The Corinthos family is a fictional family on the ABCsoap opera, General Hospital. They were created and introduced by Bill Levinson in August 1993, with the arrival of current patriarch Sonny Corinthos in the fictional town where the soap opera takes place, Port Charles, New York. The family was further expanded in 1995 with the arrival of Sonny's father, Mike Corbin. The Corinthos family is known for its involvement in organized crime and the revolving love affairs of its' patriarch Sonny. The family is currently represented by Sonny and his sons, Dante, Michael, and Morgan, his niece Molly, nephew Spencer and Dante's son, Ben.
Family members
First generation
Michael "Mike" Corbin (Ron Hale) Born Michael Corinthos, Mike was the patriarch of the Corinthos family, until his portrayer, Ron Hale, made the decision to retire in 2010. Mike struggled with a gambling addiction and forming relationships with his children, whom he reconnected with later in life. Mike fathered two children, Sonny with his ex-wife Adela and Courtney through an extramarital affair with Janine Matthews. The character was written off the series in 2010 when Mike went to a Gambling Rehab Center.[1]
Adela Corinthos (Iris Almario) Adela escaped from Cuba with her family. She settled in Bensonhurst, New York and soon married Michael Corinthos despite her family's disapproval. Less than a year after marrying Mike, Adela gave birth to their son, Sonny. Mike and Adela divorced and she became involved with Trevor Lansing, later giving birth to their son, Ric. Trevor made Adela choose between Sonny and Ric and Adela was not able to part with Sonny, so Trevor left with Ric. Adela then became involved with Deke Woods, who began physically abusing her. Deke's beatings contributed to an early in life death for Adela.[2]
Second generation
Michael "Sonny" Corinthos Jr. (Maurice Benard) (Patriarch)Sonny is the only son of Mike Corbin and Adela Corinthos. He was raised as an only child by an abusive step-father Deke, and after Deke's death at the hands of mobster Joe Scully, Sonny became involved in organized crime. Sonny began working for Frank Smith until Smith's death and silently worked up the ranks and became the boss of his own mob organization. He has two silbings from his parents' affairs: Courtney Matthews, Mike's daughter, and Ric Lansing, Adela's son. The character has struggled with his family and extended family for a long time and also struggles with his bipolar disorder since 2006. Sonny has three biological children: Dante Falconeri, with Olivia Falconeri, Kristina Davis, with Alexis Davis, and Morgan Corinthos, with ex-wife Carly Jacks. He also adopted Carly's eldest son, Michael Corinthos. He also had a daughter, Lila McCall, with Sam McCall who was stillborn.[3] He has a grandson, Ben Westbourne, Dante's son with Lulu.
Courtney Matthews (Alicia Leigh Willis) Courtney, Mike's only daughter with Janine Matthews via affair, comes to town in 2001. Courtney had a strained relationship with her mother, due to Janine lying about her father's death. Her kindness toward Mike strained her relationship with her brother, Sonny Corinthos, who blamed Mike for abandoning him. Courtney founded the Courtney Matthews Foundation for under-privileged kids. Courtney has only one son, Spencer Cassadine, with Nikolas Cassadine. Courtney died in 2006 during the encephalitis outbreak at General Hospital after giving birth to her son via an emergency C-section.[4]
Richard "Ric" Lansing (Rick Hearst) Ric is Adela's youngest son and only child with Trevor Lansing. Ric was raised by Trevor without Adela in his life, due to his father taking him away at a young age. Ric had a tumultuous relationship with his brother Sonny, due to Ric's feelings of abandonment after Adela stayed with Sonny instead of leaving with Trevor and Ric. He spent years trying to get revenge on Sonny by taking down Sonny's mob organization but ultimately failed. Ric worked as an attorney and later became involved in organized crime himself by serving as an attorney for mobster, Anthony Zacchara. Ric has one daughter, Molly Lansing, with Alexis Davis, who's also the mother of his niece, Kristina. Ric left town in 2009 to move to Los Angeles, California after he couldn't stand to be around Claudia Zachara after finding out he was not the father of her child and Sonny was.[5]
Third generation
Dante Angelo Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) Sonny's oldest son, conceived after a short teenage relationship between Sonny and Olivia Falconeri. Dante came to town in 2009 as an undercover cop with the alias Dominic Pirelli. Dante's assignment was to take down the Corinthos organization, unaware that Sonny is his father. His paternity was revealed after he was shot by his own father, unaware of the connection between them. He has since had a tumultuous relationship with his father and connected with his siblings. Dante works as a detective at the Port Charles Police Department and married girlfriend Lulu Spencer in 2011. They have one child, a son named Ben.[6]
Michael Corinthos III (Dylan Cash, Drew Garrett, Chad Duell) The biological son of A.J. Quartermaine and Carly Jacks, Michael was adopted and raised by Sonny at a young age. He was kidnapped by his father A.J. and presumed dead until he was found by his uncle, Jason Morgan, and Sam McCall. The character was shot in the head in 2008 and remained in a year long coma offscreen, until the character returned to the screen, awakening from the coma in 2009. He remains close to Sonny but has now formed a relationship with A.J., who returned in 2012 after being presumed dead for seven years.[7]
Kristina Adela Corinthos-Davis (Lexi Ainsworth, Lindsey Morgan) Sonny's only daughter with lawyer, Alexis Davis born in 2002. The character was rapidly aged to a teenager in 2009. Kristina was raised primarily by her mother and had a strained relationship with her father due to feelings of abandonment. As a teenager, Kristina rebelled against her parents. She later tried to improve her relationships with both her parents. In 2012, Kristina married Trey Mitchell, the son of her father's mob rival, Joe Scully, Jr. After Trey's death in 2013, Kristina left town to attend Wesleyan University.[8]
Morgan Stone Corinthos (Bryan Craig) Sonny's youngest son with Carly. Morgan was born onscreen in 2003 and rapidly aged in 2009. Morgan was primarily raised by Carly and her husband at the time, Jasper Jacks. Morgan had limited contact with Sonny due to Carly's desire to protect him from Sonny's dangerous lifestyle. Carly sent Morgan away to military school in 2011 to keep him safe from the mob. Morgan returned in 2013 with resentment toward his parents for sending him away. He is struggling to form a new relationship with his father, due to his own belief that Sonny favors Michael. Morgan was married to Kiki Jerome, but their marriage was annulled when Kiki found out he only married her because she was falling for Michael, adding to Morgan's resentment toward Michael and his family.[9]
Molly Lansing-Davis (Haley Pullos) Molly was born onscreen November 10, 2005 to Ric and his then-wife Alexis Davis. The character was rapidly aged in 2009 when Pullos took over the role. The character is characterized as precocious and smart. After a bus accident Molly suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. She is close to her cousin Morgan and sister Kristina. After her father moved to California, she stayed with her mother, visiting her father on the holidays. Molly is a high school student and has written a book, Maine Squeeze, and co-authored its' prequel, Love in Maine, with Connie Falconeri.[10]
Spencer Stefan Nikolosovich Cassadine (Nicolas Bechtel) Courtney's only child with Nikolas Cassadine. He was originally thought to be the son of Jasper Jacks, due to Jax switching the paternity test. Courtney dies shortly after giving birth to Spencer from an encephalitis infection. Jax tells Courtney that Nikolas is Spencer's biological father before she dies. Robin Scorpio learns the truth of Spencer's real paternity and reveals it to Nikolas at the baby's christening. The character was written out of the series when he left town with his father in 2011 and returned in 2013. Spencer has had limited contact with the Corinthos side of his family, but appears to have some sort of relationship with his Uncle Sonny.
Fourth generation
Benjamin "Ben" Westbourne Born on September 9, 2013, Ben is Dante's son with Lulu Spencer. The child is carried by Dr. Britt Westbourne who steals Dante and Lulu's embryos and tries to pass the infant off as Patrick Drake's. When Patrick threatens to sue for custody, Britt claims Brad Cooper as the father. In December 2013, Dante and Lulu decide to have another baby after losing custody of the child they thought was their own. Meanwhile, Britt claims to Nikolas Cassadine that she stole sperm from the sperm bank. Dante and Lulu learn the remaining embryos are missing, and on December 17, Ben is revealed to be their son.