leslie charlson According to an announcement posted on the official Instagram account of “General Hospital”, the famous soap opera star has passed away.
Frank Valentini The long-running drama’s executive producers wrote a statement highlighting Charleson’s enduring legacy during his more than 50 years on the show.
Valentini wrote that just as Leslie’s character was the central figure of the Quartermaine family on the show, she was the matriarch to the cast and crew and that she will be deeply missed. Frank did not mention the cause of death.
variety She passed away on Sunday morning after a long illness.
Charleson began acting professionally in 1965, when he was just 19 years old, on the show “A Flame in the Wind,” and went on to appear in episodes of “Mannix,” “Wild Wild West,” and “Marcus Welby, M.D.” did. “Happy Days”, “Cannon”, “Barnaby Jones”, etc.
But it wasn’t until 1977 that she got her big break. She first appeared as Dr. Monica Quartermaine on “General Hospital” — taking over the role of Monica Byrd from the actress. Patsy Rahn.
Leslie appeared in 2,079 episodes of the show from 1977 to 2023, making her the longest-tenured cast member in “GH” history. Recent health issues, including several falls, prevented her from appearing on the show in 2024.
Leslie was 79 years old.
RIP
