Celebrity News January 12, 2025
Leslie Charleson, 'General Hospital's' Monica Quartermaine, Dies at 79
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Leslie Charleson, who played Monica Quartermaine for nearly 50 years on "General Hospital," died Sunday at 79.
Her death was announced by her colleague Frank Valentini on the official "General Hospital" Instagram account. "It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson," he wrote. "Her enduring legacy has spanned nearly 50 years on 'General Hospital' alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch of the entire cast and crew. I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set. On behalf of everyone at 'General Hospital,' my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time."
She had experienced a series of falls and was hospitalized at the time of her passing.
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 22, 1945. Along with her sister Kate Charleson (who died in 1996), she arrived in Hollywood seeking an acting career in the '60s.
Her debut was on the soap "A Flame in the Wind" (1965). She also appeared on the soap "As the World Turns" (1966) and was Iris Donnelly on the soap "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" (1967-1973), part of a love triangle involving characters played by David Birney and Donna Mills.
Charleson appeared on many series as a guest, including "The Wild Wild West" (1968), "The Rookies" (1972), "Marcus Welby, M.D." (1972 & 1973), and as a date of Richie Cunningham's on "Happy Days" (1975).
In 1976, she was cast in a pilot for a TV version of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" that featured a Black family whose son brings his white girlfriend home, a reversal of the popular film's plot. It was not picked up.
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She joined "General Hospital" in 1977, replacing Patsy Rahn as Monica and appearing on more than 2,000 episodes and becoming a central figure on the iconic series. She was also seen on the spin-off "Port Charles" (1997-2001).
The 1993 TV movie "Woman on the Ledge" featured Charleson with fellow soap divas Deidre Hall and Colleen Zenk.
Her feature films were "A Lovely Way to Die" (1968), "The Day of the Dolphin" (1973), and "Cheering Section" (1977).
Charleson was married and divorced once.
