What role did Alice Hirson play on General Hospital? Details explored as actor passes away at 95

American actor Alice Hirson, who was briefly part of the General Hospital cast in the 1980s, passed away at the age of 95. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Hirson died on Friday, February 14, 2025, of natural causes. She was at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills for almost a year when she died.

Alice Hirson is survived by her sons David Hirson, a Broadway playwright, and Christopher Hirson, a musician. She is also survived by a grandson, Daniel Hirson.

While well-known for many shows and movies, including The Edge of Night, One Life to Live, Dallas, and Ellen, Hirson played Mrs. Van Gelder in General Hospital in 1982 in a recurring role for 4 episodes. Her stint with GH was short, unlike many other shows and titles where she remained for a longer time.

---

A glance at General Hospital actor Alice Hirson

Alice Hirson's illustrious career started in 1951 with the television show Starlight Theatre. She followed it up with numerous television titles that included miniseries, soaps, and television movies.

Some of the more renowned titles that Hirson was part of include N.Y.P.D., Another World, One Life to Live, Dallas, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, Full House, Home Fires, Ellen, 7th Heaven, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and many more. She also appeared in popular shows like Will & Grace, Judging Amy, ER, Law & Order, Houston Knights, Hotel, Barnaby Jones, and more.

Alice has appeared in many movies, including Nightwing, Private Benjamin, Revenge of the Nerds, Mass Appeal, Blind Date, Stepmonster, The Glass House, and The Lost.

Hirson's character, Mrs. Esther Van Gelder, was introduced on General Hospital in 1982 and was part of the Luke Spencer story arc. Mrs. Gelder was the widow of geologist Frank Van Gelder.

She traveled to Rochester several times to meet Holly and Luke. Later in the storyline, she revealed to Jackie and Robert that Oliver Durban had killed her husband.

On her personal side, Hirson was born in March 1929, in New York City, as Alice Corinne Thorsell. She graduated in 1948 from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and started her career with plays on the off-Broadway stage, such as The Investigation and Traveller Without Luggage.

She married Roger O Hirson, a dramatist, and had two sons from her marriage. While she met actor Stephen Elliot in 1964, the duo married in 1980. They remained a couple till Elliot's death in 2005.

Alice Hirson's death is deeply regretted by the creative community. General Hospital actor Chris McKenna, who plays Jack Brennan currently, took to Instagram to express his tribute to the Hollywood veteran, saying:

"We lost a radiant soul and a daytime legend. Alice Hirson shone her light on this world for 95 glorious years."

---

General Hospital continues to air on ABC

While Hirson was part of GH briefly, the soap has been airing on ABC since April 1963. The soap's plot revolves around the titular medical facility ensconced in the fictional township of Port Charles. The storyline includes other residents of the town besides the hospital's staff. That includes mobsters, their families, law enforcers, and more.

The current plot dynamics focus on the chaos around mobster Cyrus Renault's death. While the mobster's last victim, Lucky Spencer, is fighting for his life after being injected with Digitalis, Cyrus's shooter Josslyn will be forced to cover up her deed as its disclosure would put Jack Brennan in a tough spot.

---

Stay tuned to ABC to catch the latest of General Hospital every weekday.