Australian actor and General Hospital star Tristan Rogers has passed away. Rogers became a fan favorite for his portrayal of Robert Scorpio on the long-running soap opera, which he joined in 1980.
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His manager, Meryl Soodak, confirmed his death to ABC 7 Eyewitness News on Friday. Rogers was diagnosed with lung cancer in July. He was 79.
“He loved being Scorpio, and he created that role from nothing,” Soodak told the outlet. “[Rogers] was supposed to work a day, and he ended up making it into something huge. He was just a genuinely loyal, kind human being, and he loved his family.”
“The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing,”  Frank Valentini, the show’s executive producer, said in a statement per the Associated Press.
“Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years, and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio),” Valentini added. “I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time. Tristan was a one-of-a-kind talent and will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace.”
Born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1946, Rogers began his journey in the arts as a drummer in a rock band with friends during his early twenties. While the band didn’t find success, Rogers turned to modeling and commercial work to make ends meet. After the group disbanded, he decided to explore a new path and ventured into acting.
He started his acting career on Australian television, appearing in Bellbird, Number 96 (1974), and The Box (1975). He also acted in British films like Four Dimensions of Greta (1972), according to IMDb.
Tristan Rogers Lands His Signature Role
Rogers moved to the United States in 1980 and was soon cast as Robert Scorpio on ABC’s General Hospital. Scorpio worked as a spy, police commissioner, and district attorney in Port Charles.
Scorpio’s on-and-off romance with Holly Sutton (Emma Samms) and his relationship with fellow spy Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) were fan favorites. Scorpio and Anna share a daughter, Robin (Kimberly McCullough). Last fall, Samms returned to reveal that Scorpio is the father of her adult daughter, Sasha Gilmore (Sofia Mattson).
Rogers and Samms left the show together in November 2024 in scenes inspired by Casablanca. He returned to the show in July (around the same time he was diagnosed with cancer in real life) for one episode when Sasha arrived at his home in France with her new baby.
Meanwhile, Rogers appeared in The Young and the Restless from 2010 to 2011 and starred in TV series like Fast Track and Babylon 5. He also did voice work, including the 1990 Disney film The Rescuers Down Under. Rogers also won a Daytime Emmy for his role in the 2019–2020 Prime Video series Studio City.
Rogers married Barbra Meale in 1974, divorcing in 1984. He briefly dated General Hospital co-star Emma Samms in 1985. In 1995, he married Teresa Parkerson, with whom he has two children, Sara and Cale.