Anthony Geary
Encyclopedia
Anthony Geary is an American actor. He has starred on the ABC
daytime drama
General Hospital
as Luke Spencer
from 1978 to 1984 and from 1993 to present.
, the son of a homemaker and a contractor.
His character in General Hospital
began as a "hit man" and later as a rapist who fell in love and subsequently married his victim, Laura Webber
(played by Genie Francis
). The character became so popular that the writers turned Luke into a protagonist
. Luke and Laura's November 17, 1981 wedding began what was arguably the greatest love affair in the history of General Hospital
, if not daytime television. The early 1980s saw Luke Spencer in a series of nearly improbable storylines seemingly lifted from the pages of a spy novel, which only served to further the character's popularity.
He also portrayed Luke's lookalike cousin Bill Eckert on General Hospital
from 1991 to 1993.
He has won the Daytime Emmy Award
for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
" for General Hospital six times, a record for male actors and tying with Erika Slezak
and Justin Deas
for the most Daytime Emmy wins by an actor.
A notable exception from his series of dramatic roles is the part of a scientist/studio engineer in the comedy/spoof movie UHF
. He also starred in 1987's Disorderlies
with rappers
The Fat Boys
.
In 1971, Geary guest-starred on an early memorable episode of All in the Family
with fellow future soap star Phil Carey.
Geary has a winter and summer vacation from General Hospital.
In 1994, he appeared in an episode of "Roseanne
", alongside with his co-star Genie Francis.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
daytime drama
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
as Luke Spencer
Luke Spencer
Lucas "Luke" Lorenzo Spencer, Sr. is a fictional character in the American television soap opera General Hospital, and has been played by Anthony Geary since 1978.-Early years :...
from 1978 to 1984 and from 1993 to present.
Life and career
Geary was born in Coalville, UtahCoalville, Utah
Coalville is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,382 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Summit County...
, the son of a homemaker and a contractor.
His character in General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
began as a "hit man" and later as a rapist who fell in love and subsequently married his victim, Laura Webber
Laura Spencer
Laura Spencer is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. Laura was portrayed by Stacy Baldwin from 1974 to 1976, and since then has been played by Genie Francis, first from 1976–1982, and then from 1992–2002...
(played by Genie Francis
Genie Francis
Eugenie "Genie" Francis Frakes is an American actress known for her portrayal of Laura Spencer on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital. She is currently playing Genevieve Atkinson on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless...
). The character became so popular that the writers turned Luke into a protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
. Luke and Laura's November 17, 1981 wedding began what was arguably the greatest love affair in the history of General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
, if not daytime television. The early 1980s saw Luke Spencer in a series of nearly improbable storylines seemingly lifted from the pages of a spy novel, which only served to further the character's popularity.
He also portrayed Luke's lookalike cousin Bill Eckert on General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
from 1991 to 1993.
He has won the Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series is an award which has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys ceremony since 1974.In the lists below, the winner of the award for each year is shown first, followed by the other nominees....
" for General Hospital six times, a record for male actors and tying with Erika Slezak
Erika Slezak
Erika Alma Hermina Slezak is an American actress, best known for her role as Victoria Lord on the American daytime soap opera One Life to Live...
and Justin Deas
Justin Deas
Justin Deas is an American actor. He is known for his role as Tom Hughes #10 on As the World Turns and for his role as Buzz Cooper Sr. on Guiding Light...
for the most Daytime Emmy wins by an actor.
A notable exception from his series of dramatic roles is the part of a scientist/studio engineer in the comedy/spoof movie UHF
UHF (film)
UHF is a 1989 American comedy film starring "Weird Al" Yankovic, David Bowe, Fran Drescher, Victoria Jackson, Kevin McCarthy, Michael Richards, Gedde Watanabe, Billy Barty, Anthony Geary, Emo Philips and Trinidad Silva, in whose memory the film is dedicated.The title refers to Ultra High Frequency...
. He also starred in 1987's Disorderlies
Disorderlies
Disorderlies is a 1987 comedy film starring the rap group, The Fat Boys, and Ralph Bellamy.-Plot summary:Winslow Lowry, the no-good, indebted nephew of elderly, infirm billionaire Albert Dennison seeks to speed his uncle's demise by hiring three of the most inept orderlies he can possibly find...
with rappers
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
The Fat Boys
The Fat Boys
The Fat Boys are a successful African American hip-hop music trio from Brooklyn, New York City, that emerged in the early 1980s. Briefly, the group was known originally as the Disco 3.-Members:*Mark Morales a.k.a. "Prince Markie Dee"...
.
In 1971, Geary guest-starred on an early memorable episode of All in the Family
All in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
with fellow future soap star Phil Carey.
Geary has a winter and summer vacation from General Hospital.
In 1994, he appeared in an episode of "Roseanne
Roseanne (TV series)
Roseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from October 18, 1988 to May 20, 1997. Starring Roseanne Barr, the show revolved around the Conners, an Illinois working class family...
", alongside with his co-star Genie Francis.
Television filmography
- Port CharlesPort CharlesPort Charles was a daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from June 2, 1997 to October 3, 2003. It is a spin-off of the serial General Hospital, which has been running since 1963 and takes place in the fictional city of Port Charles, New York...
as Luke SpencerLuke SpencerLucas "Luke" Lorenzo Spencer, Sr. is a fictional character in the American television soap opera General Hospital, and has been played by Anthony Geary since 1978.-Early years :...
(1998) - Scorchers uncredited (1992)
- Night of the Warrior as LynchLynchLynch may refer to:*Lynching, also known as Lynch law; named after Charles Lynch ; a form of extralegal judgment and punishment, usually by killing*Terrace , a terrace, also called a "lynch"...
(1991) - Antony and Cleopatra, 1983 TV movie
- General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
as Luke Spencer (1978–1983, 1984, 1993-) / Bill Eckert (1991–1993) - The Young and the RestlessThe Young and the RestlessThe Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
as George Curtis (1973) - Bright PromiseBright PromiseBright Promise is an American daytime soap opera that ran on NBC from September 29, 1969 to March 31, 1972. It aired weekdays at 3:30 PM Eastern/2:30 PM Central.-Synopsis:...
as David Lockhart (1971–1972) - The Partridge FamilyThe Partridge FamilyThe Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
as Paul Hauser, Laurie's minister boyfriend (1972) - /li>
- SupercoupleSupercoupleA supercouple or super couple is a popular or financially wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or even obsessive fashion...