Eight-time Daytime Emmy winner Anthony Geary, best known for his iconic portrayal of Luke Spencer on General Hospital, died on December 14 following complications from a scheduled operation, TV Insider reported. He was 78.
Geary’s passing marks the end of an era for daytime television. Few performers reshaped a genre the way he did, and even fewer left behind a legacy that continues to influence storytelling decades later.
Key Takeaways
- Anthony Geary, legendary General Hospital star and eight-time Daytime Emmy winner, died at age 78.
- His portrayal of Luke Spencer helped transform GH into a cultural phenomenon in the early 1980s.
- Geary spent his later years living in Amsterdam with his husband, Claudio Gama.
A Career That Changed Daytime Television
Born May 29, 1947, in Coalville, UT, Geary discovered his passion for acting early, despite being raised in a conservative Mormon household. While studying at the University of Utah, his talent caught the attention of Jack Albertson, who cast him in a touring production of The Subject Was Roses, launching Geary’s professional career.
After relocating to Los Angeles in the late 1960s, Geary built a steady résumé with appearances on series such as The Partridge Family, The Mod Squad, and All in the Family. He soon found his footing in daytime, first on Bright Promise and later on The Young and the Restless. That work ultimately led producer Gloria Monty to cast him as Luke Spencer in 1978 — a decision that forever altered General Hospital.
Luke and Laura Become a Cultural Phenomenon
Paired with Genie Francis’ Laura Webber, Geary helped propel GH to unprecedented heights. Their chemistry fueled the wildly popular 1980 on-the-run storyline, turning Luke and Laura into pop culture icons. The couple appeared on the cover of Newsweek in 1981, and their wedding later that year drew an estimated 30 million viewers. Elizabeth Taylor famously appeared as Helena Cassadine, cementing the event’s place in television history.
Geary continued to anchor GH through multiple eras, returning to the role of Luke several times and even portraying his lookalike cousin, Bill Eckert. He retired from the show in 2015 and spent the remainder of his life in Amsterdam, a city he deeply loved.
Remembered by Those Closest to Him
Weeks before his death, Geary was seen watching Genie Francis’ appearance on Maurice Benard’s State of Mind podcast, a moment his husband, Claudio Gama, said brought him great joy. Gama shared, “For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband.”
Geary’s final acting work took place just one day before his hospitalization, marking a fitting end to a life devoted to performance.
Though he will always be remembered as Luke Spencer, Anthony Geary’s true legacy lies in his fearless approach to storytelling and the lasting mark he left on daytime television.
