Denise Alexander, 'Days of Our Lives' & 'General Hospital' Star, Dead at 85

Denise Alexander, a soap opera superstar remembered fondly for long runs on "Days of Our Lives" and "General Hospital," has died.

Soap Opera Digest was first to report that Alexander passed away more than two months ago, on March 5.

Her old friend and co-star Susan Seaforth Hayes — whose husband and fellow soap actor Bill Hayes died last year — remembered Alexander on Instagram, writing, "Denise Alexander was a friend to treasure and an actress to applaud. She was well established on Days when I joined the cast as Julie #4 (a replacement for 4 previous actresses). She watched Billy and I fall madly in love and, being a romantic lady herself, cheered us on."

She went on, "Such happy memories of her years in Salem and her great success on General Hospital. We both began as child actors, both had strong mothers and both were raised as Christian Scientists in our early years. I was grateful for her wisdom, taste, humor, and goodness every time I saw her. It was never enough. And my love for her will never be over. ❤️#DeniseAlexander."

Alexander was born November 11, 1939, in New York City, the daughter of agent Alec Alexander.

She first appeared on TV in 1950, debuted on Broadway in the 1952 revival of "The Children's Hour," and made her feature-film debut in "Crime in the Streets" (1956), which starred Sal Mineo, one of her dad's clients.

Alexander's first foray into soaps was on "The Clear Horizon" (1960), but she made her first really big impression in the genre as Susan Hunter Martin on "Days of Our Lives," a role she played from 1966-1973.

She was poached by "General Hospital" during a salary negotiation, joining the cast as Dr. Lesley Williams. She played the part 1973-1984, 1996-2009, in 2013, and in special guest appearances in 2019 and 2021.

Alexander was preceded in death by her longtime husband Richard A. Colla in 2021.