Leslie Charleson's Death at 79 Left Many Wondering What Her Net Worth Was

The news that long-time General Hospital star Leslie Charleson had died at the age of 79 left many fans of the show in shock. Leslie was the longest-tenured member of the cast, having joined the show in 1977 as Monica Quartermaine and continued in the role through 2023, when she had to leave because of health concerns.

Following the news of her death, many wanted to know whether Leslie had managed to amass a significant net worth during her decades on the show. Here's what we know.

Leslie Charleson's net worth is estimated to be roughly $5 million, with the majority of that money coming from her time on General Hospital. Soap actors don't typically get paid as much as they're primetime counterparts, but Leslie certainly earned enough from General Hospital to lead a pretty comfortable life. Like any actor, though, Leslie also had a number of endorsement deals and other opportunities over the course of her career.

Leslie's death was publicly confirmed by Frank Valentini, the show's executive producer.

"It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson," he wrote on social media. "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. I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set."

"On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time," he concluded.

Prior to her tenure on General Hospital, Leslie had been a staple of daytime soaps. She was cast on the NBC soap A Flame in the Wind in 1964, and moved from there over to As the World Turns and then to Love is a Many Splendored Thing.

After leaving that show in 1970, she did guest stints on a number of other series before landing on General Hospital in 1977, when the show was struggling in the ratings. “I only signed on for two years, and I don’t know what happened,” she told Digital Journal in 2019. “Back then, there weren’t a lot of good female roles that had that. It was an amazing time, and it was strong material to act.”

Clearly, the role resonated with Leslie, so much so that she and the character evolved together over nearly 50 years. Her legacy on the series is unlikely to be matched.