‘General Hospital’ star Anthony Geary dies at 78 due to health complications

Anthony Geary, who rose to fame as daytime TV supercouple Luke and Laura on “General Hospital” in the 1970s and ’80s, has died. He was 78 years old.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Anthony Geary, whose portrayal of Luke Spencer helped define General Hospital and daytime television,” abc said a statement confirming his death.

Geary died on Sunday (December 14, 2025) in Amsterdam due to complications from a surgical procedure three days earlier.

“The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is saddened by the news of Tony Geary’s passing,” said executive producer Frank Valentini. abc Show, said in a statement on Monday (December 15, 2025). “Tony was a brilliant actor and set the standard for which we will continue to strive.”

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Geary earned eight Daytime Emmy Awards after joining the series in 1978 as Luke Spencer. Genie Francis’s pairing of Luke with Laura Weber Baldwin (as she was known at the time) catapulted both of them onto magazine covers and into the cultural mainstream.

Luke and Laura’s 1981 wedding was a pop culture phenom in two parts, which also featured a guest appearance by Elizabeth Taylor. A record 30 million viewers watched.

“He was a powerhouse as an actor. Rubbish with the greats. There was no star brighter than Tony Geary. He was one of a kind. As an artist, he was filled with a passion for the truth, no matter how blunt, or even a little vulgar, but always extremely funny,” Mr. Francis said in a statement.

In addition to his role as Luke, Geary had numerous TV and stage credits, including starring in other soap operas: “The Young and the Restless” and “Bright Promise.” Geary played the role of Luke until 2015, although he returned for a cameo in 2017.

She lived a quiet life in Amsterdam with her husband Claudio Gama.

In a 1993 interview, Geary talked about the many ups and downs of playing Luke.

“I felt like I had to be Luke 24 hours a day or people would be disappointed,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, they are mythical creatures. They come together from two sides of the universe and have a mutual relationship, which is basically lust and admiration for the individuality. They love the eccentricity in each other.”

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Geary was born in Coalville, Utah, to Mormon parents. He was discovered while attending the University of Utah and performing on stage. He joined a touring company of “The Subject Was Roses”, which brought him to Los Angeles.

Over the years, he appeared frequently in stage productions alongside his screen work.

Geary’s first appearance on TV was as Tom Whalom in an episode of “Room 222”. He appeared in “All in the Family,” “The Partridge Family,” “The Mod Squad,” “Marcus Welby, MD,” “The Streets of San Francisco” and “Barnaby Jones.”