Tristan Rogers General Hospital Star Dies at 79
Tristan Rogers General Hospital star dies at 79 after a celebrated career portraying super spy Robert Scorpio on the ABC daytime drama. His passing comes less than a month after making a special appearance on the show that made him a household name.
Tributes From the ‘General Hospital’ Family
In a statement, General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini expressed deep sadness over Rogers’ death:
“The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing. Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years, and Port Charles will not be the same without him — or Robert Scorpio.”
Rogers’ character was one of the soap’s most enduring figures, beloved for his charm, wit, and thrilling spy adventures.
From Rock Drummer to Daytime Icon
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Rogers began his career in the arts not as an actor, but as a drummer in a rock band with friends. When the band failed to find success, he shifted to commercial work and modeling.
Eventually, he tried acting, landing small roles in Australia before working as a radio DJ. Determined to break into Hollywood, Rogers moved to Los Angeles, though early auditions were challenging due to his strong Australian accent.
In 1980, he was cast for what was supposed to be a brief two-day role on General Hospital.
“I had no idea how big the show was,” Rogers told co-star Maurice Benard in a 2022 interview on State of Mind with Maurice Benard. Initially hired to play a mysterious figure who would “beat up the hero,” Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary), Rogers impressed producers so much that they kept him on.
With no character written for him at first, he appeared in scenes simply “looking suspicious” until they developed Robert Scorpi, a suave spy known by the codename “CK8.”
Love, Drama, and Legacy in Port Charles
Over the decades, Robert Scorpio became a central figure in General Hospital. His on-again, off-again romance with Holly Sutton (Emma Samms) was a fan favorite, as was his relationship with fellow spy Anna Devane (Finola Hughes).
Scorpio and Anna shared a daughter, Robin (Kimberly McCullough), whose life became entwined in many major storylines. Last year, a twist revealed that Scorpio was also the father of Holly’s adult daughter, Sasha Gilmore (Sofia Mattson).
Rogers and Samms exited the show in November 2024 in a farewell scene inspired by the classic film Casablanca. He returned briefly in July 2025 for a touching episode where Sasha visited him in France with her newborn. That storyline revealed Scorpio — and Rogers — was battling lung cancer.
Beyond ‘General Hospital’
Rogers’ career extended well beyond Port Charles. He appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young & the Restless, and Studio City — the latter earning him a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Digital Drama Series.
Personal Life
Tristan Rogers is survived by his wife, Teresa Parkerson, as well as a daughter and a son. His decades of work and memorable characters have left a lasting mark on the world of daytime television.
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