What role did Chris Robinson play on General Hospital? Everything to know as the actor passes away at 86

The American actor Chris Robinson portrayed the character of Dr. Rick Webber on the daytime soap opera General Hospital. The character was originally introduced through Michael Gregory in 1976; however, two years later, in 1978, the role was taken over by Chris Robinson, who portrayed the role till 1986, and further returned in 2002 and 2013 briefly.

The current news confirms that the actor passed away on June 9, 2025, at the age of 86, after suffering heart failure. According to People magazine, the news was confirmed by Robinson's friend/ colleague, MJ Allen, via a social media post on Facebook. MJ shared,

"He peacefully passed in his sleep at his ranch near Sedona, Arizona. .... He had been in heart failure for some time, and [it] is his official cause of death.”

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Here's everything to know about the character of Dr. Rick Webber, portrayed by Chris Robinson on General Hospital

Dr. Richard "Rick" Webber is a fictional character on the daytime soap opera General Hospital, portrayed by Chris Robinson. Premiering on April 1, 1963, on ABC, it is the longest-running American daytime soap opera. Set in the fictional city of Port Charles in New York, the soap opera centers around the dramatic lives of the most powerful and influential families of the town. Known for its dramatic twists, iconic characters, and historic longevity.

Chris Robinson's portrayal of Dr. Rick on the soap opera brought depth to the character. He was a central character on the soap involved in several major story arcs, especially his twisted love arcs. After Rick returned from a tragic, hostile situation, where he was captured by African Revolutionaries, he found out that his love interest, Monica Bard, had married his younger brother, Jeff Webber.

However, they later rekindled their relationship even though both of them were married to different people—Rick was married to Lesley Webber, and Monica was married to Alan Quartermaine. As their relationship progressed, Monica became pregnant. Though initially confused about the biological father of the child, she later presumed Rick to be the father and left Alan for him.

Alan, who was furious, tried to ruin their relationship and attempted to kill him. However, things got messy when it was revealed that the father of her child was not Rick but actually Alan. Later, on General Hospital, Rick rekindled his relationship with Lesley, and together they adopted Mike Webber, and Rick also became the adoptive father to Lesley's daughter from a previous marriage, Laura. However, during Rick's return to the show in 2002, in a tragic event, he passed away after Scott Baldwin struck him with a candlestick.

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Here's a glance at the life of actor Chris Robinson

Dr. Rick Webber (Image via Instagram/@generalhospitalabc)

Chris Robinson was born on November 5, 1938, in West Palm Beach, Florida. According to Soap Opera Digest, the actor was found guilty of tax evasion during his time on General Hospital. In 1981, he was reportedly fined a significant amount and sentenced to jail; however, he was allowed to appear on the show after the District judge modified his sentence to allow him to serve his sentence in a guarded community treatment center.

The actor had been married several times. He first wed Sandra S. Canter in 1958, but they later divorced. In 1966, he married Phyllis Robinson; the two divorced in 1976. His third marriage, to Sandra Stace Tennant in 1977, ended in 1980. He married Rhonda Robinson in 1981, but they separated in 1984. Years later, in 2011, he married Jacquie Shane.

As per TMZ, he also had seven children, namely: Coby, Taylor, Christian, Shane, Christopher, Christopher Lance, and Robb Walker. He is survived by his wife, children, and five grandchildren. Apart from portraying the character of Dr. Rick Webber on General Hospital, Chris Robinson had also been a part of other projects like The Bold and the Beautiful, Another World, 12 O'Clock High, and many more.

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Fans of the daytime soap opera can catch the latest episodes of General Hospital on the ABC Network and Hulu.