Leslie Charleson, Longtime ‘General Hospital’ Cast Member, Dies at 79: NPR

Leslie Charleson, who played cardiologist Monica Quartermaine on the ABC television series General Hospital for almost five decades, died on Sunday. ABC confirmed Charleson’s death to NPR in a statement.

“His enduring legacy spans nearly 50 years General Hospital alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch to the entire cast and crew,” wrote General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini. “I will miss our daily chats, his quick wit and his incredible presence on set.”

While General Hospital is the longest-running scripted drama in the United States, Charleson was one of its longest-serving actors. Born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1945, Charleson entered show business at a young age. His first concert? A car commercial alongside his mother, who tried her hand at acting.

“All I had to do was pretend to be sleeping in the back seat,” Charleson recalled in conversation. interview with the New York talk show Something to offer. “I just remember my mom turning around and saying with a big smile, ‘If you don’t close your eyes, Leslie, you’ll never see 8 again. Do it now.'”

As he grew older, Charleson’s acting ambitions grew. In the 60s and 70s, she appeared in dramas like A flame in the wind (later known as A time for us), As the world turns And Love is a thing of many splendors before landing the role of Monica on General Hospital.

During a 2022 appearance on fellow actor Maurice Benard’s podcast, Charleson said his first day on set coincided with Elvis Presley’s death. “I remember tears streaming down my cheeks as I drove to the studio for the first time,” she said.

Additionally, Charleson told Benard that she was originally disliked on set because another actress playing Monica was “rudely fired” and her hiring as a replacement did not pan out. went well. However, Charleson thrived in her portrayal of Monica Quartermaine, a sharp-tongued cardiologist with a personal life full of marriages, divorces, heartbreaks and adventures.

In the 90s, her character was diagnosed with breast cancer. In a 1994 interview with The Los Angeles TimesCharleson said she pitched the cancer storyline because she felt the series had a responsibility to tackle serious topics. Throughout his stay on General HospitalCharleson has received four Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She has also appeared on shows like Dharma and Greg And Friends.

In a statement to NPR, close friend and entertainment journalist Rosemary Rossi described Charleson as warm and genuine. “His arms and his heart were always open. Everyone in his orbit felt it,” she said. “Yes, she was a soap opera icon, and she leaves that legacy. But her real legacy is the people she touched along the way. And God knows now there were many of them.”