Anthony Geary, who played Luke Spencer for decades in ABC’s General Hospital, has died at the age of 78. According to TV Insider, the actor died of complications from a surgery three days earlier. He was living in the Netherlands at the time of his death. His husband, Claudio Gama, shared about his death:
It was a shock for me and our families and our friends. For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband.
Geary first appeared on the show in 1978 and exited the show at the end of 1983. However, he returned to GH full-time in 1991 and lasted as a regular until July 27, 2015. The daytime soap opera is still running on ABC, which begs the question about Geary’s departure. He explained that he had been “weary of the grind” for his last two decades on the show.
He told TVLine that his back surgery in 2014 made it clear to him that he didn’t have much time to spend grinding. He added that he didn’t want to collapse and die on the set of the show. He shared (via THR):
This show has been a huge part of my life for over half my life, and Luke Spencer is my alter ego. But I’m just weary of the grind and have been for 20 years. There was a point after my back surgery last year where it became clear to me that my time is not infinite. And I really don’t want to die, collapsing in a heap, on that G.H. set one day. That wouldn’t be too poetic.
About his exit from the show in 1983, Geary shared that he was so done with GH that he “didn’t just leave General Hospital, I fled.” He shared that he told a stage director that he “would rather put hot pokers in my eyes than [ever come back].” It was executive producer Gloria Monty who convinced him to return to the show with her in 1991.
According to THR, Geary returned to the show “for a lot of money” and guaranteed vacation time in his contracts. His offer reportedly included the clauses that he would only work about six months a year and that he had the right to improvise his lines. According to The Richest, Geary had an estimated net worth of $9 million at the time of his death, thanks to his role in the ABC soap opera.
Geary’s exit in 2015 wasn’t final, as he returned to the show in 2017 when Jane Elliot’s Tracy Quartermaine left the show. By that time, Luke and Tracy were married in the show. In a January 2022 episode, Tracy revealed that Luke had been killed in a cable car accident in Austria.
General Hospital Pays Tribute to Anthony Geary
Anthony Geart won the Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a daytime drama series eight times. He won for General Hospital in 1982, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2015. He was also nominated nine other times. The executive producer of the show, Frank Valentini, paid tribute to the actor after the news of his passing emerged. Valentini shared in a statement (via THR):
The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken over the news of Tony Geary’s passing. Tony was a brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive for. His legacy, and that of Luke Spencer’s, will live on through the generations of G.H. castmembers who have followed in his footsteps.
Genie Francis played Laura Webber, Luke’s romantic interest and later wife in the show. Luke and Laura’s most popular wedding episode came after an infamous 1979 episode, where Luke r*ped Laura. The scene was romanticized at the time. Their wedding episode featured Elizabeth Taylor as the villainess and even won over Princess Diana. Francis wrote an emotional tribute for her co-star on X.
He spoiled me for leading men for the rest of my life. I am crushed, I will miss him terribly, but I was so lucky to be his partner. Somehow, somewhere, we are connected to each other because I felt him leave last night. Good night sweet prince, good night.
— Genie Francis (@GenieFrancis) December 15, 2025
Geary originally auditioned for the role of Sen. Mitch Williams. His character Luke was supposed to be killed off after his initial contract period expired. The makers also considered killing him off after the infamous r*pe scene. However, Luke was spared somehow both times.
Geary returned to the show in 1991 as Luke’s twin, Bill Eckert, and played the character for two years. In a 1993 episode, Bill would die in Luke’s arms, because the audience didn’t like his turn as Bill. He would return to playing Luke full-time since 1993.
Anthony Geary’s Career Outside of General Hospital
Anthony Geary’s father, Russell, was a contractor and his mother, Dana, was a homemaker. But he had always wanted to become an actor and even kept a logbook of every movie he saw. He accepted a theater scholarship to attend the University of Utah after school. He starred in a college production of The Subject Was Roses, opposite Jack Albertson.
Albertson asked him to tour with him, which brought Geary to Los Angeles. He made his screen debut in a 1970 episode of Room 222. He also appeared in an episode of All in the Family. His first soap role before GH came in NBC’s Bright Promise, where he played a man in a mental institution.
He also appeared on CBS’s The Young and the Restless, Dan August, Barnaby Jones, and The Streets of San Francisco. He also appeared as a psychotic killer in the 1974 telefilm, Sorority Kill.
During his time away from General Hospital from 1983 to 1991, he produced and narrated stories for a children’s radio. He starred in a 1984 production of Antony and Cleopatra alongside Lynn Redgrave and Timothy Dalton. He even had an entire year without any acting gigs. Interestingly, he even lost an offer due to his status as a soap actor.
He was cast in Oliver Stone’s Salvador in 1986 before Stone learned of his GH role. Geary shared that his offer was rescinded. He shared:
Nobody wanted Luke Spencer in their movie. And I understand that now, because for those 30 seconds or whatever, somebody [watching] would say, ‘Oh, isn’t that that guy on …?’ And then they would be taken out of the film.
In 1987, he appeared in Disorderlies opposite the Fat Boys. He played a scientist Philo in the ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic comedy UHF. He also played a preacher in the 1991 film Scorchers.
Geary is survived by his husband of six years, Claudio Gama, his sisters, Jan Steele and Deann Geary, and his nephews, Brendan Steele and Dax Geary.
What do you think about the illustrious career of the late actor? Let us know in the comments below!
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