Leslie Charleson, who was best known for playing Monica Quartermaine on the iconic soap opera General Hospital, died on Sunday. She was 79 years-old.
Charleson Passes Away
Charleson had played Monica on General Hospital since 1977. This made her the cast member who had been on the soap opera the longest. She was nominated for four Daytime Emmy Awards for her work on the series.
Charleson’s death was announced on the official General Hospital Instagram page by the show’s executive producer Frank Valentini.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” he wrote. “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,” he continued. “On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”
Related: ‘The Mod Squad,’ ‘General Hospital’ Star Michael Cole Dead At 84
Charleson’s History
Charleson was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1945. She began acting as a child and later studied theater at Bennett College in upstate New York.
Charleson launched her professional acting career in 1964, when she was cast on the NBC soap A Flame in the Wind. She later joined As the World Turns in 1966, before moving to CBS’s Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, staying with that series until 1970.
Charleson went on to make guest appearances on shows like Marcus Welby, M.D., Happy Days, The Streets of San Francisco, Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law, McMillan & Wife, and The Rockford Files.
In 1977, Charleson was cast on General Hospital at a time when the soap opera’s ratings were plummeting. She replaced Patsy Rahn, who had debuted as Monica Bard Webber (later Monica Quartermaine). Monica was a doctor who filled the bad-girl archetype on the show. Indeed, Charleson relished having the opportunity to play someone like her.
“I only signed on for two years, and I don’t know what happened,” Charleson told Digital Journal in 2019. “Back then, there weren’t a lot of good female roles that had that. It was an amazing time, and it was strong material to act.”
“She’s interesting, dedicated in all areas,” she told Soap Opera Digest 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.”
Charleson Loved Her Job
Even back then, Charleson was happy with the growth of her character.
“I’m delighted with the progress she’s made, her sense of humor,” she said in this 1981 interview. “As an actress I enjoy Monica because she can wear any hat, go any place, do any thing. When you’re all good, you’re boring. And nobody is just ‘good,’ unless she’s a saint.”
In 2001, Charleson got reflective about her time on General Hospital.
“I really do love this job,” she admitted. “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.”
Rest in peace, Leslie Charleson.
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