History of the National Health Service Emergency Ward 10 was first broadcast in 1957 on ITV and ran until 1967 and followed the life and loves of the staff and patients of the fictionalised Oxbridge General. ITV later followed this up with General Hospital which borrowed much from Emergency Ward 10 in terms of its themes and focus. The idea of a medical hospital as a suitable and popular setting for a soap opera continued to take root in the 1980s. Casualty, set in an A&E department, was first broadcast in 1986 and has since become the longest running medical drama in the world. At a
Alan Quartermaine (General Hospital) Alan Quartermaine (General Hospital) Alan Quartermaine is a fictional character from "General Hospital", an American soap opera on the ABC network. Actor Stuart Damon first appeared in the role on September 12, 1977. According to an interview on the "Soapnet" talk show, "Soap Talk", Damon first appeared in the role of Dr. Alan Quartermaine on September 12, 1977. After several nominations, in 1999, Damon won his first Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category for his portrayal of Alan during his addiction to the drug Hydrocodone. After 30 years with the series, Damon was reportedly fired from the