'General Hospital' star Leslie Charleson's cause of death released

USA Today

14-02-2025

A month after the death of "General Hospital" star Leslie Charleson was confirmed, more details are emerging about the circumstances surrounding her death.
Records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirm that Charleson's cause of death was "sequelae of blunt head trauma," meaning traumatic brain injury.
While the case remains open, the office determined the death to be an accident.
Charleson, a soap opera veteran best known for playing Monica Quartermaine on "General Hospital," died on Jan. 12, the show's producer Frank Valentini confirmed. She was 79.
"It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson," Valentini wrote on Instagram. "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.
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"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."
Charleson made her "General Hospital" debut as Dr. Quartermaine in 1977 and went on to appear in more than 2,000 episodes over nearly five decades, according to the actress's IMDb page.
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.