Remembering General Hospital's Leslie Charleson on the one-year anniversary of her death

General Hospital lost one of its greats one year ago today when Leslie Charleson, who had played Monica Bard Quartermaine since 1977, passed away at the age of 79. It was a blow to the fandom, as well as the GH cast and crew. It was also a blow to Port Charles and the Quartermaine clan when the actress's death was written into the story in September.

A General Hospital legend leaves us

Leslie Charleson was a General Hospital icon | Image: ABC

During the last few years of Charleson's life, the actress had suffered from various health problems and only made sporadic appearances as Monica, the matriarch, heart, and soul of the Quartermaine clan. We last saw her as Monica at the end of 2023. By then, the character was also suffering from health issues and was seen in a wheelchair.

On February 22 of last year, friends and loved ones held a celebration of life for the actress, with longtime co-star Wally Kurth leading the service and singing a song dear to Charleson's heart, "Keep Me In Your Heart," by Warren Zevon, as well as Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic."

"I was very proud to sing those songs and to lead the celebration of her life," Kurth told Soap Opera Digest at the time.

Monica Quartermaine lives on

Jane Elliot and Leslie Charleson were longtime friends | Image: JPI

General Hospital wisely chose to position Jane Elliot's Tracy as the new Quartermaine matriarch throughout much of last year, culminating in the character's death in September. But just because Monica died, it didn't mean that Charleson and the iconic character she brought to life would be forgotten.

GH treated fans to hilarious and tender flashbacks, while even giving Monica a sister in the form of daytime legend Erika Slezak (Victoria Lord, One Life to Live). The actress was tapped to play the role of Veronica Bard, adding another layer to Monica that we never knew.

When it came time for Monica's on-screen memorial, Elliot remembered her lifelong friend, noting that playing Tracy mourning the sister of her heart mirrored real life.

"She was an integral part of my life…It’s hard enough to mourn somebody’s death once, but then to do it again," Elliot told Variety. "One was obviously the person, and the other was the character, but at a certain point, they blended. You know, Monica was Leslie, and Leslie was Monica. I had shared experience with Monica, and I had shared experience with Leslie, so she left me twice."

In 2026, Charleson and the quick-witted wonder known as Monica Quartermaine are still an integral part of the soap. As Tracy stressed when the year began, Monica trusted her to protect the Quartermaine clan, and she wasn't about to let her down.

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