In memoriam: A tribute to Leslie Charleson

The soap world is mourning the passing of Leslie Charleson who played Monica Quartermaine for nearly five decades on General Hospital. In this special retrospective, we look at the legacy she leaves behind on our beloved soap and the soap opera community.

In the early morning hours of January 12, 2025, we lost a soap opera legend when Leslie Charleson passed away at the age of 79 from a long illness. It wasn’t a complete shock to many of her fans. In recent years, her appearances on General Hospital had dwindled due to injuries and health issues. We last saw her during Christmas 2023.

A long goodbye

While Leslie Charleson’s passing was not a surprise, I was heartbroken over her loss, nonetheless. A part of me kept hoping that she would recover and return to General Hospital to continue being the matriarch of the Quartermaine clan since she’s been since Anna Lee (Lila Quartermaine) left us. Sadly, that was not to be. Our beloved Leslie is gone. Will the show honor her by retiring her character? I hope so. Leslie/Monica’s photo belongs on General Hospital’s memorial wall next to all the other legends who have preceded Leslie in eternal rest.

It would be fitting. During her run on General Hospital, Leslie Charleson received four Daytime Emmy nominations. In 1980, 1982, and 1983 she was nominated as Outstanding Actress — the original name of the Outstanding Lead Actress category — in which was nominated in 1995. She dropped to recurring status in August 2010, but she continued to appear on a regular basis until recent years.

Let’s look back at the incredible contribution that Ms. Charleson has made to General Hospital.

Leslie Charleson’s journey to General Hospital

Leslie was born in Kansas City and began her career in soaps in 1965 playing a character named Pam on an ABC soap called A Flame in the Wind (renamed A Time for Us in 1965). The following year, she appeared on As the World Turns playing Alice Whipple for one episode. She jumped over to CBS’s Love Is a Many Splendored Thing playing Iris Donnelly Garrison for the next three years. Fun fact: Leslie was part of a love triangle on the show with characters played by Donna Mills (Madeline Reeves, GH) and David Birney.

Leslie Charleson also branched out into primetime, making guest appearances on many popular shows like Mannix, Adam-12, Emergency, Medical Center, Marcus Welby, M.D., and Ironside. She also played Joanna Prentiss in the 1975 TV movie Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. But the best was yet to come.

Introducing General Hospital’s new Monica Webber

In 1977, Leslie was offered a role on General Hospital as Monica Webber. She was actually a recast. Patsy Rahn originated the role the year before in 1976.

In an August 2022 interview with Soap Opera Digest, Charleson recalled, “I started the show the day Elvis Presley died, and being such a huge fan, I of course was very upset driving to the studios, and then getting there, I was told that they hoped I had brought my own wardrobe and makeup because there was a strike going on, and that was before I even got in the building!”

She went on to say, “Then I got in the building, and I realized no one really liked me because the girl playing Monica before me was very rudely fired. To top it all off, the reason I accepted the show was because a producer on the show, Tom Donovan, who was also a producer on Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, asked me to do it, and then I find out that he is leaving! So, all in all, it was not a good day. Definitely special.”

A rough start for Monica too

Long before bad girl Carly Spencer blew into town, there was Monica. Monica was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage until psychiatrist Gail Adamson (Susan Brown) met the troubled young teen and took her under her wing. Gail would eventually adopt Monica. It was Gail who had encouraged Monica to apply for medical school. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for Monica and Gail.

Years later, it was revealed that Gail’s first husband had groomed and seduced Monica while Monica was still a minor. Gail was devastated by her husband’s betrayal and Monica’s silence but love prevailed. Gail and Monica were able to work through their issues, and the two remained close throughout their lives.

It was during med school that Monica discovered that she was pregnant with her fiancé’s child. Unfortunately, David Langston had been reported MIA in Vietnam. He was presumed killed, so Monica decided to give her daughter up for adoption. Shortly afterwards, Monica met and fell in love with Dr. Rick Webber (Chris Robinson).

The original love triangle on General Hospital

Tragedy would strike again when Rick was presumed killed in a plane crash. Monica was heartbroken and harbored a secret. Prior to his death, Rick had broken off their relationship. Monica kept silent about the letter that Rick had sent breaking up with her and found comfort in Rick’s younger brother’s arms. Jeff (Richard Dean Anderson) had followed in his brother’s footsteps by becoming a doctor. After Monica and Jeff were married, they were chosen for a new General Hospital program called Mr. and Mrs. Intern.

The marriage was rocky from the start in large part because Jeff was jealous. He knew that he had not been Monica’s first choice. Things quickly deteriorated when Rick showed up in Port Charles alive and well. Unfortunately for Monica, Rick quickly moved on with Dr. Lesley Faulkner (Denise Alexander).

The love triangle played out for years with plenty of heated exchanges between the ladies, while Rick went back and forth between Monica and Lesley. Now, as an adult, I can recognize that the problem was always Rick. He played both ladies like a maestro.

Along came Dr. Alan Quartermaine

Truthfully, I couldn’t stand Monica during this time. She was a terrible wife to both Jeff and, later, to Alan Quartermaine, and she didn’t hesitate to play dirty. I was Team Lesley because she was the one who was stuck in the middle of Rick and Monica’s dysfunction.

However, things began to change when Dr. Alan Quartermaine (Stuart Damon) entered the picture. He was tall, dark, handsome, and exceedingly rich. Alan took a job at General Hospital and gave Rick some much-needed competition. Slowly, over time these Alan and Monica managed to find love and win me over. Admittedly, it took a few years and a couple of children, but it happened.

Love is a battlefield on General Hospital

Those early years of Alan and Monica’s marriage were tumultuous, toxic, and at times downright deadly. There was the time that Alan arranged to drop the Quartermaine mansion’s roof on Rick and Monica to kill them. Ultimately, he had a change of heart, but the suspense that unfolded as he realized his mistake and tried to avert disaster had viewers on the edge of their seats waiting to see if Alan would save Monica and Rick in time.

Alan and Monica’s affairs were numerous and more scandalous then the next. Alan cheated as much as Monica did, so it was no surprise that they ended up in divorce court at one time. However, love prevailed and they eventually found their way back to each other.

The award for most shocking affair goes to Monica though. She had fling with a young tennis instructor who turned out to be Tracy’s son, Ned. Monica’s confession to the family will always be a part of the show’s highlight reel.

Acceptance led to redemption and a fresh start

I can tell you the minute that I stopped loathing Monica. It was when she accepted Jason and raised him as her own. I had so much respect for her because in truth she had no reason to do that. Alan was a scoundrel who had fathered a child with his mistress. Monica was plenty mad about that, especially when Alan moved Susan into the gatehouse. In the end, Monica opened her heart to the infant. She never held Jason responsible for the sins of his parents.

Leslie Charleson and Steve Burton were beautiful together. Whenever they shared a scene, I became misty-eyed, especially in the latter years. There was genuine love and affection between them.

Motherhood and Monica

Monica had four children; two were biological children and two were adopted.

Dawn’s life was cut short when she was struck by a car shortly after reconnecting with Monica. A.J. was her pride and joy, but he grew up a troubled teen and turned to alcohol to cope with the pressures of his life. His drinking led to many poor choices, including driving drunk and crashing into a tree trunk that forever changed his brother Jason. A.J. would go on to fake his death a few times before Sonny shot him in a mistaken belief that A.J. was trying to kill Ava Jerome (Maura West).

Monica tried so hard to do right by A.J. — even going as far as to help him fake his death — but A.J. never got a fair shake from the writers.

The power of love

It was Monica’s relationships with her adopted children that were arguably the true loves of her life.

Emily was a teenager when Monica and Alan adopted her. During that time, Monica had been undergoing breast cancer treatments. So was Emily’s mother. The two women instantly bonded and became the best of friends. Tragically, Emily’s mother lost her battle, so Monica adopted Emily. Years later, Diego Alcazar murdered Emily, which absolutely devasted Monica. It was Jason who broke the news to Monica. Warning: the scene is hard to watch.

Despite Monica’s objections about Jason’s lifestyle choices, Monica and Jason found a way to forge a close relationship. Jason spent years pushing his family away, but Monica never gave up. When Monica began drinking to cope with her losses and heartbreak, Jason helped Monica recognize that she was an alcoholic and got her into rehab. Shortly afterwards, Monica’s grandson became a victim of mob violence.

Once again, it was Jason who had to break the news to Monica about her young grandson. You can see the love these two had for each other, and I get choked up thinking about how Jason will take the news if Monica should pass away in the coming weeks. I want that honor for Leslie Charleson, but I dread having to say goodbye to Monica too.

A lasting legacy

Leslie Charleson’s work on General Hospital is an incredible gift to all of us. She had so many incredible storylines, some of which I touched on already.

As I mentioned, Monica battled breast cancer. It was such a powerful storyline because Monica underwent a mastectomy and treatments that left her bald. The storyline was gritty and raw, and easily some of Leslie’s best work.

Monica’s ill-fated affair with Dr. Pierce Dorman was equally gripping. He was a vile man who used their affair to sue Monica for sexual harassment once she dumped him. He nearly destroyed her life.

Finally, one can’t talk about Leslie’s years on General Hospital without mentioning Jane Elliot (Tracy Quartermaine). Monica and Tracy spent decades arguing about everything under the sun, especially the Quartermaine Mansion. I’m not sure when it happened, but the relationship went from acrimonious to — dare I say it? — love. Oh, how I will miss Monica and Tracy sparring.

I don’t know what the future holds for Monica, but Leslie’s incredible talent will be deeply missed. Godspeed, sweet lady. Thank you, for being a part of my day for as long as I can remember.

Liz Masters

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