Anthony Geary, General Hospital’s Luke Spencer actor, dies at 78

Anthony Geary, the eight-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning actor who turned a cleaning soap opera icon for his portrayal of Luke Spencer on “Basic Hospital,” has died. He was 78.

The official Instagram account for “Basic Hospital” confirmed the actor’s dying in an announcement, writing, “The complete #Basic Hospital household is heartbroken over the information of Tony Geary’s passing.”

“Tony was a superb actor and set the bar we proceed to attempt for,” the assertion continued. “His legacy, and that of Luke Spencer, will dwell on by way of the generations #GH solid members who’ve adopted in his footsteps. We prolong our honest condolences to his husband, Claudio, household and pals. Might he relaxation in peace.”

“Basic Hospital” star Anthony Geary has died on the age of 78. (Bob D’Amico/©ABC/courtesy Everett Assortment; Jesse Grant/Getty Photos for NATAS)

Geary’s husband, Claudio Gama, additionally shared the information of his dying, telling TV Insider that Geary died on Sunday within the Netherlands after issues from a deliberate surgical procedure.

“It was a shock to me, our households and our pals. Tony has been my good friend, my companion and my husband for over thirty years,” Gama mentioned.

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Geary’s former “All within the Household” co-star Rob Reiner additionally died Sunday.

Reiner, identified for his directing work on movies comparable to “Princess Bride” and “When Harry Met Sally,” was discovered lifeless at his residence in Brentwood, California, on Sunday. He was 78.

His spouse Michele Reiner was additionally discovered lifeless. Each had been discovered with stab wounds of their residence.

Rob and Michele’s son, Nick Reiner, is “accountable for their deaths,” authorities decided after the preliminary investigation.

Nick was arrested on suspicion of homicide on Sunday night and is now being held with out bail.

Rob co-starred with Geary in ‘All within the Household’.

Rob performed Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the collection, showing in 182 episodes as a collection common from 1971 to 1978.

Geary appeared in an episode of the present in 1971, enjoying the character Roger.

Episode “All In The Household”: ‘Judging Books by Covers’, starring (from left) Anthony Geary as Roger, Rob Reiner as Michael Stivic and Carroll O’Connor (seated) as Archie Bunker. The picture is dated January 12, 1971. (CBS through Getty Photos)

Born Might 29, 1947, in Coalville, Utah, Geary was the son of Russell Dean Geary, a contractor who additionally owned a development firm, and Dana Geary, a homemaker who assisted within the household enterprise as a bookkeeper. His mother and father had been members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he grew up in a Mormon household along with his sisters Dana, Jeana and Jana.

Geary studied appearing on the College of Utah and launched his profession on stage earlier than touchdown roles on tv within the Nineteen Seventies, together with appearances on “All within the Household,” “The Mod Squad,” “The Partridge Household,” “Barnaby Jones” and “The Younger and the Stressed.” Nevertheless, his career-defining position got here in 1978 when he was solid as Luke Spencer on ‘Basic Hospital’.

Geary turned one half of one in every of tv’s most well-known {couples}, Luke and Laura, who was performed by Genie Francis. (Bob D’Amico/©ABC/courtesy of Everett Assortment)

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A morally complicated antihero with a tumultuous previous, Luke turned one half of one in every of tv’s most well-known {couples}, Luke and Laura (Genie Francis). The couple’s 1981 marriage ceremony stays the highest-rated episode in cleaning soap opera historical past and featured a cameo from Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor was reportedly an enormous fan of the present and particularly supercouple Luke and Laura. The legendary actress requested to be a part of the occasion and the producers constructed the position of Helena Cassadine, the matriarch of the Cassadine household, who had been arch enemies of Luke and Laura, round her.

The storyline made Geary a family identify and helped “Basic Hospital” turn into a cultural phenomenon within the Eighties.

Over the following 4 a long time, Geary’s performances earned him a file eight Daytime Emmy Awards for Excellent Lead Actor. He left “Basic Hospital” a number of instances, together with for a five-year hiatus within the Nineties to work in primetime TV and in theater, however returned repeatedly, along with his closing departure introduced in 2015. Regardless of retiring from the present, he maintained shut friendships with the solid and remained a beloved determine amongst followers.

He left the long-running collection in 2015, however remained carefully related to the solid. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Photos)

Geary’s movie work included roles in “Johnny Acquired His Gun” (1971), the thriller “Sorority Kill” and the comedy “Carpool Man” (2005). He additionally appeared in a number of TV films, together with “Do You Know the Muffin Man?” (1989), “Kicks” (1981) and “Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam” (1987).

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In later years, Geary settled in Amsterdam, the place he pursued pictures, supported native arts organizations, and loved a quieter life away from the highlight. Geary married Gama in February 2019 after 24 years collectively.

Francis additionally left and returned to “Basic Hospital” a number of instances earlier than making her closing departure in 2018. On Monday, she shared a tribute to Geary on Twitter, previously his life ended final night time in my sleep, and with it a big a part of me, and mine.

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Geary’s husband Claudio Gama mentioned he died because of surgical issues. (Allen Berezovsky/WireImage)

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She continued: “He was a powerhouse as an actor. Shoulder to shoulder with the greats. No star burned brighter than Tony Geary. He was one in every of a form. As an artist he was stuffed with a ardour for the reality, regardless of how blunt or perhaps a little crude it is likely to be, however all the time hilariously humorous. He was the anti-hero, all the time so irreverent, however even essentially the most conservative needed to smile. Working with him was all the time thrilling. You by no means knew what would occur.”

“He spoiled me as a result of I led males for the remainder of my life,” Francis added. “I am devastated, I’ll miss him terribly, however I used to be so fortunate to be his accomplice. Someway we’re linked someplace as a result of I felt him depart final night time. Good night time pricey prince, good night time.”

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On Tuesday, former Basic Hospital government producer Frank Valentini wrote on

“His legacy, and that of Luke Spencer, will dwell on by way of the generations of #GH solid members who’ve adopted in his footsteps,” he continued. “We prolong our honest condolences to his husband, Claudio, household and pals. Might he relaxation in peace.”