ABC's General Hospital first aired on American television on April 1, 1963. Leslie Charleson portrayed Doctor Monica Quartermaine's character in the series. She joined the cast in 1977 and was one of the longest-serving cast members of the soap opera. The actress passed away on January 12, 2025, after a prolonged illness. She last appeared on General Hospital in December 2023.
The actress had suffered from a series of falls over the last few years, which caused her many health issues. Her fall caused her to injure her leg while walking her dog, and her screen time on General Hospital became infrequent owing to these issues. Her last appearance on the show in December 2023 was the Christmas episode, where she was also recovering from an injury, mirroring her real life.
The actress, born on February 22, 1945, was 79 when she passed away. Her health had been deteriorating throughout the last year, and she succumbed to her health issues. Her tenure as General Hospital's Monica Quartermaine made her a fan favorite, receiving four Daytime Emmy Award nominations for her portrayal.
Leslie Charleson as Doctor Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital
Leslie Charleson's General Hospital character, Monica Quartermaine, was introduced in 1977. She was a cardiologist and the first female doctor in Port Charles. In 1978, her character married Alan Quartermaine, a fellow doctor and heir of the Quartermaine family. Despite many struggles of infidelity and power rivalry, the two remained together.
Monica's husband, Alan, died in 2007, which caused her significant emotional turmoil. One of the main storylines involving Monica was her journey and struggle with breast cancer. Her character was resilient and did not shy away from fear. Her love triangle with Rick Webber and Alan also added to her arc.
Leslie's portrayal of Monica was loved by fans and viewers, and she was one of the longest-tenured actors on the show. She was a matriarch and professionally talented as a doctor, with many unorthodox and groundbreaking surgeries to her name. Her compassion and empathy made her a memorable character.
Monica Quartermaine adopted Emily, her friend's daughter, and raised her well. She also supported A.J. and Jason Quartermaine growing up but later drifted from Jason after he suffered a brain injury and switched his name to Jason Morgan.
More about Leslie Charleson
Leslie Charleson began acting as a child and later studied theater in Bennett College in upstate New York, as reported by People. The actress first appeared on television on A Time For Us, an ABC daytime series. She also appeared in other works like the CBS soap opera Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, for which she earned her first Daytime Emmy nomination, and Port Charles, a General Hospital spinoff, among others.
Leslie married G. William Demms in 1988 in Connecticut, but the couple eventually divorced. However, the details remained private, per reports by the Economic Times. The actress eventually had to step away from the spotlight for health reasons, but her works in television leave behind a legacy.
Recent storylines on General Hospital have Michael Corinthos in the hospital after suffering from third-degree burns. Willow Tait returns to Port Charles to handle decisions regarding Michael's health, which creates a lot of drama. The upcoming episodes of the show will shed further light on these storylines and character arcs.
Fans can watch the show on ABC Network and stream episodes on Hulu.