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General Hospital Co-Stars Past and Present Pay Tribute and Mourn the Loss of Leslie Charleson

By Michael Fairman

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Photos: ABC and JPI

Over the last 24 hours, the General Hospital family is mourning the loss of its longest-tenured cast member, the legendary, Leslie Charleson (Monica Quartermaine).

The actress passed away at 79-years-old after a long illness, according to reports. GH’s executive producer, Frank Valentini, broke the news via his X account.

While Leslie hadn’t been seen on-screen as Monica since the tail end of December 2023, her iconic scenes, dramatic storylines, torrid love affairs with Rick Webber and Alan Quartermaine and more, plus her incredible comedic timing, will always be remembered and revered.

Photo: JPI

Many of Leslie’s General Hospital colleagues past and present have taken to their various social media accounts with touching tributes to this one-of-a-kind talent.

Genie Francis (Laura): “So sad to lose a dear old friend, Leslie Charleson. Such a big part of my childhood. Such a funny, kind and strong woman. I will miss her.”

Wally Kurth (Ned): “Oh Lord… this is a tough one. Leslie Charleson was my castmate for 34 years. Leslie… was just cool. Never let anything bother her on the set… no drama. I don’t think I ever heard her raise her voice. But she was no push over her either. Acting is a blood sport.. but not for Leslie. Lester, as I sometimes called her, was a dear, sweet soul who for the last few years experienced physical challenges that would have made any person sour. But I never heard her complain. She was tough but vulnerable. A beautiful soul. I loved hearing Leslie laugh. She had a hearty laugh. Stuart knew exactly what to say to get her going…. Thank you Leslie for your friendship… your talent…and for sharing your soul with me and all your fans.”

Photo: JPI

Natalia Livingston (Ex-Emily): “I’m heartbroken to hear of the passing of Leslie Charleson. Leslie was the most wonderful TV mom I could have ever had. I admired and enjoyed her humor, wit, and warmth. Thank you for always making me feel so welcomed into our tv family. I’ll never forget you. May you rest in peace, dear Leslie. I love you.”

Sarah Joy Brown (ex-Carly): Rest in peace Leslie Charleson. Grateful to have had the opportunity to learn so much from her while I was starting my run on General Hospital. Watching her work with Stuart Damon, a.k.a. Alan Quartermaine, and John Ingle was a joy for me, especially when I was included in the scenes, but even when I wasn’t. The Q’s always made me laugh. Her timing was legendary. Sending my condolences to her friends, family, fans, and all of her co-workers #lesliecharleson

Sean Kanan (ex-AJ Quartermaine, now Deacon, B&B): I just learned that Leslie Charleson has passed. We played mother and son off and on for years. My deepest condolences to her family. May you rest in peace, Lester”

Kathleen Gati (ex-Liesl Obreacht): “One of the kindest and sweetest colleagues I’ve had the honor to work with. May Leslie Charleson rest in peace and know how deeply she was loved and appreciated by all. Deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and fans.” She added, Loved working with Leslie Charleson especially the Krampus Christmas story but just loved her as a person too!

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God bless Leslie’s loved ones. Amen

I really hope Monica gets the send-off she deserves, like the one they wrote for Bobbie, which thought was fantastic. Hit all the right emotional beats and showcased some amazing acting talent. Would love to see flashbacks of Monica with Alan, AJ, Emily, Edward, and especially Tracy. I hope Jane Elliot, Wally Kurth and Steve Burton are front and center for it.

Monica was such a funny character due to Leslie.

I am extremely saddened by the passing of Ms. Charleson; and have always enjoyed her work on television. Ms. Charleson’s portrayal of Monica and her most major storylines on GENERAL HOSPITAL will always remain inside my soul. My sincere and most heartfelt condolences to her surviving relations, friends, loved ones, and worldwide fans, the latter a group that I have always been proudly a member of.

Leslie is a major reason why I believe that a streaming home for 70s-80s era GH would garner much support. Her legendary scenes with Stuart Damon, David Lewis, John Ingle, and most of all Jane Elliott deserve to be seen by the audiences who only know her as a “supporting character.” She glowed in everything she did, and it’s always fun to run across her in Happy Days and The Wild Wild West.

I was just a little kid, but I remember her from.Love is a Many Splendored Thing as Iris Donnelly. Gosh, she was a young actress, along with Donna Mills, who played her sister Laura and David Birney, as Mark Elliott, the man they both loved. All three left the soap and went on to become tv stars in the 70s & 80s. Leslie Charleson, you were excellent as Monica Quartermaine and you will be missed. Alright, GH do right by her and give us an episode similar and great as Jackie Zeman’s.

Beautiful sentiments from the cast. One that struck me both times for how brief and impersonal was Sean Kanan’s (AJ). I would have thought he’d have a bit more warmth to his comment; he was more expressive when Stuart Damon passed. She was obviously very well liked and loved by many she worked with. I’m still processing that we’ll never see “Monica” again.

So sorry to hear of Leslie Charleson/Monica I have been watching GH from the very beginning with my mother sending sincere sympathy to her family and her GH family.

General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Josslyn Gets a Visitor in Obrecht, Chase Makes A High-Profile Arrest … But Who is it?

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This week on all-new episodes of General Hospital, after Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) chloroformed Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati), she winds up thrown into the secret room at Wydemere with Josslyn Jacks. Now, both Obrecht and Joss are under the thumb of Cullum and Sidwell  (Carlo Rota) for different reasons.

However, what will Cassius (Ryan Paevey) think of the news that his mother is being forced to finish Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) work on Faison’s final project?  Cassius gets very alarmed when Sidwell informs him in the Monday, June 8 “Next on General Hospital” video teaser, that, “Locating Britt is no longer a priority.”

Meanwhile, Portia’s (Brook Kerr) baby shower is here, which could wind up in an all out war between Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) and Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner). While Curtis is lawyering up with someone, Portia wants Isaiah to “just hold off for now.” Is she referring to him suing Curtis for destroying his ability to operate after injury his hand, or to stay away from the baby shower?

Courtesy/ABC

KRISTINA’S PLANS

Kristina Corinthos-Davis (Kate Mansi) pays a visit to Lucas Jones (Van Hansis). It appears she drops the news of her decision to leave Port Charles to attend medical school at UCLA, which paves the way for Kate Mansi’s upcoming exit. When talking with Lucas she says, “A lot of people are going to be surprised by this.“ Is it that she wants to become a doctor, or is something else also going on?

By week’s end Chase (Josh Swickard) is going to make a major arrest! Who gets hand-cuffed and taken to the PCPD? Is it Sidwell, who Lucas was trying to set-up or someone else? Stay tuned.

Now below, check out the official GH spoilers for the week of June 8-12.

MONDAY, JUNE 8
Laura relishes her victory. Jossyn’s days may be numbered. Kristina issues a request. Curtis seeks Alexis’ help. Kai worries about Trina.

TUESDAY, JUNE 9
“Nathan” makes a major confession. Portia’s baby shower is a tense affair. Sidwell is on the warpath. Willow is blindsided. Brook Lynn issues an apology.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
Carly takes action. Trina makes a bold decision. Dante gets bad news. Willow receives a tempting offer. Curtis and Portia clash.

THURSDAY, JUNE 11
Valentin cautions Carly. Ava has a guilty conscience. Sonny is taken by surprise. Nina checks in on “Nathan.” Cody scores points with Molly. Danny and Charlotte make a plan.

FRIDAY, JUNE 12
Ethan weighs his options. Tracy has harsh words for Willow. Brook Lynn seeks Sonny’s aid. Chase makes a high-profile arrest. Alexis is persuasive.

You can check out the General Hospital preview video for the Monday, June 8 episode below.

Now weigh-in:  Will Josslyn and Obrecht work together to escape Wyndemere? Who is Chase going to arrest? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Cullum Kidnaps Obrecht as Britt’s Replacement to Finish Faison’s Final Project

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WSB director Ross Cullum is truly as despicable villain as they come, and played with steely intensity by Andrew Hawkes. For the double agents latest crime, you need to look no further than the Friday, June 5 cliffhanger of General Hospital, where in the episode’s final moments he sneaks up on an unassuming Dr. Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) after hiding in the back seat of her car.

Next, he chloroforms her with his intent clear. He plans on forcing her to finish the last leg of Faison’s final project at Wyndemere, since her daughter Dr. Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) left town with Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) in tow to get away from Cullum!

In what led to the kidnapping, Cullum had a terse conversation with his business associate and co-conspirator on the project, Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota). It is Sidwell who is preoccupied with wanting to bring Marco’s killer to justice (not knowing it’s the man right in front of him!). Sidwell told Cullum if bringing Marco’s killer to justice wasn’t a priority for the WSB director, then why should protecting Cullum be a priority for him?

SIDWELL VS. CULLUM

The two finally put aside their differences as they have to complete Faison’s final project for it will be highly lucrative for them, useful for their mutual gains, and groundbreaking. In order to do that they need a great mind with a scientific background to finish it up and get them to the finish line since Britt as disappeared.

Later, outside of “General Hospital,” Obrecht is headed back to her car after searching Britt’s office for any clues as to the whereabouts of her daughter. But when she got in the car to drive away, that’s when the aforementioned Cullum strikes!

Courtesy/ABC

BROOK LYNN GETS ADVICE FROM A FORMER ADULTERESS

In other key developments, after Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) keeps inserting herself into Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) life, all with the seeming pretense to pay back Chase for helping her clear her name at the trial, and standing by her, she brings good news in person about baby Phoebe’s adoption to Alexis’ (Nancy Lee Grahn) law office to Chase. Once Brook Lynn heard Chase was on her away over with paperwork, she decided to hightail it out of there for an “emergency” appointment for Deception.

As we come to find out, Brook Lynn meets up with Lucy (Lynn Herring) at the Metro Court pool, She then proceeds to inform Lucy about Willow sniffing around he husband. Lucy says she knows a thing or two about being an adulteress. Brook Lynn wants Lucy to help her send a clear message to Willow to stay away from her husband, or else!

Now below, check out the scenes before Obrecht was kidnapped where she visited Willow, Nina (Cynthia Watros) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) and suspects Willow is up to no good.

Then let us know, with Lucy taking Brook Lynn under her wing, what plot do you think the two will come up with against Willow? What do you think will happen to Obrecht? With Lucas also at Wyndemere trying to bait Sidwell into an attempted murder charge, will he winds up thrown in the secret room with Josslyn? Share your thoughts and theories on the latest GH via the comment section below.

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Beyond the Gates

2026 SDSA TV Award Nominations: All Five Daytime Dramas Score in Best Achievement in Set Decoration

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The Set Decorators Society of America has revealed its nominations for 2025-26 SDSA Awards for Television, which recognizes the work of the set decoration and production designers in primetime, streaming and daytime series.

This year, all five soap operas: Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless all received nominations in the Best Achievement in Decor/Design of a Daytime Series category.

In its official SDSA rule book, to qualify for the category of a Daytime Series, which includes daytime dramas, daytime talk shows, daytime game shows, and daytime children’s programming, all episodes must air before 6:00pm and must have a credited Set Decorator. For daytime dramas, the content must contain multiple plotlines that are carried over from episode to episode.

Photo: JPI

WHICH EPISODES CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE COMPETITION?

The eligibility year for episodes runs June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026.  Founded in 1993, the SDSA is an international nonprofit professional association dedicated to promoting excellence and preserving the legacy of the art of set decoration in motion pictures and television.

Several popular primetime and streaming titles that have wrapped their final seasons also received nods including Euphoria, Stranger Things, Hacks, Outlander, and The Boys. Popular titles such as Bridgerton.

Take a look below at the nominated scenic design teams from your favorite soaps:

Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Daytime Series

Beyond The Gates: Set Decoration by Cynthia Slagter with Production Design by Bruton Jones

The Bold and the Beautiful: Set Decoration by Prim Rosales, Beth Wooke, Prerna Chawla, Charlotte Garnell, Chelsea Mondelli, Michelle Hall, & Linda Louise Sheets with Production Design by Lou A. Trabbie III

Days of Our Lives: Set Decoration by Adele Caine & Sarah Holmes with Production Design by Tom Early & Dan Olexiewicz

General Hospital: Set Decoration by Jennifer Elliot with Production Design by Andrew Evashchen

The Young and the Restless: Set Decoration by Jennifer Haybach, Justine Mercado, Maria Dirolf, & Monica Lowe with Production Design by David Hoffmann

So, which soap opera from the calendar year of basically June of 2025 to a week ago in 2026, do you think has had the best looking sets? Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or The Young and the Restless? Make you pick and drop it in the comment section below.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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