Remembering ‘General Hospital’ Star Leslie Charleson: Here Are Her 5 Best Monica Quartermaine Storylines

GENERAL HOSPITAL, Stuart Damon, Leslie Charleson, (1983), 1963-. — ABC / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Leslie Charleson, who played Dr. Monica Bard Webber Quartermaine on General Hospital for over 45 years, has died at the age of 79. The fan favorite played out many memorable storylines over the years — here’s a look back at some of the ABC soap’s best Monica Quartermaine moments.

1Monica and Alan’s love story: “It’s Monica’s House – Alan gave it to her.”

In 1977, General Hospital head writer Douglas Marland introduced Dr. Alan Quartermaine (Stuart Damon) to the show’s lineup. Alan and his wealthy family were lending their considerable talents and money to General Hospital in an effort to build a new cardiac wing. In that process, Alan fell for Monica, despite her deep feelings for Rick Webber (Michael Gregory from 1976 to 78, and Chris Robinson from 1978 to 2002).

Alan and Monica later wed, and Alan gifted Monica the Quartermaine mansion. That deed certainly came in handy after Monica’s affair with Rick came to light, and Alan tried to oust his wife from the family home. Monica turned the tables on Alan, informing him that the mansion was her house – not his! If anyone was leaving, it was going to be him and not her. That led to one of the show’s longest running in-jokes: “It’s Monica’s house – Alan gave it to her!”

Sure, Monica had tremendous passion for Rick – and other men. But at the end of the day, she belonged with Alan, the man she loved. She was a true Quartermaine. Monica got along great with both her conniving father-in-law Edward (played by David Lewis and later, John Ingle), and her gracious and elegant mother-in-law, Lila (Anna Lee). Not every Quartermaine family member was a fan of Monica’s, though. Tracy (Jane Elliot), Alan’s sister, sparred with Monica often, and moved heaven and earth to prove that Monica had cheated on Alan with Rick. She also worked overtime to try to prove that Alan wasn’t the father of Monica’s son, A.J. (Alan was actually his father, but there was some confusion about that for a while). Over the years, even Tracy had to admit that Monica cared about the Quartermaine family.

2Monica’s breast cancer diagnosis (and adoption of her friend’s child)

In 1994, head writer Claire Labine penned a breast cancer storyline with Monica, infusing the scripts with factual information in order to help educate viewers as well as entertain them. We saw Monica get a breast examination, and statistics were added to the dialogue to get female viewers thinking about getting their own exams. The show delivered on the emotions, too; we saw Monica fear for her career, her marriage, and her life after she was diagnosed and went through a mastectomy.

Alan and Monica’s marriage was tested by the illness, and ultimately emerged stronger than ever. Charleson received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1995. (She had also previously been nominated for the same award in 1980, 1982 and 1983.)

Monica beat her cancer. But her friend Paige Bowen (Riley Steiner) wasn’t as fortunate. Following her death, Alan and Monica adopted Paige’s daughter, Emily (first played by Amber Tamblyn, and then Natalia Livingston).

3Monica’s affairs get her put on trial

Monica and Alan survived her breast cancer in the end — however, their relationship took a few licks in the process. Believing that Alan didn’t find her attractive after her diagnosis, Monica fell into an affair with Dr. Pierce Dorman (Tuc Watkins). The fling didn’t last long, but Dorman didn’t want to let go of Monica. He ended up suing Monica for sexual harassment, which made headlines given the prominence of the Quartermaine family.

The trial got ugly as Ned (Wally Kurth), Monica’s nephew-by-marriage, testified that he and Monica once had an affair. (This was before Monica found out that Ned was Tracy’s son!). Later, Monica was found guilty of sexual harassment. She took matters into her own hands in an attempt to get justice, and injected her former lover with sodium pentothal, AKA truth serum, to get Dorman to come clean that he’d lied. Eventually, Dorman was murdered by one of his drug contacts known as The Tin Man. Dorman was gone, but Monica and her family were, sadly, never the same.

In addition to Ned and Pierce, Monica once had a fling with Sean Donley (John Reilly), a former WSB agent who become Port Charles’s police commissioner.

4Monica and Gail’s showdown over her relationship with Gail’s husband Greg

Monica’s true origins were a mystery, as she’d grown up in an orphanage and didn’t know her birth parents. Adopted by Dr. Gail Adamson (Daytime Emmy nominee Susan Brown), Monica found in her a maternal figure and friend. Sadly, Gail’s husband Greg forced himself on Monica when she was only 17 years old. Monica kept the ordeal a secret for years, not wanting Gail to be hurt.

Later on, the truth came out when Gail found some letters, which, sadly, only told Greg’s side of the story. Gail and Monica’s relationship almost didn’t survive the revelation. Monica begged Gail to believe her — she’d never willingly hurt her friend and surrogate mother. In time, the two women reconciled.

Gail was on hand (along with Lesley) when Monica went into labor during a blizzard. When Monica would rant and rave about Alan, Gail would gently remind Monica that there was a fine line between love and hate, and she was dangerously close to crossing it. Gail supported Monica through her breast cancer ordeal and remained a supportive ally until her passing.

5A blood test revealed the truth

After discovering that her fling with Rick Webber had resulted in her becoming pregnant with his son, Monica thought she was finally going to have everything she wanted in life. She believed that Rick was the dad throughout her pregnancy, and after giving birth to Alan Jr. It wasn’t until Lila pointed out that Alan Jr. had the Quartermaine birthmark on his arm that Monica realized Alan was the father. A panicked Monica had a blood test run that proved that Alan Jr. had the same blood type as Alan.

After Alan announced that he was A.J.’s dad (courtesy of the Bombay Phenotype syndrome) at a hospital fundraiser in front of most of Port Charles, Rick ripped into Monica, calling her a liar, and calling off their wedding. Next, Dr. Lesley Webber (Denise Alexander), Rick’s ex-wife, wanted a few words with Monica. The two women squared off in the Quartermaine courtyard in one of General Hospital’s most famous showdowns.

Lesley blasted Monica, calling her a liar and a cheat. Monica maintained that Rick loved her, not the baby, and that it was passion, not fatherhood, that tied them together. Lesley pointed out that he only was with Monica because he thought the baby was his, and delivered an overdue slap across the face to her rival during this confrontation. Deep down, Monica knew that she’d lost Rick.

Alan used every means possible to keep Monica with him once Rick dumped her. Monica hated being manipulated but, at the same time, she was exactly where she belonged — in the Quartermaine house. Her house!