Leslie Charleson, the actress who played Monica Quartermaine on the “General Hospital” series for decades, has passed on at 79.
Charleson started playing Monica on the soap opera in 1977 which makes her the cast member who was on the show the longest. She was also a four-time Daytime Emmy nominee. One of her friends and colleagues, General Hospital’s executive producer Frank Valentini, announced her death via the show’s official Instagram page on Sunday, January 12.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” the post began. “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.”
Valentini ended the tribute by adding: “On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”
About the Life Leslie Charleson Lived
Leslie Charleson was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1945. She had a sister named Kate, who died in 1996 and was also an actress. Charleson began acting as a child, stuck with it in high school, and later studied theater at Bennett College in upstate New York.
In 1964, she bagged a role on the NBC soap “A Flame in the Wind.” Then she was cast in “As the World Turns” in 1966 before joining CBS’s “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing.” She was a cast member on the series until 1970.
After she left the show, she made guest appearances on series like “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “Happy Days,” “The Streets of San Francisco,” “Owen Marshall,” “Counselor at Law,” “McMillan & Wife” and “The Rockford Files.” She also starred in the 1971 made-for-TV horror film “Revenge!.”
Charleson joined the “General Hospital” cast in 1977 as the series’ ratings were floundering. She replaced Patsy Rahn, who had debuted as Monica Bard Webber (later Monica Quartermaine) a year earlier and promptly fell in love with the character.
Monica was a doctor who also filled the bad-girl archetype on the show, and Charleson enjoyed playing her so much that she did not know when the two years she signed up turned into a decade.
“She’s interesting, dedicated in all areas,” Charleson told Soap Opera Digest about her character in 1981. “Her dedication in her social life can be a bit over the top, but it’s true. When she loves, it’s passionately. She puts her effort into it, sometimes at the expense of others.”
Why Did Leslie Charleson Leave General Hospital?
Once she joined the GH cast, Charleson rarely appeared in TV productions outside it. However, she starred in the 1993 movie “Woman on the Ledge” and made guest appearances on “Diagnosis: Murder” and “Dharma & Greg.” She also appeared as herself in a 2004 episode of “Friends,” where she faced Joey on a game show.
Charleson began to appear on “General Hospital” on a recurring status in 2010 and made less frequent appearances as time passed. Charleson’s character was written out of “General Hospital” in December 2023.
She still loved her character and would probably have continued playing it, but for the health issues that made doing the work challenging. Charleson was a true actress with much love for acting and the perks it afforded her.
Reflecting on her stint on “General Hospital,” she told Soap Opera Digest in 2001, “I really do love this job. Look at it this way — what better job can you do than get up in the morning, roll out of bed, throw something on, and then have someone take care of how you look and how you dress, and what you say? How much more grateful could you possibly be? Not bad, not bad at all.”
What Health Issues Did Leslie Charleson Have?
Leslie Charleson had a great run on “General Hospital,” but health problems of various natures often marred it. For example, in April 2018, the actress was involved in an accident where her dog, Riley Rose, tripped her during a walk, injuring her leg.
“Unfortunately, she will need to be replaced in shows already written,” General Hospital tweeted at the time. Age also played a big factor in the health problems Charleson faced while alive, and it ultimately made it harder for her to recover from the illness that plagued her in her last days.
A cause of death is yet to be revealed. But sources close to her have confirmed she was battling an undisclosed illness in her final days.
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What Was Leslie Charleson’s Net Worth?
Leslie Charleson was reportedly worth an estimated $5 million. Most of her fortune came from her time on “General Hospital.” It is no secret that soap actors typically don’t get paid as much as their primetime counterparts, but Charleson earned enough from the show to lead a pretty comfortable life.
She also had a number of endorsement deals and other opportunities over the course of her career that significantly boosted her portfolio.
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