Anthony Geary, General Hospital Star, Dies at 78

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Anthony Geary, best known as Luke Spencer on the soap opera General Hospital, has died, according to TV Insider. He was 78 years old and passed away on December 14th from complications following a planned surgery that took place three days earlier.

John Geary is most famous for his long-running role on General Hospital, starting in 1980. He and Genie Francis, who played Laura, formed the beloved couple ‘Luke and Laura.’ Their on-screen connection and the story of their romance were so captivating that they became the standard for soap opera ‘supercouples.’

The story sparked outrage initially, due to a scene depicting Luke assaulting Laura. However, the storyline evolved into a story of forgiveness and a powerful love affair, making General Hospital the most-watched soap opera. Luke and Laura became pop culture icons, appearing on the covers of magazines like Newsweek and People. Their wedding episode, featuring a special appearance by Elizabeth Taylor, attracted a massive 30 million viewers.

Francis left the show General Hospital in 1982, but Jack Geary continued acting, sharing scenes with stars like Demi Moore and Emma Samms. Francis came back in 1983 to allow his characters, Luke and Laura, to have a final exit together, and the pair briefly returned in 1984.

In 1991, Geary returned to General Hospital playing the role of Bill Eckert, who was Luke’s cousin and looked very similar to him. He then resumed his role as Luke in 1993. Throughout his time on General Hospital, Geary won eight Daytime Emmy Awards.

Anthony Geary Was a Daytime Television Icon

Born in Coalville, Utah, to a Mormon family, William Geary discovered his passion for acting as a child. While studying at the University of Utah, he impressed Jack Albertson of Chico and the Man with a performance, leading to Geary’s first stage role in The Subject Was Roses. This marked the beginning of a career that would see him perform in over 50 stage productions.

In the 1960s, Geary relocated to Los Angeles and started appearing on popular television shows such as The Partridge Family, All in the Family, and The Mod Squad. He began his soap opera career in 1971, playing David Lockhart on Bright Promise. Later, he joined The Young and the Restless as George Curtis, a character known for being a controversial villain.

Beyond his long-running role on General Hospital, John Geary acted in numerous other TV shows and movies. Some of his other credits include Intimate Agony, Do You Know the Muffin Man?, The Disorderlies, You Can’t Hurry Love, Crack House, UHF, Scorchers, Night of the Warrior, and Carpool Guy.

Geary is survived by his husband, Claudio Gama, who told TV Insider that the news came as a shock to everyone who knew him. He described Tony as a friend, companion, and husband for over 30 years.

Since retiring from General Hospital in 2015, Geary has been living in Amsterdam. Shortly before his surgery, a friend, Gama, showed him an episode of Maurice Bernard’s State of Mind podcast that featured Genie Francis, a former co-star. Gama shared online that this brought Geary a lot of joy, and Geary told him, “They are two lovely and talented people, great friends, and I miss them.”

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2025-12-15 21:08