‘General Hospital’ actor Anthony Geary dead at 78
Anthony Geary, the actor who played the character of Luke Spencer in the US daytime soap opera General Hospital, has died aged 78.
According to TV Insider, Geary passed away on December 14th from complications arising from an unspecified scheduled operation he had undergone three days prior.
He lived in the Netherlands with his husband, Claudio Gama, who said in a statement, “It was a shock for me and our families and our friends,” before adding, “For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband.”
Geary was cast in the role of Luke Spencer in General Hospital in 1978, which not only changed his life but also changed the course of the soap opera genre.
His chemistry with his co-star Genie Francis, who played the character of Laura Webber, became a cultural phenomenon, with the episode of Luke and Laura’s wedding attracting over 30 million viewers upon its broadcast in 1981. It also featured a cameo appearance from Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor, who was a huge fan of the show.
As a result of this, Geary went on to create unprecedented awards success, being the recipient of no less than eight Daytime Emmys over the course of his massive 40-year tenure on General Hospital.
Aside from his work on the soap, Geary also starred in a number of other projects across the worlds of film and TV, such as Intimate Agony, Do You Know the Muffin Man?, The Disorderlies, and You Can’t Hurry Love.
Most recently, Geary was seen working on a scene with fellow former General Hospital star Anders Hove the day before he was admitted to hospital for his operation. The purpose of the project is unclear, but it now marks the actor’s final credit.
Geary retired from his life in the spotlight in 2015, when he moved to Amsterdam to live with his husband, Gama.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.