General Hospital is one of the most popular soap operas of all time and has been on the air since 1963, which is wild to think about. In fact, there have been more than 14,000 episodes, which is really mind-blowing. The characters live in a city called Port Charles and there is a family called the Quartermaines who loom over everyone as they have a lot of money and also tend to have a lot of drama.

General Hospital is the soap opera that has been on the air for more years than any other, so it's definitely time that we start tuning in if we haven't already. Let's take a look at what goes on behind the scenes.

Here are 20 surprising things that happened on the set of General Hospital.

20 There Are Tons Of Clothes On Set, Including Cop Uniforms

According to Fame 10, there are always a lot of clothes on set. This makes sense since there is a fairly large cast and they are filming so much since there are so many episodes of the show. What's really interesting, is that there are even cop uniforms in the wardrobe area, too.

19 The Pens At The Nurse's Station Are Actually Fastened With Glue And Can't Be Moved

According to R We There Yet Mom?, the nurses' station on General Hospital has pens that are actually fastened to the table with glue so they can't be picked up at all. This is a fascinating fact that we've learned about the show and we definitely wouldn't have guessed it.

18 The Characters Always Have Folders, And They Have Actual Scribbles Inside Them

Fans of General Hospital are probably curious about the folders that the characters are often holding. Do they say anything interesting or important?

Actually, no, which some might be surprised to hear about. As Fame 10 explains, "Turns out those GH hospital files are simply binders with scribbles in them."

17 All The Nurse Station Scenes Are Shot In The Same Area

We might think that when different scenes are filmed in the hospital setting, they are filmed on different floors. As it turns out, this all happens in the same area, including when there are scenes at the nurses' stations.

R We There Yet Mom? says, "The elevator numbers get changed and the floor sign is changed.".

16 Ian Buchanan Would Wax His Nose

Fans will definitely be surprised to learn that General Hospital star Ian Buchanan would wax his nose, as Fame 10 explains.

The actor is famous for playing the character Duke Lavery, who has had quite the time. After 1989, Greg Beecroft started playing Duke, then Duke died, then Ian played him in 2012 when he had come back to life.

15 The Actors Have To Be On Set For A Super Long Time

Filming a TV show isn't always the easiest thing in the world and long hours on set are a real thing, but according to Fame 10, General Hospital films 80 pages in a day while other shows only film about 10 pages worth of script. That's a long time to be on set...

14 There's Ginger Ale In The Actors' Cups So It Looks Like Bubbly Champagne

R We There Yet Mom? says that when the characters are drinking, they often have ginger ale, which is so interesting to hear. This works especially well when someone is supposed to have champagne, because the bubbles in ginger ale will look just like that. The next time we see this, we can feel like we're totally in the know.

13 The Grey's Anatomy And General Hospital Sets Are Actually Super Close To Each Other

If you watch both General Hospital and Grey's Anatomy, which have both been airing for a really long time, you'll be excited to learn that, according to Fame 10, the sets are actually really close to one another. Wonder if the actors know each other or if they ever hang out?

12 The Actors Love BLTs So It Was Incorporated Into The Show

There's nothing like a sandwich with crispy bacon, creamy mayo, lettuce, and tomato... Funnily enough, BLTs are actually a part of General Hospital.

TV Over Mind says that because the actors on the show love BLTs, that was actually incorporated into the show. Specifically, a character named Heather Webber has been shown in a scene eating a BLT.

11 The Actors Are Only Given Scripts A Few Days Prior To Filming

Do the actors on General Hospital have a super long time to memorize their dialogue before filming? No. They get their scripts a few days prior to filming an episode.

Crafty Chica quoted Josh Swickard, who plays a character named Harrison Chase, who said, "I’ll get my scripts seven days before and I’ll read it 10-20 times, then again."

10 The Food In The Vending Machines Isn't Fresh And Has Been There For Years

R We There Yet Mom? says that the vending machines on the set of General Hospital don't actually have fresh food that can be eaten if you happened to visit the set, which is really cool to learn about. It has been there for years. If we've seen the show, we would have never even guessed since it looks totally normal.

9 Sometimes The Actors Do Scenes Four Times In A Row

While it's of course possible to film a movie or TV scene in a single take, it's also true that sometimes things need to be done at least one more time.

According to Live About, sometimes the actors on General Hospital do scenes four times in a row. It's typically less than that, but it's interesting for fans to know that this does happen.

8 None Of The Actors Read Lines On Prompters (Unlike Other Soap Operas)

Live About says the actors on this show don't read any of their lines on prompters. We're so fascinated by this, because this is something that happens super commonly on other soap operas. This genre of television is pretty famous for it and it's something that people associate with soap opera stars.

7 Lynn Herring Puts Honey On Her Face Before Filming

ABC 13 says that actress Lynn Herring, who plays a character named Lucy Coe and has done so for decades (she started in 1986), puts honey on her face. In fact, she also does this for her skin and hands. The publication says that it's her own honey from the ranch that her family owns.

6 The Actors Don't Even Get To Keep Any Of Their Character's Clothing

It seems like a big perk of being on a TV show would be keeping some of your character's clothing. Well, that doesn't happen on the set of General Hospital.

ABC 13 says, "None of the actors can take the clothes home because every piece is catalogued and may be used again."

5 Sometimes The Actors Are Given Tattoos On A Daily Basis If Their Characters Have One

TV Over Mind says that if a character has a tattoo, then that actor will get one on a daily basis since it's necessary to film those scenes. This is so cool, because it would have been impossible to know this without someone sharing this fun fact. This must be a little frustrating, but these actors are definitely used to long hours in hair and makeup.

4 The Actors Film In Tiny Rooms That Make Up The Hospital

The hospital is made up of tiny rooms, although it looks much different from that when fans are watching it on TV.

Rural Mom wrote, "The set is sort of like a large warehouse with clusters of mini rooms surrounded by an incredibly complex maze of camera, sound and lighting equipment."

3 Many Of The Actors Actually Get Along, Which Is Surprising For A Long-Running Show

According to Live About, it sounds like most of the actors on General Hospital get along with one another. Many TV fans are probably surprised to hear about actors who are friendly or even best pals on set, because you often hear about lots of conflict or tension between cast members.

2 Two Of The Main Actors Don't Like Each Other

People say that two of the actors, Billy Miller and Steve Burton, don't get along.

According to Celeb Dirty Laundry, "We should also point out that there’s been buzz all along about Steve Burton (Jason) and Billy Miller (Drew). From the moment Burton returned, gossip erupted about friction with Miller."

1 Changes Happen Regularly (Even For Something As Minor As The Outfits They Have In Mind)

What's it really like to star in a soap opera? It seems like it would be a different experience from starring in a comedy or drama since you're filming so many episodes each season.

Crafty Chica says that things always get altered and switched up on General Hospital, even the clothes that the characters are wearing.

Sources: Fame 10, Celeb Dirty Laundry, Live About, TV Over Mind, R We There Yet Mom?, Crafty Chica, ABC 13