One of General Hospital’s most iconic and beloved stars, Leslie Charleson, who portrayed the character Dr. Monica Quartermaine, has died.
The American actress, who hailed from Kansas City, Missouri, died at the age of 79.
The news was announced on General Hospital’s official Instagram page in a tribute statement from Frank Valentini, the executive producer of the show.
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In his postthe EP said the late star was his “dear friend and colleague”.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” he said in the statement.
“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. -Frank Valentini.”
One follower commented underneath about just how much the actress and her character had an impact.
“Monica Quartmaine was such a strong female character back when strong female characters were not the norm,” they said.
“Leslie Charleson brought that character to life! Great actress and I feel like a family member is gone.😢.”
“A legend, she will be missed sorely,” another follower commented.
“Incredibly sad, a truly special character on the show. She was amazing,” another added.
Variety reports that the late star died on Sunday (January 12), following “a long illness”.
The publication added Charleson had “suffered several falls” in recent years that affected her mobility and last week was hospitalized due to a fall, shortly before her death.
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Charleson portrayed the fictional character Dr. Monica Quartermaine, a cardiologist on the hit show, taking over the role from actress Patsy Rahn.
She was so successful in the role, she scored four Daytime Emmy Award nominations.
Charleson first joined the iconic show back in 1977 and according to her IMDB profile, was last seen on the show back in 2023.
She also starred in General Hospital: Night Shift, an episode of Friends and Dharma & Greg, and the TV movie Woman on the Ledge, among other credits, according to her profile.
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In an interview with FBJ Fit In the years before her death, the star spoke about her portrayal of Dr. Monica Quartermaine and said the storyline of Monica’s breast cancer battle was “so incredibly fulfilling” and something she’s “proud of”.
She also spoke about her character and what she loved about Monica. Soap Opera Digest, saying: “But one of the reasons this character intrigued me was that Monica could have gone anywhere.”
“As scary as it was, she wasn’t pigeon-holed, and that’s what I’ve always liked about her. She’s a character who you can put in many situations.”
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