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Anthony Geary | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Geary in 2015 | |
| Born | Tony Dean Geary May 29, 1947 Coalville, Utah, U.S. |
| Died | December 14, 2025 (aged 78) Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | University of Utah |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970–2015, 2017 |
| Spouse | Claudio Gama (m. 2019) |
| Relatives | Brendan Steele (nephew) |
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Anthony Geary (born Tony Dean Geary; May 29, 1947 – December 14, 2025) was an American actor. His career spanned more than four decades. Geary's career began in episodic television. He appeared as a guest on several primetime series and transitioned into a career predominantly in the soap opera genre. His first soap role was David Lockhart (1971–1972) on Bright Promise (1969–1972), and he later joined The Young and the Restless as George Curtis. His breakout role came in 1978 when he joined the cast of General Hospital as Luke Spencer. For his work as Luke, Geary went on to earn a record eight Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series[1][2] prior to his retirement.[3]
In addition to his role as Luke, Geary had a prominent supporting role in the "Weird Al" Yankovic comedy UHF (1989); other notable films include Johnny Got His Gun (1971), Disorderlies (1987), Scorchers (1991), Teacher's Pet (2004) and Fish Tank (2009).
Early life
Tony Dean Geary was born on May 29, 1947, in Coalville, Utah, to Dana (née Anderson) and Russell Dean Geary.[4][5] He was one of four children. Dana was a homemaker and bookkeeper; Russell was a contractor who owned his own construction business.[6] Geary was raised in the Mormon faith by his parents, who were both members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[7] In 1984, he remarked to The San Diego Union-Tribune that although he credited his faith-based upbringing with giving him a "solid family base," he also expressed a sense of repression stemming from its philosophies and prejudices.[4]
One of the 53 students who graduated from North Summit High School in Coalville,[6] he went on to attend the University of Utah on a full theatre scholarship. In 1967, while he was in his sophomore year, he relocated to Los Angeles, after being discovered by Jack Albertson,[4] and joining a touring company of The Subject Was Roses.[8]
Career
Geary made his first appearance on television in an episode of Room 222 and later appeared on All in the Family as Roger, a "quirky" and "effeminate" character who is presumed to be gay by the series' lead character, Archie Bunker, due to the way in which he dresses and presents himself during the series' fifth episode, "Judging Books by Covers".[9] He also appeared on The Mod Squad, Mannix, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Streets of San Francisco, The Partridge Family, and Barnaby Jones.[8]
Geary's first daytime role was on the NBC soap opera Bright Promise from 1971 to 1972.[10] He later joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as rapist George Curtis; after six-months in the role, Geary was asked to re-sign with the soap, with plans to "rehabilitate" the role. He declined the offer, opting to shift focus towards motion pictures.[6]
In 1978, Geary was hired for a 13-week story arc to play Luke Spencer on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. Luke Spencer began as a hit man and rapist who fell in love with - and subsequently married - his victim, Laura Webber (played by Genie Francis). His portrayal of Luke Spencer on General Hospital became a regular role, and the pairing of Luke and Laura became a sensation. The 1981 wedding of Luke and Laura holds the record as the highest-rated soap opera episode of all time.[11]
Geary holds the distinction of winning a record eight Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He was first nominated in 1980, and had his first win in 1982.[12][13] Geary was nominated again in 1983, before leaving the show in 1984.
Over the next several years, Geary took roles in various theater and television productions, as well as in several films, but did not reach his desired level of success in those endeavors. Despite the popularity of his work as Luke Spencer, filmmakers pigeonholed Geary based solely on the fact that he was a "soap actor". Oliver Stone initially cast him in Salvador but rescinded the offer after learning about him being a soap actor.[6] In a conscious effort to distance himself from General Hospital, he actively sought a role in "Weird Al" Yankovic's film debut UHF (1989), that of the quietly eccentric scientist Philo (named for television pioneer Philo Farnsworth). Geary, a fan of Yankovic, went so far as to grow his hair out like Albert Einstein's and stay in character as Philo when meeting the film's casting team; he immediately landed the role.[14]
In 1991, Geary returned to General Hospital as Luke's cousin and look-alike Bill Eckert; Geary expressed a desire to play a different character than Luke.[11] However, due to poor feedback from the viewing public, Bill Eckert was killed off, and Geary resumed the role of Luke in 1993, when Genie Francis returned to General Hospital.[11]
He was nominated in 1997 and 1998 for Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor, and had his second win in 1999,[12] and his third in 2000. He received another nomination in 2003, and had his fourth win in 2004.[15] When Geary won for the fifth time in 2006,[13][15] he set the record for the most lead actor wins.[11] Geary received another Emmy nomination in 2007, and in 2008, he again set a record for most lead actor wins with his sixth[16] Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor.[17]
Geary set a record in 2012 with his seventh Daytime Emmy win and again in 2015 for his eighth win for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series after 16 nominations for the same role of General Hospital's Luke Spencer. Geary publicly announced on Friday, May 8, 2015, that he would be leaving his role on General Hospital. [citation needed] Geary finished taping his last scenes on the General Hospital set on June 23, 2015.[citation needed] His last air date was July 27, 2015.[citation needed] He later made a cameo appearance on a May 2017 episode to facilitate the retirement of co-star Jane Elliot, who played Luke's former on-screen wife Tracy Quartermaine.[18][19] Days prior to Geary's death, he filmed a scene with former General Hospital co-star Anders Hove, which will serve as his final acting credit.[20]
The comedy movie UHF was an exception to Geary's dramatic roles. He also appeared in 1987's Disorderlies, with hip-hop trio the Fat Boys, and appeared in more than 50 stage plays, including the award-winning one-man show titled Human Scratchings in 1996.
Personal life
Geary is the uncle of Brendan Steele, an American professional golfer.[21] In 2010, during an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show, Geary disclosed he had a brief relationship with Elizabeth Taylor in the early 1980s.[22][23] He met Claudio Gama in February 1995, and they married in February 2019.[24][25] Following Geary's retirement in 2015, the couple moved to the Netherlands, where Geary had owned a home in Amsterdam "for years".[26][27]
Death and tributes
Geary died in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on December 14, 2025, at the age of 78.[4][6][28] His death was attributed to complications that arose following a surgical procedure three days earlier.[20][29]
Numerous figures from the entertainment industry, some of whom were former co-stars or collaborators, paid tribute to Geary, including Maurice Benard, Sarah Joy Brown, Genie Francis, Kimberly McCullough, Emma Samms, Rick Springfield, and John Stamos;[30][31][32] additionally, General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences issued statements in regards to his death.[31][33] In a series of posts on Twitter, Francis described herself as spoiled, thanks to Geary, in regards to "leading men for the rest of my life".[30][34]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Room 222 | Tom Whalom | Episode: "Choose One & They Lived Happily/Unhappily Ever After" | [35] |
| 1971 | All in the Family | Roger | Episode: "Judging Books by Covers" | [9] |
| 1971 | Johnny Got His Gun | Redhead | ||
| 1971–1972 | Bright Promise | David Lockhart | Soap opera | [35] |
| 1972 | Blood Sabbath | David | ||
| 1972 | The Mod Squad | Johnson | Episode: "Good Times Are Just Memories" | [35] |
| 1972 | The Partridge Family | Greg Houser | Episode: "Ain't Loveth Grand?" | [35] |
| 1973 | Mannix | Eddie Decken | Episode: "A Way to Dusty Death" | [35] |
| 1973 | Shaft | David Oliver | Episode: "Hit and Run" | |
| 1973 | The Young and the Restless | George Curtis | Soap opera | [35] |
| 1974 | Doc Elliot | Dennis Graham | Episode: "The Carrier" | |
| 1974 | Sorority Kill | Tony | ||
| 1971–1975 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | John Gavanelli | 2 episodes | |
| 1974–1976 | The Streets of San Francisco | Gary Jelinek / Cajun / Joe Markham | 4 episodes | |
| 1975 | The Wide World of Mystery | Dennis | Episode: "Distant Early Warning" | |
| 1976–1977 | Barnaby Jones | Deputy Blake Jeffries / Nelson Mosley / Wilson | 3 episodes | |
| 1977 | Most Wanted | Chops | Episode: "The Driver" | |
| 1978 | The Return of Captain Nemo | Bork | ||
| 1978 | Project U.F.O. TV Series | Darryl Biggs | Episode: "Sighting 4010: The Waterford Incident" | |
| 1978 | Starsky & Hutch | Delano | Episode: "The Trap" | |
| 1978 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Arta | Episode: "The Lost Island" | |
| 1978 | General Hospital | Luke Spencer | Series regular: 1978–1984, 1993–2015 Guest: 2017 | |
| 1983 | Shaft of Love | Doug Hathaway | ||
| 1983 | Intimate Agony | Dr. Kyle Richards | [36] | |
| 1984 | Antony and Cleopatra | Octavius Caesar | ||
| 1984 | Sins of the Past | Lt. Malovich | ||
| 1984 | The Impostor | Cade | ||
| 1985 | Kicks | Martin Cheevers | ||
| 1985 | Hotel | Eli Gilmour / Phil Tanner | 2 episodes | |
| 1986 | You Are The Jury | Sam Billings | Episode: "The State of Ohio vs. James Wolsky" | |
| 1987 | P.I. Private Investigations | Larry | ||
| 1987 | Disorderlies | Winslow Lowry | [37] | |
| 1987 | Penitentiary III | Serenghetti | [37] | |
| 1987 | Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam | Steve Reynolds | ||
| 1988 | You Can't Hurry Love | Tony | [37] | |
| 1988 | Pass the Ammo | Stonewall | [37] | |
| 1988 | It Takes Two | Wheel/Giuseppe's voice | [37] | |
| 1988 | Dangerous Love | Mickey | [37] | |
| 1989 | UHF | Philo | [37] | |
| 1989 | Night Life | John Devlin | ||
| 1989 | Do You Know the Muffin Man? | Stephen Pugliotti | [36] | |
| 1989 | High Desert Kill | Dr. Jim Cole | ||
| 1989 | Crack House | Dockett | [37] | |
| 1989–1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Eric Grant / KGB Lt. Fyodor Alexandrov | 2 episodes | |
| 1990 | Sunset Beat | Uncredited Role | Made For TV Movie | |
| 1990 | Sunset Beat | Uncredited Role | Episode: "One Down, Four Up" (TV Series) | |
| 1991–1993 | General Hospital | Bill Eckert | Series regular: 1991–1993 | |
| 1991 | Night of the Warrior | Lynch | [36] | |
| 1991 | Scorchers | Preacher | [36] | |
| 1993 | Whistlestop Girl | Andy | ||
| 1994 | Roseanne | Luke Spencer | Episode: "Suck Up or Shut Up" | [4] |
| 1995 | Burke's Law | Clayton Cole | Episode: "Who Killed the Centerfold?" | |
| 1998 | Port Charles | Luke Spencer | ||
| 2004 | Teacher's Pet | John / Juan | Voice | |
| 2005 | Carpool Guy | Carpool Guy | [36] | |
| 2008 | General Hospital: Night Shift | Luke Spencer | Episode: "Past and Presence – Part One" | [38] |
| 2009 | Fish Tank | Van Man | ||
| 2013 | Alice and the Monster | George |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Soapy Award | Best Actor | General Hospital | Won | [39] |
| 1981 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | [40] |
| 1981 | Soapy Award | Best Actor | General Hospital | Won | [39] |
| 1982 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | [41] |
| 1982 | Soapy Awards | Best Actor | General Hospital | Won | [39] |
| 1983 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | [42] |
| 1993 | Soap Opera Digest Award | Outstanding Lead Actor | General Hospital | Nominated | |
| 1994 | Soap Opera Digest Award | Outstanding Lead Actor | General Hospital | Nominated | |
| 1997 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | [43] |
| 1998 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | [44] |
| 1999 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | [45] |
| 1999 | Soap Opera Digest Award | Outstanding Lead Actor | General Hospital | Won | [46] |
| 2000 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | [47] |
| 2000 | Soap Opera Digest Award | Outstanding Lead Actor | General Hospital | Won | [48] |
| 2003 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | [49] |
| 2004 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | [50] |
| 2006 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | [51] |
| 2006 | TV Land Award | Most Wonderful Wedding (shared with Genie Francis) | General Hospital | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | [52] |
| 2008 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | [53] |
| 2009 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | [54] |
| 2012 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | [55] |
| 2015 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | [56] |
| 2016 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | [57] |
References
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In May of 2017, Tracy said goodbye to Port Charles and Elliot said goodbye to GH. But as a special treat, Anthony Geary reprised his role of Luke Spencer for a special cameo to surprise Tracy in a coffee shop!
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Anthony Geary, Luke on ‘General Hospital,’ Dies at 78
Portraying Luke Spencer, he was one of the best-known soap opera stars in American television. His onscreen romance with Laura Webber, played by Genie Francis, changed the landscape of daytime television.
Anthony Geary, the actor best known for portraying Luke Spencer on the popular soap opera “General Hospital,” died in Amsterdam on Sunday. He was 78.
His death, in a hospital days after surgery, was confirmed by his sister Deann Geary. Mr. Geary portrayed the mafia-connected Luke on and off for decades beginning in the late-1970s, a nuanced role that required balancing the character’s darker tendencies and softer undertones. Playing a self-important, street-savvy criminal, Mr. Geary would later tell The Toronto Star, was “taxing.”
“He was a grab bag of emotions and directions, a minor icon of anti-heroism in the ’80s, and in many ways represented a lot of what was bad with the decade,” Mr. Geary said. “He was violent, he was greedy, he was arrogant and a chauvinist. At the same time he was romantic and sensitive.”
The character’s whirlwind — and controversial — romance in the 1980s with Laura Webber (Genie Francis), became a cultural touch point. Luke and Laura’s deeply complicated history included Luke raping Laura in an episode that aired on Oct. 5, 1979, though she would fall in love with him later — a story line that both captivated audiences and infuriated some who said the show glorified sexual assault. (In recent years, Ms. Francis has criticized the story line.)
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The show soon turned Mr. Geary and Ms. Francis into stars. Soap operas were not typically structured as star vehicles, but in 1981, the duo landed on the cover of Newsweek with the headline, “TV’s Hottest Show.” Their wedding episode became the most watched episode of a daytime drama in history, and Mr. Geary won his first Daytime Emmy in 1982, the first of eight in his career.
The onscreen relationship with Laura consumed Mr. Geary’s life offscreen, too. He and Ms. Francis became celebrities, widely recognizable and deluged by fan mail. But he also recalled in a 1989 interview with The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that some fans would shout, “Luke, rape me,” at him during personal appearances.
“If I couldn’t avoid the subject entirely, I just said I appreciated that we touched them so deeply,” Mr. Geary said.
Mr. Geary left the show in 1984 but returned in the early 1990s, though not as Luke, but rather a look-alike cousin of Luke’s, Bill Eckert. He eventually returned as Luke himself in 1993, reuniting with Laura. (They also appeared in character in an episode of the sitcom “Roseanne” in 1994.)
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Tony Dean Geary was born in Coalville, Utah, on May 29, 1947, to Russell Dean Geary, a contractor, and Dana Anderson. Tony was fascinated with movies and wanting to be an actor. Starting in grade school, he kept a notebook in which he logged every movie that he saw, including who directed and starred in them, according to a 2007 interview with the Television Academy Foundation.
Mr. Geary studied theater at the University of Utah, which he attended on a scholarship. He was discovered by the comedian Jack Albertson, who helped Mr. Geary get cast in a touring production of the Broadway play “The Subject Was Roses.”
“I was raised a Mormon, which gave me a solid family base, but I rejected the philosophy and prejudice I found repressive,” Mr. Geary said an interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune in 1984. “I lived very much in my imagination to escape that repression. This led to acting.”
In addition to his sister Deann, he is also survived by his husband, Claudio Gama, and another sister, Jana Geary Steele.
Mr. Geary appeared in dozens of regional theater productions and was an established stage actor before he was cast in “General Hospital.” After he began his career in television, he changed his first name to Anthony because he felt the name had “gravitas” that Tony didn’t, he told the Television Academy Foundation in 2007. One of Mr. Geary’s first television roles was in a first season episode of “All in the Family.”
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In the 1970s, Mr. Geary appeared in several television shows, including “Mannix,” “Shaft” and “The Young and the Restless,” before landing on “General Hospital.”
Mr. Geary was, at points, chilly about taking part in daytime soap operas, a genre that is seen as lacking prestige.
“I almost did ‘Salvador’ with Oliver Stone, until he hired me and found out I was Luke Spencer, and pulled back his offer,” Mr. Geary recalled in the Television Academy Foundation interview. “It was hurtful at the time, but I understand that if you’re doing a big film, for the five seconds or less that someone goes, ‘Isn’t that that guy on “General Hospital”?’ — they’re out of the movie.”
At other points, Mr. Geary embraced the role, especially as it left him as one of the most recognizable soap opera stars in television history. He left the “General Hospital” for good in 2015, except for a one-off appearance in 2017.
“I don’t mind doing daytime,” Mr. Geary told The Union-Tribune in 1984. “The money is less and the hours are longer, but I’m an actor, and acting beats wrecking cars at night.”
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