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, 1996-2009, and a guest stint in 2013, in honor of the show's 50th anniversary. Alexander returned to General Hospital for two more guest appearances in December 2017 and April 2019, the latter to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the show.

Life and career

Alexander was born in New York City and raised on Long Island. She moved to Los Angeles when her father, Alec Alexander, an agent who handled such notables as Frank Gorshin and Sal Mineo, decided to make the switch from the East to the West Coast. Alexander had appeared on TV and radio by the time she was a junior at UCLA. She made her feature movie debut at age fourteen in the Don Siegel film Crime in the Streets starring John Cassavetes. In 1962 Alexander appeared as Mildred Kroeger on the first season of the TV western The Virginian on the episode titled "Impasse."
Alexander first broke into the soap opera genre by playing Lois Adams on The Clear Horizon in 1960. Her big break on soaps came via the role of Susan Hunter Martin on Days of Our Lives from 1966 to 1973. In 1973, the character of Susan was written out of the show temporarily during contract negotiations with Alexander. ABC Daytime rushed to offer her a then-unheard of salary/perks package to join General Hospital. When Susan finally returned to Days, a new actress, Bennye Gatteys played her.
Alexander's role on General Hospital, Dr. Lesley Williams, became a long-running role. She stayed with the show for eleven years as one of the show's most popular leading ladies, leaving in 1984 after a contract dispute. In 1986, she was offered a big salary to portray McKinnon matriarch, Mary, on Another World. When the commute from her home in Los Angeles to Another World's studio in New York City proved to be difficult for her, she left the show, filming her last scene in 1989, but briefly returned for a guest appearance in 1991. In 1996, she returned to the role of Lesley on General Hospital, which she continued playing on a recurring basis until 2009 when the character simply faded from view. She reprised the role in time for the show's 50th anniversary in 2013 and remains on canvas as a recurring character. Alexander reprised her role on General Hospital in late December 2017 for a short stint.

Personal life

Alexander is married to television director and actor Richard A. Colla.

Credits

In November, 1949, Alexander played Perry Como's daughter on Perry Como's Chesterfield Supper Club on NBC. It was a Thanksgiving-themed show with guest Raymond Massey portraying Abraham Lincoln.
YearTitleRoleNotes
1950Dimension XMinkEpisode: "There Will Come Soft Rains / Zero Hour"
1951Robert Montgomery PresentsEpisode: "Bubbles"
1951Armstrong Circle TheatreEpisode: "That Man Is Mine"
1952Kraft Television TheatreEpisode: "Lace on Her Petticoat"
1955Robert Montgomery PresentsJeannieEpisode: "The Tall Dark Man"
1955The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnMary Jane WilksTV Movie
1956Crime in the StreetsMaria Gioia
1956Father Knows BestGeorgiaEpisode: "No Apron Strings"
1958The VeilRuth CooperTV Mini-Series
1958The Walter Winchell FileTeresa FilchokEpisode: "Hot Night in Manhattan"
1958Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseEpisode: "Song of Bernadette"
1958Make Room for DaddyConnie ColemanEpisode: "Terry's Girlfriend"
1959The Danny Thomas ShowGerta ShoentlerEpisode: "Red Tape"
1959The DuPont Show with June AllysonEllieEpisode: "Love Is a Headache"
1959The Ann Sothern ShowConnieEpisode: "The Sal Mineo Story"
1960–1962The Clear HorizonLois AdamsSeries regular
1960The Twilight ZoneJody SturkaEpisode: "Third from the Sun"
1960Letter to LorettaJoyce ParkerEpisode: "Plain, Unmarked Envelope"
1960The DetectivesDonnaEpisode: "Armed and Dangerous"
1960The Many Loves of Dobie GillisJini MetzgerEpisode: "Rock-A-Bye Dobie"
1960The Blue AngelsSally BeckettEpisode: "Blind Flight"
1961The DetectivesMadge SnyderEpisode: "The Frightened Ones"
1961The Barbara Stanwyck ShowJanue HunterEpisode: "Call Me Annie"
1961AngelEpisode: "Goodbye, Young Lovers"
1961Sea HuntCaroline TuckerSeason 4, Episode 23: "Baby"
1962Ben CaseyAnn MullerEpisode: "A Memory of Candy Stripes"
1962Stoney BurkeArlette HughesEpisode: "The Mob Riders"
1962The VirginianMildred KroegerEpisode: "Impasse"
1963Ben JerrodEmily SandersSeries regular
1963Combat!AnnetteSeason 1 Episode 21 "No Time for Pity"
1964Combat!JacquelineSeason 2 Episode 18 "The General and the Sergeant"
1964The Fisher FamilyLoisEpisode: "The Trap of Freedom"
1965Diamond Jim: Skulduggery in SamanthaCatherineTV Movie
1965That Funny FeelingHelen
1966–1973Days of Our LivesSusan Hunter MartinSeries regular
1973The ABC Afternoon PlaybreakLauraEpisode: "The Gift of Terror"
1973–1984,
1996–2009,
2013, 2017		General HospitalLesley WebberSeries regular, Recurring role
Nominated - Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
1976The Lindbergh Kidnapping CaseViolet SharpeTV Movie
1983Shaft of LoveMaxine BurkeTV Movie
1984HotelGail McLainEpisode: "Lifelines"
1986–1989, 1991Another WorldMary McKinnonSeries regular
1995ZoyaAxelleTV Movie
1997–1998Sunset BeachSister Beatrice17 episodes
2010–2012Pretty the SeriesLouise Fitzpatrick8 episodes
2013The InnLola10 episodes