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Actress Denise Alexander, known for her portrayal of Dr. Lesley Webber on ABC's General Hospital, passed away on March 5, 2025, at the age of 85. After her death was revealed on May 9, many stars of General Hospital, including the show's executive producer, Frank Valentini, offered their tributes to the late actress.
"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," Valentini remarked on Instagram.
In 1973, Alexander assumed the role of Dr. Lesley Webber, a character who spawned some of the soap's most dramatic storylines during the period. Despite a controversial exit in 1984 due to contract disputes, which led to her character's presumed death, Alexander made a return in 1996. She continued to grace the screen from time to time, with appearances as recent as 2021.
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Denise Alexander played Leslie Webber on General Hospital
Denise Alexander's on-screen persona, Dr. Lesley Webber, first appeared in 1973 on General Hospital. In that era, Lesley was one of the first female doctors on daytime television. In the early stages of her arc, she was involved in a complicated love triangle with Dr. Joel Stratton and Cameron Faulkner.
She went on to learn that Laura, her daughter, whom she believed died at birth, was alive and adopted. The emotional discovery gave way to their mother-daughter relationship. However, Lesley's life going forward was still riddled with drama and tragedy.
Her marriage to Dr. Rick Webber was tested by infidelity and secrets. David, a paralyzed friend of Rick's, stayed with the Webbers and began a secret romance with young Laura to get closer to Lesley, who had rejected his advances. When David admitted he loved Lesley, Laura pushed him to his death. Lesley initially took the blame to protect Laura, but Laura confessed and received probation.
In 1984, Leslie's character was written off after she got into a car accident and died. Her comeback in 1996 revealed that she was not actually dead, but had been kidnapped and held by the Cassadine family. Her return put her at the center of the Spencer family once again. Over the years, Lesley became a figure that everyone looked up to, offering guidance to Laura and her grandchildren.
Though her appearances in General Hospital became more occasional, Lesley remained an emotional anchor in Port Charles, officiating weddings and appearing during family crises. Her last appearance on the show was in 2021. She talked to Soaps.com about her experience in an article published on January 18, 2021, saying:
“I am beyond grateful for all the kind and amazing and funny and sweet and caring and supportive and truly delicious messages. I have never felt so appreciated.”
About Denise Alexander
Denise Alexander was born in November 1939 in New York City. Her career began at the age of six when she started working in radio and television programs.
She made her film debut at 14 in Crime in the Streets. Her breakthrough came in 1966 when she was cast as Susan Hunter Martin on Days of Our Lives, a role she held until 1973. That year, she joined General Hospital and made recurring appearances on the show until 2021.
Alexander's performance earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1976. She was close to the many stars on the show, particularly her on-screen daughter, Genie Francis. In an interview with TV Insider dated May 9, 2025, Francis talked about her bond with Alexander, saying:
“I loved her. She loved me. I stole her good stuff. When I look at myself sometimes on television, which I don’t do often because I don’t really like to watch myself, but I have seen myself do stuff and been kind of taken aback because I realized I just did Denise."
She added:
"So when I say I stole her good stuff, I’m saying I was so young, she imprinted on me. And some of my acting, some of my style of acting, was directly imprinted on me by Denise Alexander. And she was very, very good to me as I was growing up.”
Beyond acting, Alexander was also a photographer and producer, collaborating with her late husband, director Richard A. Colla.
Stay tuned for more details on General Hospital.
