General Hospital star Leslie Charleson passed away at 79

Published on January 15, 2025 | Published By: Aayushma | In Death

Source: Daily Expresses

Leslie Charleson has passed away at the age of 79 after an illness.
She is renowned for her iconic role as ‘Monica Quartermaine’ on the long-running soap opera General Hospital.
Leslie dedicated over 40 years to the ABC daytime drama “General Hospital.”

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RIP! Leslie Charleson dies at the age of 79

Leslie Charleson is no longer alive among us. The actress, renowned for her iconic role as ‘Monica Quartermaine’on the long-running soap opera General Hospital has passed away at the age of 79.

Her death was confirmed by the show’s executive producer Frank Valentini in an emotional Instagram post on Sunday, January 12, 2025,

He began,

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson. Her enduring legacy has spanned nearly 50 years on General Hospital alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch of the entire cast and crew. I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set.”

Valentini concluded his message,

“On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”

Leslie Charleson dies at the age of 79 (Source: PEOPLE.com)

A cause of death has not been disclosed. However, The Hollywood Reporter said that she was “battling an illness for some time.”

The news of her passing has deeply affected the General Hospital community, with many fans and colleagues mourning the loss of a beloved figure.

Leslie Charleson: A Legacy in “General Hospital”

Leslie Charleson was a prominent actress who dedicated over 40 years to the ABC daytime drama “General Hospital.”

She joined the show in 1977 and became its longest-serving cast member, portraying the character Monica Quartermaine until her passing.

Charleson was brought onto the series during a time when its ratings were struggling. She replaced Patsy Rahn, who had portrayed Monica earlier.

Monica is a doctor characterized by a bad-girl persona, a role that Leslie Charleson enjoyed playing throughout her time on “General Hospital.”

In a 1981 interview with Soap Opera Digest, she described Monica as “interesting” and “dedicated,” noting that her passionate love could sometimes overshadow others.

At that time, she expressed her satisfaction with Monica’s development, stating,

“I’m delighted with the progress she’s made…she can wear any hat, go any place, do anything.”

Leslie Charleson on General Hospital (Source: Soap Opera News)

Charleson reflected on her character’s complexity by saying,

“When you’re all good, you’re boring. And nobody is just ‘good,’ unless she’s a saint.”

Charleson received four Daytime Emmy nominations throughout her career, and also won multiple awards including four Soap Opera Awards, and two Soap Hub Awards for her work on “General Hospital.”

A journey of Leslie Charleson through soap operas to television stardom

Leslie Charleson was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1945. She began her acting career as a child while in high school and later studied theater at Bennett College in upstate New York.

In 1964, she was cast in the NBC soap opera A Flame in the Wind. Two years later, in 1966, she joined the cast of As the World Turns and subsequently moved to CBS’s Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, where she remained until 1970.

After leaving that series, she made guest appearances on various shows including Marcus Welby, M.D., Happy Days (where she played a love interest for Ron Howard’s character), The Streets of San Francisco, Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law, McMillan & Wife, and The Rockford Files.

Additionally, she starred in the 1971 made-for-TV horror film Revenge!.

In 1977, Charleson joined General Hospital as Monica Quartermaine. Initially, she appeared on the show regularly and began to appear on a recurring basis starting in 2010.

Leslie Charleson began her acting career as a child while in high school (Source: METRO)

Once she became part of the General Hospital cast, Charleson had few television appearances outside of it. She starred in the 1993 TV movie Woman on the Ledge and made guest appearances on Diagnosis: Murder and Dharma & Greg.

Notably, she played herself in a 2004 episode of Friends, where she competed against Joey on a game show.

Charleson was married once to Bill Demms from 1988 to 1991. Furthermore, she has no children.

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