The death of Tristan Rogers feels like family to General Hospital and The Young and the Restless fans

A beloved soap star has passed away

Daytime soap fans are reeling at the news of the death of Tristan Rogers who began portraying Robert Scorpio on General Hospital in 1980. His manager said he passed away from lung cancer although he never smoked. Some television characters transcend the screen, becoming part of our daily lives and family traditions.

For me, watching Robert was more than entertainment - it was an adventure. Now, as we say goodbye to this beloved character, countless fans say it feels as if we've lost someone from our own family. Those who have been watching DA Scorpio for the past 45 years feel a strong connection to the character.

Tristan Rogers as Colin on Y&R

The actor also portrayed Colin Atkinson on The Young and the Restless off and on from 2010 until 2019. There were times when he was on both soaps simultaneously. Colin was married to Jill Abbott (Jess Walton). Some viewers were hoping he might return, and they would reunite because they had great chemistry.

Daniel Goddard, who played Colin's son Cane Ashby, is now portraying Professor Henry Dalton on General Hospital. The duo did not have any GH scenes together on screen. Recently, after Billy Flynn took over the role of Cane, he announced that his father had repented of his sins and made amends to Jill, who forgave him before he passed away.

Some fans wondered if this sudden turnaround for Colin and the death of the character suggested that Rogers might not recover from cancer, and the show was giving closure. The timing was suspect, but Y&R viewers will probably never know for certain.

Rogers was always professional

When Robert was last on General Hospital before he left Port Charles at the end of 2024, with Holly Sutton (Emma Samms) fans noticed the soap vet had lost weight and appeared sick. Still, he delivered his lines and his scenes were as professional as usual.

It was later announced that he was battling cancer, and his family said he was hopeful his treatment would lead to recovery. They also asked for privacy.

The final scenes were priceless

When Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) took Sasha Gilmore (Sophia Mattsson) and her baby, Daisy, out of town in July, fans were stunned and excited that she went to visit her father. How ironic that one of the men DA Scorpio wanted behind bars is the one who reunited him with his daughter.

Holly was not in the scene because Samms, who is recovering from long COVID, has gone back to England. Robert was only on screen for a few moments, but he looked better than he had months before, and some fans wondered if he were recovering and would return to General Hospital.

Other viewers said they could sense this might be his final appearance and it was, so the scene was bittersweet. Did Rogers ask to return for that last scene because he knew his time was short?

Whatever the reason, his loyal General Hospital fans are grateful tht he gave them a performance to remember. Robert was elated to see his daughter and granddaughter, and he and Jason got along without any snarky comments from either man.

Did GH execs know about the cancer and if so, was this why Robert abruptly dropped Diane Miller (Carolyn Hennessy) and left town with Holly? Robert and Diane were magic together and viewers wondered why the storyline went south.

Tristan and Robert will be fondly remembered

Rogers had many memorable episodes on General Hospital that his followers will cherish and will probably be shown in flashbacks. Some fans wonder how the soap will deal with his death and whether Kimberly McColough will return as Robin Scorpio Drake for her TV dad's memorial, as she did for her godfather Sean Donnelly (John Reilly).

Tristan Rogers was married to Barbara Meale from 1974 until 1984. He married Teresa Parkerson on May 21, 1995. They have two children: daughter Sara Jane (born 25 August 1992) and son Cale (born August 1996). Condolences to the actor's family, fans, followers, and General Hospital castmates.