Anthony Geary, "General Hospital" star, dies at age 78

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Anthony Geary, who roseate to fame successful the 1970s and '80s arsenic fractional the daytime TV ace mates Luke and Laura connected "General Hospital," has died. He was 78.

"We are profoundly saddened by the passing of Anthony Geary, whose portrayal of Luke Spencer helped specify General Hospital and daytime television," ABC said successful a connection confirming his death.

Geary died Sunday successful Amsterdam of complications from a surgical process 3 days prior.

"The full 'General Hospital' household is heartbroken implicit the quality of Tony Geary's passing," Frank Valentini, enforcement shaper of the ABC show, said successful a connection Monday. "Tony was a superb histrion and acceptable the barroom that we proceed to strive for."

In a vocation spanning much than 40 years, Geary earned 8 Daytime Emmy awards arsenic Luke Spencer aft joining the soap successful 1978. Luke's pairing with Genie Francis' Laura Webber Baldwin (as she was known astatine the time) propelled the 2 onto mag covers and into the taste mainstream.

The 1981 wedding of Luke and Laura was a popular civilization improvement done successful 2 parts, drafting impermanent appearances that included Elizabeth Taylor. A grounds 30 cardinal viewers watched.

"He was a powerhouse arsenic an actor. Shoulder to enarthrosis with the greats. No prima burned brighter than Tony Geary. He was 1 of a kind. As an artist, helium was filled with a passionateness for the truth, nary substance however blunt, oregon adjacent a small rude it mightiness be, but ever hilariously funny," Francis said successful a statement.

In summation to his relation arsenic Luke, Geary had galore TV and signifier credits, including stints connected different soaps: "The Young and the Restless" and "Bright Promise." Geary played Luke connected and disconnected until 2015, though helium returned for a cameo successful 2017.

He lived a quiescent beingness with hubby Claudio Gama successful Amsterdam.

In a 1993 interview, Geary spoke of the galore highs and lows of playing Luke.

"I felt similar I had to beryllium Luke 24 hours a time oregon radical would beryllium disappointed," helium said astatine the time. "As acold arsenic I'm concerned, they are mythic creatures. They travel from 2 sides of the beingness unneurotic and person a communal connection, which is fundamentally lust and appreciation for individuality. They emotion the eccentricity successful each other."

Geary's Luke began arsenic a small-time hitman recruited to dismantle the narration of Laura and her archetypal husband, Scotty Baldwin. Their communicative arc turned darker erstwhile Luke sexually assaulted Laura. The battle led to a redemption way for Luke, who evolved into a leader and adjacent served arsenic politician of the show's tiny town, Port Charles.

"He was not created to beryllium a heroic character," Geary told ABC's "Nightline" successful 2015. "He was created to beryllium an anti-hero, and I person treasured the anti-side of the leader and pushed it for a agelong time. ... He's not a achromatic chapeau oregon a achromatic hat, he's each shades of grey. And that has been the redeeming grace of playing him each these years."

Geary was calved to Mormon parents successful Coalville, Utah. He was discovered portion attending the University of Utah and performing connected stage. He joined a touring institution of "The Subject Was Roses," which brought him to Los Angeles.

Over the years, helium appeared often successful signifier productions alongside his surface work.

Geary's archetypal quality connected TV was arsenic Tom Whalom connected an occurrence of "Room 222." He went connected to look successful "All successful the Family," "The Partridge Family," "The Mod Squad," "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "The Streets of San Francisco" and "Barnaby Jones."

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