Tristan Rogers revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 79. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Los Angeles
A longtime soap opera star has died at the age of 79.
Tristan Rogers, who was well-known for portraying Robert Scorpio on the daytime television soap opera “General Hospital,” died this week.
ABC7 reported that Rogers’ death was confirmed by his manager, Meryl Soodak, who said the actor died Friday morning after a battle with lung cancer.
Frank Valentini, an executive producer of “General Hospital,” took to social media on Friday saying the show’s cast is devastated over the news.
“The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing,” he shared. “Tristan has captivated our fans for more than 50 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio).”
Rogers’ portrayal of Scorpio on “General Hospital” spanned about 45 years.
According to his manager, his role on the show meant everything to him. She also noted that he was not a smoker.
Rogers is said to be survived by his wife, two children and a grandchild.