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Death

‘General Hospital’ Star Denise Alexander Dead at 85

CultureCelebs
By Craig Garrett
May 10, 2025 | 8:49 a.m. CDT
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Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

Soap opera veteran Denise Alexander, remembered for her roles as Lesley Webber on General Hospital and Susan Hunter Martin on Days of Our Lives, has died.

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The actress passed away on March 5, according to Variety. She was 85.

General Hospital showrunner Frank Valentini shared the news of her passing on Friday, through a post on X.

“I am so very sorry to hear of Denise Alexander’s passing. She broke barriers on-screen and off, portraying Dr. Lesley Webber – one of the first female doctors on Daytime Television – for nearly five decades,” Valentini wrote.

“It meant so much to have her reprise her role in recent years, and I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with her,” he continued. “On behalf of the entire General Hospital family, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to her family, friends, and longtime fans. May she rest in peace.”

Per Variety, Alexander began her acting career in the early 1950s, making her Broadway debut in The Children’s Hour and appearing in TV classics like Father Knows Best and The Twilight Zone.

Denise Alexander Got Her Start in Soaps in 1960

However, her career took a major turn in 1960 when she joined the cast of the CBS soap The Clear Horizon.

Two years later, she got a small role in an ABC soap pilot called Emergency Hospital, which later became General Hospital—though not as Lesley Webber. Instead, in 1966, she was cast as Susan Martin on Days of Our Lives, where she built her career and stayed for the next seven years.

She remained with the show until 1973, when a dispute over her contract led to tensions with the network. Word of the conflict reached ABC executives, who saw an opportunity and offered her a lucrative deal to join General Hospital. They cast her as a new character, originally named Lesley Williams, hoping her star power would help save the struggling show. Later, in a surprising twist, her character was revealed to be the mother of teenage Laura, played by Genie Francis.

Alexander’s portrayal of Lesley was a success, leading to a love triangle with Chris Robinson’s Rick Webber and Leslie Charleson’s Monica Quartermaine. In 1976, her performance earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination.

Alexander’s General Hospital Exit was Met with Protests from Fans

She remained with General Hospital until 1984, ultimately departing due to a contract dispute. Her character’s controversial on-screen death upset many fans, leading about 75 passionate supporters to protest outside the studio, according to The New York Times.

Alexander transitioned to Another World, taking on the role of Mary McKinnon, one of the show’s beloved matriarchs. However, the demanding commute from Los Angeles to New York, where the series was filmed, proved challenging. As a result, she departed the show in 1989.

Alexander made a dramatic comeback to General Hospital in 1996, bringing Lesley back from the dead. She appeared on General Hospital regularly until 2009.

She returned in 2013 for the show’s 50th anniversary, again in April 2019 for its 59th anniversary, and once more in early 2021.

Alexander was married to director and producer Richard A. Colla, who passed away in 2021.