'General Hospital' star Leslie Charleson, who played Monica Quartermaine, dies at 79

Soap opera veteran Leslie Charleson, best known for playing Monica Quartermaine on "General Hospital," has died. She was 79.

"General Hospital" executive producer Frank Valentini announced Charleson's death in an Instagram post Sunday. The actress died of complications from a long illness, a source close to the situation but not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to USA TODAY.

"It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson," Valentini 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."

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Charleson made her "General Hospital" debut as Dr. Quartermaine in 1977 and went on to appear in more than 2,000 episodes over the course of nearly five decades, according to the actress's IMDb page.

Of her longtime stint on the ABC drama, Charleson told Digital Journal in 2019: "I only signed on for two years, and I don't know what happened. I like her spunk, independence and everything about her. 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."

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Before joining "General Hospital," Charleson cut her teeth as an actress on TV dramas such as "A Flame in the Wind" and "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing." She also appeared in several other series throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, including "As the World Turns," "N.Y.P.D.," "The Rookies" and "Marcus Welby, M.D."

Over the years, Charleson reprised her "General Hospital" role on the show's spin-offs "Port Charles" and "General Hospital: Night Shift."

In the late '90s and early 2000s, Charleson didn't venture far beyond Port Charles, making the occasional guest appearance on sitcoms such as "Dharma & Greg" and "Friends."

Charleson's final appearance on "General Hospital" was the December 2023 episode "Everything You Ever Wanted," per IMDb.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Leslie Charleson dead: 'General Hospital' star dies at 79