A fictional character on the ABC soap opera General Hospital was named Dr. Austin Gatlin-Holt, M.D. He was the late Jimmy Lee Holt’s son, and Charity Gatlin was his wife. Roger Howarth, a former cast member of One Life to Live, played him from May 27, 2021, to November 17, 2023.
Roger Howarth underwent a character transformation after playing Franco Baldwin from May 13, 2013, to March 11, 2021. In the soap series “General Hospital,” he has played Todd Manning from March 5, 2012, to March 20, 2013.
With Franco Baldwin’s passing on March 9, 2021, the plot took an unexpected turn. Instead of saying goodbye to the show, Roger Howarth would be gone for a while, but he would not be leaving the General Hospital set.
There was much speculation up until March 16, 2021, when Howarth’s formal return to the GH studio for production in April 2021 was announced. The intriguing aspect was that no one knew for sure who his new persona was.
Though there was some expectation, the April 1, 2021, disclosure crushed dreams of Todd Manning being retaliated against. There was a persistent sense of suspense about the character he would play when he returned, which gave the soap opera drama an air of mystery.
It was confirmed on April 20, 2021, that Howarth will make a reappearance on screen in May, but in a new role. It is hinted that his next appearance will be “extremely memorable.”
The most recent episode of Dishing with Digest stated that Austin’s name will be made public on GH during the week of July 12, 2021. On July 13, 2021, Austin’s identity as Dr. Austin Gatlin-Holt was made public.
Howarth disclosed on November 20, 2023, that he was fired from GH and that the plot dictated his departure. The last time he was seen was November 17, 2023.
Is Dr Gatlin Holt Leaving General Hospital?
There’s one less nasty doctor in the General Hospital hallways of Port Charles. Following Austin Gatlin-Holt’s tragic shooting death on November 17, both the long-running daytime soap opera and Roger Howarth are bidding adieu to both Austin and the character.
He went on, “I had a great time working at General Hospital, and I hope the actors and crew continue to have success. I had a great time working with every one of you. Life is wonderful. We simply never know what will occur. How wonderful! Face the light in that direction. All the time.”
That person, who was last seen attempting to suffocate his relative with a pillow, has an incredibly positive attitude, but that’s why acting is a thing.
Fans of General Hospital likely weren’t too shocked by Gatlin-Holt’s passing, as they had been wondering for weeks about the character’s whereabouts. Howarth explained his departure in an interview with Soap Opera Digest, stating that the character had come to a creative standstill and his contract had run out.
Howarth has been a midday mainstay for a long time. Howarth portrayed Todd Manning on One Life to Live before joining GH. He has previously been on Loving, Guiding Light, and As the World Turns.
Before assuming the character of Todd Manning on One Life to Live in 1992, for which he received an Emmy, Howarth had a brief stint on the long-since-canceled ABC serial opera Loving. Manning was brought to GH when OLTL was canceled in 2012 by Howarth, but he was then recast as Franco, taking over for James Franco, who, in a confusing turn of events, created that part back in 2009.
Howarth played Franco until March 2021, at which point he reappeared in May as Dr. Gatlin-Holt. Therefore, even though Howarth’s character may no longer be in General Hospital, it’s likely that the soap opera vet will return to Port Charles.
It was disclosed on August 23 that Austin has known Cyrus Renault for a long time and has a relationship with him. Austin’s path to becoming a doctor was made possible by Cyrus, who may have had a romantic relationship with his mother.
He also funded Austin’s education and medical training. Additionally, it was disclosed that Austin and Mason worked for Cyrus and that Austin was the one who saved Nikolas’s life. Howarth points out that his departure was a result of his original choice. Austin ultimately found out that it was time to call time on his character.
Additionally, there was no desire to reinvent a part for Howarth, who had played two different characters in General Hospital during his tenure there, which started in 2012. He has portrayed both Franco and Todd, the role he played that transitioned from One Life to Live. Maybe they thought a fourth refresh was too much.
