General Hospital is about to reach an upcoming milestone. To honor this occasion, the ABC soap will air a dedication to the character of Dr. Monica Quartermaine, played by the late Leslie Charleson. Notably, a few details have been shared about the upcoming tribute.
Leslie Charleson Had Been Part Of General Hospital For Decades
On the soap, Dr. Monica Quartermaine first appeared on the soap in the mid to late 1970s. Over the years, she was known for her work as a cardiologist and for her marriage to Stuart Damon’s Dr. Alan James Quartermaine.
Monica has appeared in other spin-off material for the series, including the supernaturally themed Port Charles. While a few actresses have played the character, actress Leslie Charleson had the longest duration, playing the character from the 1970s well into the 2020s.
As previously reported, Charleson tragically passed away on January 12, 2025. The actress was 79 at the time of her death. Notably, at the time of her death, Charleson’s tenure on General Hospital was one of the longest in American soap operas.
General Hospital is about to reach its 62nd anniversary with an episode airing on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. To honor this event, fans will soon get to see a tribute to Monica.
Genie Francis will give a speech dedicated to the character while playing the character of Laura Spencer Collins. After all, this is the character’s current duty as the current mayor of Port Charles. The hospital will commemorate the new Dr. Monica Quartermaine Cardiac Wing.
According to Michael Fairman TV, Francis spoke with TV Guide Magazine about the episode. As she noted, “I take great pride in giving the speeches because there’s a lot of truth in them and how I feel about this place and how I feel about the people in.”
A Dedication Episode Was Originally Written Before Leslie Charleson’s Passing
Francis continued, “It’s always nice when they acknowledge the fact that I’m sort of an antique here. I’m historical. I like the feeling of that.”
As the article noted, an episode had actually been in the works honoring Monica prior to Leslie Charleson’s passing. In fact, the episode was originally written with the hopes that the soap star would recover in time to appear in the dedication.
During the conversation, Francis also noted, “[Leslie] always so kind to me. Most of us have come and gone, me included. Even Tony (Geary) came and went. But Leslie was there non-stop. She was a real pillar of this show and of that hospital, which is a lovely thing. I’m glad they did this in her honor. I think it’s beautiful.”
The dedication will be part of the April 1, 2025, episode. A later tribute is also expected, though this episode’s airdate is currently unknown.
In a statement with Variety, series executive producer Frank Valenti noted, “There’s more tribute to come for Monica. But the opportunity presented itself that we would have the anniversary of the hospital be on the anniversary of the show.”
“So, it’s a little meta, but I think it’s great. And then to give the hospital a reason to celebrate, that’s how we came up with the new wing for Monica, which is a really beautiful set. It’s pretty incredible.”
