Damian Spinelli

Infobox soap character
series = General Hospital
series = General Hospital



caption = Bradford Anderson as Spinelli
name = Damian Spinelli
first= November 13, 2006
creator = Robert Guza Jr.
portrayer = Bradford Anderson
nickname = Spinelli
The Jackal (by himself)
The Ace of Cyberspace
Mr. Grasshopper
Assassin of the Internet
"Damian from Australia"
gender = Male
alias=
occupation = Computer hacker; private investigator; errand boy
grandparents = Miriam Spinelli (grandmother)
romances = Jolene Crowell (one-night-stand)
Nadine Crowell (kissed/dated)
Maxie Jones (kissed/one date/one-night-stand)
Leyla Mir (one date)
residence = 122 Harbor View Drive, PH #2
Port Charles, New York
color = #FF7F00

Damian Millhouse Spinelli, a.k.a. "The Jackal", is a fictional character on the ABC daytime drama, "General Hospital", played by actor Bradford Anderson since November 13, 2006. Spinelli was also one of the characters in the first season of "", which premiered on July 12, 2007. [ [http://www.soaps.com/generalhospital/news/696/General_Hospital_Night_Shift_Cast_Announced General Hospital: Night Shift Cast Announced! - General Hospital News - Soaps.com ] ]

Background

In September 2006, "General Hospital" put out a casting call for a "college-aged kid" who was a cross between Seth Green and Spicoli, a character played by Sean Penn in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". The part was won by Anderson, who says he tries to emulate Spicoli's speaking style when playing the character. Spinelli's dialogue, a rapid-fire mix of surfer lingo and Internet slang, has offered comic relief, and an unusual "tech-savvy" character to the show, that has been called "one of the quirkiest characters daytime has ever seen."Kelli M. Larson, "A different kind of hero", "ABC Soaps in Depth", May 22, 2007] Anderson says that he generally doesn't improvise the part, instead sticking to the script that is supplied a couple days before filming. The name of the specific writer or writers who create Spinelli's dialogue have not been identified. [ [http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070128/NEWS1403/101280109 "Local actor makes the grade: Meredith native Bradford Anderson lands recurring role on daytime soap"] , January 28, 2007, "Foster's Daily Democrat"]

Anderson initially played the character on a "recurring" (non-contract) basis, but the character has proved popular [ [http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/02/26/150634.php "Making the Rounds at General Hospital"] , February 26, 2007, "Blogcritics Magazine"] and actor Bradford Anderson was offered a multi-year contract, [ [http://soapzone.com/newsroom.php/gh/news/26-Feb-2007 February 26, 2007 news] , soapzone.com] which he accepted in May 2007.cite web|url=http://www.soaps.com/generalhospital/comings_and_goings/ |title=General Hospital - Comings & Goings |publisher=soaps.com|accessdate=2007-06-05] The character was added to the opening credits sequence on July 6, 2007.

There have been disputes about whether to spell the character's name "Damien" or "Damian". In the show's closing credits he is referred to as Damien, but in a scene from General Hospital, where Spinelli is holding a business card, it is spelled "Damian."

Spinelli is one of Jason Morgan's closest friends and Spinelli is becoming smitten with Maxie Jones.

Spinelli is also one of the crossover characters that appeared in the Summer 2007 season of "". [ [http://www.soaps.com/generalhospital/news/696/General_Hospital_Night_Shift_Cast_Announced General Hospital: Night Shift Cast Announced! - General Hospital News - Soaps.com ] ]

toryline

. Jason and Sam find Spinelli and convince him to confess to creating the flash drive. Spinelli agrees, and hides at a safe house with Sam while Jason waits for the right time to make his move. But before this happens, they are ambushed by Alcazar's hitmen. In the ensuing fracas, Spinelli disappears.

He reappears a short time later, working in a study group with Lulu Spencer. The two are kidnapped by Alcazar, who was planning to kill them, but they are rescued by Jason. Spinelli runs again, but Lulu helps Jason track him down at Spinelli's grandmother's house in the (fictional) city of Oakfield, Tennessee. This is the first mention in the show of Spinelli having any family. The part of Spinelli's grandmother, Miriam Spinelli, is played by Emmy Award-winning actress Bonnie Bartlett, of "St. Elsewhere" fame.

.

Metro Court hostage crisis

In the "24"-inspired storyline during the February 2007 sweeps, Spinelli helps as Jason Morgan's sidekick in an attempt to rescue the hostages who are being held at the Metro Court Hotel. It is also revealed that he has a major crush on Lulu Spencer, and that he has a very vivid Walter Mitty-like imagination. His fantasies usually revolve around his desire for "The Blonde One" Lulu, portraying himself as a swashbuckling hero figure who rescues her from danger. In an August 2007 episode, Spinelli's fantasy involved him being attended by three beautiful blonde women, all of whom he rejected so that he can attend to Lulu. The parts of the women were played as a cameo by Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson, the three girlfriends of Hugh Hefner who appear on the reality show "The Girls Next Door".

Lulu used to live with Spinelli and Jason after having her heart broken by Logan. Later, she left to try to help put her torn-apart family back together.Spinelli also hit Logan Hayes once he found out that Logan hurt Lulu.

Georgie's death and the Text Message Killer

Jason and Spinelli talked frequently about his good friend, Georgie Jones. "Stone Cold" told him that it was obvious that Georgie had a crush on him. Spinelli was stunned, but elated. He told Jason that Georgie was beautiful and smart and could have anyone she wants. He was confused why someone as wonderful as "Wise Georgie" would love someone like him.

Spinelli found Georgie's dead body while walking through the park on December 17, 2007 and discovered that she was killed by the Text Message Killer. He tried fruitlessly to revive her as he called the police sobbing, asking them to come quickly because "someone beautiful has died". After he was questioned by the police, a depressed Spinelli trudged back to the penthouse and told Jason that Georgie had been murdered, while downing shots of alcohol. He talked to Jason about who she was and the guilt he felt stemming from his inability to protect her. He lamented that he lost the one person who thought he was special. Jason tried his best to comfort his grieving friend. Later, Spinelli lit a candle and made a remorseful offering to Georgie's spirit so she would know he would miss her. He also comforted Maxie and Dillon and attended Georgie's funeral.

The police had made Spinelli a major suspect in Georgie's murder, before other evidence pointed to different people. The evidence came in the form of e-mails that she had never sent, stating that except around girls, Spinelli was the smartest, sweetest guy she had ever met and she thought she was falling in love with him. Lucky Spencer told Spinelli he was determined to prove that he killed Georgie. Spinelli was incredulous at the idea that he could have killed his closest friend. Jason told Lucky to back off Spinelli and promised to help him get out of the trouble he was in. Spinelli later asks to keep the e-mails, which he dubbed "Georgie's secret pain." Later he tried to write a reply, but was discouraged by the fact that Georgie would not be able to read it.

Maxie and Spinelli

Spinelli is distraught for not knowing about Georgie's love for him until it was too late. He still mourns Georgie's death and the loss of their potential romantic relationship, which makes him only more determined to prove that Cooper is the Text Message Killer. However, after Cooper's apparent suicide, his girlfriend Maxie Jones enlists Spinelli's help in uncovering Coop's killer. She believes that whoever killed Coop killed Georgie as well. The unlikely duo work together to find the killer, initially arguing constantly, but eventually developing a friendship. During a stakeout at Logan's house, Maxie kisses Spinelli to deflect the suspicion of a nearby police officer. The kiss marks the beginning of Spinelli's developing feelings for Maxie. He repeatedly has Sam Spade-like fantasies, with himself playing the detective, and Maxie the femme fatale blonde. He no longer calls Maxie the "Bad Blonde One", but instead "the Wounded Blonde One". They successfully track down the Text Message Killer, Diego Alcazar, and engage in a physical confrontation, which ends with Diego falling off a ship and hanging himself from being tangled up in ropes.

After Dr. Ian Devlin's shooting of Michael Corinthos III, Spinelli and Maxie again work together to find evidence, and engage in a physical confrontation with the killer, who is himself shot and killed by Jason. It is during this trip that Spinelli reveals to Jason that he has fallen in love with "Maximista." Spinelli seeks romantic advice from Jason, Diane Miller, and Sam McCall.

When Spinelli asks Jasper Jacks for help in becoming a ladies' man, this results in Spinelli appearing at the Metro Court Hotel as a "mini-Jax," Australian accent and all. Kate Howard's rival, Giselle, becomes instantly smitten with the newly polished "Damian", but the facade crumbles when Maxie shows up and disapproves, causing Spinelli to lose his cool. He gets drunk and is discovered on the Port Charles pier by Claudia Zacchara, who brings him to Jason's penthouse. Spinelli succumbs to disease while quarantined with Jason and Claudia. As he laments about his self-perception as a loser, Jason explains how much he counts on Spinelli, and is honored by Spinelli's trust. Spinelli's illness also causes Maxie to divulge to him how much she counts on him, which lifts Spinelli's spirits.

After conspiring with Lulu and Johnny to cover up Lulu's murder of Logan Hayes, Maxie was threatened by Johnny's father, Anthony. Upon her release, she went to Spinelli and told him the truth. After Spinelli vows to keep Maxie safe, she kisses him. The two make love, but Maxie instantly regrets it, feeling that she has used Spinelli for comfort sex.

Maxie and Spinelli remain close. One evening, they go on a stakeout to spy on Andre Karpov's lawyer, who, according to Spinelli's false theories, is having an affair with Jason. Spinelli gets out of the car to investigate further and Maxie tries to stop him. A car comes out of nowhere; Spinelli pushes Maxie out of the way and ends up being hit by the car. Maxie rushes him to the hospital where Dr. Matt Hunter removes his ruptured spleen. Although the surgery itself is successful, Spinelli devolops a post-operative infection. His fever becomes worse, presumably due to the use of counterfeit medication. At Maxie's insistence, Dr. Patrick Drake becomes his doctor, after which Spinelli recovers from his fever and is given a clean bill of health. Jason takes him to the penthouse to recover; Maxie promptly shows up and announces that she will stay to take care of Spinelli while Jason is busy.

While Spinelli is recovering, he eavesdrops on a conversation between Maxie and Jason, in which she admits that Spinelli brings out the best in her and makes her see herself in a better light. She implies that she is in love with Spinelli. The following morning, Spinelli attends Johnny Zacchara's murder trial, at which Maxie has to testify, out of loyalty to her. Maxie is forced to admit under oath that she threatened to ruin Logan's relationship with Lulu unless he had sex with her; she is made to look like a slut in front of the jury and Spinelli. When she is dismissed from the courtroom, she runs away from Spinelli, who attempts to talk to her.

General Hospital: Night Shift

While playing around with Jason's gun, he accidentally shoots himself in the foot and Jason takes the fall for it. As a form of thanks, Spinelli designs a game based on Jason called the "The Stone Cold Saga".He also harbors a small crush on one of the nurses, Jolene Crowell. It is also revealed that Spinelli harbors an immense fear of clowns. He helped Jason with Stacey Sloan's c-section in the elevator. He blames himself for Stacey dying because he pushed the elevator button hard. He also had a one night stand with Jolene. Spinelli later finds out from Jason that Jolene may be the one that has been sabotaging the hospital. Jason tells Spinelli to see if he can find anything that might prove that Jolene is a killer. Spinelli checks it out on his computer, wanting to prove that Jolene isn't capable of murder. In the season finale, Spinelli goes to Jason and tells him that he was right about the Angel of Mercy (Jolene). There is later a shootout at the hospital and Spinelli throws his laptop at one of the gunmen. Surprisingly, Jolene jumps on top of him, knocking him to the floor to shield him from a bullet. When the shootout is over, Spinelli is kneeling on a corridor floor wondering why Jolene saved him. After visiting Touissant he goes to see Jolene, who is in a coma. He thanks her for saving him, without looking at her. He finally looks at her and calls her Fair Jolene.

Nicknames

Spinelli has a penchant for giving nicknames to those individuals who he has come into contact with, and on occasion to inanimate objects.

References

External links

* [http://abc.go.com/daytime/generalhospital/characters/bio?pn=characterbio&character=Damian%20Spinelli Damian Spinelli profile from ABC's General Hospital website]
* [http://www.soapcentral.com/gh/theactors/anderson_bradford.php Bradford Anderson] at soapcentral.com
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1963860/bio Bradford Anderson at IMDB]