General Hospital's 'matriarch' Leslie Charleson dead at 79 marking end of an era
Leslie Charleson, who portrayed Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital for nearly 50 years, has sadly passed away at the age of 79, leaving friends, colleague and fans distraught at the loss of the show's beloved 'matriarch'
Leslie Charleson, who portrayed Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital for nearly 50 years, has sadly passed away at the age of 79, leaving friends, colleague and fans distraught at the loss of the show's beloved 'matriarch'General Hospital star Leslie Charleson has died at 79, a heartfelt Instagram post from Executive Producer Frank Valentini revealed on Sunday (
Image: Getty Images)
The General Hospital community is mourning the loss of their beloved Leslie Charleson, who has been portraying the "matriarch" Monica Quartermaine on the show. In a post shared on the official General Hospital Instagram account, Executive Producer Frank Valentini expressed his sorrow: "It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson," he 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."
Valentini's tribute went on to say, "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."
He concluded the message with his own name.
Fans also grieved over Cameron Mathison's character's troubles, noting he 'lost his house in real life,' while actor Carlo Rota opened up about having a 'nervous breakdown' before beginning his acting career, reports the Mirror US. The outpouring of sadness was evident in the comments section, where fans used prayer emojis and sad faces to express their grief after the announcement was made on @generalhospitalabc just before 6:30 pm on Sunday.
Monica has been a staple of General Hospital since the 1970s, and Charleson's death has hit the show's loyal fans hard (Image:
ABC via Getty Images)One Instagram user reacted, "Oh gosh noooo," while another conveyed their condolences: "My Sincere Condolences to everyone at GH. She was an iconic character and leaves an amazing body of work."
Fans are mourning the loss of a soap legend as heartfelt tributes pour in for the late actress. One fan expressed their sorrow, commenting, "wow! So sad! May she rest in peace."
Emojis of flowers and tearful faces accompanied many messages, while some bid farewell to her iconic character with poignant words like, "Goodbye Monica."
The announcement post quickly racked up over 10,000 likes within just 30 minutes.
Although the cause of death wasn't disclosed in the post, Charleson had faced multiple health challenges in recent years.
In December 2023, Charleson made her final appearance on the show as Monica. She transitioned to a recurring role in 2010, sparking protests from devoted viewers.
Her health issues reportedly started with a fall in 2017 that broke her leg, leading to a two-month absence and her temporary replacement by Patty McCormack. Another fall years later required her to be substituted again for one episode.
Charleson began acting when she was just 19 (Image:
WireImage) Fans and also cast mates on General Hospital raved about Charleson's sense of humourAmidst ongoing health struggles, it was revealed last October that she likely wouldn't return to the series. Despite not being seen on-screen, her character remained a topic of conversation, often said to be 'upstairs' in the Quartermaine mansion by other characters.
Charleson's injuries led to her using a walker, but her indomitable spirit remained unbroken. Following a recent fall, she was admitted to the hospital, where she sadly passed away.
A familiar face on General Hospital, Charleson joined the ABC soap opera in 1977. Hailing from Kansas City, the soap star kicked off her daytime television career in 1964, starring in the ABC soap opera A Flame in the Wind.
She later appeared on CBS's Love Is A Many Splendored Thing. Charleson also had roles on The Rockford Files, The Wild West, The Streets of San Francisco, Marcus Welby, M.D., Mannix, Ironside and Happy Days.
She featured in the film The Day of the Dolphin in 1973, and made guest appearances years later on Dharma and Greg, Diagnosis: Murder, Friends, before starring in another film, Woman on the Ledge, in 1993.
Monica was embroiled in one of daytime television's most famous love triangles, involving her character and Rick and Alan, other characters on the popular soap opera.
Charleson acted in other soaps as well, including Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (Image:
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)Charleson was celebrated for bringing humour to her character, often seen slapping people, and drama, having lost three of her children and been shot multiple times. Her character also battled breast cancer.
Over the years, she received four Daytime Emmy nominations for outstanding lead actress and remained a constant presence on the soap for over 30 years. Charleson's fans are already feeling her absence.
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