Leslie Charleson, General Hospital actress, passes away at 79 after 50-year run and 2,000 episodes on iconic soap opera

Leslie Charleson, renowned for her lengthy tenure on the much-loved soap opera General Hospital, passed away at 79 on Sunday, January 12. 

The actress portrayed the character of Monica Quartermaine on the ABC series since first taking on the role back in 1977. 

The show’s executive producer, Frank Valentini, confirmed her death due to a prolonged illness in a statement posted on the main Instagram account, as reported by Variety. 

‘It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson.’

Valentini emphasized her remarkable contribution, noting that her impactful legacy had unfolded over almost five decades solely on General Hospital. Just as Monica embodied the essence of the Quartermaines, Leslie stood as a beloved matriarch to the entire cast and crew.

Valentini emotionally continued, ‘I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set.’  

Leslie Charleson, who is known for her decades-long career on the beloved soap opera General Hospital, passed away at the age of 79 on Sunday, January 12; seen in 2019 in L.A. 

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

Upon hearing the news of Charleson’s passing, social media users and fans jumped to the comment section of the post to share their thoughts over the ‘heartbreaking’ update. 

One penned, ‘Rest in Peace! Leslie Charleson will always be Monica Quartermaine,’ while another shared, ‘Incredibly sad. a truly special character on the show. She was amazing.’ 

‘RIP she will be missed and FOREVER Monica Quartermaine!!!’ a follower wrote, while one added, ‘RIP Leslie Charleson. So sad. I grew up watching her on GH since the 1970’s.’ 

An Instagram user also expressed, ‘Oh this is heartbreaking news. Loved her & how she portrayed Monica. So sorry for this to GH.’ 

Another penned, ‘We all loved Monica. May she RIP. and may her memory be a blessing,’ while one added, ‘Icon and legend! Rest in Paradise!’ 

Leslie was born in Kansas City, Missouri in February 1945 – and her sister Kate Charleson was also an actress. 

The late star began her successful career in the entertainment industry in the mid-60s, and made appearances in a number of projects such as A Flame In The Wild (1965).  

A statement was uploaded to the show’s main Instagram account as executive producer, Frank Valentini, confirmed her death following a battle with a long illness, per Variety

The actress portrayed the character of Monica Quartermaine on the ABC series since first taking on the role back in 1977; seen above on General Hospital in 1993 

She also took on small roles in The Wild Wild West (1968), Adam-12 (1972), Happy Days (1975), and The Rockford Files (1977). 

Leslie played the character of Iris Donnelly in Love Is A Many Splendored Thing from 1967 through 1973. And back in 2004, the actress portrayed herself in one episode of Friends. 

In 1977, Charleson was cast as Dr. Monica Quartermaine in General Hospital – and notably starred in a total of 2,079 episodes on the hit soap opera. 

She garnered critical praise of her performance and during her time on the show, received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations. 

The late actress also garnered four Soap Opera Digest nominations and two Soap Hub nominations. 

In 2010, Leslie became only a recurring cast member on General Hospital, with her last appearance on the series taking place in December 2023.