Monica Quartermaine is a fictional character from ''
General Hospital
''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
'', an American
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
on the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
network, played continually since August 17, 1977 by longtime soap opera actress
Leslie Charleson
Leslie Charleson (born February 22, 1945) is an American actress, best known for her role as Monica Quartermaine in the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Life and career
Charleson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Actress Kate Charles ...
. She is a
cardiologist
Cardiology () is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular hear ...
at the eponymous hospital, and
widow
A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died.
Terminology
The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word ...
of physician
Alan Quartermaine (
Stuart Damon
Stuart Damon (born Stuart Michael Zonis; February 5, 1937 June 29, 2021) was an American actor and singer. He was best known for his 30-year portrayal of Dr. Alan Quartermaine on the American soap opera ''General Hospital'', for which he won an ...
). The role was originated by Patsy Rahn in 1976, who played the role until
showrunner
A showrunner (or colloquially a helmer) is the top-level executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority through combining the responsibilities of employer and, in comedy or dramas, typically also th ...
s replaced her with Charleson. Charleson's tenure with the
serial is
one of the longest in American soap operas.
Character and casting
Monica becomes
Chief of Staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
at General Hospital following the death of her husband,
Dr. Alan Quartermaine. Her specialty is
cardiology
Cardiology () is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart d ...
. She was previously married to fellow doctor
Jeff Webber
'' General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
. Her various affairs, primarily involving Jeff's older brother
Rick Webber
''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city w ...
, and her quarrels with her second husband Alan 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
Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...
and dealt with outliving four of her children. She is the owner of the
Quartermaine
Quartermain or Quartermaine is a surname which may refer to:
People
* Allan Quartermaine, (1888–1978), British civil engineer
* Buck Quartermain (born 1967), ring name of American wrestler
* Joel Quartermain (born 1977), Australian musici ...
mansion, as she often reminds her family when they begin quarreling. She has been known to throw them out of her house.
In 2006, she only had rare appearances. New storylines developed in 2007 (an investigation into the murder of Rick Webber and the deaths of her husband and daughter
Emily Quartermaine
Emily Quartermaine is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. The role was originated on January 20, 1995 by Amber Tamblyn, who portrayed the role until July 11, 2001. Natalia Livingston subsequently played Emily from A ...
), and she has since featured more prominently.
With the returns of
Denise Alexander
Denise Alexander is an American actress, best known for her role as Lesley Webber on ''General Hospital'', a role she originally played from 1973 to 1984 (contract), 1996 to 2009, and a guest stint in 2013, in honor of the show's 50th anniversa ...
(
Lesley Webber
Lesley Webber is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Actress Denise Alexander played the role from 1973 through February 28, 1984, as a series regular, and from 1996 to 2009 in a recurrin ...
),
Genie Francis
Eugenie Ann Francis (born May 26, 1962) is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Laura Spencer (General Hospital), Laura Spencer on the television soap opera ''General Hospital'' from 1977 to present, for which she won a ...
(
Laura Spencer), and
Kin Shriner
Kin Shriner (born December 6, 1953) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Scott Baldwin on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' and its spin-off, ''Port Charles''.
Early life
Shriner and his twin brother, actor Wil Shriner, w ...
(
Scott Baldwin
Scott "Scotty" Baldwin is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' and its now-defunct spinoff ''Port Charles''. The character debuted played by child actors in the 1960s until Kin Shriner assumed the role in 1977. Sc ...
), Monica remains the fourth oldest character on ''General Hospital'' 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
Garin Wolf is an American television writer and playwright.
Career
Television
''As the World Turns''
*Associate head writer: 1985 - 1988 (hired by Douglas Marland), 1993–1995, 1995–1996
* Co-head writer: 1995 (with Juliet Law Packer and R ...
expressed his interest in having Charleson appear on a much more frequent basis.
In April 2018, it was announced that due to an injury Charleson sustained, the soap would temporarily recast the role of Monica to handle the advanced writing required for the character;
Patty McCormack
Patricia McCormack (born Patricia Ellen Russo in 1945) is an American actress with a career in theater, films, and television.
McCormack began her career as a child actress. She is perhaps best known for her performance as Rhoda Penmark in Maxw ...
was announced as the temporary replacement of Charleson.
McCormack first appeared on May 7, 2018.
Holly Kaplan filled in for Charleson for a single episode on March 15, 2022.
Storylines
Background
Monica grows up off-screen in an orphanage and was fostered by Dr.
Gail Adamson Baldwin
''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city w ...
. Greg, Gail's husband took advantage of Monica and raped her. Gail remained unaware of this for many years but they were able to reconcile once the truth came out. Monica was able to use her experience with Greg to help
Laura Spencer when she was raped.
Monica later had an affair with David Langston and gave birth to a daughter, Dawn, whom she gave up for adoption.
Just prior to her arrival on GH, Monica had been engaged to
Rick Webber
''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city w ...
. He broke up with her and flew off to
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
where he became involved in a
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
and was presumed dead. Monica turned to
Jeff Webber
'' General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
, Rick's brother, for comfort and married him, not knowing that Rick was still alive.
1970s
Monica arrived in
Port Charles
''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes pl ...
in 1976, having recently married
Jeff Webber
'' General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
.
Steve Hardy, who had been recently appointed as Chief of Staff at
General Hospital
''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
, invited the couple to take part in his ''Mr. and Mrs. Intern Programme'', believing that the couple had an idyllic marriage. The truth was that Monica had only married Jeff on the rebound. She was still deeply in love with Jeff's brother, Rick, who had been presumed dead in Africa. The marriage collapsed when Rick was revealed to be still alive; Monica had an affair with him and Jeff had one with
Heather Grant that produced a son,
Steven Webber. Jeff and Monica divorced in 1977.
During this time, Rick grew close to
Lesley Faulkner and planned to marry her. Monica was devastated, and tried to put a stop to it by blackmailing Lesley: unless Lesley refused his proposal, Monica would reveal her affair with Rick to the board of trustees, denying Rick the opportunity to become Chief of Cardiology. During the argument, a pregnant Lesley fell down the stairs and miscarried. Lesley was despondent and called off her engagement to Rick. Meanwhile, Monica and Rick talk about how important the promotion is to Rick. Monica realizes she cannot go through with her threat, but doesn't tell Lesley. Monica is caught when Lesley's daughter, Laura, reveals that she recorded Monica's threat to Lesley. Lesley and Rick are married in October 1977.
Rick and Monica's relationship becomes embittered, and Monica nearly loses her job, though Lesley sets aside her personal feelings and vouches for Monica's talents as a doctor to Steve, saving her job. Monica claims to be moving on, but she and Rick are forced to work together with
Dr. Alan Quartermaine on plans for a new wing at the hospital. Monica makes a last-ditch effort to bed Rick while trapped in a remote ranger station overnight during a storm while working on the project, but is turned down. While Monica continues to antagonize Lesley and Rick, she soon begins a relationship with Alan, though she's still very much attracted to Rick.
Monica had doubts about her relationship with Alan, but these were soon overshadowed when Monica's foster mother Gail Adamson discovered that Monica had slept with Gail's late husband Greg. Gail did not believe Monica's explanation that Greg had forced her into the affair and cut ties with Monica. Monica turned to Alan for support and agreed to marry him. Eventually Gail and Monica made amends. She was thrilled when Gail found happiness by finally agreeing to marry
Lee Baldwin
Lee Baldwin is a fictional character on the daytime dramas '' General Hospital'' and ''Port Charles''.
Ross Elliott originated the role on ''General Hospital'' in 1963. Peter Hansen inherited the role in 1965 and played it until 1986 and agai ...
after months of putting him off. Monica became a close confidante to Laura who found that Monica treated her like an adult while her mother continuously treated her like a child.
After their 1978 wedding, Alan bought a mansion for Monica as a wedding present, and his family ended up re-settling in Port Charles as well. Monica adored Alan's parents, Edward (who ran the family empire, ELQ) and Lila, but his sister, Tracy, felt Monica was beneath them and caused problems every chance she got. Monica continued to be a confidante to Lesley's young daughter, Laura, and when nurse Bobbie Spencer began to harass Laura and blamed her for attacking her in the hospital book store, Monica took Laura's side, realizing the extent of her own harassment towards Lesley whom she made an effort to become friends with. However, within a year of her second marriage, Monica once again fell into Rick's arms and the two had a one-night stand. Monica was pregnant and didn't know who the father was. Tracy, who had made efforts to get to know her sister-in-law whom she respected as a physician, suspected the truth and plotted to have the unborn child declared illegitimate so her son Ned would inherit the Quartermaine estate. For many months, Monica was bedridden, and innocent student nurse
Amy Vining her only companion. Monica was unaware that the gossipy Amy was totally enamored of the handsome Alan who used her as a spy to keep an eye on his wife. Monica gave birth to a son,
A.J. during the middle of a winter storm with only Gail and Lesley present and screamed out that Rick was the father.
1980s
Rick and Lesley divorced so Rick and Monica could be together. Alan was enraged by this turn of events and made several attempts to kill Rick and Monica, but was thwarted at every attempt. While both Scotty and Lee found Monica's actions repulsive, their wives Laura and Gail were more compassionate even though Laura was heartsick at seeing Lesley and her adoptive father separated. Monica managed to trick Alan into admitting on tape that he had tried to kill her and Rick and moved into Tracy's old apartment as she prepared to file for an uncontested divorce. Eventually, both Monica and Alan realized that A.J. was indeed Alan's son and not Rick's. Monica attempted to hide this fact from Rick, but Alan eventually exposed the truth that there were rare circumstances when two parents with type O blood could conceive a type B blood baby. Rick, disgusted with Monica's continued manipulations, left her and focused on the formation of the waterfront clinic. A confrontation with Lesley over the revelation of Alan Jr.'s paternity ended up with Monica viciously maligning Lesley's lack of passion and Lesley's surprising response of a hard slap across Monica's face. The next day when Monica went to get her final divorce decree, she discovered that Alan had contested it, and when she confronted him, he threatened her with the loss of her son for her actions, forcing her to return to him even though she couldn't stand the sight of him. Eventually, because of issues concerning Laura on the run, Rick went back to Lesley, having Monica removed as his assistant in surgery, although he later relented, citing their shared excellence in the operating room. Monica felt that she had no other alternative but to stay with Alan, biding her time to find a way out. The only good thing that happened for Monica around this time was Tracy's departure after discovering that her husband
Mitch Williams
Mitchell Steven Williams (born November 17, 1964), nicknamed "Wild Thing", is an American former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for six teams from 1986 to 1997. He was also a studio analyst for the MLB Network from 2009 to ...
was having an affair with sexy waitress
Susan Moore who ended up being manager of the Campus Disco which Alan bought as a side investment after owner
Frank Smith was sent to prison for mob activities.
Following their 'reconciliation', Monica refused to sleep with Alan and insisted on separate rooms. Despite attempts by both to be civil to each other, Alan grew frustrated and in 1981, he embarked on an affair with Susan, who became pregnant and would give birth to Alan's son,
Jason
Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He w ...
while out of town. Alan moved Susan into a cottage but continued to live in the Quartermaine mansion until the tensions became so great between him and Monica that he moved in with Susan. The only calm moments between Alan and Monica was their shared desire to prove that Alan's cousin,
Alexandria Quartermaine
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
was utilizing the family fortune in ways that would not keep their holdings strong. Monica was greatly amused when Alexandria's will left all of her ELQ stock to Lila, putting her in control and keeping Edward from making deals he felt important to gain more money and power. Monica hired private investigator Larry Corrigan (
Frank Ashmore
Frank Ashmore (born June 17, 1945) is an American actor.
Career
He is perhaps best known for his role as "Martin" in the 1983 NBC miniseries '' V'' and its 1984 sequel '' V: The Final Battle''. He reprised his role in the pilot episode of '' V: ...
) to get proof of Alan's affair with Susan, and he took a job at the campus disco, managing it after Susan went to New York to have her baby. Between Larry and Cathy Summers (A.J.'s nanny), she got the evidence she needed and used it to make Alan's life a living hell. In spite of public scenes at the hospital which caused both of them to be reprimanded by Steve Hardy, Monica would continue to be seen with Alan at social functions, including Luke and Laura's wedding, even though she was preparing to file for divorce and sell the Quartermaine house, a move that Alan put a stop to. But the chemistry between Alan and Susan soon waned and he found himself becoming bored with her which lead to him unable to make love. Arguing with Monica over Susan and Jason led to them admitting their passion for one another, and Alan broke off with Susan who sued him for palimony and major child support. The final straw for Alan came when she turned into a drunk and married Scott Baldwin after being in a horrendous car accident. In 1983, Susan was murdered by Lila's first husband, Crane Tolliver (discovered after all of the Quartermaines, including Monica, were questioned as suspects), and Susan's aunt Alice Grant took Jason in. After Alice died of an embolism a few months later, Monica and Alan fought her daughter, Heather (the same Heather whom Jeff had cheated on Monica with seven years earlier) for custody of the baby. Monica was not pleased at having her husband's illegitimate offspring in the house at first, but eventually grew to love Jason as if he were her own. She later legally adopted him as well.
Monica was saddened by the sudden death in a car accident of her old rival Lesley Webber whom she had somewhat made peace with. Only a few months before, the Quartermaines had shared in the Webber family's joy over Laura Spencer's return from the dead. While determined to make her marriage to Alan work this time around, Monica did become a source of comfort for her ex-lover, Rick, and even wished him much happiness when he married
Ginny Blake
This is a list of characters that have appeared or been mentioned on the American American Broadcasting Company, ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''.
A Aaron
:(Chad Brannon, 2009)
Abigail
:(Ivy Bethune, 1987)
Sarah Abbott
:(Eileen Dietz, 1981â ...
, the natural mother of Rick and Lesley's adopted son, Mikey. The Quartermaines had more than their share of tensions on their hand when Edward's illegitimate son Jimmy Lee Holt showed up and ended up with proof that Edward and Lila's marriage had not been legal. The following year, Jimmy Lee's mother, Beatrice LaSeur, showed up and proceeded to attempt to blackmail the family, leading to her apparent murder in which Monica was once again a suspect. But she had accidentally drank Lila's heart medication which caused her death. One of the suspects in Beatrice's death was spa owner
Lorena Sharpe who turned out to be Monica's long-lost cousin. In 1986, Monica had an affair with
Sean Donely
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
, and kicked all the
Quartermaine
Quartermain or Quartermaine is a surname which may refer to:
People
* Allan Quartermaine, (1888–1978), British civil engineer
* Buck Quartermain (born 1967), ring name of American wrestler
* Joel Quartermain (born 1977), Australian musici ...
s out of the mansion. Alan concocted a bizarre scheme to frame Sean for his 'murder' and even went missing for several months as part of the plan. Eventually, Sean left Monica for
Tiffany Hill
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
, and Monica reluctantly reconciled with Alan and let the Quartermaines back into the mansion.
Monica went away to a spa resort and ended up sleeping with one of the workers there, a young man named Ward. To Monica's surprise, Ward turned out to be
Ned Ashton, the son of her sister-in-law,
Tracy Quartermaine
Tracy Quartermaine is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. She is played by actress Jane Elliot, who originated the role in 1978 and has played her intermittently since that time, primarily on ''GH'' and briefly on '' ...
(who came back after a decade's absence) and thus, Alan's nephew. The two agreed to keep the affair a secret, but soon another secret of Monica's would come out. Monica's secret daughter,
Dawn Winthrop
'' General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the ...
turned up and began dating Ned. These two secrets proved at last to be the deathblow to Monica and Alan's marriage and the two divorced. Alan later married
Lucy Coe
Lucy Coe is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap operas '' General Hospital'' and ''Port Charles''. Portrayed by Lynn Herring, she first appeared in April 1986 on ''General Hospital'', introduced as an alibi in a murder plot. In 1997, ...
in 1990. During this time, the family believed that Edward had been killed in a helicopter crash and fought brutally over his estate.
1990s
Dawn was later murdered and Monica was devastated by her death. After Alan's marriage to Lucy also proved a disaster, Monica and Alan were drawn back together by their son A.J's rebellious behavior. In 1991, the two remarried and the next three years of their marriage were relatively calm, although the return of David Langton (Dawn's father), A.J.'s relationship with David's daughter Nikki and Alan's friendship with Rhonda Wexler did give the couple some cause for concern. It was during this time that Edward was found alive and returned to Port Charles to help the Quartermaine's take on the cartel who had tried to take over ELQ. Alan and Monica also welcomed Lee and Gail Baldwin back to Port Charles, getting Gail to provide some therapy for the problematic A.J. Monica supported Alan fully when he confessed to her that he had discovered that Ray Conway, Rhonda's boyfriend, had sexually molested Karen, and had pushed him after finding Ray beating up Rhonda, causing Ray to hit his head and die.
Monica's life was changed forever when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994. Monica became despondent and began pushing Alan away, though Alan fought hard to give Monica the support she needed. During this time, Monica befriended
Paige Bowen, a fellow cancer patient. Monica was devastated when Paige died, but ended up adopting Paige's daughter,
Emily. Finally, Monica went into remission, but she and Alan were drifting further and further apart.
By 1995, A.J.'s alcoholism, which had been developing for several years, culminated in family tragedy when he and Jason were in a serious car accident. A.J. escaped relatively unhurt, but Jason was left with amnesia and brain damage. The family's attempts to make Jason remember alienated him from the family and he eventually rejected all of them including Monica in favor of working for local mob boss,
Sonny Corinthos
Sonny Corinthos is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. Maurice Benard has played the role of the manic depressive mob kingpin, living in Port Charles, since the character's storyline originated on August 13, 1993. Sonn ...
. As a result of all the tragedy in her life, Monica separated from Alan and longed to make herself feel better. Monica embarked on an affair with Dr.
Pierce Dorman
This is a list of characters that have appeared or been mentioned on the American American Broadcasting Company, ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''.
A Aaron
:(Chad Brannon, 2009)
Abigail
:(Ivy Bethune, 1987)
Sarah Abbott
:(Eileen Dietz, 1981â ...
, which predictably ended in disaster when Dorman made false allegations of sexual harassment against Monica. In court, Dorman's lawyers brought up Monica's past indiscretions, including her affair with Ned and ended up winning the case. Monica was fired from General Hospital as a result. Monica also had to deal with both A.J.'s alcoholism and Emily's drug addiction. Monica snapped and kidnapped Dorman, and threatened to give him a lobotomy. Only Jason's intervention stopped her from doing so. Eventually though, Monica was vindicated when Dorman was murdered and revealed to have been a drug dealer. Monica and the rest of the Quartermaines were both shocked and delighted when it was revealed that the presumably deceased Lesley Webber was very much alive. When Monica went to visit her old rival, the mentally fragile Lesley calmly said she could never ever forget Monica. The two women would socialize at hospital events even though Lesley did not return to the medical profession, but on occasion, their pasts would create some comic tension.
More family drama ensued in 1998 when
Carly Roberts claimed that her son
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
was Jason's. Monica's father-in-law,
Edward Quartermaine
Edward Quartermaine is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. The character was created in 1978, originally played by David Lewis. John Ingle stepped into the role in 1993, and besides a brief ...
, wanted to gain custody of Michael and thus Jason, who had been growing close to the Quartermaines was alienated from the family once again. Eventually, it was revealed that Jason was covering for Carly and that Michael was not Jason's son, but rather A.J.'s. During this time, Alan had become addicted to painkillers, which caused another brief estrangement between Alan and Monica.
2000s
Alan and Monica eventually reconciled and briefly considered trying for another baby. In 2001, they decided to renew their vows only for
Skye Chandler
Skye Chandler is a fictional character from the ABC soap operas ''All My Children'', ''One Life to Live'', and ''General Hospital''. Initially portrayed by Antoinette Byron, the role was then portrayed by Robin Christopher for most of the next 25 ...
to turn up and claim that she was Alan's daughter. While Monica and Skye clashed at first, they eventually established a cordial relationship and Monica even allowed Skye to stay at the mansion after Tracy revealed she wasn't Alan's daughter after all. Alan and Monica stayed stable for several years, even as drama occurred amongst their children. A.J. lost custody of Michael to Carly and her new husband Sonny Corinthos, while Emily was temporarily paralyzed in an accident and later diagnosed with breast cancer. When
Rick Webber
''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city w ...
returned to town for Laura's remarriage to Luke, he re-kindled his old friendship with Monica which caused Alan to become jealous of them once again and brought back some bad memories for Lesley Webber who had never stopped loving him. When Rick was suddenly killed, Alan and Monica were both mentioned as suspects, and for a long time, everybody believed that Laura had killed him in self-defense. The real killer was eventually revealed to be Scotty Baldwin.
In 2005, A.J. faked his death as part of a complicated plot to frame his ex-wife,
Courtney Matthews
Courtney Matthews is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. She is the daughter of Mike Corbin and Janine Matthews, and the half sister of mobster Sonny Corinthos. Courtney was portrayed by Ali ...
, for murder and eventually kidnap his son Michael. Alan and Monica blamed each other for failing to show A.J. enough love and attention and once again a rift began in their marriage. When A.J. turned up alive and was subsequently murdered, Alan and Monica separated. Monica also believed that she had witnessed Michael kill A.J. and helped in the cover up, though eventually it was revealed that her grandson was not to blame. Monica and Alan eventually patched up their differences and decided to remain married.
As of 2006, Monica spends most of her time at the hospital, or being amused by the various dramas that have been occurring in her family. In February 2007, she was devastated by the death of her husband Alan, followed in November 2007 by the death of Emily after district attorney and Sonny's half-brother
Ric Lansing
Ric Lansing is a fictional character from the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''. The role has been portrayed by Rick Hearst, who joined the series on November 8, 2002 and exited the series on June 25, 2009. Following a five-year absence ...
tightened security at the Metro Court Hotel. Monica blamed Jason for Emily's death. Even though he was her only child left, she would not have anything to do with him, and turned to alcohol. Her drinking led to her being sued for medical malpractice by her sister-in-law
Tracy Quartermaine
Tracy Quartermaine is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. She is played by actress Jane Elliot, who originated the role in 1978 and has played her intermittently since that time, primarily on ''GH'' and briefly on '' ...
after a botched surgery that Monica performed on Tracy's husband
Luke Spencer
Luke Spencer is a fictional character in the American television soap opera ''General Hospital'', played by Anthony Geary from 1978 until his departure in July 2015. Geary holds the record for most Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in ...
. Monica also drank while driving, and hit
Sam McCall
Sam McCall is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Created by Charles Pratt, Jr. and Robert Guza, Jr., the character made her debut on the episode airing on October 1, 2003, portrayed by Ke ...
in a hit and run. She continued to blame Jason both for her grief and her drinking problem because his job had cost her Alan, A.J. and Emily.
Monica's drinking landed her in a horrific car accident; Jason insisted that she seek treatment otherwise he would report her to the police. Monica chose to get help and report herself. Monica would reconcile with Jason, apologize for the way she had treated him and reassure him that regardless of his parentage, she thought of him as her son and she loves him. Jason would promise help her in future, be a better son, and hire his lawyer
Diane Miller
'' General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the ci ...
(who bores a striking resemblance to Ric) to defend Monica. She pleaded guilty to Sam's hit and run and driving while under the influence. Though a deal was made to have Monica attend rehab and do six months of community service, the judge insists that Monica deserves a more severe punishment, stating that Monica's grief did not give her an excuse to endanger people's lives and that she should have sought help for her condition sooner. However, Nikolas and Sam's testimonies convinced the judge to accept Monica's plea bargain.
Monica resumed her position as chief of staff at General Hospital after completing rehab. While assisting in a patient's operation, Monica, along with the rest of the operation room's surgical staff, was infected with an airborne toxin that was inside the patient. She was taken to the ICU at Mercy, but was quickly released. Monica immediately took to newcomer
Rebecca Shaw, Emily's twin sister, and shared with Rebecca her own breast cancer struggle.
Monica once again became a key player in the reconstruction efforts for General Hospital to re-open after the toxin outbreak. She later stepped down from her role as chief of staff, contacting former physician
Dr. Steven Webber to take over for her so that she could re-focus on her specialty of cardiology.
2010s
Early in the decade, Monica was seen infrequently, often not present from Quartermaine family events because it is too painful for her after Alan's death. After
Elizabeth Webber
Elizabeth Webber is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, played by Rebecca Herbst. Elizabeth is the granddaughter of the show's original lead character, Steve Hardy ( John Beradino) and dau ...
's son,
Jake Webber, died in a hit-and-run, Monica found out that he was actually Jason's son. She was heartbroken over Jake's death, and admonished both Jason and Elizabeth for denying her the right to know her grandson. She also yelled at Luke, the driver who accidentally hit Jake. After Jason is admitted to the hospital following a car accident, Monica finds out that he & Sam are engaged. She imagines a life where Jason never got in the car with A.J., and was still Jason Quartermaine. She's later glad to still have Jason as he is. When Jason eventually woke up, she helped him and Sam plan their wedding. She gave Alan's wedding ring to Sam, who in turn gave it to Jason on their wedding day. Monica eventually returns to her job as Chief of Staff at the hospital.
Monica is thrilled when Jason and Sam have a son,
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan (1735–1736July 6, 1802) was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Virginia. One of the most respected battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War of 1775–1783, he later commanded troops during the sup ...
, and ask her to be part of her grandson's life. Sadly, Jason disappears, and is presumed dead shortly after, and Monica had to deal with losing another child. At the same time, A.J. returns, and it's revealed that Monica helped him fake his death and sneak out of the country to avoid the criminal charges. A.J. comes back, wanting to reconnect with his family, especially Michael. Monica supported him, despite others saying he was going to cause trouble. However, he did reconnect with Michael and, in turn, Monica. When A.J. was accused of murdering
Connie Falconeri and lapsed back into alcoholism, Monica got fired as chief of staff trying to support A.J. She lost her son again when A.J. was murdered by Sonny. Monica was furious, but happy when Michael disowned Sonny and started to bond more with the Quartermaines because of Sonny being like
Cesar Faison
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, it originally was set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the c ...
.
Monica found out that Jake was actually alive, having been held captive by
Helena Cassadine
Helena Cassadine is a fictional character on the American soap opera ''General Hospital'', famously originated by film actress Elizabeth Taylor in November 1981. After a brief stint by Dimitra Arliss in 1996, Constance Towers took over the role i ...
, and got a chance to be a part of Jake's life. She also bonded with "Jake Doe," an amnesiac patient who had a facial reconstruction surgery after an accident. It later turned out that "Jake Doe" was actually Jason, though he had no memories of his past. Monica promised not to make the same mistakes with Jason that she made before, and was able to reconnect with him. Meanwhile, Monica had to deal with the new chief of staff,
Liesl Obrecht
Liesl Obrecht is a fictional character on the long-running ABC daytime soap opera, ''General Hospital'', played by Kathleen Gati. The character was created by head writer Ron Carlivati and introduced by executive producer Frank Valentini in th ...
, and her strict conduct rules. Tracy, though, helped Monica get back the job after Monica called in Dr.
Hamilton Finn
''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC since April 1, 1963. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In ...
to help an ailing Tracy. She fought to help Finn stay on staff, despite Liesl's objections. Jason, meanwhile, recovered his memories, and apologized to Monica for pushing her away for many years. He promised to make more of an effort to include her as his mother; Monica assured Jason that she loved him.
Monica was targeted by the General Hospital serial killer, later revealed to be
Paul Hornsby
Paul Hornsby is an American musician and record producer who has produced gold and platinum records for artists including the Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, and Wet Willie.
Overview
Paul Hornsby started playing music at an early ...
who is like
Valentin and
Victor Cassadine. She was attacked and left unconscious, but was saved by Nurse
Sabrina Santiago. Unfortunately, Sabrina figured out Paul was the culprit, and he killed her to keep her silent. Monica survived, but she and Tracy were forced to shut down General Hospital to prevent anyone else from getting killed. When Paul was caught and sent to prison, she and Tracy both feverishly worked to get the hospital opened up again. They succeeded, but were facing financial trouble trying to keep the hospital open. Monica and the Quartermaines rallied together, and decided to buy out the hospital so that it wouldn't be sold to develop condominiums. With Finn's help, they succeeded in stopping the Jeromes in their tracks. Monica was there when Jason and Sam decided to name their newborn daughter
Emily, in honor of Monica's daughter. She was thrilled by the tribute, and met her granddaughter after
Olivia Jerome was sent to a mental asylum when Judge Horace Sanchez found out Liv was unfit to stand trial.
In January 2019, Monica learned from Scotty that the widowed Gail Baldwin had died. Along with Lucy, Monica and Scotty shared memories of Gail whom Monica believed had help guide her through many situations. The following April, Monica was reunited with old colleague Lesley Webber who showed up to visit Laura and pay her respects to Gail, and after trading barbs about the past, Monica and Lesley joined the rest of the hospital staff in tossing confetti that Gail had sent as a tribute for the hospital's anniversary party and to remind old friends of the good times they had shared. Monica welcomed sister-in-law Tracy back the following Christmas for a visit, and dealt with Tracy's distaste for her redecorating.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quartermaine, Monica
General Hospital characters
Adoptee characters in television
Fictional physicians
Fictional socialites
Fictional characters with cancer
Television characters introduced in 1976
General Hospital: Night Shift characters
Fictional female doctors
Female characters in television
Fictional victims of sexual assault
Port Charles characters