Leslie Charleson from ‘General Hospital’ Passed Away at 79 – Cause of Death Disclosed

Leslie Charleson, a beloved actress from General Hospital, passed away in January after starring in more than 2,000 episodes of the soap opera. However, recent documents suggest that she may have been experiencing long-term effects from a head injury.

TMZ reports the actress died from”sequelae of blunt head trauma,” meaning longterm effects of a head injury she recently experienced.

Reports initially stated that Charleson died after a prolonged illness, with mentions of her struggles with mobility due to multiple falls in recent years that ultimately led to her reliance on a walker. These falls were a barrier to her continued appearances on General Hospital. TMZ highlighted these incidents as contributing factors.

Additionally, it has emerged that Charleson was dealing with a condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, as outlined by the Alzheimer’s Association.

General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini announced her death with a touching statement about the actress.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, @lesliecharleson. Her 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,” Valentini wrote

Charleson starred as Dr. Quartermaine on the show after taking over the role from Patsy Rahn in 1977. She starred in a whopping 2,079 episodes between 1977 and 2023. Charleson’s other roles include A Flame in the Wind, As The World Turns, The Wild Wild West, Medical Center and Kung Fu.

The actress won four Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress throughout her career on GH.

She was 79 when she died in January.