Steve Burton has been playing Jason on General Hospital for decades. He recently opened up about how his late co-star Stuart Damon helped shape his career. Keep reading for more about his relationship with the man who played his father on the soap.
From Jason Quartermaine To Jason Morgan
Steve Burton was just 21 when he took on the role of rich kid Jason Quartermaine on General
In 1991, he joined General Hospital in a role he’d play off and on for over three decades. But he’s actually played two roles on the soap opera: Jason Quartermaine and Jason Morgan. In 1995, Jason Quartermaine was involved in a car crash that caused amnesia. He didn’t remember the Quartermaines and eventually turned his back on the family, taking on his grandmother Lila’s (played by Anna Lee) maiden name, Morgan.
Jason Quartermine was a wholesome teenager who never got in trouble. In contrast, Jason Morgan quickly found himself tangled up with Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and the mob. He became Sonny’s righthand man.
Steve Burton left the show for three years over the vaccine requirement but returned earlier this year after the mandate was lifted. Jason Morgan was presumed dead when he left the show but recently returned to Port Charles and the mob life.
But the role of Jason Morgan wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for one of his co-stars.
Stuart Damon Helped Shape Steve Burton’s General Hospital Career
Stuart Damon is one of the most beloved daytime actors. He played Alan Quartermaine, Jason’s father, for 30 years before the show unceremoniously killed Alan off in 2007. The actor made several subsequent appearances as Alan’s ghost.
Stuart Damon passed away in 2021 at the age of 84. Steve Burton shared a heartfelt tribute to his TV dad. He wrote on Instagram at the time, “One of the greatest guys ever. I was so blessed to have this guy play my tv dad. He was so kind, generous, giving, funny, selfless and just an awesome guy.”
The actor had more glowing things to say about Damon during a recent appearance on co-star Maurice Benard’s State Of Mind YouTube series. Benard asked if Steve Burton was the one who approached the soap’s producers back in the day about turning Jason Quartermaine into Jason Morgan.
Burton said he would “never do that” because he was afraid he would lose his job. However, his co-star, who played the Prince in the 1965 TV production of Cinderella, had no such qualms.
“Stuart Damon was a huge advocate for me. He would always go up and go, ‘Hey, give this guy something. He’s good. He’s got something.’ And he was an advocate before you were,” – Steve Burton to Maurice Benard on State of Mind.
According to Soap Hub, Steve Burton also mentioned how Maurice Benard shaped his career by taking him under his wing. Does it surprise you to find out that Stuart Damon played such an essential role in Steve Burton’s GH career? Share your thoughts in the comments.
