Leslie Charleson, ‘General Hospital’ Actress, Passes Away at 79
Leslie Charleson, renowned for her portrayal of Dr. Monica Quartermaine on “General Hospital” for nearly 50 years, has passed away at the age of 79, as confirmed by the show’s executive producer, Frank Valentini.
“With a heavy heart, I share the news of my cherished friend and colleague, @lesliecharleson,” he wrote in a post on X on January 12.
“Her remarkable legacy encompasses nearly 50 years on @GeneralHospital, and just as Monica was the soul of the Quartermaine family, Leslie was a treasured matriarch to all of us in the cast and crew,” he added. “I will deeply miss our daily conversations, her sharp humor, and her extraordinary presence on set.”
“On behalf of the entire #GeneralHospital family, I extend my sincere condolences to her loved ones during this trying time,” he concluded.
The show “General Hospital” shared Valentini’s heartfelt remarks on its Instagram account as well.
Charleson appeared in over 2,000 episodes of the beloved daytime drama from 1977 to 2023, according to IMDb. She received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations for her performances on the series, and she also reprised her role as Monica in the “GH” spinoff “Port Charles.”
One of her earliest roles was in a 1966 episode of “As the World Turns.” She quickly became a recognizable figure on television, featuring in the CBS soap opera “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing” and securing roles in iconic shows like “The Wild Wild West,” “Mannix,” “Adam-12,” “Emergency!,” “Medical Center,” “Happy Days,” and “The Streets of San Francisco.”
She joined “GH” in 1977, stepping in for Patsy Rahn as Monica, but her arrival had a challenging beginning.
“I began working on the show the day Elvis Presley passed away, and being such a huge fan, I was understandably upset on my way to the studio. Upon arrival, I was informed that I needed to bring my own wardrobe and makeup due to a strike — and that was before I even entered the building,” she told Soap Opera Digest in 2022.
“Once I got inside, I quickly realized that I wasn’t very well-liked, as the actress who played Monica before me had been quite unceremoniously let go.”
Charleson became an integral part of “General Hospital,” with the ups and downs of Monica’s marriage to Alan, portrayed by the late Stuart Damon, frequently at the forefront of the show’s storylines. Her character also faced a poignant narrative when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1990s.
“It was a significant, challenging, yet fulfilling storyline as we all put in the effort to depict it authentically and realistically,” she reflected in 2023, according to Soap Opera Digest.
