Rogers revealed his lung cancer diagnosis less than a month before his passing. In July, his representatives had shared that he was working closely with his doctors on a treatment plan.
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Veteran soap opera actor Tristan Rogers, best remembered for playing Robert Scorpio on the long-running daytime drama ‘General Hospital’, has passed away at the age of 79. His manager confirmed the news to ABC7, and E! News reported that the actor died after battling lung cancer.
Rogers was an Australian actor whose portrayal of Robert Scorpio made him a household name in the United States. He first joined ‘General Hospital’ in 1980, originally signed on for just a single day of work.
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But his charisma and the depth he brought to the role quickly won over both the producers and the audience. That one-day job blossomed into one of the most iconic characters in soap opera history.
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His manager, Meryl Soodak, remembered him warmly, saying, “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.”
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Tristan Rogers revealed his lung cancer diagnosis less than a month before his passing. In July, his representatives had shared that he was working closely with his doctors on a treatment plan and had asked fans and the public for privacy. At the time, he was still hopeful and grateful for the support he was receiving.
Soodak later confirmed that his illness came as a surprise since Rogers was never a smoker.
During his decades-long career, Rogers worked on several other soap operas including ‘The Young and the Restless’ and ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’. Still, Robert Scorpio remained his defining role. He played the character steadily from 1980 to 1992 and then returned multiple times in guest and recurring appearances, right up to 2025.
Speaking on the ‘That’s Awesome’ podcast in 2020, Rogers reflected on how unusual the role was for its time: “The role allowed for the creation of a character that was fresh and different for daytime television; a sort of intriguing, mysterious type.”
At the height of his fame in the 1980s, Rogers said he couldn’t even go shopping without being recognized, explaining, “It was almost impossible for me to do something as simple as going to a store without security.”
What was supposed to be a short-term role turned into a career-defining journey. “I did not realize that this two-day shoot would turn into a role that would explode. One that I would play for decades,” he recalled.
Outside of acting, Rogers was known as a devoted family man. He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Teresa, and their children, Sara Jane, 32, and Cale, 29.
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