SAD NEWS: GH Legend Denise Alexander Has Passed Away at 85

On May 9, 2025

General Hospital news reveals that there has been another loss to the ABC soap family. Denise Alexander, who played Lesley Webber, passed away on March 5, 2025. The actress was 85 years old. Genie Francis (Laura Collins) remembers her TV mom.

Denise Alexander Dead

On March 5, Denise died at the age of 85. Not much has been released about her passing. However, a lot of information is available about the star’s long and interesting life.

Remembering Lesley Webber

Denise was best-known for playing Lesley Webber on General Hospital. The character was Laura Collins’ (Genie Francis) mother. Laura paid a special tribute to her on-screen mom, and remembers the actress fondly.

About the GH Star

Denise was born in New York City on November 11, 1939. Raised on Long Island, Alexander began acting as a young child. She appeared in Perry Como’s Chesterfield Supper Club in 1949.

Then, she got other primetime TV shows in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Some of these include The Danny Thomas Show, The Twilight Zone, and Father Knows Best.

Alexander’s first feature film was Crime in the Streets. She got that part when she was 14. However, all the way from the age of 6, young Denise did a lot of radio work. At one point, Denise’s dad counted 2,500 radio shows.

Eventually, Denise got her soap break in The Clear Horizon. She was cast as Lois Adams in 1960. However, her big break didn’t come until 1966 when she played Susan Hunter Martin on Days of Our Lives.

General Hospital Chapter

In 1973, Denise started contract negotiations with DOOL when ABC offered a new opportunity to the actress. They asked her to join GH as Dr. Lesley Williams. Interestingly enough, it was Days’ executive producer, Betty Corday, who sent her to the rival soap.

Genie Francis Remembers

Speaking with TV Insider, Genie Francis talked about working with Denise.

“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. 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.”

Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Remember to keep watching the soap on ABC.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com