‘General Hospital’ spoilers confirm that soap legend Anthony Geary, who played Luke Spencer on GH, has passed away at age 78.
‘General Hospital’ Spoilers: Geary Passed Away On December 14th
The eight-time Daytime Emmy winner passed on December 14th from complications following a surgical procedure. He died in Amsterdam, the place he most loved during his lifetime.
Tony Geary was born on May 29, 1947. He knew from an early age that he wanted to perform. He earned a scholarship to study theater at the University of Utah. Geary moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s.
He started acting on big shows like All in the Family and The Partridge Family. His daytime debut was on a little-known soap called Bright Promise, where he met the woman who was destined to change his life forever, as well as the face of daytime TV: the great Gloria Monty.
Geary was cast on The Young and the Restless for a brief stint in 1973. In 1978, Monty called Geary to audition for the role of Mitch Williams on General Hospital. Ultimately, the pair decided he was wrong for the part.
Monty convinced the show’s head writer at the time, Douglas Marland, to write a new role specially with Geary in mind. Luke was originally only supposed to be on the show for a few weeks.
Yet, the character became very popular, and they decided he would stay. Geary once described his partnership with Gloria Monty as a “dream come true.”
‘General Hospital’ Spoilers: Luke and Laura Were the Most Popular Soap Couple In History
Of course, we all know the story. There is simply no soap fan who doesn’t know about Luke and Laura. The iconic supercouple’s fairy-tale wedding will go down in history as the most-watched episode on daytime television.
Luke fell in love with Laura Webber Baldwin (Genie Francis). He raped her on the floor of the campus disco, but the pair ended up falling in love. They went on the run from the mob and had many memorable adventures.
Luke and Laura defined the soap supercouple, but they also went against the norm, and it worked. As the most controversial, most popular couple ever to grace the screens of daytime television, everyone cared about Luke and Laura.
On the day of their wedding, eager housewives were glued to their screens, college kids skipped class to watch, and the world stopped to see these two lost souls become husband and wife. On an “Indian Summer” day in November 1981, the wedding of the century took place. Luke and Laura were synonymous with pop culture and daytime TV, and still are to this day.
In 1982, Geary told Soap Opera Digest,
“I didn’t set out to be a sex symbol. I’ve always been the first to say, I have a receding hairline, a weak chin, a sallow complexion. But if the public finds that attractive, who am I not to be a sex symbol?”
In addition to winning the Daytime Emmy a record-setting eight times, he also won five Soap Opera Digest Awards.
General Hospital Spoilers: Genie Francis Had Nothing but Kind Words to Say About Geary
Genie Francis, who joined General Hospital in 1977, knew that Luke and Laura had become a cultural phenomenon.
On her official X (formerly known as Twitter) account, she reacted to the sad news of her long-time leading man’s passing,
“This morning I woke up and went into my husband’s arms. In my sleep, my life was flashing before me, and I was afraid of death. An hour later, I received a call from Frank Valentini (executive producer of GH), telling me Tony had died.”
She continued,
“I immediately felt remorse. I hadn’t spoken to him in years, but I felt his life end in my sleep last night, and with it, a big part of me, and mine.”
Francis wrote,
“He was a powerhouse as an actor. Shoulder to shoulder with the greats. No star burned brighter than Tony Geary. He was one of a kind. As an artist, he was filled with passion for the truth, no matter how blunt, or even a little rude it might be, but always hilariously funny.”
‘General Hospital’ Spoilers: Francis: “Somehow, Somewhere, We Are Connected to Each Other
“He was the anti-hero, always so irreverent, but even the most conservative had to smile. Working with him was always exciting. You never knew what might happen.”
Francis concluded,
“He spoiled me for leading men for the rest of my life. I am crushed. I will miss him terribly, but I was so lucky to be his partner. Somehow, somewhere, we are connected to each other because I felt him leave last night. Good night, sweet Prince, Goodnight.”
Geary is survived by his husband, Claudio Gama. Heaven just opened its arms to a brilliant, talented, and one- of -a kind legend, who we suspect will become the brightest star in the sky.
We, here at Daily Soap Dish, want to send our deepest sympathies to Geary’s husband and loved ones. He will truly be missed.
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