Leslie Charleson, best known for portraying Dr. Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital for nearly five decades, has passed away at the age of 79. The news was confirmed by the show’s executive producer, Frank Valentini, on Sunday.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” Valentini wrote in a heartfelt tribute. “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.”
Charleson began portraying the iconic role of Monica Quartermaine in 1977, taking over from the original actress, Patsy Rahn. She remained with the show until her passing, becoming one of the longest-running and most beloved stars in daytime television.
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Charleson’s acting career started at a young age. She made her television debut as a regular on the ABC daytime series A Time for Us. She went on to have a successful career in soap operas, with notable stints on As the World Turns and Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, where she received her first Emmy nomination for playing Iris Donelly Garrison.
Charleson also appeared in a variety of TV shows, including Adam-12, Barnaby Jones, Marcus Welby, M.D., and The Rockford Files. On Happy Days, she famously gave Ron Howard his first on-screen kiss. She also starred in the TV movie Woman on the Ledge alongside Deidre Hall.
However, it was her role on General Hospital that truly made her a household name. Over the years, Charleson’s character, Monica, became a cornerstone of the Quartermaine family and a beloved figure to fans. One of the most memorable storylines during her time on the show was Monica’s breast cancer diagnosis in the 1990s, which Charleson called “incredibly difficult” but also one of the most rewarding projects of her career. “It was exhausting and incredibly difficult work, but the response to the storyline was truly humbling,” she said in a 2020 interview.
Outside of her acting career, Charleson was an advocate for breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS-related charities. She was also deeply devoted to her fans, who she said had become like family over the years. “General Hospital’s fans are fiercely loyal, and I think, because these characters appear in their homes each weekday, year after year, they truly feel a connection to us personally,” she once shared.
What's Up Today Editorial Team