Bobbie Spencer

Jacklyn Zeman as Bobbie Spencer

**Nurse Barbara Jean "Bobbie" Spencer, RN** is a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera, *General Hospital*. She is the youngest child of the late, Tim Spencer and his late wife, Lena Spencer.

## Casting

She has been portrayed by actress Jacklyn Zeman on a contract basis from 1977 to 2007, and on a recurring basis from 2007 to 2010. Zeman returned on March 22, 2013 and departed on April 15, 2013.

However, Zeman confirmed her return on October 22, 2013, with her first airdate airing November 27, 2013, and has been appearing on a recurring basis ever since. Through behind the scenes production changes, Bobbie has largely become a non-existent character, popping in only a few times a year to visit her family in Port Charles.

## Background

Bobbie is the sister of Port Charles's central figure, Luke Spencer. Barbara Jean Spencer was born in Port Charles on July 8, 1957, and raised by a poor family living near the docks with her big brother, Luke. The streetwise Luke is very protective of his baby sister growing up.

Once he beat up the McCarthy kids who lived across the street from them because they were stealing her milk money. From that day on she vowed that one day she would be able to help Luke as much as he helped her.

Their father, Tim was an abusive alcoholic. One day as their mother Lena is suffering from an appendicitis attack, Tim watches as she lay dying. Finally he allows Luke to call an ambulance, but it was too late Lena died, and Tim walked out on his kids. But in reality, as revealed by her older sister Pat Spencer in on April 1, 2015, On April 1, 1963, Luke accidentally killed his mother and then his father in a fit of rage. Luke had been blocking out the memory for over 50 years, with Pat and Bill Eckert helping keep it a secret.

Luke befriended Lila Quartermaine, who was planning to adopt both orphans, but they then leave town, and move in with their aunt Ruby Anderson, who lived in Jacksonville, Florida. Ruby was a prostitute and to make ends meets, Bobbie had to start working as a prostitute too. At age 16 (revised to 15), she got pregnant and was forced to give her baby (Carly with John Durant) up for adoption. A few years later, she straightened out her life and became a nurse, but she continued to lie and scheme her way into romantic entanglements.

## Storylines

* 1970s-90s
* 2000-16
* 2017-19

Bobbie came to Port Charles wanting to marry Scott Baldwin. Although they slept together Scott was in love with Laura Webber and wanted to marry her. Bobbie asked her brother Luke Spencer to help her in breaking up Laura and Scott. When the plan didn't work she faked a pregnancy in an attempt to keep him, but Scott still married Laura. She then fell in love with her brother's business partner Roy DiLucca. They planned on getting married but he died in her arms after an assassination attempt on a prominent politician. After Roy's death she fell in love with Dr. Noah Drake, in order to keep him she pretended to be blind, but Noah had no interest. Bobbie has an affair with D.L. Brock in 1983. When she finds out she is pregnant, she doesn’t tell D.L. after she miscarries in November 1983. Lee Baldwin marries Bobbie and D.L. Brock in January 1984. She was battered by husband D.L. Brock and had to have a hysterectomy after being beaten up by him. When he was murdered Bobbie became the main suspect, but was found not guilty when Robert Scorpio proved Ginny Blake killed him.

In 1986, she married lawyer Jake Meyer. Jake had a one night stand with Lucy Coe and Lucy became pregnant because of it. Lucy and Jake would come to an agreement to allow Bobbie and Jake to raise the baby, but Lucy had a miscarriage. During her recovery from a stab wound, Bobbie met a woman named Martha McKee. Martha had to move to Colorado, so she allowed Bobbie and Jake to raise her two children. The teenage daughter Melissa was rebellious, she hung out with a the wrong crowd and got involved in prostitution. Bobbie flew to Miami where she posed as a call girl to disclose the pimp's activities, but Bobbie was arrested after calling the police. Her ex Scott Baldwin bailed her out of jail and her children were taken away. Jake left Bobbie soon after. In 1989, she married Dr. Tony Jones. Bobbie desperately wanted a baby and purchased one on the black market and later discovered that the baby belonged to Cheryl Stansbury. When Tony discovered the truth he forced Bobbie to give the baby back to Cheryl. When Cheryl died Bobbie eventually won custody of the baby boy which they named Lucas Jones.

While spying for her brother Luke, Bobbie met Damian Smith. Tony caught them in a stairwell at the hospital the day of B.J, their daughter, died after the school bus she was in was hit by a drunk driver. Bobbie was devastated but felt better when she knew B.J.'s heart would be going to her cousin Maxie Jones, who needed a heart transplant. Bobbie's marriage broke up under the stress of B.J.'s death and under Tony's reaction to seeing her kiss mobster Damian Smith. They separated but after counseling they got back together. They befriended a new resident of Port Charles, Carly Benson. Carly was actually Bobbie's biological child who had been given up for adoption, and had come to find Bobbie and exact revenge. Using a fake last name, she befriended Bobbie, Tony and Lucas, and solicited Bobbie's help as a mentor at GH...all the while deliberately seducing Tony. On Bobbie & Tony's wedding anniversary, Bobbie caught Carly and Tony in bed together, but Carly still didn't reveal her true identity. After catching Carly and Tony together, Bobbie ran to Stefan Cassadine.

After marrying him, Bobbie realized all the bad things she heard about him were true. She decided to help her brother, Luke, expose Stefan for who he is. She drugged a glass of wine meant for him, later she removed a medallion that unlocked a secret box. Stefan did not actually drink it, he caught Bobbie and threw her out, they later divorced.

After Carly gave birth to her son Michael Bobbie helped Jason take care of baby Michael while Carly was suffering from postpartum depression.  When Carly returned  Bobbie (still unaware that Carly was her daughter) gave Carly a hard time about being unable to hold or touch Michael.  One night in the middle of a blizzard decides she wants to hold Michael.  Bobbie drives her to the restaurant where Jason, Mike, and Emily are eating dinner with Michael.  Carly holds Michael for the first time and announces to Bobby that she is Caroline the baby the Bobbie had given up.  Bobbie at first does not believe Carly as she believes her baby had died.  Bobbie gets very angry and Carly and Jason and says that she wants nothing to do with Michael, Jason or Carly ever again.  Bobbie found out the Luke had known the truth all along and kept it from her, even attempting to run Carly out of town.  Eventually, Bobbie and Carly formed a tentative mother-daughter relationship.  Bobbie then fell for Jerry Jacks. Jerry, a convict, jumped bail and left town. Before Jerry's arrest Bobbie learned that her old lover Roy DiLucca was alive and responsible for Jerry's arrest. They soon began a relationship again.

In 2002, Bobbie and Scott Baldwin rekindled their relationship. Scott started to use unfavorable tactics to win the election for District Attorney, his opponent was Alexis Davis. He began to question Carly about Alexis, trying to dig up dirt on her. The relationship between Scott and Bobbie ended and later Lucas was diagnosed with dyslexia.

During the Port Charles hotel fire, many loved ones were caught inside. Bobbie was happy when Carly and Luke made it out. Carly began questioning her mother about her biological father, but Bobbie was disinterested. Carly though persisted, she stole a diary from Bobbie that referenced "J.D." When Bobbie realized that the diary was gone, she went to Sonny and told him to tell Carly to leave it alone. Carly discovered a prosecutor in New York named John Durant. Durant would later prove to be J.D -- Carly's father. Bobbie's grandson, Michael, was presumed dead but actually was kidnapped by his biological father A.J. Quartermaine. Durant became paralyzed and sued the hospital, but later dropped the lawsuit.

In 2006, Bobbie's son, Lucas, decided to tell his family and friends that he was gay and Bobbie, after some initial denial, accepted him for who he is. A month later During the encephalitis outbreak, Bobbie was heartbroken when her ex-husband Tony Jones became sick and later died while she was on duty at the hospital.

Lately, Bobbie has been a backburner character. She was seen comforting Monica Quartermaine after the death of her daughter Emily, visiting her brother Luke Spencer during his heart attack storyline, and during occasional family occasions such as funerals, weddings and holidays. When Noah Drake returned to town, the two were given an renewed friendship/flirtation, almost all offscreen, which nothing came of. Her activities and whereabouts are rarely mentioned, although she still lives at the brownstone, still works at GH as a nurse, and occasionally babysits her grandson Morgan.

Aside from Bobbie's past experiences, Bobbie is still important through her connections to her daughter Carly Corinthos, her brother Luke Spencer and her good friend Monica Quartermaine through the death of husband Alan Quartermaine. As the character grows older, she has retained her warm and feisty personality, with her former bad-girl days lending spice to her down-to-earth advice. Bobbie's usual function these days is that of maternal advice-giver to daughter Carly. Recently, when Carly's marriage proved to be in utter turmoil, Bobbie told Carly that in order for her to save her marriage, she would have to come to an agreement with Jax and show him that he is her best friend, not Jason and certainly not Sonny Corinthos. In 2009, Bobbie attended the grand re-opening ceremony of General Hospital. She later also helped welcome new found nephew Ethan Lovett into the family.

In 2010, Bobbie was on hand for the christening of her granddaughter Josslyn Jacks. Later that year When Kristina Corinthos-Davis is hospitalized after being beaten by her boyfriend, Bobbie shares with Alexis the pain of being abused by both her father and husband. She then advises Alexis to send Kristina to a counseling group that Bobbie volunteers for. Bobbie is mentioned by Lulu and Luke after Lulu receives a gift from her aunt. After getting the news that Lulu is missing, Bobbie returns to Port Charles after a 3 year absence. Bobbie later reveals she has been working at a hospital in Seattle where she been living in order to be close to Lucas Jones, her adoptive son. Bobbie reunites with friend Scott Baldwin and helps him calm down since Laura's, his girlfriend, daughter is missing. After attending the Nurses' Ball.

Bobbie goes back home to Seattle after Lulu is found and takes the same plane as ex flame Noah Drake. It is revealed that he is going to work at Seattle General Hospital, the hospital where Bobbie works. They happily leave together. Several months later, Bobbie returned to Port Charles to attend Patrick Drake's wedding to Sabrina Santiago. However, when Bobbie's date Noah, was unable to attend she happened upon Jerry Jacks who took her at knifepoint to be his hostage. Jerry planned to exchange Bobbie for the Polonium 210 cure which Luke possessed. Luke managed to free Bobbie and prevent Jerry from obtaining the treatment.

Bobbie returned to Seattle and discovered that Noah had reconnected with his former flame Anne Logan in her absence, heartbroken Bobbie moved back to Port Charles. She became worried when Carly was soon kidnapped by crazy Heather Webber. Although Carly was rescued from Heather and revealed to be safe, Lucas arrived in town and stayed. Bobbie wanted Lucas to leave before he learned that his biological father, Julian Jerome, was alive. Bobbie hoped that Julian would never discover that he had a son. However, the truth came out and much to Bobbie's dismay, Lucas offered Julian the opportunity to be a part of his life. Bobbie later reconnected with Scott Baldwin and they became lovers. She was aware that Scott still had feelings for Lucy Coe and she engaged in a verbal and physical altercation with Lucy over Scott. The women demanded that Scott chose between them.

In 2014, Bobbie's brother, Luke has mental breakdown and tries to kill his entire family. In 2015, Bobbie, Tracy and Lulu track down her sister, Pat who knew something that could help. It was revealed that Luke accidentally killed their mother and then killed their father. Bobbie is also present at Carly's fourth wedding to Sonny.
On June 25, 2019, Bobbie had gone unconcious and she was later diagnoed with type II diabetes. She later told Epiphany about her diagnosis and Epiphany revealed she had it too and was diagnosed in 2016.