Leslie Charleson, 'General Hospital's' long-serving Monica Quartermaine, dead at 79
Leslie Charleson, the soap-opera legend who played Monica Quartermaine on 'General Hospital' starting in the 1970s, died Sunday. She was 79.
Leslie Charleson, the âGeneral Hospitalâ star who played cardiologist-turned-mob enforcer Monica Quartermaine on the ABC daytime drama, has died. She was 79.
The soap opera legendâs death was announced Sunday by âGeneral Hospitalâ executive producer Frank Valentini, who confirmed that she died in a post on the showâs official Instagram account.
âIt is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, @lesliecharleson,â Valentini wrote. âHer enduring legacy has spanned nearly 50 years on @GeneralHospital alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaine family, 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 #GeneralHospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.â
No cause of death was immediately available, but Variety and ABC News reported that Charleson had died after a long illness. Representatives for Charleson did not immediately respond Monday to The Timesâ request for comment.
Charleson was hospitalized last week after a recent fall, Variety said. Her health issues recently cut back on her time on âGeneral Hospitalâ; She had appeared in more than 2,000 episodes, making her one of the longest-serving soap opera stars in American daytime TV. Charleson last appeared on the long-running soap in December 2023.
The Kansas City, Mo., native â born Feb. 22, 1945 â joined the cast of âGeneral Hospitalâ in 1977, replacing Patsy Rahn, who originated the Monica Quartermaine role in 1976. âGeneral Hospitalâ is the longest-running scripted drama and longest-running American soap opera still in production. The Doris and Frank Hursley-created series debuted in 1963 and remains ABCâs sole remaining soap opera after the networkâs other daytime dramas concluded.
Around the time âGeneral Hospitalâ premiered, Charleson and her sister Kate arrived in Hollywood to launch their acting careers. Charleson made her daytime drama debut on âA Flame in the Windâ in 1965 and went on to appear in âAs the World Turnsâ and âLove Is a Many Splendored Thing.â
Her other TV roles include guest stints on âThe Wild Wild West,â âThe Rookies,â âMarcus Welby, M.D.,â âHappy Days,â âThe Rockford Filesâ and âFriends.â
As cardiologist Dr. Monica Quartermaine, Charleson embodied the wealthy matriarch of the Quartermaine family, earning four Daytime Emmy nominations for the role. She also crossed over to âPort Charles.â Her characterâs love triangles, affairs with fellow doctors and love child led to longstanding issues with her onscreen husband Alan Quartermaine, driving popular storylines in the â80s and â90s. Monica was gifted the storied Quartermaine mansion by Alan as a wedding present and often threatened to throw her family out of the ritzy quarters.
According to Variety, Charleson was taken off contract and reduced to a recurring-role status in 2010. She was briefly recast when injuries and other health issues kept her from performing. Her character still remains a presence on the show even if she is off screen, occasionally being referred to as being upstairs in the Quartermaine mansion when her family is gathered there.
When Monica battled breast cancer on the show in the 1990s, Charleson was the one who suggested it and welcomed the authenticity of the storyline: a doctor going through cancer herself.
âWhen I first started doing soaps â ages ago â we were restricted,â she told The Times in 1994. âYou couldnât say words like abortion. You couldnât be political. You couldnât be topical. You couldnât cause any kind of controversy. I always felt that was a mistake. Weâre seen in peopleâs living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms five days a week. We have a responsibility (to tackle) real issues.â
âWhen I first started doing soaps--ages ago--we were restricted,â says Leslie Charleson, who plays Monica Quartermaine on âGeneral Hospital.â
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