General Hospital Relationship Timeline: Laura And Scotty
Before there was Luke and Laura on "General Hospital," perhaps the most famous couple in soap opera history, there was Laura and Scotty, a pair of young lovers who got married too early and who broke up because Luke Spencer came between them in a highly disturbing way. And, while Luke is presumed dead in 2022 with a funeral that aired in January, Scotty Baldwin is still representing clients in the fictional town of Port Charles, where Laura Vining Webber Baldwin Spencer Collins is the mayor and one of his best friends.
Played by the same actors since the 1970s — Genie Francis and Kin Shriner — Laura and Scotty are two characters who have stood the test of time, even if their romance and marriage did not. Take a trip into a soap time machine as we look back at the romance of Laura and Scotty with what brought them together and what keeps them in each other's lives more than 40 years after they first met.
Laura and Scotty grew up before fans' eyes and fell in love
When Scott Baldwin was first introduced to "General Hospital" fans, he was a young boy going by the name of Scott Bentley. He arrived on the Port Charles scene with his mother, Meg Bentley (Patricia Breslin). She married Dr. Lee Baldwin (Peter Hansen), who adopted Scotty, gave him his last name, and raised him as his own after Meg died. Scott eventually left town to attend law school and when he returned, he met young Laura Webber.
Per Soaps In Depth, Laura was the daughter of Lesley Webber (Denise Alexander) but had been raised until her adolescent years by the Vining family who adopted her after Lesley was told her baby had died at birth. When Lesley learned the truth, she forged a relationship with Laura, who eventually chose to live with her and Lesley's husband, Rick Webber (Chris Robinson), adopting their last name. As a teenager, she fell for young lawyer Scotty Baldwin, but had an affair with older man David Hamilton, who she believed she accidentally killed. Still, Laura remained a free young woman and returned to Scotty. The two married in a 1979 ceremony, thinking it would last forever.
Laura and Scotty's marriage didn't survive
As a young married woman with a husband struggling to establish a legal practice, college student Laura got a part-time job at the campus disco to help make ends meet (via Soaps In Depth). That's where she met Luke Spencer (Tony Geary), who also worked there. As Luke fell for Laura, his sister, Bobbie Spencer (Jacklyn Zeman), fell for Scotty, so the siblings conspired to break Laura and Scotty up. While their machinations did not work, one fateful night spelled the beginning of the end of Luke and Scotty's marriage.
As Luke and Laura danced together, Luke raped her on the dance floor. Laura told Scotty she was attacked, but did not tell him Luke was the man who sexually assaulted her. Then, one of the most controversial moves in daytime television history occurred when the rape was rewritten as a "seduction" and Laura fell in love with Luke. Scotty left town and when he returned, he was a changed man forever.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Scotty disrupts Luke and Laura's wedding and life
Luke and Laura got married in November of 1981 with several surprise guests — and 30 million viewers tuning in, notes ABC. As Helena Cassadine (then played by Elizabeth Taylor in a cameo appearance) put a curse upon the couple, Scotty also showed up and shocked everyone when he caught the bouquet. By this point, Scotty was hardened and bitter, remaining forever resentful of the man who raped his wife and broke up his marriage.
Years passed with Scotty spending time living in Port Charles and elsewhere with various love interests and Laura married to Luke, giving birth to his two children, Lucky and Lulu. However, old feelings die hard and when Luke and Laura's marriage had troubles, Scott was happy to pick up the pieces. After years of being with others, Laura and Scotty became an item once again, but Laura turned down his marriage proposal because Luke was always on her mind. However, that didn't mean things were over between them.
Laura falls for Scotty again
Although many years had passed since Laura lived with Rick Webbers, she began having memories of catching him cheating on Lesley with another woman — and killing that woman. She confronted Rick and he tried to kill her, but she ended up killing him in self-defense. However, the trauma of what happened sent her into a catatonic state, per Soaps in Depth, and Luke sent her to live in a mental health facility where she lingered for years, except for a few brief weeks when an experimental drug offered a temporary cure.
After a more permanent recovery in 2008, Laura learned Luke had moved on with Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) and moved to Paris. During her travels, she apparently ran into Scotty, because they both returned to Port Charles in 2013 and announced they were getting married again. However, Scotty could tell she would always have lingering feelings for Luke and that marriage was short-lived, with Laura leaving for Europe once again.
Laura and Scotty remain close old friends
By 2015, both Laura and Scotty were back in Port Charles and this time, it seemed to be for good. However, they both realized that romance wasn't the way to go — at least not with one another. Laura ended up marrying psychiatrist Kevin Collins (Jon Lindstrom) and becoming mayor, while Scotty has spent some time as both the district attorney and a defense attorney. In 2022, Laura remains happily married to Kevin and Scotty is in love with Dr. Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati), but he and Laura still find themselves in one another's orbit more often than not.
Their lives even came full circle in January of 2022 when Tracy and Laura held a memorial for a presumed-dead Luke aboard The Haunted Star. When Tracy stood on deck and tossed Luke's ashes into the wind, they landed straight in Scotty's face as he watched the boat from the docks. When Luke's sister, Bobbie, saw the dust on Scott's face and asked what happened, he gave the perfect answer: "I caught the bouquet" (via Soap Central).