John Beradino’s Final GH Episode Still Resonates
John Beradino’s Final GH Episode Still Resonates
Johnathon KornbleeSun, April 19, 2026 at 8:59 PM UTC
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On April 19, 1996, General Hospital original cast member John Beradino made his final appearance as Dr. Steve Hardy after more than three decades on the series.
Beradino had been part of the show since its premiere on April 1, 1963, portraying Steve Hardy, the Chief of Internal Medicine at General Hospital in Port Charles.
In his final episode, Steve visits the hospital and shares a tense exchange with his son, Dr. Tom Hardy (Matthew Ashford), questioning his role and future at the institution. “Is it so unreasonable for me to assume you could take over the hospital when I step down?” he asks.
Beradino’s final line on the show comes during the exchange, as Steve pointedly asks when his son will finally grow up. “Seems like never,” he says before storming out.
One month later, it was announced that Beradino had died at the age of 79 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
The character of Steve Hardy was written out shortly afterward. On July 15, 1996, Tom discovered his father had died of a heart attack in his office, leading to a memorial attended by family, friends and colleagues.
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When General Hospital celebrated its 30th anniversary, Beradino spoke with Variety about the show’s early days. “I figure they wouldn’t make it, but I might as well get some money,” he said.
Beradino explained that the original pilot, titled "The Emergency Hospital,” was not picked up. “They rewrote the show, called it ‘General Hospital,’ and recast it with me and Emily McLaughlin,” he recalled.
He also noted that he was given a five year contract, something he said “was unheard of” at the time.
During his time on the series, Steve had multiple romances, but it was his relationship with Audrey March (Rachel Ames) that resonated most with viewers. The pair married three times between 1965 and 1977.
Steve had two children: Jeff Webber (Richard Dean Anderson) with his ex Helene Webber and Tom Hardy, his adopted son with Audrey.
For his portrayal of Steve Hardy, Beradino received three Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC and streams weeknights on Hulu.
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
