Tristan Rogers, ‘General Hospital' Actor, Dies at 79
Roger's longtime manager, Meryl Soodak, confirmed the actor's death to Variety.
More from Variety
Kirsten Storms Exits 'General Hospital' as Maxie Until the End of 2025 but Returns in August While Making a Permanent Move to Tennessee
Chris Robinson, 'General Hospital' Actor Who Played Rick Webber, Dies at 86
Denise Alexander, 'General Hospital' and 'Days of Our Lives' Actress, Dies at 85
Soodak told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that he had never been a smoker. She told ABC that Rogers' portrayal of Scorpio in the soap opera 'meant everything to him.' She added, 'He loved being Scorpio, and he created that role from nothing. He was supposed to work a day, and he ended up making it into something huge. He was just a genuinely loyal, kind human being, and he loved his family.'
Following the news of his death, 'General Hospital' showrunner Frank Valentini shared a statement with Variety.
'The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers' passing. Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio). I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time. Tristan was a one-of-a-kind talent and will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace.'
As the impossibly suave, cool, sarcastic spy Robert Scorpio, in the early 1980s (he joined the show in December 1980), Rogers was a key member of the 'General Hospital' acting ensemble — alongside 'supercouple' Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura (Genie Francis) — that propelled daytime drama into the pop culture stratosphere. That era reached its peak on Nov. 17, 1981, when Luke and Laura married (Scorpio was Luke's best man), Elizabeth Taylor guest-starred as the villainous Helena Cassadine — and the show drew an audience of 30 million viewers.
Robert had his own romantic entanglements, and was the third member of a famous love triangle between former grifter Holly (Emma Samms) and fellow spy Anna Devane (Finola Hughes). Later, Robert and Anna's daughter Robin (Kimberly McCullough) also became a hugely significant character in the history of 'General Hospital,' when she contracted HIV as a teenager.
In a 2023 interview with Variety to commemorate 'General Hospital' turning 60, Rogers reflected on his time on the show. He'd been cast by Gloria Monty, the executive producer who'd saved the show from cancellation, and said that after he'd told her 'this is not the way an Australian would react under these circumstances,' she gave him permission to make the dialogue his own. 'And that's what started my steamrollering through pretty much any script at the time,' he recalled.
Rogers described his wild experiences of 'General Hospital' when it was at its 1981 apex. 'That was the year that 'General Hospital' really went supercharged,' he said. 'There was this hysteria that surrounded anything to do with 'General Hospital.' It was crazy. Nuts. Dangerously crazy, sometimes.'
When asked about the enduring appeal of soap operas, Rogers said: 'They're orderly. We solve our problems. A lot of people look at the show and say, 'Why can't I live my life like that?' Well, your life isn't being scripted! We have a beginning, a middle and an end.'
Throughout his career, the Australian actor has appeared in several films and TV shows. His TV credits include 'The Bay,' 'Studio City,' 'The Young and The Restless,' 'Family Law' and 'Marie.' He appeared in films including, 'Jack Rio,' 'Raven,' 'The Los Angeles Ripper,' among others.
Although many of his earliest TV credits were on Australian soap operas, portraying Scorpio on 'General Hospital' became his most notable role. After becoming one of the show's leading men, he continued to appear on the show on and off for 45 years.
Rogers is survived by his wife, two children and a grandchild.
Best of Variety
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025
What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ronnie Rondell Jr., Hollywood Stuntman Set Ablaze for Pink Floyd's ‘Wish You Were Here' Album Cover, Dies at 88
His additional work included stunts in "The Matrix Reloaded" and "Twister" Ronald 'Ronnie' Rondell Jr., the Hollywood stuntman who was set on fire while shaking hands for the cover of Pink Floyd's 1975 album 'Wish You Were Here,' died Tuesday, August 12. He was 88. Rondell's death was announced by his family. More from TheWrap Ronnie Rondell Jr., Hollywood Stuntman Set Ablaze for Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' Album Cover, Dies at 88 Dan Ziskie, 'House of Cards' and 'Treme' Actor, Dies at 80 Danielle Spencer, Child Star on Groundbreaking '70s Sitcom 'What's Happening,' Dies at 60 Bobby Whitlock, Derek and the Dominos Founder of 'Layla' Fame and 'Exile on Main St.' Session Player,' Dies at 77 Rondell grew up in Hollywood, and his father worked as an extra and then an assistant director on 'The Jack Benny Show' and 'Around the World in 80 Days.' Rondell's own career also included performing stunts in 'The Matrix Reloaded' and 'Twister.' He'd been 'doing a lot of fire work' when he was hired for the cover shoot, Rondell said in the 2012 documentary 'Pink Floyd: The Story of Wish You Were Here,' and he 'had the special suits and all this stuff for fully enveloped fire.' The shoot itself was straightforward, he added. 'But a partial is basically pretty safe, pretty easy one to do, in most cases.' Having said that, Rondell, who wore a fire-retardant layer underneath his business suit, ended up losing half his mustache. 'There's a funny thing about fire,' he said. 'When it gets in your face, you're going to move.' Ultimately, the shoot was just another day in the life of a stunt performer. 'It was pretty easy to do, not too life threatening, and paid well,' Rondell concluded. He spent several years working as a stuntman and also as a stunt coordinator and a director before starting his own company, Stunts Unlimited, in 1970. 'Our hearts are heavy with the loss of the last of Stunts Unlimited's 3 esteemed founding fathers, Ronnie Rondell,' the company wrote in a message shared on Facebook. 'In a class all his own, Ronnie was a generous mentor whose talents set the bar for every aspiring stunt person. He was deeply respected, admired and loved. Ronnie was not just a legend, he was legendary and will be deeply missed.' 'The family requests that we all respect their privacy at this time and hold off on phone calls or posts until they are able to share details for honoring his life and legacy. – RA Rondell and Family,' the message concluded. He is survived by his wife Mary Rondell, his son R.A. Rondell; his grandchildren Brandon Rondell, Rachel Rondell, and Dalton Rondell, his great-grandchild Rocco Rondell, and his brother Ric Rondell. The post Ronnie Rondell Jr., Hollywood Stuntman Set Ablaze for Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' Album Cover, Dies at 88 appeared first on TheWrap.
New York Times
7 minutes ago
- New York Times
A key Roger Maris card from a milestone year: Sports Card of the Week
Welcome to The Athletic Collectibles Staff's Sports Card of the Week! Here we'll highlight a notable, interesting, or just plain fun sports card. This week, with Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh edging closer to a 60-plus home run season, we look back at a vintage baseball card of a player who achieved the milestone. The 1961 Topps Baseball set contains 587 cards and features three different Roger Maris cards, with his #2 base card being the most notable among collectors. Key Hall of Famers in the set include Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, as well as rookie cards of Juan Marichal and Billy Williams. The card shows a mild-mannered close-up of Maris in Yankee pinstripes, with a bat resting on his shoulder as he looks off to the side. His name stands out in bold red font on a yellow background positioned at the bottom left. This, combined with the card's standard white border design gives it a clean and classic look. Advertisement Maris' 1961 Topps #2 card is one of his most popular because of the historic season it represents. The 1961 season featured an epic home run race between Yankees sluggers Maris and Mantle as they chased Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs. Maris ultimately beat out Mantle and broke the long-standing record with 61 dingers. During the same season, Maris captured his second consecutive American League MVP award and his first World Series title. It was the peak of his baseball stardom and the defining moment of his career. In 2001, Billy Crystal produced and directed an HBO movie titled '61*,' which chronicles the 1961 baseball season and the home run race between Maris and Mantle. Despite Maris still not yet enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, his 1961 Topps #2 remains highly sought-after because of the season it represents. The fact that he broke the home run record while playing for an iconic team like the Yankees further adds to its enduring collectibility. Of the nearly 6,000 Roger Maris 1961 Topps #2 graded by PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), only one has achieved a Gem-Mint PSA 10 grade and has no recorded sales. The most common grade is PSA 4 (1,125 copies), which typically sells on eBay for around $80, depending on its visual appeal. Near-Mint-to-Mint examples graded a PSA 8 typically command prices exceeding $1,000. The record sale for a PSA 9 came in 2021, when one sold at auction for $12,148, but the next two highest sales came earlier this year at exactly $10,370 each in auctions three months apart. The PSA 9 population is just 24. The card's popularity compared to other Roger Maris cards is reflected in the number of PSA graded examples (total population of 5,985). The only Maris card that's been graded more by PSA is his 1958 Topps rookie card (total population of 7,171), according to GemRate, which tracks graded card populations. Advertisement Want to see another card of the week? Subscribe to our daily baseball newsletter The Windup for Levi Weaver's baseball card of the week each Friday. Here's his latest selection. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tabby Cat With Midnight Munchies Caught Stealing Funyuns From Cabinet
Tabby Cat With Midnight Munchies Caught Stealing Funyuns From Cabinet originally appeared on Parade Pets. Sometimes I think nothing can surprise me with cats anymore because they're diabolical and smart and kind of terrifying. I find it's best to never underestimate your house felines, because if you think they can't or won't, they can and will, even if it's just to prove a point. Enter Loki and his rebellious Tabby cat ways. If you think you've seen it all, let Loki show you there's more where that came from. In his latest escapades, you'll find him sneaking Funyuns from the cabinet like he's done it a million times (he probably has). When you're known to more than half a million TikTok followers as "the most chaotic cat on the internet," you have a reputation to uphold. That's exactly what Loki is doing—he lives for the chaos! I'm not sure I'd have gone with Funyuns (I'm more of a Cheddar and Sour Cream girl), but to each their own. It's not only that the clever Tabby knew how to climb up into the cabinet or that he likes chips; it's that he has the wherewithal to connect the dots. This was planned and executed, and we should all be scared of what else he can do! In the same way that everyone's obsessed with "talking" cat Merv and his love of Pad Thai, Loki gets the same respect. Or at least, the same amount of obsession but more fear-based! "Omg, those leggies stepping down," one person pointed out. His choreography is on point. "It's not what it looks like," another joked. "The foot coming out right on beat is SENDING ME," another added. More comments than not suggest it's probably "baby-proofing time," and I'd have to agree. Although knowing Loki, it's too late. He'll have those figured out immediately. He knows the kitchen way too well, particularly the cabinetry and where his favorite foods are located. Like I said before, never underestimate cats or they'll pull one over on you real quick! Loki Went Viral for Stealing Food Funyuns are just another day for Loki. This Tabby's been stealing food for all of social media to see for ages. It's why he's famous now! This throwback montage from August 2024 garnered more than 25 million views, all thanks to his misbehaving, teenage angst ways. Call him a cutie, call him a criminal, but whatever you call him, lock up your Funyuns. first appeared on Parade Pets on Aug 14, 2025
