Who is the longest-serving actor on General Hospital?

General Hospital is the longest-running soap opera on ABC and has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. The show was first aired in 1963 and has completed 15,000 episodes. The show was first set in a hospital in an unnamed fictional city which was later named Port Charles in the 1970s.

The show has been running for the last 61 years with numerous characters being part of the changing storylines and plots. But one character who has stayed part of the GH since its early years is Monica Quartermaine, played by Leslie Charleson.

Leslie Charleson has been part of the show since her debut in 1977 and is the longest-serving actor on the show. She joined the cast on August 17, 1977, and has worked in General Hospital for nearly 5 decades.

Monica Quartermaine is a central figure in the show. She is a member of the rich and powerful Quartermaine family because of which her life has been full of drama, romance, and tragedy.

---

General Hospital: Who is Leslie Charleson?

Leslie Charleson was born on February 12, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri. She began her acting career in the 1960s and did various roles in television series and films. Some of her roles before she finally appeared in the daytime soap opera General Hospital were in shows like A Flame in the Wind, As the World Turns, and Love Is a Many Splendored Thing.

However, she received fame and widespread recognition due to her role as Monica Quartermaine in the General Hospital which she joined in 1977. However, there have been some instances in the past where she was temporarily absent, due to medical issues.

Once in 2018, she took off from her role and the second time in 2022 for one episode. But overall she has continued to play her role for all these years.

Leslie Charleson earned many award nominations for her role as Monica in the soap opera General Hospital. These awards include 4 Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Her storyline as Monica has allowed Charleson to show versatility in her acting and made her one of the beloved characters of the show.

Some of her other roles include Dooley Sloan in The Wild Wild West (1968), Anne Dawson in The Rookie (1972), Rocker Girl in Cheering Section (1977), and Leslie in Friends (2004).

---

Monica Quartermaine in General Hospital

Dr. Monica Quartermaine is a central figure in General Hospital and is a Cardiologist. Her character was first introduced in the show in 1976 and was played by Patsy Rahn between 1976 and 1977. Then in 1977 Leslie Charleson took over the role and has been playing it since.

Though there have been some temporary casting in between, where Patty McCormack played the role for some time in 2018 and Holly Kaplan played the role for one episode in 2022.

Monica had romantic relationships with fellow doctors Jeff Webber and Rick Webber which didn’t turn out well and led to many complications in the family as well. She married Alan, though they had many fights which ultimately were resolved.

Except for the personal struggles that her character went through she also faced medical challenges. Monica was diagnosed with breast cancer which she navigated bravely, sharing a message to not lose hope to the viewers.

Over the years Monica has excelled in her career and become the Chief of Cardiology, then Chief of Staff, and now Board Chairman on the show.

---

Watch the new episodes of General Hospital on weekdays on ABC.