Tristan Rogers, the veteran soap star who was best known for playing Robert Scorpio on General Hospital, died at 79.
The actor died, the show’s executive producer, Frank Valentini, revealed on the ABC soap’s official Instagram page in a statement that the actor passed away. Rogers’ death follows just weeks after his representative revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer.
The entire General Hospital family is saddened to learn of Tristan Rogers’ passing,” Valentini posted with a memorial photo. “Tristan has enchanted our fans for over 50 years and Port Charles will never be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio). My heartfelt condolences are extended to his family and friends in this sad moment. Tristan was a true original and will be sorely missed.
Rogers has a staggering on-screen legacy on General Hospital, where he played more than 1,400 episodes spanning four decades. Rogers joined the soap in 1980 as Robert Scorpio, whose popularity as a character was not lost on the audience. Although the character was not brought back from the dead in 1992, Rogers did make a return three years later as part of a ghostly storyline, and again in 2006 when it was discovered that Scorpio was alive. His last on-screen appearance was in November 2023, when his character left town with his ex-girlfriend Holly Sutton.
Rogers has described Robert Scorpio in interviews as witty, quick-witted, and charismatic in a role that won the affection of millions of viewers. “Robert has always had kind of a glib attitude toward everything; he’s a smart-mouth sort of guy,” Rogers explained to Soap Opera Digest in 2018, looking back on his long history with the character.
Aside from General Hospital, Rogers also left his imprint on CBS’s The Young and the Restless, where he played Colin Atkinson in close to 200 episodes between 2010 and 2012. His career further extended into online dramas, which saw him win a Daytime Emmy Award in 2020 for working on Studio City, and a nomination the following year for The Bay.
Rogers’ work also included film and voice-over, notably as the character Jake in Disney’s animated feature film The Rescuers Down Under. He had over 50 acting credits on television and film. His ability to adapt and his devotion to his craft left a lasting impression on the entertainment industry.
Fans, colleagues, and the soap opera community continue to mourn the loss of a legend whose charm and talent defined generations of daytime television.
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