Kirsten Storms (Maxie) will not be checking back into "General Hospital" next month. The actress has been on medical leave since September to treat endometriosis. Storms had twitted that she would be back in February. Jen Lilley, who has played Maxie in Storms' absence, twitted a thank you to everyone who treat her so well at "GH" and said she would miss her castmates. A representative of "GH" said: "Kirsten Storms will not be able to return to 'General Hospital' as soon as originally hoped and announced. Jen Lilley will continue to play Maxie Jones for the foreseeable future."

The first time I saw Ken Howard, he was playing Thomas Jefferson on Broadway in "1776." From that night on, I had a mad crush for both Howard and Thomas Jefferson. Now, "Young and Restless" has cast Howard in the role of Phyllis and Avery's father. The actor comes on next month.

Many people may remember him as the big star of the '70s hit TV show "The White Shadow." In 2009, he won a Supporting Actor Emmy for his part as Phelan Beale in HBO's "Gray Gardens." Howard is not just an actor. The 6-foot, 6 performer is president of the National Screen Actors Guild. He has been a SAG member for over 40 years. His television shows besides "White Shadow" include "Crossing Jordan" and "Brothers and Sisters."

In 2000, he received a kidney transplant. Howard has something in common with one of the "Young and Restless" characters — Ronan also had a kidney transplant.

Howard has had a couple of famous wives. First there was Louise Sorel, to whom he was married from 1972 to 1975. Louise played Vivian on "Days of our Lives" and several other high powered soap characters. From 1977 to 1991, he was married to Margo Lederer, the daughter of fabled advice columnist Ann Landers who has followed in her mother's footsteps.

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Two actors have gone off contract at "Bold and Beautiful." Brandon Beemer (Owen), who has been with the show for two years, has been pushed back to recurring status. He posted on his Twitter account that he has been off contract for quite a while."

Also off contract is Zach Conroy, who plays Oliver. "Bold and Beautiful" seems to have this history of bringing in good-looking, quality actors and then misusing them. Why? Because the only storyline they can do is the quadrangle that is the Taylor, Brooke, Ridge and whoever-the-fourth-guy-is plot. Now, they are doing it with Hope, Steffy and Liam It so obvious that the characters of Brooke and Taylor talked about their daughters having the same problems they had with the men in their lives. By the way, if Beemer isn't being used properly, it would be great if "Days of our Lives," which is bringing lots of characters back from the past, can have him return to the role of Shawn Douglas.

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Kristen Alderson (Starr Manning, originally from "One Life to Live") begins taping her "General Hospital" scenes on Jan. 27. Get ready in mid-February for the beginning and ending of many "General Hospital" storylines. The head writer is finished making his changes.

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Talk about a soap opera. Jack Wagner (Nick on "Bold and Beautiful") and Heather Locklear did not end their engagement on a "we're still friends" note. In fact, the duo have a court date set. It seems that there was a physical altercation when Locklear tried to retrieve some of her belongings from Wagner's house. Wagner has suggested that Locklear went after him, and he responded.

It's been a big year for Wagner. Not only did he end his engagement to Locklear, but he also learned he has a grown daughter by a woman he had a one night stand with over 20 years ago. He never knew that the daughter existed until she presented herself on a cruise that Wagner was doing with Rick Springfield.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.