Leslie Charleson, the actress known for her decades-long role as Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital, has sadly died at the age of 79 on Sunday, January 12. According to Variety, Charleson died after a "long illness," but no cause of death has been specified. The Mirror reported that Charleson was walker-dependent and experienced "a series of health issues," and this last hospitalization was due to a fall.
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General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini shared news of Charleson's passing on the show's social media accounts. "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."
"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."
Quickly, many General Hospital and Leslie Charleson fans took to social media to express their condolences and heartbreak over the actress' death.
"So sorry to hear this. I loved her character and the way she portrayed Monica. Rest in peace. Prayers for her family and colleagues," one user wrote. "I'm so sorry to hear this! I have loved watching her for many years on GH. Rest In Peace Leslie!" another user wrote. A third one said: "Sad news grew up watching gh with her. My sympathy to her family and her family at gh."
Remembering Leslie Charleson
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1945, Charleson's career began with roles on soap operas such as A Flame in the Wind, As the World Turns, and the western, The Wild Wild West. She gained notoriety by playing Iirs Donnelly Garrison in the CBS soap opera, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing from 1967 to 1970.
From 1970 to 1977, she starred in many series which included Happy Days, Adam-12, and Ironside, among others. However, it was in 1977 that Leslie Charleson made her return to daytime television by becoming Monica Quartermaine in ABC's General Hospital. However, she was reluctant to accept the role.
"I had decided I'd had enough of soaps; I was moving on," Charleson told the Soap Opera Digest in October 2024. However, it was Tom Donovan, former Love Is A Splendored Thing producer that persuaded Charleson to join the cast. She played Monica from 1977 to 2023.
