Roger Howarth (Todd Manning) will be sticking around Port Charles longer than originally anticipated. According to a new report, the Emmy-winning actor has been placed on contract with General Hospital.
TV|Line is reporting that Howarth, who made his first on-screen appearance just this week, is now on contract with General Hospital.
As part of an official reboot, General Hospital's new executive producer, Frank Valentini, and head writer, Ron Carlivati -- both of whom served in the same roles on One Life to Love -- brought several OLTL actors and their characters into the GH fold. The goal was to help convince former One Life to Live viewers, fans who were still smarting over the cancellation and subsequent failure by Prospect Park to transition the show to an Internet-based series, to tune in to General Hospital. Valentini and Carlivati were both to have been a part of Prospect Park's Internet venture, but were re-hired by ABC in December 2011.
Howarth's alter ego will square off in storyline opposite GH's mob boss, Sonny Corinthos -- and that's just fine according to Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos).
"I loved Roger from the beginning," Benard told Soap Opera Digest. "We clicked really well."
In January, Howarth's on-screen daughter, Kristen Alderson (Starr Manning) revealed that she'd signed a long-term contract with General Hospital.
Kassie DePaiva (Blair Cramer) remains on recurring status with the show for now.
Roger Howarth originated the role of Todd Manning in December 1992. He remained with One Life to Live, off and on, through 2003. For the following seven years, Howarth played the role of Paul Ryan on As the World Turns. Howarth returned to One Life to Live in 2011. Howarth won the Outstanding Younger Actor Emmy in 1994, and has received three additional Daytime Emmy nominations.
Howarth's contract status goes into effect on-air in May.
