Aug 16, 02:31 AM

General Hospital Actor Tristan Rogers Dies at 79

Australian-born actor Tristan Rogers, whose portrayal of super-spy Robert Scorpio made him one of the most recognisable faces on ABC’s daytime drama "General Hospital," died on Friday, 15 August, aged 79. His longtime manager, Meryl Soodak, said the actor succumbed to lung cancer less than a month after making a guest appearance on the soap. Rogers joined "General Hospital" in 1980 on what was meant to be a two-day contract and went on to appear in more than 1,400 episodes across 45 years, helping the series remain a daytime ratings mainstay. "The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is heartbroken," executive producer Frank Valentini said, adding that Port Charles "will not be the same without him—or Robert Scorpio." Beyond his signature role, Rogers worked on fellow soaps "The Young & the Restless," "The Bold and the Beautiful" and the digital series "Studio City," for which he won a Daytime Emmy for supporting actor. Born in Melbourne in 1946, he moved to Los Angeles after early roles in Australia and a stint as a DJ. Rogers is survived by his wife of 30 years, Teresa Parkerson, and their two adult children.