would once again reprise the
role of Helena. In 2019, it was announced that Towers would reprise
the role for a brief guest appearance, which began on August 19 and
ended on August 21. In February 2020, it was announced that Towers
would again make another appearance for the sweeps period.In the
summer of 1981, Luke, Laura, and Robert Scorpio foil Mikkos
Cassadine's plot to freeze the world using a weather machine, and both
Mikkos and his brother Tony are killed while their other brother
Victor is arrested. Mikkos's widow Helena appears in Port Charles just
in time to curse Luke and Laura from the sidelines of their November
16, 1981 wedding. Laura later vanishes without a trace in 1982,
leaving a devastated Luke to search for her. Presumed dead, Laura
reappears in 1983, having been kidnapped by the Cassadines in revenge.
Told that Luke was dead, Laura had been forced to marry Mikkos and
Helena's son Stavros Cassadine, who had fallen in love with her. She
had returned to Port Charles upon learning that Luke was alive,
followed by Stavros; he is ultimately killed, and Luke and Laura are
reunited. Discovering that Laura is pregnant with their first child,
she and Luke leave town in 1984.Having returned to Port Charles in
1993 with son Lucky, Luke and Laura have a daughter they call Lulu in
1994. In 1996 she is diagnosed with aplastic anemia. A mysterious
young man comes to town hoping to help. Laura is forced to reveal that
he is Nikolas Cassadine, her son with Stavros, born during her
captivity. She had been sworn by the Cassadines to leave him behind
and keep his existence a secret as a condition of her release, to
protect Luke from their wrath. Nikolas saves Lulu's life with a bone
marrow transplant, but Luke and Laura's marriage is destroyed by the
revelation of this secret. Around this time, Luke visits a bedridden
Helena, gloating at her condition but vowing to have his revenge when
she is well enough to fully experience him murdering her. Nikolas had
come to town with his calculating but benevolent uncle and guardian
Stefan Cassadine (Mikkos and Helena's younger son) and Stefan's
adopted cousin Alexis Davis. Stefan and Laura had been romantically
involved while she had been married to Stavros and confined on
Cassadine Island. Stefan still harbors feelings for her. With Laura's
marriage to Luke faltering, her own feelings for Stefan are rekindled
as he comforts her. With Helena no longer a threat, Stefan discovers
one of her secrets: Laura's mother Lesley is alive, having been
kidnapped by Helena in 1984 and her death faked. Stefan frees Lesley
and reunites her with Laura.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.