Lee Baldwin | |||||||||||
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General Hospital character | |||||||||||
Portrayed by |
Ross Elliott (1963–65) Peter Hansen (1965–86, 1989–90, 1992–2004) |
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Duration | 1963–86, 1989–90, 1992–2004 | ||||||||||
First appearance | 1963 | ||||||||||
Last appearance | July 16, 2004 | ||||||||||
Created by | Frank and Doris Hursley | ||||||||||
Spin-off appearances |
Port Charles | ||||||||||
Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||
Profile | |||||||||||
Occupation | Lawyer | ||||||||||
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Siblings | Tom Baldwin |
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Spouse |
Meg Bentley (1966–73) Caroline Chandler (1975–76) Gail Adamson (1980–) |
Adoptive children | Scott Baldwin |
Grandchildren |
Robert Frank (adoptive) Karen Wexler (adoptive) Logan Hayes (adoptive) Serena Baldwin (adoptive) |
Nieces and nephews | Tom Hardy Sr. |
Lee Baldwin is a fictional character on the daytime dramas General Hospital and Port Charles.
Ross Elliott originated the role on General Hospital in 1963. Peter Hansen inherited the role in 1965 and played it until 1986 and again from 1989 to 1990 before returning permanently from 1992 to 2004. Lee Baldwin is the adoptive father of Scott Baldwin.
A recovering alcoholic, Lee is a pillar in the community and has a thriving law practice. Scott has sometimes been a disappointment to Lee over the years but these days, Lee couldn't be more proud of Scott and the way he turned his life around. In 1964, as the painful memories of her past marriage to notorious Phil Brewer subsided, Jessie Brewer began to go out on tentative dates with her lawyer, Lee Baldwin. A lifelong bachelor and recovering alcoholic, Lee was a fixture on the seventh floor of General Hospital where he volunteered as an addiction counselor.
When Jessie discovered she was pregnant by Phil after Phil left town, Lee offered to marry Jessie in order to give her baby a name. Once Jessie's divorce from Phil was finalized, she would become Mrs. Lee Baldwin. But Phil found out about Jessie's pregnancy before they could wed and returned to Port Charles. Phil plead for one month's time to make it up to Jessie, but Jessie was afraid that if she left Lee, he'd be devastated and return to drinking. Jessie went forth with her plans to marry Lee, but on the eve of their wedding, Jessie went into labor! Phil was thrilled, since the divorce wasn't finalized, and the baby would be born with his name! Jessie gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Nancy Brewer, and Lee gallantly released Jessie from the "burden" of their engagement. Unfortunately, Nancy Brewer died of a heart condition in July 1966.
Lee was delighted by the arrival of nurse Meg Bentley that same year. Meg was a widow with a young son Scotty and teenage stepdaughter Brooke. Lee was forced to maintain a platonic relationship with Meg, since she was already engaged to Dr. Noel Clinton. Meg was devastated when Noel announced that he was leaving her for her stepdaughter Brooke! Meg turned to Lee, who helped her through the shocking crisis. The situation was difficult for young Scotty Bentley, who lost both his sister and the man he hoped would become his father, when Noel and Brooke ran off to get married. Lee became a surrogate father to Scotty, and Meg happily wed Lee in late 1966. Lee adopted Scotty shortly thereafter. Lee defended Jessie when she faced murder charges over her dead husband, Dr. John Prentice. Lee lost the case, and Jessie was sent to jail, but an eleventh hour confession by her stepdaughter Polly set her free.