Emily McLaughlin was a beloved actress who played nurse Jessie Brewer on the daytime soap opera General Hospital for 27 years. She was one of the original cast members of the show and a fan favorite. However, her life was cut short by cancer, which claimed her life on April 26, 1991, at the age of 62. Here is a look at her career, her personal life, and her tragic death.
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A Broadway Debut and a Hollywood Breakthrough
Emily McLaughlin was born on December 1, 1928, in White Plains, New York, where her father, Frederick C. McLaughlin, was mayor. She graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont with a degree in American literature and then studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City.
She began her career on stage, appearing in Broadway and off-Broadway productions such as The Frogs of Spring, The Lovers, Troilus and Cressida, Richard III, and The Corn Is Green. She also toured with various theater companies across the country.
In 1961, she moved to Hollywood and started to land roles on television shows such as Studio One, Kraft Theater, The Twilight Zone, and The Eleventh Hour. She also made her daytime drama debut as Dr. Ellen Seaton on Young Dr. Malone.
A Soap Opera Icon as Nurse Jessie Brewer
In 1963, Emily McLaughlin was cast as one of the leading actresses on a new soap opera called General Hospital. She played nurse Jessie Brewer, who spoke the opening line of the premiere episode: “Seventh floor, nurses station”. The show’s original premise centered around the drama of Jessie and Dr. Steve Hardy’s personal lives and experiences at General Hospital.
McLaughlin’s character was a loyal and compassionate nurse who faced many challenges and tragedies in her life. She was married four times, widowed twice, had a miscarriage, suffered from amnesia, and battled drug addiction. She also had a long-running rivalry with nurse Audrey Hardy, who married Jessie’s ex-husband Phil Brewer.
McLaughlin became a household name and a soap opera legend for her portrayal of Jessie. She earned a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 1974, becoming the first and only actress nominated for a Golden Globe Award for a role on a daytime soap.
She continued to play Jessie until her last appearance on February 13, 1991. She was one of the longest-serving cast members of the show and had a close friendship with John Beradino, who played Dr. Steve Hardy.
A Turbulent Personal Life and a Battle with Cancer
Emily McLaughlin’s personal life was not as smooth as her professional one. She was married three times and had two children. Her first husband was actor Robert Lansing, whom she married in 1956 and divorced in 1968. They had a son named Robert Lansing Jr.
Her second husband was actor Jeffrey Hunter, whom she married in 1969. However, their marriage was short-lived as Hunter died from a skull fracture after falling down the stairs at his home later that year. They had no children together.
Her third husband was Alfred Earl Knobloch Jr., whom she married in 1970 and divorced in 1973. They had a daughter named Mary Ann Anderson.
McLaughlin also struggled with health issues throughout her life. She suffered from diabetes and had to undergo several surgeries for various ailments. In the late 1980s, she was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Her condition worsened in the early 1990s and she became too weak to work regularly on General Hospital. She was eventually demoted to day-player status but still retained her billing at the top of the cast crawl behind John Beradino.
She died at her home on April 26, 1991, surrounded by her family and friends. She is buried next to Jeffrey Hunter in the Glen Haven Memorial Park cemetery in Sylmar, California.
After her death, John Beradino announced at the end of a General Hospital episode that McLaughlin had died and paid tribute to her memory. However, the character Jessie Brewer was never written out or referred to; she simply disappeared without explanation. Not until years later did Dr. Steve Hardy mention that Jessie had died during an anniversary episode.
A Legacy of Love and Respect
Emily McLaughlin was a talented actress who left an indelible mark on the soap opera genre and the hearts of millions of fans. She was admired for her professionalism, her grace, and her kindness by her co-stars and colleagues.
She will always be remembered as nurse Jessie Brewer, who brought joy and comfort to the patients and staff of General Hospital for nearly three decades.
According to Wikipedia, she was the original female star of the show and a soap opera icon. According to UPI Archives, she was a fan favorite and a household name. According to chroniclesdengen.com, she was a Broadway veteran and a Hollywood breakthrough. According to deadorkicking.com, she was a beloved actress and a tragic loss.
