General Hospital star Leslie Charleson’s cause of death has been revealed, reports TMZ.
Charleson died of blunt head trauma on January 12 at the age of 79, reported the outlet on Thursday, February 13, citing a death certificate from the County of Los Angeles Department of Health.
The actress’ official cause of death was listed as “sequelae of blunt head trauma,” referring to the effects of a historic head injury.
The death certificate obtained by TMZ listed other medical conditions Charleson experienced before her death, including asthma, arthritis, atrial fibrillation and normal pressure hydrocephalus. According to the Mayo Clinic, “hydrocephalus is the buildup of fluid in cavities” within the brain.
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Charleson played Dr. Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital for over 2,000 episodes.
General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini announced Charleson’s death via the show’s official Instagram account last month.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” he wrote. “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.”
Alongside the message, Valentini shared a photo of the four-time Daytime Emmy nominee smiling. “I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set,” he continued. “On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”
Charleson began playing the role of Monica Quartermaine on the soap opera in 1977, making her the longest-running cast member on General Hospital.
“I started the show the day Elvis Presley died, and being such a huge fan, I of course was very upset driving to the studios, and then getting there I was told that they hoped I had brought my own wardrobe and makeup because there was a strike going on — and that was before I even got in the building,” Charleson recalled to Soap Opera Digest in 2022.
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“Then I got in the building and I realized that no one really liked me, because the girl playing Monica before me was very rudely fired,” Charleson continued, referring to Patsy Rahn, whom she replaced.
After 30 years on the show, Charleson appeared on General Hospital in a recurring status in 2010. Charleson, who had health ups and downs, returned to the show a few times, most recently appearing in a wheelchair in December 2023.
