Denise Alexander, star of General Hospital and Days of Our Lives, is DEAD TO ME

Now she can party with Leslie Charleston

and Jackie Zeman

She kept things interesting on Days of Live and on General Hospital.

No!!! Lesley!!!! Rick never treated her well.

When did we last see her on GH. For years wasn't she in PC but working across town at Mercy Hospital?

r1 Jackie Zeman died TWO YEARS ago. Exactly two years ago today -- May 9, 2023

RIP

[quote] I walked into the studio and it smells the same!

Genie farted again.

Monica vs Lesley was everything a daytime feud should be

I wish I had seen her on DOOL. AW wasted her.

I believe Lesley was last on in the late 2010s for the anniversary episode where they did the scavenger hunt throughout the hospital in honor of Gail Baldwin.

Either that or the handful of episodes where Lesley came back to visit and to confront Cyrus as Laura's newly revealed brother.

R6, looks like Denise Alexander died on March 5th.

[quote]In 1973, Alexander’s decision to leave DAYS to join GH as Lesley sent shockwaves through the industry. How it came about, Alexander explained to Digest, was that “Bill [Bell] was in the process of creating Young and Restless. We had made an agreement of honor that Susan Martin would take a vacation while he got the other show up and running before he created a new story for me. Then I got a call from ABC about coming to their show. I called Betty [Corday] and I said, ‘They’re throwing figures at me. They’re telling me not to talk to you guys, but I can’t do that. I have to tell you what’s going on.’ Betty being Betty, she said to me, ‘You have to do this. They’re offering you four times what we can give you.’ So that was kind of the beginning of the end of Days of Our Lives for me. It was difficult because of how I felt about the show and about the people and not really wanting to leave this lovely, cozy, loving nest. But they were telling me I had to go and I knew Betty loved me, as I loved her, and I had to listen to people who cared about me. There was a lot of stuff in the trades, a big press uproar. It was something I’d never experienced before.”

Betty Corday was a class act. Denise Alexander was also a class act and a lovely person. Her Susan Martin was a great character. The feud she had with Julie drove the story for a long time on Days. It was of those classic Bill Bell feuds that has since been lost to history. I had always wished that she had done a guest spot on Days, just to set Julie straight.

I’m sad to read this. So many gone from General Hospital. I loved to watch with my mom.

[quote] I had always wished that she had done a guest spot on Days, just to set Julie straight.

It seemed like DAYS was strongly hinting at that a few years ago when The Martin House was mentioned.

Sad to hear this

I haven't watch GH since the Luke and Laura days. That was a thing.

Sad. She was one of the greats of Daytime! Has Susan Seaforth Hayes commented yet? LOL

Brings me back to my early GH days. Whoever commented that she was wasted on Another World -- YES!! I wanted that to work so badly, but it was kinda painful to watch, paired with Robert Hogan.

I was three when that bitch Gloria Monty killed Lesley off (and Denise wasn't pleased...she did a live interview with GMA the day before or the morning of her last episode) but thank goodness for YouTube to watch old clips and storylines of hers. I think she was absolutely brilliant. Truly one of the classic soap greats.

Has Chris Robinson issued a statement yet?

Hopefully, John Stamos (the unforgettable Blackie Parrish) will have SOMETHING to say!

As the senior former cast member still living, Rachel Ames MUST issue a statement!

Sorry, I'm busy.

It IS pretty incredible that Rachel Ames is still with us while Denise, Leslie and Jackie are gone.

R24, it's my understanding that while Rachel Ames is still alive, she hasn't been "with us" in quite a long time.

Rachel inherited Emily McLaughlin’s blue sweater and now Rachel is in Shady Pines rest home wearing that blue sweater and repeating over and over, Jessie, I’m so worried about Steve.

Didn't Audrey have a maroon sweater towards the end?

I only saw her on AW and really liked her. She had chemistry with everybody. She left because she did not enjoy flying back between LA and NY.

Lesley Webber's top ( moments)

I kept hoping GH would bring Lesley back to town to play the wise grandmother figure, much like Lila Quartermain had been. Would have loved to have seen Lesly offering wisdom to Lucky and Lulu. Or counseling Maxie. Or supporting Elizabeth. Or just talking Scotty down.

Now that's not possible.

When they brought her onto Another World, it was a big deal. She received the vanity credit ("and Denise Alexander as Mary McKinnon") - the character had been talked up on the show for months before. She was believed dead but was in fact suffering with amnesia and living with Reginald Love under the name Marissa LaSalle.

The McKinnons had already taken center stage, and this storyline made them even more prominent, tying them closer to the Loves. It was a weird time, with Mac and Rachel taking a bit of a back seat to things.

When my mom first saw Mary McKinnon, she said "that's Susan from Days of Our Lives!"

[quote]the wise grandmother figure,

I guess Jane Elliot has the role all to herself. Which is fine with me. She's really the only reason I continue to watch. She looks amazing! And still the best actress on the show.

Hopefully, she'll be with us a very long time!

She wore lots of yellow on AW.

A few online comments on the Deadline obit. From Nelson Aspen:

[quote] I worked with Denise in 1987 on ANOTHER WORLD. Even though she was considered a “grande dame” of Daytime, she was not only a total pro (she even did her own makeup!) but she really participated in the process and was a friend to everyone in the cast & crew. Never a snob and always a good sport. Quick to laugh and chat. I only have very fond memories of her on camera and off! RIP!

From Tonja Walker:

[quote] Truly one of the great ones. She will always be missed. I’m grateful for her example. With love to her family, Tonja

Monica, Alan, Lesley, Joe Kelly, Bobbie, Edward, Lila, Sean, Amy, Jimmy Lee, Grant-all of their portrayers are dead.

R36 Steve Bond, who played Jimmy Lee Holt, and Brian Patrick Clarke, who played Grant Putnam, are not dead.

The rest of the list is accurate.

And poor, troubled Terry Brock.

Nooooo! I delivered UberEats to her just in December. I loved her.

R36 Grant Putnam/Andrews died??

R38 Her sister, Crystal, is a God-fearibg MAGA cunt.

R40 No, the actor who played Grant is NOT dead.

I thought Robyn Bernard was gorgeous on GH.

Is there anything of her Susan on YouTube? The character was one of the most important during Days' first decade. But, after she was written out, she never returned.

R34 Nelson Aspen? There’s a name we never needed to hear again!

From Kin Shriner (Scotty Baldwin)

From Genie Francis.

[quote] Nelson Aspen? There’s a name we never needed to hear again!

Don't mention the words "Mary Stuart" around Ms. Nelson or he'll tell you all about how he was her bestest friend ever for a few hours.

Wow! Who knew that Denise Alexander's husband Richard Colla directed the 1978 two-hour made-for-TV movie that launched the Battlestar Galactica series. That movie had a $8 million price tag, one of the most expensive made-for-TV movies ever made up to that point.

Awwww, how sad!

Denise was my very first girl crush--long before I knew what such things were. I ADORED her on DAYS, and as a 3-5 year old I wished I could BE Susan Martin.

To this very day I HATE "Julie"*spits*

R50. You're totally right to hate Julie! *spits*

So true, R8! That’s when I first started watching GH.

She had a dignified beauty. Her and Leslie Charleson are so gorgeous in that famous fight scene.

I think Lesley was supposed to GH's answer to Dr. Althea Davis. The first Rick was very much like Dr. Nick Bellini.

Best actress on the show? Fuck you, R32!

She was PERFECT for daytime television. She was so naturalistic, it was like having a friend visit in the afternoon. She was relatable too.

Letting her go in 1984 was a huge mistake on Gloria's part. Judith Chapman was ok, but did not have those qualities.

Loved Lesley/Denise.

I HATED when they brought her back about 11 years ago and had her and Monica snark at each other. They were LONG over the drama between then when she "died" in 1984. They were on very friendly terms.

Long-time GH watchers. There was a period I completely missed.

After Leslie turned up alive, how did they explain her marriage to Rick? I know he came back for the second Luke and Laura wedding, and she (but really Scott) killed him in one of the worst retcons in soap history, but did they explain where he'd been all these years? was he still with Ginny and Mike?

R58 AI has the answers.

Rick Webber’s 2002 Return and Mention of Ginny:When Rick Webber returned to Port Charles in June 2002 (portrayed by Chris Robinson), the show briefly addressed Ginny’s status. According to a fan discussion on a Google Groups thread from 2002, Monica Quartermaine (or another character) asked Rick about Ginny, and he stated that they had divorced years earlier. This indicates that Rick and Ginny’s marriage ended sometime after leaving Port Charles in 1986, but no specific details about the timing, reasons, or Ginny’s current whereabouts were provided in the dialogue.The 2002 storyline focused heavily on Rick’s involvement in the retconned Theresa Carter murder cover-up and his death at the hands of Scott Baldwin. Ginny did not appear on-screen, and her mention was limited to this single reference about their divorce. No further elaboration on her life post-divorce (e.g., remarriage, location, or activities) was included in the episodes.

Mike Webber’s Status in 2002:During Rick’s 2002 return, it was revealed that Mike Webber was no longer living with Rick and had moved to live with his biological father, Derek Barrington, in Port Charles. According to the same Google Groups discussion, Mike “went to the other side of town” after the family left in 1986, suggesting he stayed in Port Charles rather than leaving with Rick and Ginny. This implies that Mike’s connection to the Webbers weakened after discovering his biological parentage (Derek Barrington, a wealthy socialite’s son, and Ginny).A key detail is that Mike was revealed to be a Barrington, not a Webber, biologically, which led to him residing with Derek. However, the show did not clarify whether this happened immediately after 1986 or later. No on-screen appearances or specific updates about Mike’s life (e.g., career, family, or current status) were provided in 2002, and he remained off-screen.

Rick Webber Jr. and Lack of Mentions:Rick Webber Jr., the biological son of Rick and Ginny, was born before they left Port Charles in 1986. There are no documented mentions of Rick Jr. in the 2002 storyline or beyond, indicating that the show did not address his fate or whereabouts after the family’s departure. Fan discussions, including Reddit threads, do not reference Rick Jr., suggesting he was either forgotten by the writers or intentionally excluded from later narratives.Fan Discussions and Speculation:A Reddit post from November 22, 2023, titled “Ya know what? Laura’s got a little brother named Mike Webber. He’d be in his 50’s now,” highlights fan interest in Mike’s potential return. The post notes that Mike was adopted by Rick and raised as Laura’s brother but does not provide new canonical information about his post-1980s life. A commenter asked if Ginny or Rick Jr. were mentioned during Rick’s 2002 return, to which no clear response was given, reinforcing that the show provided minimal details.A 2013 post on Soaps.com’s message board questioned why Mike Webber was never brought back, noting that David Mendenhall (Mike’s actor) was still active in acting and that Mike’s story had potential due to his ties to the Webbers and Barringtons. The post confirms that Mike was last known to have lived with Derek Barrington after learning he was his father, but no further updates were provided by the show or other fans.

Judith Chapman was supposed to have replaced Denise Alexander? Wow. Gloria Monty was delusional.

Gloria Monty treated the actresses on her show like shit. Ask Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Finola Hughes, Susan Pratt….

[quote]Gloria Monty treated the actresses on her show like shit. Ask Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Finola Hughes, Susan Pratt….

Ahh, so that's where Jill Farren Phelps learned it.

JFP worked for Gloria so yes, she probably did learn it there.

JFP was a hack music supervisor who SUDDENLY became EP of Santa Barbara. I'm glad Bridget Dobson knocked her down to get that show's first Best Daytime Drama Emmy.

R64 I rewatched that and laughed and laughed and laughed.

R60, you're never going to meet a bigger Denise/Lesley fan than me, but I have to admit Chapman's tragic Ginny earned my sympathy.

She was living on the edge.

By the time she and Rick went to a high school reunion (hers, I think?) and the show played a Carpenters song (For All We Know) I was wanting to see Ginny get a break.

R59, I think we knew about Mike going off with Derek and Lorena back in the mid 1980s; I don't think Ginny was mentioned at all when Rick came back in 2002.

What they did to Rick and Lesley was criminal; even tho Rick's dead and Denise is gone now, I'd still retcon the retcon away.

"It was all Helena! There was no Theresa Carter!"

I think Gloria was nuts to let not just Denise slip through her fingers but also, Brooke Bundy (Diana), Susan Pratt (Annie Logan), Mary O'Brien (Heather), and Gail Rae Carlson (Susan).

I remember Diane would talk to PJ AKA Steven Lars and let him know she was going to marry Jeff to give him his real daddy back; she made it sound like a sacrifice that she'd marry Richard Dean Anderson (SWOOOOON!) Give her the Emmy now.

Annie was Audrey's niece. Heather was the mother of Steve Hardy's grandson; Susan was Jason's mother. They all had decades of stories to tell and were tied to core families and characters.

Personally, I think if it came down to either Doug or Gloria, I would have let Gloria go. She showed them how to quicken the pace, have more scenes per show, and crank up the lighting.

Doug left and went to GL, creating Nola, Quinton, Kelly/Morgan, the Jennifer Richards trial, Alan and Hope's romance, Carrie Todd; HENRY AND VANESSA!!

I still laugh at Doug Marland (a woman hater) having Gloria Monty’s picture being etched into his toilet so that he could shit on her everytime he took a dump. lol Talk about taking it to the extreme.

R66 are you joking, or did they REALLY say that was Helena? It's so funny, we WATCHED Laura kill Rick. Years later they just said it was Scotty. So ridiculous.

My friend interned on General Hospital. One day Gloria walked up to Finola Hughes, hugged her, and staged whispered into her ear "enjoy this scene, sweetie, cause it's your LAST." She walked away and Finola laughed incredulously and said "Was I just fired?"

My God she was awful to women on the show. She made Genie Francis walk at the height of Luke and Laura!

For a "woman hater", Douglas Marland sure wrote some great stuff for ATWT's actresses.

R71, You got that right, baby!

R67, Diane = Diana

R69, no they SHOULD say it was all Helena.

Easy fix.

#whocares. Enough of this soap opera excrement!l

Haha gotcha R73. Everything else was the Cassidines!

I absolutely believe that Marland hated Monty (and probably Nixon later on). I don’t believe he hated women.

I think Monty and Nixon gave him reason.

Soaps should be run by gay men.

Thank you, R77!

[quote]Soaps should be run by gay men.

I couldn't agree more.

I just haven’t found the right woman!

As a celebrity panelist on the 1976 game show, The Magnificent Marble Machine.

How do you reconcile someone like Gloria Monty? This seems to happen all the time in entertainment.

She came into GH as it was on the brink of cancellation, did a near-genius job turning it around to the point it became iconic, yet behaved like one of the biggest cunts who ever cunted.

Gloria worked on The Secret Storm for years as a director. In one of the soap opera history books , Jada Rowland described Gloria as “always ragged and on the edge of hysteria.” I think she just didn’t trust people; on GH, she made her headwriters put her sister Norma on the staff, probably to exert greater control.

She didn’t seem to understand or care for the conventions of soap opera. Her fight with Doug Marland was over giving the character of Laura (played by a teenaged Genie Francis) a brief rest after being on the front burner for over a year. Marland wanted Laura and Scotty to spend some time as happily married newlyweds ; Gloria wanted her front and center, and in a story with Tony Geary. She was so captivated by Tony Geary that she turned Luke’s rape of Laura into a “seduction”, doing a disservice to the teenagers who watched the show.

She was pretty dismissive of her actors (especially the women) and her writers-she thought they were disposable and easily replaced.

Yes-she helped increase the pacing and direction of GH, and this ended up making GH look more modern, which was a plus. But her cartoonish storylines like the Ice Princess set an unfortunate precedent in daytime.

If this was what the viewers wanted, how come Young and the Restless, All My Children, and Guiding Light, which for the most part didn’t engage in GH-type storytelling, managed to stay in the top 5 in the early 80s?

When she returned to GH in 1991, she continued to show her disdain for soaps, by writing off or putting veterans on the back burner , and shoving new characters like the Eckerts down the viewer’s throats. You can’t do that on soaps-you have to slowly introduce new characters and families to get the viewers interested.

Soaps are very unique-the characters come into the viewer’s homes day after day for decades, like family-you can’t just throw away the show’s history without consequences, the audience eventually revolts-that is partly why GH hemorrhaged viewers in 1984 when Denise left and in 1991 when the Eckerts invaded, to the benefit both times of its more traditional time slot competitor, Guiding Light, both times.

Gloria got numbers. Especially young people. Everyone who mattered was watching GH. GL had old ladies watching.