‘General Hospital’ Actor Dies At 79 After Cancer Battle

Tristan Rogers, who starred as Robert Scorpio on the long-running soap opera “General Hospital” for 45 years, has passed away. He was 79-years-old.

The fan favorite actor’s manager, Meryl Soodak, confirmed the tragic news in a statement to ABC on Friday. Rogers passed away after a short battle with lung cancer.

“He loved being Scorpio, and he created that role from nothing,” Soodak said. “He was supposed to work a day, and he ended up making it into something huge. He was just a genuinely loyal, kind human being, and he loved his family.”

Rogers on the set of “General Hospital”

Frank Valentini, who serves as executive producer of “General Hospital,” paid a touching tribute to Rogers after news of his passing was confirmed to the network. “The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing,” Valentini told People magazine. “Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio).”

“I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time. Tristan was a one-of-a-kind talent and will be greatly missed,” Valentini added. “May he rest in peace.”

Rogers was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1946 and later moved to the United States in 1980. That same year, he was cast as Robert Scorpio in the popular soap opera, which has been on the air since 1963.

“I didn’t know at the time the importance of General Hospital; it was just one more job for me,” the late actor told Soap Opera Digest during an interview in 2020. “But it was really exciting, to be fresh off the boat and walk into this role.”

“Of course, after that, everywhere I went, people would go, ‘You’re on General Hospital? That’s the hottest thing in the country! You’re working with Luke and Laura? Oh, my God!’” he continued. “I got caught up in the General Hospital tidal wave and just got swept away by it.”

His character was seemingly killed off in 1992, though he ultimately returned to the show in 2006 when it was revealed that Scorpio was still alive. Bringing seemingly dead characters back is a hallmark of soap operas, which operate on unusual, demanding schedules when compared with weekly television productions.

Rogers made his final appearance on the show last month, when he returned once again to say goodbye to his onscreen daughter, Sasha Gilmore. Anthony Turk, Rogers’ publicist, announced his lung cancer diagnosis that same day and confirmed that it would be his last episode. “Beloved Emmy-winning actor Tristan Rogers, best known for his role as Robert Scorpio on the daytime drama, ‘General Hospital,’ revealed to his fans that he has been diagnosed with cancer,” Turk said on July 17.

“While he remains hopeful and is working closely with his medical team on a treatment plan, this is a challenging time for Tristan and his family,” he continued. “As they face both the emotional and physical burdens that come with this diagnosis, the family kindly asks for privacy and understanding.”

Outside his time on “General Hospital,” Rogers had multiple stints on another soap opera staple in “The Young And The Restless.” He also had voice acting roles in a number of television and video game productions, in addition to commercials.

Rogers is survived by his wife, Teresa Parkerson, and children, Sara and Cale. He also had one grandchild.