Soap opera star Denise Alexander, best known for playing “General Hospital’s” Lesley Webber, has died at age 85.
The actress — who also played Susan Hunter Martin on “Days of Our Lives” — died on March 5, according to Variety, but few other details were provided.
Frank Valentini, executive producer for “General Hospital,” confirmed the sad news with a social media post on Friday, remembering Alexander as an artist who “broke barriers on screen and off,” especially in her role as one of the first female doctors on television.
Born in New York City on Nov. 11, 1939, Alexander kicked off her career on the small screen as a young girl, appearing as Perry Como‘s daughter in “Chesterfield Supper Club.” She went on to nab several television roles in the 1950s and ’60s — including on “The Twilight Zone,” “Father KnowsBest” and “The Many Lives of Dobie Gillis” — before becoming a soap opera staple.
In 1966, she joined “Days of Our Lives,” where she remained, playing Martin, until 1973. She then landed a massive contract to play Webber on “General Hospital,” a role that earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1979.
In true soap style, her character was killed off and resurrected over the years, and she recurred as Webber until 2009. She’s made scattered appearance in the year’s since, most recently in 2021 after returning for its anniversary shows in 2013 and 2019.
“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,” Valentini said. “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.”
