Tristan Rogers, who so many know from his days as Robert Scorpio on "General Hospital," has died at age 79. On August 15, his manager revealed that he had been added to the list of "General Hospital" stars who have tragically passed away after announcing he had been diagnosed with lung cancer last month.
Rogers joined "General Hospital" in 1980 and ultimately appeared on nearly 1,500 episodes. Even after leaving the show, he returned throughout the decades, with his most recent appearance being earlier
this year. Rogers, who was originally from Melbourne, Australia, clearly never expected to become the beloved TV star he eventually did. He had never taken any acting classes when he attended his first audition. "As far as I was concerned, it was a way to make a bit of money. That's all," he told Soaps.com. He played a few minor roles and took on more than his fair share of odd jobs. "Come on, every actor works as a barman, a cabman, drives a cab," he joked. In 1980, he made the move to the U.S., and in no time, he landed the role of a lifetime: World Security Bureau spy, Robert Scorpio, on "General Hospital."
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Tristan Rogers Made A Massive Impact As Robert Scorpio
At his first audition, Tristan Rogers surely didn't anticipate making TV history, but he went on to do just that. He was a big part of one of the most iconic episodes of TV: the best man at Luke and Laura's wedding on "General Hospital." To this day, the 1981 episode is the highest-rated episode of a U.S. soap opera in history, raking in 30 million viewers. And being part of something that made such an impact wasn't lost on Rogers. His manager Meryl Soodak told ABC7 that playing Robert Scorpio "meant everything to him."
The series' executive producer Frank Valentini told People, "The entire 'General Hospital' family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers' passing. Tristan has captivated our fans for more than 50 years, and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio)." He continued, "Tristan was a one-of-a-kind talent and will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace." Fans know what an important part Rogers played throughout the many changes "General Hospital" underwent through the years. And it's easy to see his fans' love for him was mutual. According to Soodak, "He loved being Scorpio, and he created that role from nothing. 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."
Read the original article on The List.
