GH Icon Leslie Charleson Dead At 79, General Hospital Monica Passes Away

General Hospital (GH) spoilers note there is more sad news for fans of the soap. According to reports, Leslie Charleson, who played beloved Monica Quartermaine for over four decades on the soap, passed away the morning of Sunday, January 11.

She was 79 years of age.

GH Executive Producer Makes Announcement On X

GH Executive Producer, Frank Valentini hopped on the social media platform X to alert fans to the news. In a tweet he notes, “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson.”

Valentin also states, “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.”

He ended the post by saying, “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.”

General Hospital Icon Leslie Charleson – Her Acting Legacy

Charleson started her career off in 1964 on television, and made a number of appearances in primetime shows like Happy Days, NYPD, The Rockford Files, and Friends (playing herself) – just to name a few. She was also involved in film projects.

Still, Charleson will most fondly be remembered for her soap opera role on GH as the beloved Monica Quarteramine, a character she began playing in 1977.

Over the years, Monica had done it all and seen it all, having some incredible storylines that included surviving breast cancer, adopting a child, dealing with the loss of kids, as well as her losing long-time husband, Alan Quartermaine (Stuart Damon).

During her tenure with the soap, Charleson earned a total of four Daytime Emmys, all in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress.

While due to her health issues, she hasn’t been seen on the soap since December 2023, Monica remained very active in storylines, consistently being mentioned despite not being on the canvas.

On behalf of everyone here, our thoughts go out to Leslie Charleson’s family, friends, loved ones, colleagues and fans during this difficult time.

Tune into GH daily to catch all the drama in Port Charles and check out this site regularly for the most up-to-date General Hospital news and spoilers.