Tristan Rogers’ cause of death revealed: General Hospital star dies at 79 shortly after announcing health battle

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“The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing,” executive producer Frank Valentini said in a statement following Rogers’ death. “Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years, and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio). I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time. Tristan was a one-of-a-kind talent and will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace.”

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Rogers started his acting career in local TV shows before moving to Hollywood. In 1980, he joined General Hospital and his role was supposed to last for just two days. The character he was playing was supposed to beat up Luke Spencer (played by Anthony Geary) and then leave. But the producers and crew liked his work so much that they extended the offer, and since then, it only got bigger. His character, Robert Scorpio, a spy with charisma and humour, became a fan favourite almost overnight. 

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One of Scorpio’s most famous plots came out in 1981 when he joined hands with  Luke and Laura to stop the Ice Princess weather machine, a classic soap opera storyline fans will remember forever. Rogers was part of General Hospital till 1992, when his character was presumed dead in a fatal South American explosion. But, like many soap opera characters, Scorpio returned several times through the years, sometimes as a ghost, sometimes alive. His character last appeared in 2024 in a guest role. Over 45 years, Rogers appeared in more than 1,400 episodes and was also a part of its spin-off titled Night Shift. He also played Colin Atkinson on The Young and the Restless from 2010 to 2019, appearing in about 180 episodes.

Apart from these, he also worked as a voice actor for Batman Beyond and The Wild Thornberrys, acted in The Bay and Studio City, and even won a Daytime Emmy. “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,” Rogers rep said in a statement while confirming his death.  “He was just a genuinely loyal, kind human being, and he loved his family.” Rogers lived with his wife, Teresa Parkerson, whom he married in 1995 and their two children, Sarah and Cale, and a grandchild.