Leslie Charleson Dead at 79: Hollywood Mourns the Loss of Longtime ‘General Hospital’ Actress 

Leslie Charleson, best known for her role of Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital, has died. She was 79 years old.

The soap opera star’s death was announced in a post on the General Hospital official Instagram account on Sunday, January 13.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” executive producer Frank Valentini said in the statement. “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.”

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“I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set,” he said. “On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”

Charleson appeared in 2,079 episodes of General Hospital from 1977 to 2023, per IMDb. Fans of the series, along with her costars and other celebrities, shared tributes to the late star on social media.

“I just learned that Leslie Charleson has passed. We played mother and son off and on for years. My deepest condolences to her family. May you rest in peace, Lester. #GeneralHospital #GH #LeslieCharleson #MonicaQuartermaine,” Sean Kanan wrote in a post on X.

“Rest in peace Leslie Charleson, grateful to have had the opportunity to learn so much from her while I was starting my run on General Hospital,” Sarah Joy Brown wrote in a post on X. “Watching her work with Stuart Damon, a.k.a. Alan Quartermaine, and John Ingle was a joy for me, especially when I was included in the scenes, but even when I wasn’t. The Q’s always made me laugh. Her timing was legendary. Sending my condolences to her friends, family, fans, and all of her co-workers #lesliecharleson.”

“Sad news, #GeneralHospital legend, @lesliecharleson has passed away. Brilliant actress but more importantly, one of the nicest in the business who always greeted anyone in her orbit with a big smile and open arms. The world will miss you, Leslie. RIP,” Nathan Varni penned in a post on X.

In the months prior to her death, Charleson was seen out in public in Los Angeles while using a walker to help her get around.

“She’s doing OK under the circumstances and in no rush to push herself,” an insider told Closer after the outing in October 2024. “She’s suffered several falls in recent years, and she’s doing her best to recover. That said, it’s harder for her to get around at her age.”

Questions were raised about whether or not Charleson planned on returning to General Hospital at the time.

“She’s seeing friends and staying social,” the insider said. “Although she’d be welcome back to the show with open arms, it’s unlikely she’ll ever return.”

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Initially, Charleson did not know that her role on General Hospital would turn into a long-term gig.

“I only signed on for two years, and I don’t know what happened,” the As the World Turns alum told Digital Journal in an April 2019 interview. “Back then, there weren’t a lot of good female roles that had that. It was an amazing time, and it was strong material to act.”

Charleson looked back on her career and had no regrets.

“I am the only actor on the show that doesn’t have another soap opera to talk about since I have never done another soap opera, while almost everybody else has,” the Missouri native reflected. “Interest in the material is what keeps you around and relationships.”

“I just refuse to go away. Almost everybody that is new to the show and comes to Port Charles ends up with the Quartermaines for a while,” she said.