Monica Quartermaine - Character and Casting

Character and Casting

Monica is Chief of Staff with a specialty in cardiology at the eponymous General Hospital, an original and on-going setting of the serial. Her various affairs, primarily with fellow doctors Jeff Webber and his older brother Rick Webber, as well as her quarrels with husband Dr. Alan Quartermaine and their dysfunctional family, were all major stories on the show throughout the late 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

In her time on the show, Monica has battled breast cancer, dealt with the loss of three children, her son Jason Morgan's amnesia and decision to become a mob enforcer, and death in 2012. She is the owner of the Quartermaine mansion, which she often reminds her family of when they begin quarreling, which is an often occurrence in the Quartermaine quarters. She has been known to throw them out of her house.

In 2006, she only had rare appearances; however, new storylines developed in 2007 (an investigation into the murder of Rick Webber, the deaths of her husband Dr. Alan Quartermaine and adopted daughter Emily Quartermaine), and she is being featured more prominently.

With the departures of actresses Rachel Ames as Audrey Hardy and Denise Alexander as Lesley Webber, Monica is now the longest-appearing character currently appearing on General Hospital, having been introduced in 1976 and Charleson is the show's most tenured performer.

On August 24, 2010, it was announced that Charleson was being demoted to recurring status.

In May 2011, newly appointed head writer Garin Wolf expressed his interest in having Charleson appear on a much more frequent basis.

On June 13, 2011, Charleson announced that after making only one appearance so far in 2011, she would be returning to the front burner. Her first air date was set for July 27, 2011. However, Charleson appeared ahead of schedule on July 13.