The official cause of death for “General Hospital” star Leslie Charleson (Monica Quartermaine) has been determined by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner.
According to a report recently filed by the medical examiner, Charleson passed away on January 12, 2025, aged 79, after suffering from sequelae of blunt head trauma, or what is also known as traumatic brain injury (TBI) with the manner of death being classified as an accident.
Other significant medical conditions listed included Charleson’s history of asthma, arthritis, atrial fibrillation (aka AFib, which is an irregular heartbeat that affects the upper chambers of the heart), as well as normal pressure hydrocephalus (fluid buildup in the brain), the latter of which can cause brain injury, with such symptoms as memory loss, difficulty with walking, and bladder issues, among other matters.
On the day of her death, Variety reported the actress had “suffered several falls that prevented her from getting around. Although it impeded her mobility and resulted in her need for a walker, it never got her spirit down.” Charleson was hospitalized the week before her death after one such fall.
Born February 22, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri, Charleson made her television debut in 1964 on the soap opera “A Flame in the Wind,” playing a character named Pam. Later, she took on the role of Alice Whipple on “As The World Turns” before truly making a name for herself when she portrayed Iris Donnelly on “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing.”
She joined “General Hospital” in 1977 as a recast Monica Quartermaine, the wife of Alan Quartermaine (the late Stuart Damon), who famously had an affair with former lover Rick Webber (Chris Robinson) which helped establish one of the most popular love triangles in daytime history with Alan notoriously “stalking” the pair as he worked to keep tabs on what he thought they were doing behind his back.
Throughout her career, Charleson received four Daytime Emmy Awards nominations for her portrayal of Monica Quartermaine, first in 1980 in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, along with nominations in 1982 and 1983 in the same category. In 1995, Charleson received her fourth nomination but by that time the category had been renamed to Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Outside of daytime, Charleson appeared in episodes of such shows as “The Rockford Files,” “Dharma & Greg,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “The Streets of San Francisco,” “Barnaby Jones” and “Canon,” among others.
Charleson made her final appearance on “General Hospital” in December 2023, appearing in scenes opposite co-stars Jane Elliot (Tracy Quartermaine) and Michael Easton (ex-Hamilton Finn), among others. She also appeared in scenes at the Quartermaine mansion as the family celebrated the holidays.
Watch a clip from one of Charleson’s final appearances on “General Hospital” below.
