Longtime soap opera actor Anthony Geary dead at 78
Anthony Geary, known for his longtime role as Luke Spencer on ABC’s “General Hospital,” died after complications from surgery, according to TV Insider.
Anthony Geary’s cause of death has been revealed.
Geary’s husband, Claudio Gama, revealed to TV Insider that the “General Hospital” star died Sunday, Dec. 14, after complications from a “scheduled operation” days prior. He was 78.
Geary played one half of legendary soap opera couple Luke and Laura on ABC’s “General Hospital” for 37 years. He originated the soap opera character in 1978 and played him until he retired in 2015. The character was eventually paired romantically with Laura Collins (Genie Francis) and became perhaps the most popular soap opera couple of all time. The characters’ 1981 wedding episode was watched by 30 million people, making it the most-watched soap opera episode in history.
Geary retired from full-time work on the series in 2015 and appeared as Luke for the last time in 2017. He eventually relocated from Los Angeles to Amsterdam. He married Gama in 2020.
“It was a shock for me and our families and our friends,” Gama told the outlet. “For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband.”
The television industry mourned the loss of Geary, with “Hospital” executive producer Frank Valentini saying he and the “entire ‘General Hospital family'” are “heartbroken” over the news of Geary’s death. “Tony was a brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive for,” the statement, posted to the official show Instagram account, read. “His legacy, and that of Luke Spencer’s, will live on through the generations of #GH cast members who have followed in his footsteps.”
Genie Francis, whose character Laura Collins was the other half of one of the most popular soap opera couples of all time, mourned her onscreen husband in a tribute shared on social media.
“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, he told me Tony died. 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,” she wrote on X.
Kin Shriner, whose character Scott Baldwin was at one point part of a love triangle with Luke and Laura, replied to Francis’ post and revealed that he, too, “was hit with gh dream last night that I tried to explain until I got the call,” supposedly from Valentini. “Tony was saying goodbye to both of us,” he added.