Legendary Soap Opera Star Dies at 85

Soap opera veteran Denise Alexander has passed away at the age of 85. Best known for playing Lesley Webber on General Hospital and Susan Hunter Martin on Days of Our Lives, Alexander began acting in the early 1950s before joining Days of Our Lives in 1966. Following her departure from Days of Our Lives in 1973, she joined General Hospital, where she spent the next 11 years as a series regular and earned herself a Daytime Emmy nomination in the process. In 1996, she returned to the show, staying on as a recurring character until 2009. In 2013, she returned briefly for the soap’s 50th anniversary, then made guest appearances again in 2017, 2019, and 2021. Alexander’s death was announced on social media by General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini, who wrote, “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." He added, “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.”