Soap opera veteran Denise Alexander, finest often known as Lesley Webber on “General Hospital” and Susan Hunter Martin on “Days of Our Lives,” died on March 5. Her demise has solely now been revealed.
“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,” “GH” govt producer Frank Valentini mentioned on social media. “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. 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.”
Alexander’s appearing profession dates again to the early Fifties when she made her Broadway debut in “The Children’s Hour” and visitor starred in such tv classics as “Father Knows Best,” “The Twilight Zone” and “The Danny Kaye Show,” 1960 was the yr that modified her profession trajectory when she made joined the solid of the CBS cleaning soap, “The Clear Horizon.”
Two years later, she was a dayplayer in an ABC cleaning soap pilot known as “Emergency Hospital,” which later grew to become often known as “General Hospital” — however not as Lesley Webber. Instead, she was solid as Susan Martin on “Days of Our Lives” in 1966, the place she planted her roots for the following seven years. When she selected to go away the enormously well-liked cleaning soap in 1973, followers have been not blissful.
That is when Alexander joined “GH.” Ratings weren’t the perfect throughout that point, and ABC was wanting so as to add thrilling new characters and tales. Alexander’s Lesley grew to become one nook of considered one of daytime’s hottest triangle — Lesley, Rick Webber (performed by Chris Robinson) and Monica Bard (performed by the late Leslie Charleson, who died earlier this yr). Lesley was additionally as much as her ears in bother as a result of she confessed to the homicide of David Hamilton, against the law her daughter Laura (Genie Francis) dedicated. Her appearing earned Alexander a Emmy nomination for excellent actress in a Daytime drama collection.
When storyline known as for Lesley to be killed off in a automotive accident, followers as soon as once more have been outraged. It wasn’t till 12 years later in 1996 that it was revealed that — in true cleaning soap trend — Lesley was really alive. In between the 2 soaps, Alexander appeared on NBC’s “Another World,” working reverse her former “GH” husband, Robinson.
Alexander final appeared on “General Hospital” in 2021.