Soap opera star Tristan Rogers died on Friday, August 15. He was 79.
Rogers’ longtime manager, Meryl Soodak, confirmed his death on Friday, telling ABC News that the actor died that morning following a battle with lung cancer.
Rogers was best known for playing Robert Scorpio on General Hospital. His role on the soap opera, which spanned 45 years, “meant everything to him,” 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,” Rogers’ rep recalled. “He was just a genuinely loyal, kind human being and he loved his family.”
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Rogers began his career in the ‘70s, starring on Australian soap operas including Bellbird, Number 96 and The Box as well as 1997’s The Link Men where he played Detective Constable Ray Gamble.
The late actor, who was born in Australia, made his way to the United States TV landscape in the ‘80s. That same year, he landed the role of Scorpio on General Hospital. He appeared in more than 1,400 episodes of the soap as the resident spy before his death. (Demi Moore’s Jackie Templeton was one of Scorpio’s love interests during the ‘80s.)
When he wasn’t filming General Hospital, Rogers’ stayed in the soap opera world for the majority of his career.
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He starred on The Bold and the Beautiful in 1997 as Hunter Jones, P.I. before appearing on General Hospital: Night Shift in 2008 as Scorpio. Rogers also starred on The Young and the Restless as Colin Atkinson from 2010 to 2019.
Rogers branched out of the soap realm while playing Commissioner Lex Martin on The Bay from 2010 to 2023 and portraying Doc on Studio City from 2019 to 2022.
Following his death, the soap community mourned the loss, including General Hospital alum Jon Lindstrom.
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“I know the sadness I feel at this news is shared by so many of you. #TristanRogers was one of the coolest, funniest people I ever met,” Lindstrom, who played Kevin Collins on the series from 1983 to 2024, wrote via X on Friday. “Whenever we were together, which wasn’t nearly often enough, we never missed a chance to try to crack the other one up. I wish I’d had more of those chances. R.I.P. #FlightOfAngels #Scorpio @GeneralHospital #GH.”
Chris L. McKenna, who began playing Jack Brennan on General Hospital this year, paid tribute to Rogers as well.
“We fly the #WSB flags at half mast today. The great @tristanrogers aka Robert Scorpio has passed on,” he wrote via X. “All my love to Tristan’s family and loved ones. He will be missed and never forgotten. #GH #RIPTristanRogers.”
Rogers is survived by his wife, Teresa Parkerson, whom he wed in 1995, and their two children, Sara Jane Rogers and Cale Rogers, as well as one grandchild.
