The world of daytime television lost a true icon on Friday, August 15, when beloved actor Tristan Rogers passed away at 79 years old. Fans knew him best as the legendary Robert Scorpio on the long-running soap opera General Hospital.
His long-time representative, Meryl Soodak, confirmed the sad news to ABC News. She shared that Rogers died that morning after bravely battling lung cancer.
Rogers’s portrayal of Robert Scorpio was truly iconic. This role on General Hospital spanned an incredible 45 years. Soodak said the part "meant everything to him." She recalled how he loved playing Scorpio and built the character from the ground up. He was only supposed to work on the show for a single day. Instead, he turned it into something huge. Soodak added that Rogers was a very loyal and kind person. He loved his family deeply.
Rogers first stepped into the acting world in the 1970s. He starred in several Australian soap operas. These included shows like Bellbird, Number 96, and The Box. In 1997, he also played Detective Ray Gamble in The Link Men.
The Australian-born actor made his mark on American television in the 1980s. That’s when he landed his signature role as Scorpio on General Hospital. He appeared in more than 1,400 episodes as the show’s resident spy. Even Demi Moore had a role in the 80s as Jackie Templeton, one of Scorpio’s love interests.
When he wasn’t filming General Hospital, Rogers mostly stayed within the world of soap operas. He played Hunter Jones, a private detective, in The Bold and the Beautiful in 1997. He then returned as Scorpio for General Hospital: Night Shift in 2008. From 2010 to 2019, he took on the role of Colin Atkinson in The Young and the Restless.
Rogers also branched out beyond daytime dramas. He appeared as Commissioner Lex Martin in The Bay from 2010 to 2023. From 2019 to 2022, he played Doc in Studio City.
News of his passing brought sadness across the soap opera community. Fellow actors shared their grief. Jon Lindstrom, who played Kevin Collins on General Hospital from 1983 to 2024, was among them.
“I know the sadness I feel for this news is shared by many of you. #TristanRogers was one of the coolest and funniest people I’ve ever met,” Lindstrom wrote on X on Friday. “Every time we were together, which was never as often as I would have liked, we never lost a chance to make each other laugh. I wish I had more of those chances. Rest in peace. #FlightOfAngels #Scorpio @GeneralHospital #GH.”
Chris L. McKenna also paid tribute to Rogers. McKenna joined General Hospital this year as Jack Brennan.
“Today we fly the #WSB flags at half-mast. The great @tristanrogers, also known as Robert Scorpio, has passed away,” McKenna wrote on 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 married in 1995. He also leaves behind his two children, Sara Jane Rogers and Cale Rogers, and one grandchild.