The passing of iconic General Hospital star John Reilly, who played the beloved role of Sean Donely, will be marked with a special episode of the ABC soap opera scheduled to air this spring.
GH executive producer Frank Valentini revealed the news to Variety, sharing that Reilly "was a huge part of the [show's] history and will be honored in an upcoming episode that the writers are working on now."
No other details about the tribute have been released thus far, including the exact airdate and the storyline material planned for the special episode. Soap Central will keep you updated when more information becomes available. However, it is likely that the episode will include current cast members Finola Hughes (Anna Devane), Tristan Rogers (Robert Scorpio), and Genie Francis (Laura Spencer) -- all of whom shared storylines with Reilly during his time in Port Charles.
Reilly made his General Hospital debut in June of 1984 and played the role until 1995, with further sporadic returns in 2008 (for the GH primetime spinoff General Hospital: Night Shift) and in 2013. Sean was paired with feisty former B-movie actress Tiffany Hill (played by Sharon Wyatt) for most of his run on the ABC soap, and the pairing is one many GH fans still remember fondly.
To find out how Reilly's daytime colleagues have reacted to the news of his death, read Soap Central's original article on the actor's passing here.
How do you feel about GH planning a special episode dedicated to the late John Reilly? What characters and storyline points do you hope the ABC soap opera includes in the upcoming Sean Donely tribute? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
