Leslie Charleson, ‘General Hospital’ icon, dies at 79

Leslie Charleson, the iconic actress known for her long-running portrayal of Monica Quartermaine on ABC’s General Hospital, has passed away at the age of 79.

Her death on January 12 marks the end of a remarkable era for fans and the entertainment world.

Fans of General Hospital, along with her family and colleagues, are now mourning the loss of the beautiful and talented Leslie Charleson, who passed away Sunday morning.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” “General Hospital” executive producer Frank Valentini announced on the official Instagram account of General Hospital.

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

The awkward advice
Leslie Charleson, who joined General Hospital in 1977, had been dealing with mobility issues from multiple falls.

The cause of Leslie Charleson’s death has not yet been disclosed, but her most recent fall led to hospitalization just a week before her passing.

Despite her challenges, the hardworking and wonderful actress stayed strong but hadn’t appeared on the show since December 2023.

Leslie Charleson, born February 22, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri, grew up in a comfortable environment as the daughter of a publishing executive. Her neighbor, the president of ABC, helped make breaking into the industry a little easier. At just 19, she started her career in 1964 on the short-lived ABC daytime soap A Flame in the Wind. Soon after, she landed a role on As the World Turns, where her talent began to shine.

In 1993, she recalled advice given to her by soap veteran Roy Poole, who told her, “Don’t think of the 9 million people who are watching. And don’t worry about your hands.” Leslie chuckled about this, explaining, “All of a sudden, hands became something I had never seen before. I didn’t know what to do with them.”

But this trick helped her settle into her roles and, eventually, her hands were no longer a concern.

Breast cancer story
Charleson’s career continued to flourish. Since joining General Hospital in 1977, Charleson’s portrayal of Dr. Monica Quartermaine saw her character face incredible challenges — she gave up a child for adoption, was held hostage, and even battled breast cancer. Monica truly experienced it all, nut perhaps it was Monica’s breast cancer storyline from 1994 to 2000 that made the strongest impact.

”We had all women — women writers, a woman producer — and they had all been affected by breast cancer, including me. My mother had it,” Charleson said while being interviewed by costar Maurice Benard in a 2022.

”I went to Wellness Hospitals, just to see what it was like, because we wanted to be honest. So much of the soap had been fantasy time, but this we took special effort and concentrated effort to make sure it was done properly.”

Earned four Daytime Emmy nominations
As the the respected matriarch of the renowned Quartermaine family, Leslie earned four Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1980, 1982, 1983, and 1995. She also starred in the 1993 TV movie Woman on the Ledge, alongside Deidre Hall and Colleen Zenk.

Reflecting on her time on General Hospital, she recalled, “That was just an incredible time for ‘General Hospital.’ There was the magic of [producer] Gloria Monty. There was such a sense of excitement.”

Leslie’s career was defined by her dedication, passion, and ability to adapt, earning her a place as a soap opera legend. Best known for her iconic role on General Hospital, Leslie’s talent also shone in its spinoffs, including Port Charles (1997–2001) and General Hospital: Night Shift (2008).

In a 2019 interview with Digital Journal, Charleson shared her thoughts on what has contributed to her long career, saying, ”Interest in the material is what keeps you around and relationships.” She also pointed out a unique aspect of her experience, stating, ”I am the only actor on the show that doesn’t have another soap opera to talk about since I have never done another soap opera, while almost everybody else has.”