Daytime TV Icon & Eight-Time Emmy Winner Anthony Geary “Luke” General Hospital, Dies at 78
Written by b87fm on 12/15/2025
Anthony Geary, the legendary actor best known for his decades-long run on General Hospital, has died at the age of 78.
Family members confirmed that Geary passed away on Sunday following complications from surgery, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The news marks the loss of one of daytime television’s most decorated and influential stars.
Geary had been living in Amsterdam with his husband, Claudio Gama, since retiring from General Hospital in 2015. In a statement shared with TV Insider, Gama reflected on their life together and the shock of the loss.
“It was a shock for me and our families and our friends,” Gama said. “For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband.” The couple met in February 1995 and married in February 2019 in Amsterdam.
Remarkably, just one day before undergoing surgery, Geary filmed a scene with former General Hospital co-star Anders Hove for an untitled project. That appearance will stand as his final acting credit.
Born Tony Dean Geary in Coalville, Utah, he launched his acting career in Los Angeles with support from veteran actor Jack Albertson. After a series of guest roles, Geary landed what was initially intended to be a short-term arc on General Hospital as the complex antihero Luke Spencer. The role, originally planned as a 13-week run, evolved into one of the most iconic characters in soap opera history.
Geary’s portrayal of Luke Spencer helped drive massive ratings success and earned him his first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1982. Though he exited the show in 1984, he returned in 1993, reigniting fan enthusiasm and cementing Luke Spencer’s legacy.
In 1999, Geary won his second Lead Actor Emmy for the role, eventually going on to claim the award a record-breaking eight times. According to IMDb, he appeared in nearly 2,000 episodes of General Hospital between 1978 and 2017.
Rachel Schwartz, Head of Daytime, Children’s & Family Emmys, paid tribute in a statement following his passing.
“Our condolences are with our friends at General Hospital on the passing of Anthony Geary, who won a record-breaking eight Emmys in the Lead Actor category,” Schwartz said. “As one half of the iconic ‘Luke and Laura’ super-couple, his work helped bring daytime television into the cultural mainstream. Our sympathies are with his family, colleagues, and loved ones.”
Anthony Geary leaves behind a towering legacy in daytime television—one defined by risk-taking performances, cultural impact, and an enduring connection with generations of viewers.
