Soap opera icon Leslie Charleson, who played Monica Quartermaine on “General Hospital” for decades, died Sunday morning after a long illness. She was 79.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague Leslie Charleson,” said Frank Valentini, executive producer of “General Hospital.” “Her enduring legacy on General Hospital alone spans nearly 50 years, 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 conversations, her quick wit and her incredible presence on set. On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my deepest condolences go out to their loved ones during this difficult time.”

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The popular actress, who joined the soap in 1977, has had some health ups and downs in recent years, limiting her time on the ABC soap, which she has not appeared on since December 2023. In recent years, Charleson suffered several falls that prevented her from getting around. Although it limited her mobility and resulted in her needing a walker, it never affected her mood. Charleson was hospitalized last week after one such fall.

The Kansas City native began her long career in daytime television in 1964, when she was just 19 years old, on the short-lived ABC soap opera “A Flame in the Wind.” A few years later, she began a three-year role on the CBS series Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, where she played Iris Donnelly Garrison, who found herself in a popular love triangle with characters Donna Mills and David Birney. In the 1970s, she guest-starred on many of the most popular primetime shows of the time, including The Rockford Files, The Wild West, The Streets of San Francisco, Marcus Welby, MD and Mannix. “Ironside” and “Happy Days,” in which she played divorcee Dorothy Kimber and was the first on-screen kiss for actor-director Ron Howard (who played Richie Cunningham). In 1973, Charleson starred opposite Shelley Winters in the film Day of the Dolphin. She fell in love with the aquatic mammal and collected dolphins for the rest of her life.

In later years, she guest-starred on “Dharma & Greg,” “Diagnosis: Murder,” and “Friends,” and starred alongside her soap colleagues Deidre Hall (“Days of Our Lives”) and Colleen Zenk (“As the World Turns.” “). ) in the 1993 television film “Woman on the Ledge.”

Although she appeared frequently in prime time, Charleson returned to the world of soap operas in 1977 when she was hired to replace Patsy Rahn as Monica Bard on General Hospital. Charleson used to joke that she wasn’t welcomed with open arms by many of the cast and crew, who were upset that her predecessor was rejected. However, her sense of humor quickly won her over.

During her more than 40 years on “GH,” Charleson’s Monica was part of one of the biggest and most popular love triangles of the day (Rick/Monica/Alan) and provided audiences with plenty of comedy (she had a penchant for slapping people and it was too). as a member of the super-rich, ever-quarrelsome and dysfunctional Quartermaine family) and drama (including surviving breast cancer and the loss of three children) and has been shot and held at gunpoint more than once. Along the way, she received four Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress.

After 30 years on “GH,” she was stripped of her contract in 2010 and reduced to recurring status, something her fans and fans of the show protested. In 2017, Charleson tripped while walking her dog and injured her leg, leading to her being replaced on the series by former child star Patty McCormack for two months while she recovered. A few years later she suffered another fall and was again retrained for a single day. Last October it was announced that she was unlikely to return. However, Monica continues to be mentioned in the storyline when the Quartermaines are gathered, referring to her as being upstairs at her mansion.

I personally knew Leslie. Actually very good. She was a very good friend to me. No one was kinder, more fun-loving, more loyal and more generous. I remember times in her beautiful home when she would let her tortoise wander around her lush backyard and it would disappear into the bushes; when we sat in the corner of the kitchen and chatted; as I teased her about her love of Elvis Presley and the Eagles. She was good at laughing, that’s what she was. It was deep and seemed to work its way up from her feet. And the things she loved most: her horse and “General Hospital.” She loved the show and was part of its legacy. And the fans loved her with all their hearts. I hope she knows how much she was loved…and how much she will be missed.

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