The soap world was devastated on January 12 when legendary General Hospital star Leslie Charleson passed away after several years of health struggles. On what would have been her 80th birthday, Charleson’s friends, co-stars, and loved ones got together to throw a lovely Celebration of Life memorial for the actress.
Wally Kurth Leads Charleson’s Memorial
Charleson’s longtime co-star Wally Kurth was asked to lead the memorial, both with speeches and song and made sure the day was as special as the woman he was honoring.
“I was going to sing a Jelly Roll song, because Leslie really liked Jelly Roll,” Kurth told Soap Opera Digest of the song he chose to sing. “But there was another song that Leslie actually told someone that she wanted to be sung at her funeral. Krista told me the song was, ‘Keep Me In Your Heart’ by Warren Zevon, and I wrote back to her and said, ‘I know that song!’ When that album first came out, I listened to that song and sobbed a number of times. I’d never learned the song, I never learned how to play it, but I learned it [for the service]. It’s so beautiful: ‘Keep me in your heart for a while.’ I played that song at the very end.”
General Hospital Stars…And An Alan Quartermaine Connection
After Kurth sang, Steve Burton led the guests in prayer. Other GH stars in attendance included Finola Hughes (Anna Devane), Lynn Herring (Lucy Coe), Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos), Lisa LoCicero (Olivia Quartermaine), Jane Elliot (Tracy Quartermaine), and Ian Buchanan (ex-Duke Lavery).
Christopher Damon, the son of Stuart Damon who played Alan Quartermaine, was also there.
“I said to Christopher after the service, ‘You know, if your dad was here, he’d still be talking! He’d still be up there cracking jokes and we’d be laughing our asses off!’ He goes, ‘Oh, I know!'” Kurth said, which made it a Q family affair indeed.
Don’t forget to watch new episodes of General Hospital each weekday on ABC and weeknight on Hulu.
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