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Kate Howard
General Hospital character
Portrayed byMegan Ward (2007–10)
Kelly Sullivan (2011—)
Duration2007-10, 2011—
First appearanceMay 4, 2007 (2007-05-04)
Created byRobert Guza Jr.
In-universe information
Other namesSee alternate personalities
Occupation
  • Editor in Chief of Crimson
  • Part-Owner of MetroCourt Hotel
    Former
  • Fashion Editor for Couture Magazine
  • SpouseJohnny Zacchara (2012—)
    ChildrenTrey Mitchell
    Aunts and unclesTalia Falconeri
    Theresa Falconeri
    First cousinsVito Falconeri
    Violetta Falconeri
    Vinnie Falconeri
    Phil Falconeri
    Olivia Falconeri
    Dante Falconeri
    Other relativesLulu Spencer-Falconeri
    Anthony Zacchara
    Gino Solito
    Claudia Zacchara

    Katherine "Kate" "Kate" Howard (born Constanza Louise "Connie" Falconeri) is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital. The character was originated by actress Megan Ward, who portrayed the role from 2007 to 2010. In September 2011, the role was re-introduced with actress Kelly Sullivan, who has portrayed the role since.

    Casting and character conception

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    Casting

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    The role of Kate Howard was originated by actress Megan Ward in May 2007. Ward remained on contract with the series until 2009, when she and actor Rick Hearst were dropped to a recurring status.[1] Ward continued to make appearances as Kate, until she vacated the role in 2010; her final appearance as Kate was on October 20, 2010. In Summer 2011, it was highly rumored that then-new headwriter Garin Wolf was looking to recast the character. In July 2011, it was confirmed that actress Kelly Sullivan had been cast as the re-cast of the role. Sullivan debuted in the role on September 12, 2011.[2]

    Characterization

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    Megan Ward

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    Megan Ward has stated in various interviews that in her opinion, Kate Howard is a woman full of contradictions. She is a character constantly trying to hide where she came from and who she really is, Connie Falconeri:[3]


    In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, Megan Ward further adds:[4]


    Megan Ward stated in an interview with Soap Opera Weekly:[4]


    Megan Ward has also stated she relates more to Connie than to Kate:[4]


    Kelly Sullivan

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    During an interviewer with soap columnist Michael Fairman of Michael Fairman On Air On Soaps, Sullivan admitted she wasn't hesitant in taking over the role of Kate. She spoke:[5]


    Sullivan also admitted she did not know about the "split personality" storyline:[5]


    Sullivan also stated she'd love for Victoria Lord (Erika Slezak) and Jessica Buchanan (Bree Williamson) to crossover from One Life to Live to General Hospital to help Kate out with controlling her alter, "Connie":[5]


    In an interview with MSN Entertainment, Kelly Sullivan has stated in interviews that coming in as a recast, stating it's never easy to come into a recast and that all she wants is for people to enjoy for the common cause of the series.[6]


    She also stated that she's rooting for Kate's alter-ego, Connie, to come out as the underdog winner.[6]


    In the interview, Sullivan also discussed portraying a character with Dissociative Identity Disorder.[6]


    Ron Carlivati

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    In an interview with Michael Fairman of On Air On Soaps, show headwriter Ron Carlivati opened up about the character's decent into her life with D.I.D.. He said:[7]


    Introduction

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    Upon first introduction, Kate Howard is approximately 40 years old (born c. 1967, later retconned to 1969.[note 1] and famous for being the editor-in-chief of a high fashion magazine, similar to the character of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. Her history is told through bits of dialogue, primarily between her and the character Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard). Through these glimpses, it is revealed Kate Howard was born Constanza Louise Falconeri, Connie for short by those who knew her.[8] She was raised in Bensonhurst, New York, to an Italian American family, where she worked at a bakery and attended Sacred Heart Catholic school in Brooklyn, New York.

    At the age of 18, wanting a better life for herself, Connie legally changed her name to Kate Howard, after Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. Her desire was to choose an easily recognizable name that alluded to a good background and social standing. She attended Princeton University, on a full scholarship and worked her way up the ranks to become the editor of the fictional top fashion magazine, Couture. Since then, she has hidden her past as Connie Falconeri, claiming instead to be from Connecticut.

    Kate and mob boss Sonny Corinthos dated as teenagers and had planned to run away together, but on the night they were to leave, she stood him up. She later explained to him that she wanted to pursue her dreams of having a career, something she could not do had she run away with Sonny.

    Storyline

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    2007–10

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    The character was introduced to the show on May 8, 2007 when she walked into Sonny's office unannounced and demanded the use of a phone because her car had broken down. She at first pretended she did not know Sonny, but he eventually recognized her as Connie Falconeri from Bensonhurst. Diane Miller (Carolyn Hennesy), Sonny's lawyer, later mentioned Kate Howard is considered one of the "100 Most Powerful Women in America" in the fictional world of General Hospital. She purchased a mansion next door to Sonny and proceeded to re-decorate to serve as her vacation residence, much to the annoyance of Carly Jacks (Laura Wright), Sonny's ex-wife. However, though Kate knows Sonny is a mobster she is badly shaken when she witnessed Sonny physically threatening Jerry Jacks (Sebastian Roché), and rethinks her desire to pursue a new relationship with him.

    During a reception for a charity sponsored by the singer Eli Love, Kate was suffering from a headache and mistook a libido-enhancement pill for ibuprofen, which she found in her boss' jacket, Warren James. She then visited Sonny Corinthos, while she was under the effects of the drug, and seduced Sonny. On another occasion, Kate, who does not swim, rescued Morgan Corinthos from drowning in her pond. While she was in the pond, she was bitten by a snake and was hospitalized.

    Kate Howard was arrested for reckless driving and for a hit and run. She side swiped a police car and did not stop. She also has a prior traffic violation in which she also side swiped a parked car, while she was in the Hamptons, but did not stop. She received a six months suspended license for the first violation. Kate cites this as one of the reasons why she moved to Port Charles, New York. Her lawyer had advised her to not visit the Hamptons for a while and thus, she bought the house in Port Charles. She was released into Sonny's custody, after spending the night in jail. Diane Miller was attempting to work on a plea agreement for Kate. As a thank you for her work, Kate was going to reward her by scheduling her a fitting for a custom designer dress. The interim District Attorney, Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst), refused the plea agreement seeking to take revenge on Sonny through Kate.

    Kate's friend and former lover was Trevor Lansing, Ric's father and he arrived in town on August 22, 2007. He blackmailed Ric, unbeknownst to Kate, and threatened him with losing custody of his daughter Molly if he did not accept reducing the charges against Kate. The charges were reduced. A plea agreement was reached with a fine and community service.

    Upon learning of Kate's close relationship with Sonny, Trevor contacted personal friends to remove advertisements from Couture. He wanted to blackmail Kate into choosing between him and her career or Sonny.[9] She chose her career. After a confrontation between her and Trevor, Kate was drugged and got into a car accident.[10] She was later arrested and tried for reckless driving. She received six months of community service and forced to wear an ankle monitor thanks to Sonny blackmailing the judge.[11] She is now doing community service as part of her six month community service sentence. Trevor had her fired from Couture magazine due to a breach of her contract. Kate has decided to become a fashion designer and start her own magazine. Jasper Jacks (Ingo Rademacher) is financing the magazine.[10] Kate moved back to Manhattan trying to get away from Sonny. Warren offered her her job at Couture. Nevertheless, Sonny went to Manhattan looking for her.

    Sonny, after a few days in Manhattan, had to leave the city because of a restriction order. This was filed after he assaulted a man at an art gallery show on New Year's Eve. Kate briefly worked as a collaborator for Couture but is again in charge of the magazine.[12] Sonny later came back to take Kate to Bensonhurst. They visited several memorable places from the youth. Sonny then proposed. Kate did not answer and ran away. She later went looking for Sonny in Port Charles and she told him that she did not accept his proposal because he does not love her as who she is now. He loves Connie from Bensonhurst. Megan Ward echoes her character's words; she stated Kate "fears that Sonny is really in love with the girl she was and not the woman she has become".[13] Kate's cousin Olivia Falconeri (Lisa LoCicero) moved to Port Charles to be her maid of honor.

    An emotional Kate met with Jasper Jacks. Megan Ward explains her character was "feeling very lost" and that is "why she came clean to Jax".[14] She told him about her life as Connie in Bensonhurst. Jax questioned her about what her family thought about this. Before she could answer, Carly interrupted. Sonny has asked the same question, which Kate has not answered. Fans and soap opera magazines speculate the character of Kate Howard is keeping a secret which forces her to keep her real identity secret.[15]

    Later, Kate met with Sonny in an attempt to reconcile with him and kissed him. Kate, while visiting a building she wanted as a based on operations for her new magazine, was shot by Sonny's son, Michael Corinthos (Dylan Cash), by accident. Sonny found her and rushed her to the hospital. Kate survived the surgery but knows the gunshot wound took some years off her life. She forgave Michael for what happened.

    Kate and Sonny knew each other since their childhood in Bensonhurst, a tough Italian area of New York City. They often talk about their shared past and wonder what would have happened if Connie and Sonny had run off and gotten married. Kate and Sonny have been dating off and on since September 2007. Kate did not like Sonny's sons, finding them ill-behaved, until they became part of the package of dating Sonny. She helped Sonny with getting his daughter Kristina into a private school.

    Sonny has cheated on her twice, once with Claudia Zacchara (Sarah Joy Brown) and once with ex-wife Carly on the way back to Port Charles after dropping off their son Michael in his permanent care facility. Sonny was worried Carly was pregnant in late July, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

    Sonny and Kate attempt to marry, however, their happiness was cut short due to her getting shot at the alter. Sonny was as well stabbed on Halloween and saved by his Carly. Kate then learns from Jax that Sonny and Carly slept together again; this leads Kate to officially end her relationship with Sonny.

    Kate learned Sonny's late wife Claudia is the one that hired Dr. Ian Devlin to shoot Sonny (which led to Michael getting shot instead). She later learned that Anthony was the one that shot her.

    In 2010, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna), then known as Dominic, was found out to be Sonny's son from his short-lived relationship with Kate's cousin, Olivia. Sonny and Kate have a conversation about Kate's knowledge of Dante and the fact she kept it from him since they were teenagers. Kate also acknowledges she finally knows that they were never meant to be, with Sonny nodding his head in agreement. It is also implied Sonny doesn't hold a grudge that Kate didn't tell him about Dante.

    2011—

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    In September 2011, after almost a year off-screen, Kate (now portrayed by Kelly Sullivan returned to Port Charles, resuming her role at Crimson. Since returning, Kate has been helping Sonny come to terms with his childhood abuse from his father. The pair return to Bensonhurst in December, and spend Christmas together. They later decide to re-bond and re-build their relationship slowly.

    Kate admits to Sonny that whenever she's leaving town, she's not going to meetings, she's seeing a psychiatrist. It's later revealed that during her run-in with Jax, he signed over his share and rights to the MetroCourt to her, making her Carly's partner in the running of the hotel. After an argument with Sonny, it's revealed that Kate still has possession of her bloody wedding dressed, locked away in an oak chest. Kate continues to get dropped phone calls and mysterious calls from unknown callers.

    At the Pulmonary event at the MetroCourt, Johnny unveils that Anthony is not his father but his grandfather. He promises to make Sonny pay for destroying his family. In the parking garage, a hitman shoots at Dante; Sonny interferes and gets shot himself. Upon finding out Sonny had been shot, Kate rushed to the garage and began to zone out of reality. She then visited Sonny in the hospital and left his side after he wanted to take revenge, ending their relationship again. She then goes to the dock, in her bloody wedding gown and is unsure of why she's there. She continued to act very despondent, and had difficulty recalling the events on the night. Kate then confesses to Dr. Ewen Keenan (Nathin Butler) that she's been finding random pieces of paper with names and phone numbers on them following her blackouts.

    After splitting with Sonny, the two reconnect on her desk. She continues to insist she is not "Connie" but "Kate. However, once he leaves, she continues to smell her old perfume. She shows up at Johnny Zacchara (Brandon Barash)'s and insists she is "Connie" and that "Kate" is the one with the problem. As "Connie" hatches her plan to use Johnny as a ploy to get "Kate" away from Sonny, "Kate" continues to struggle with her memories fading in and out. She confesses to Ewen that does still does not remember certain things about her days and he insists she possibly suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, also know as DID. Johnny then arrives at the Crimson offices and pushes Kate to let Connie out, who ropes Johnny back into her plan, despite his decision to not go ahead with it. As they begin to have sex on her office desk, Kate re-emerges and throws Johnny out, cowering into her sweater, confused over her actions.

    As Kate continues to be forced between herself and Connie, sometimes losing control for several hours at the time, she begins seeing Ewen as her official therapist. Ewen suggests that they he hypnotize her, in order to find out why "Connie" was created. As Connie emerges, she reveals that she was created to protect Kate from Sonny's hold and that he's almost gotten them killed one, and that he's on the verge of having it happen again. She also confesses to planting a gun in Kate's office in order to send Sonny to jail for murdering Cole Thornhart (Van Hughes) and Hope Manning-Thornhart.

    In April 2012, Kate agrees to have herself voluntarily committed into a mental institution, to gain control of herself from Connie. She agrees to it, as long as she's able to say goodbye to Sonny. She then arrives at Sonny's home, and tells him she has something to tell him. However, she's interrupted by the jury's verdict in Sonny's trial, which resulted in him being found guilty. They are interrupted again by Max and Olivia, the latter of whom attacks Kate once again over changing her name and alienating her past. Cracking under Olivia's pressure, Kate runs off and has a confrontation with Connie (through her psyche) and results in Connie, once again, being unleashed.

    Connie (as Kate) then decides to throw Sonny a birthday party, mixed with a party for him being found not guilty on charges of murder. At the party, Connie destroys his birthday cake and then sleeps with Johnny. After Sonny catches "Kate" with Johnny, he breaks off their relationship with Kate then returning. When she agrees to Dr. Keenan's terms of turning herself into the psych ward, Connie reemerges, bashing Ewen over the head. Connie then decides to leave Port Charles, but not before getting into a physical altercation with Carly, who discovers a paper labeling Kate with DID. At the airport, Kate attempts to escape, with no avail. When her plane is about to board, she runs into Jason, who stops her from getting on. After Jason rattles Connie, Kate re-emerges, only to be contained by PCPD for attacking Dr. Ewen. Jason helps arrange a meeting between Sonny and Kate, in which she admits she has a multiple personality that has caused the rift between them.

    During her time in a psych hospital, Kate relives painful memories concerning her teens. She relives the painful memories of being raped by Joe Sully, Jr. (Richard Steinmetz), which resulted in her pregnancy. She admits that while left Sonny because of the pregnancy and for the fear of what Sonny could have done if he ever knew. She confesses that after having her son, she left him in a drawer in her boarding school, and legally changed her name to Kate Howard to escape the painful past. Kate later discovers her son is alive, and living under the name Trey Mitchell (Eric Valdez), who is currently dating Sonny's daughter Kristina Davis (Lindsey Morgan). After Sonny proposes, Kate begins to feel conflicted again, and transitions back into Connie. At their wedding, Connie unveils herself and reveals her marriage to Johnny, as a blackmail situation to keep Johnny's secret over killing Cole and Hope, a confession Connie took credit for.

    Reception

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    General Hospital fan response has been overwhelmingly positive of the pairing of Sonny Corinthos and Kate Howard. They are consistently among the Top 10 Couples with the wedding of Sonny and Kate becoming a sweeps event for GH.[16] Fans were disgusted in March 2009, when ABC announced General Hospital was dropping Megan Ward to recurring status and Rick Hearst (Ric Lansing) off contract, which resulted in him last airing that June.[1]

    Following Sullivan's inception of the character, she was given the title of "Performer of the Week" on On Air On Soaps. Site editor, Michael Fairman, stated:[17]


    Alternate personalities

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    • Connie: Connie is believed to be the manifestation of Kate's hatred for her live in Bensonhurst and the equivalent of One Life to Live characters Victoria Lord and her alter Niki Smith and Jessica Buchanan's Tess. Unlike Kate, Connie has a strong disliking her the fashion industry (often criticizing Kate's sense in fashion as "stupid") and Sonny.
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    The character of Kate Howard is reminiscent of Miranda Priestly (portrayed by Meryl Streep) from The Devil Wears Prada and Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue.[4] Megan Ward has stated she has also based her character on Aerin Lauder and Kelly Wearstler.[4]

    Kate Howard's real name, Connie Falconeri, may be a reference to The Godfather's Connie Corleone, who is the sister of Michael Corleone and Santino "Sonny" Corleone (whose names are reminiscent of Sonny Corinthos).

    References

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    1. ^ a b Kroll, Dan J. (2009-04-06). "Rick Hearst, Megan Ward first casualties of "impending bloodbath"". Soap Central. Soapcentral.com. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
    2. ^ Fairman, Michael (2011-07-21). "GH casts Kelly Sullivan as the new Kate Howard!". On Air On Soaps. Michaelfairmansoaps.com. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
    3. ^ "Megan Ward Online, Interview with Megan Ward". Website.lineone.net. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
    4. ^ a b c d e "Di Lauro, Janet. Soap Opera Digest, "Megan Ward: Daytime Fashionista"". Soapoperadigest.com. 2007-10-05. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
    5. ^ a b c Fairman, Michael (2012-04-27). "The Kelly Sullivan Interview – General Hospital". On Air On Soaps. Michaelfairmansoaps.com. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
    6. ^ a b c "Kelly Sullivan Is a Woman Divided on 'General Hospital'". MSN Entertainment. Social.Entertainment.MSN.com. 2012-3-31. Retrieved April 16, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    7. ^ Fairman, Michael (2012-03-21). "GH's Head Writer, Ron Carlivati dishes on Heather Webber, Robin's death, Liason, Kate's DID & One Life Crossovers!". On Air On Soaps. Michaelfairmansoaps.com. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
    8. ^ "Daytime Index Page". Abc.go.com. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
    9. ^ Soap Opera Weekly, "GH's Kate Crashes - and Burns Sonny", September 18, 2007
    10. ^ a b ABC's Soap Opera's In Depth, "Kate breaks up with Sonny", October 23, 2007
    11. ^ "Daytime Index Page". American Broadcasting Company. Abc.go.com. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
    12. ^ ABC's Soaps In Depth, "Engaged? Sonny pops the question to Kate", Issue of January 28, 2008
    13. ^ Soap Opera Digest, "Strangers in the Night", page 36. Issue of February 5, 2007
    14. ^ Soap Opera Digest, "Hot Plots Preview: Kate wants Sonny back", page 18. Issue of February 19, 2008
    15. ^ ABC's Soaps in Depth, "February Sweeps", page 4, Issue of February 11, 2008.
    16. ^ ABC's Soaps in Depth, "Reader's Poll", pages 38-39. Issue of February 25, 2008
    17. ^ Fairman, Michael (2012-05-20). "DAYS Chandler Massey and GH's Kelly Sullivan named Power Performances of the Week!". On Air On Soaps. Michaelfairmansoaps.com. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
    1. ^ Though Kate's original date of birth is established as June 3, 1972, in June 2012, it was revealed that she was raped in early January several months before her 18th birthday; her child would've originally been born sometime in September 1990; however, due to Trey being 25 in September 2012, he would've been born in September 1987 re-establishing Kate's birth year as 1969
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