Longtime ‘General Hospital’ Star Leslie Charleson Dies at 79

Leslie Charleson attends the Super Soap Weekend at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., on May 31, 2003. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Longtime “General Hospital” star Leslie Charleson has died at the age of 79.

The actress was best known for portraying Dr. Monica Quartermaine on the ABC Emmy Award-winning daytime soap opera. Charleson took on the role in 1977, making her one of the show’s longest-tenured cast members.

“General Hospital” Executive Producer Frank Valentini confirmed Charleson’s death on Sunday via the ABC drama’s official Instagram account.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” Valentini wrote.

“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,” he continued.

“I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set. On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”

Valentini did not share Charleson’s official cause of death.

The Epoch Times reached out to a “General Hospital” representative for additional comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

Born on Feb. 22, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri, Charleson’s acting career spanned more than six decades.

The actress garnered her first major on-screen role at the age of 19, starring in the 1964 soap opera “A Flame in the Wind.” She went on to appear in an episode of “As The World Turns” before landing a recurring part in “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing,” per her IMDb.

Before making her debut on “General Hospital,” Charleson appeared in television shows such as “The Rookies,” “Emergency!,” “Ironside,” “Kung Fu,” “Happy Days,” “Cannon,” “The Streets of San Francisco,” and “Barnaby Jones.”

Some of Charleson’s other acting credits include roles in “The Rockford Files,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Dharma & Greg,” “Port Charles,” and “Friends.”

The actress, who appeared in more than 2,000 episodes of “General Hospital,” was nominated for four Daytime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series” for her role on the soap drama.

Charleson’s final appearance on the show aired in December 2023.

Tributes Pour In

In the wake of Charleson’s death, the cast and crew of “General Hospital” paid tribute to the soap opera veteran online.

“I just learned that Leslie Charleson has passed,” Sean Kanan, who played Charleson’s on-screen son, A. J. Quartermaine, wrote on the social media platform X.

“My deepest condolences to her family,” Kanan added. “May you rest in peace, Lester.”

Actress Rena Sofer shared via Instagram that she was “so fortunate” to have had one more scene with her late costar.

Sofer, who played Lois Cerullo on the daytime drama, returned to “General Hospital” in the fall of 2023 after a more than 25-year absence.

“My memories of GH have her fingerprints all over me,” Sofer wrote in an Instagram Story. “I loved her. She will be so greatly missed.”

“General Hospital” actress Sarah Joy Brown also issued a touching tribute to Charleson on X.

“Rest in peace Leslie Charleson. Grateful to have had the opportunity to learn so much from her while I was starting my run on General Hospital,” Brown penned.

“Her timing was legendary. Sending my condolences to her friends, family, fans, and all of her co-workers.”

Canadian actress Kathleen Gati, who portrayed Liesl Obrecht on the show, described Charleson as “one of the kindest and sweetest colleagues” she has worked with.

“May @lesliecharleson rest in peace and know how deeply she was loved and appreciated by all. Deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and fans,” Gati shared.

“Sad Leslie has left us. When I first began writing, #GH was one of the first shows I had pleasure to be involved with,” writer John Larsen wrote on X. “You are an impossible act to follow or forget.”