At the age of 79, Leslie Charleson, the legendary actress who was best remembered for her long-running role as Monica Quartermaine on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, has gone away.
As of the 12th of January, her passing signifies the conclusion of a magnificent era for both her followers and the entertainment industry.
Members of the General Hospital community, as well as her family and coworkers, are currently grieving the death of the stunning and talented Leslie Charleson, who passed away early on Sunday morning.
Frank Valentini, the executive producer of “General Hospital,” made the announcement on the official Instagram account of the show. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” Valentini said.
“Her enduring legacy has spanned nearly half a century on ‘General Hospital,’ and just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch of the entire cast and crew. Her legacy will live on forever.” Our daily conversations, her quick humor, and her great presence on set are all things that I will miss. I would like to express my deepest condolences to her family and friends during this trying time on behalf of everyone at ‘General Hospital.’
The advice that is awkward
When Leslie Charleson first started working at General Hospital in 1977, she was experiencing mobility challenges as a result of she had fallen many times.
There has been no public announcement regarding the reason for Leslie Charleson’s dying; however, her most recent fall resulted in her being admitted to the hospital just one week before to her passing.
The wonderfully talented and hard-working actress remained resilient in spite of the difficulties she faced, although she hadn’t made an appearance on the show since December 2023.
The daughter of a publishing executive, Leslie Charleson was born on February 22, 1945 in Kansas City, Missouri. She was raised in a pleasant atmosphere because her father was in the publishing industry. Her next-door neighbor, who was also the president of ABC, was instrumental in making it simpler for her to enter the profession. In 1964, when she was only 19 years old, she went on to begin her career by appearing in the ABC daytime serial opera A Flame in the Wind. Soon after that, she was cast in a role on the television show As the World Turns, which is when her ability first began to shine.
In the year 1993, she recalled the guidance that she had from Roy Poole, a veteran of the soap opera industry. He advised her, “Don’t think of the 9 million people who are watching.” And you shouldn’t be concerned about your hands.” “All of a sudden, hands became something I had never seen before,” Leslie explained with a chuckle in response to this. When it came to dealing with them, I was at a loss.
She was able to get more comfortable with her responsibilities with the assistance of this method, and finally, her hands were no longer a worry.
The story of breast cancer
Charleson’s professional life continues to enjoy success. Charleson’s portrayal of Dr. Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital began in 1977, and over that time, her character has been subjected to a number of extraordinary trials. She has been held hostage, she has fought breast cancer, and she has even given up a child for adoption. In all honesty, Monica went through everything; yet, it is possible that the plotline involving her breast cancer from 1994 to 2000 was the one that had the most significant impact.
We had all women, including women writers and a woman producer, and all of them, including myself, had been impacted by breast cancer throughout their lives. Charleson stated this while being questioned by his co-star Maurice Benard in a 2022 film. “My mother had it,” Charleson added.
Due to the fact that we were interested in being truthful, I went to Wellness Hospitals to get a feel for the environment. There had been a significant amount of fantasy time in the soap opera, but in order to ensure that this was done correctly, we had to put in extra work and concentrate our efforts.
received four nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award
In 1980, 1982, 1983, and 1995, Leslie was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. This was due to the fact that she was the respected matriarch of the extremely famous Quartermaine family. In addition, she had a role in the television movie Woman on the Ledge, which was released in 1993 and starred Deidre Hall and Colleen Zenk.
As she reflected on her time spent on General Hospital, she noted, “That was just an incredible time for ‘General Hospital.'” It was the producer Gloria Monty who brought the magic to the table. There was a palpable feeling of excitement in the air.
The dedication, enthusiasm, and adaptability that Leslie displayed throughout her career, which earned her a place as a legend in the world of soap operas, defined her career. Leslie’s skill shined through in the spinoffs of General Hospital, including Port Charles (1997–2001) and General Hospital: Night Shift (2008), despite the fact that she is most known for her iconic role on General Hospital.
Charleson gave an interview to Digital Journal in 2019, during which she discussed the factors that have led to her lengthy career. She stated that “Interest in the material is what keeps you around and relationships.” “I am the only actor on the show that doesn’t have another soap opera to talk about because I have never done another soap opera, while almost everybody else has,” she said, highlighting a distinctive facet of her experience. She also mentioned that she had never participated in any soap opera.
All of the members of the General Hospital cast and the Charleson family are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. May God grant her eternal rest!
