For years, Tony Geary and Nancy Lee Grahn delighted General Hospital fans with the odd and sometimes dangerous partnership of Luke and “Natasha” — Alexis. The actors obviously have a special friendship offscreen as well and recently Geary joined Grahn and her friend/co-host Kaore Bonell for the third installment of Soaps In Quarantine.
Tony Geary Talks Soaps Past
For fans who love hearing backstage tidbits, then you’re going to be in heaven with this latest YouTube offering from Grahn and Bonell. Geary doesn’t hold back as he examines decisions from his past with regard to the overwhelming attention he received during the Luke and Laura’s (Genie Francis) heyday.
For those of you who thought GH was the actor’s first trip into the soap world, you’ll love hearing the stories about what it was like to be on Bright Promise with former GH co-stars Susan Brown (ex-Gail) and David Lewis (ex-Edward). Next up for discussion was his six months on The Young and the Restless, which came as a surprise to Grahn.
Not only that, but he played a rapist. Tony Geary shared that he was the go-to guy back then, it seemed, to play a rapist — having done so on primetime shows as well, including on Cagney & Lacey. But they go more in-depth about why Luke Spencer seemed to take off after the concept of “date rape” — and this is just one of the many parts of the interview that longtime fans will find fascinating.
“That’s really interesting that you frame it and contextualize it like that,” Geary replied. “The thing that always troubled me about those scenes was that I was, that I played it as rape, that I was directed it as rape, Gloria [executive producer] directed it, Gloria Monty, a genius that I think changed soaps forever… so it was a rape…
“The only thing that made some people start talking about maybe it was a seduction, which has always bothered me and I’m sure it bothers Genie… cause we never intended that. We played it straight on rape,” he said, unequivocally.
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“And then what happened is because Luke had a very soft heart at the center of this… this macaroon, somehow the audience identified with the pain of his action almost as equally as to the pain of the victim and they suddenly started talking about it as a seduction.”
Of course, Grahn had to ask the burning question on everyone’s minds. After telling Geary he was always her fellow rebel on the set, she said, “So, can you come back?”
He laughed and said, “OK, you talked me into it.” While he did seem to be joking when he said it, you never know…
To find out what else Tony Geary has to say on subjects like the fallout from facing fans, as well as the actors’ mutual admiration society, and so much more, watch the video in its entirety below. It’s riveting viewing. General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes.
Video Credit: BonGrahn Creative
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