Twenty-five years ago, Friday the 13th was an extremely lucky day for Maurice Benard as he commenced what would be an iconic run on ABC’s General Hospital.

To mark the major milestone, ABC is airing a nostalgic promo, exclusively brought to you first by TVLine.

Benard’s daytime-TV debut came with a three-year run on ABC’s All My Children, as Nico Kelly. A few years later, on Aug. 13, 1993, GH viewers were introduced to Sonny Corinthos, a nightclub owner and racketeer into whose orbit an impressionable young Karen Wexler stumbled (watch one of his first scenes below).

Months later, Sonny would help a plucky Brenda Barrett clean up a mess on the docks (watch scene at bottom). From there on, as Sonny rose up in the criminal ranks and was weaved into storylines involving Luke Spencer, a quartet of Carlys, Jason Morgan né Quartermaine and several Brenda lookalikes, he and Benard’s performance became synonymous with ABC’s No. 1 sudser.

To date, Benard has amassed seven Daytime Emmy nominations, grabbing gold for the first time in 2003 (the same year that onetime leading lady Vanessa Marcil won her first Emmy). He also has collected four Soap Opera Digest Awards and four ALMA Award nominations.

Watch the promo above (set to “I’ll Be There” by Jess Glynne) and share your thoughts on Benard’s GH legacy.



FELICIA AND MAC MEET SONNY CORINTHOS

SONNY CORINTHOS MEETS BRENDA BARRETT