What happened to Diana Taylor on General Hospital? Explained

General Hospital, or GH, is a popular soap opera holding the Guinness World Record for the longest-running American soap opera in production. Fans have been enjoying its storylines for decades.

From 1969 until 1981, the character of Diana Taylor became quite well-known in General Hospital. Adopting Steven Lars Webber, the biological son of Jeff Weber and Heather Grant, she was a loving mother and nurse.

Diana's persona exuded kindness and fortitude, negotiating the demands of family and love, among all the chaos around her. Her life, however, took a tragic turn when she got caught in a lethal feud with Heather, whose relentless quest for her son led to terrible results.

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Was Diana Taylor murdered in General Hospital?

Diana's life took a dark turn when she became embroiled in a feud with Heather, who was searching for her son. Diana was murdered in 1981, a shocking event that had a significant impact on the Port Charles community and forever altered many people's lives.

Her early passing is still a turning point in the history of the show since it highlights the emotional drama General Hospital is known for. Diana was discovered dead in her house in 1981, shot by an unidentified assailant. Her killer's identity was a secret for a while, and the plot kept viewers on the edge of their seats.

Heather Grant first seemed to be the main suspect. Given her past of violent behavior and obsessive temperament, it seemed possible that she had at last succeeded in killing Diana to recover her son.

Unexpectedly, though, it turned out that Heather's mother, Alice Grant, had been the one who had fired the trigger. Alice had killed Diana in a last-ditch effort to shield her daughter and frame Anne Logan (another Webber family link).

This twist in the storyline surprised viewers and highlighted the extent to which the Grant family would go to safeguard one another. Alice's behavior gave Heather's character another level of depth since it became evident that her erratic behavior had strong family origins.

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A closer look at Diana Taylor’s role

Diana Taylor first showed up in 1969, and soon proved to be a capable and kind nurse at General Hospital. Her personal life grew equally important to the show, while her professional life was defined by her patients.

Her marriage to Dr. Peter Taylor confirmed her indispensable presence within the medical community. Together, they created a loving home and, unable to have children of their own, adopted Steven Lars Webber, the biological son of Jeff Webber and Heather Grant.

For Diana Taylor’s role, Davey Davison temporarily replaced actress Starrett while she was recovering from a small surgery in February 1977. Brooke Bundy eventually replaced Starrett reportedly due to her youthful appearance and reported conflicts with producer Tom Donovan. Bundy's character received less screen time and was eventually killed off in 1981, prompting her departure from the series.

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Closing thoughts

Long after Diana passed away, her legacy permeated the show and influenced major characters and narratives. Viewers were shocked by her sudden murder, which sprang from the family drama around Heather Webber and Steven Lars.

Viewers can watch General Hospital online on the ABC Network.

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