'General Hospital' Star Anthony Geary Died Due to Complications From Operation

Anthony Geary, best known for portraying Luke Spencer on "General Hospital," died Sunday at age 78 following complications from a scheduled operation earlier in the week, according to his husband.

Geary's husband, Claudio Gama, confirmed the cause of death to TV Insider, saying the surgery had been planned but led to unexpected complications.

Geary died days after the surgery, leaving family, friends, and colleagues across the television industry in mourning.

Geary spent nearly four decades associated with ABC's "General Hospital," where his portrayal of Spencer became a central part of the series.

Geary portrayed Spencer on and off for 37 years, remaining a fixture on the series until his retirement from full-time work in 2015 and making his final appearance in 2017, USA Today reported.

Spencer and Laura Collins, played by actress Genie Francis, became a long-running on-screen couple on "General Hospital."

The storyline drew attention beyond the daytime television audience during the early 1980s.

Their on-screen wedding episode, which aired in 1981, was watched by approximately 30 million viewers, making it the most-watched soap opera episode in television history.

After stepping away from "General Hospital," Geary relocated from Los Angeles to Amsterdam.

He married Gama in 2020. The couple had been together for more than three decades, according to Gama.

"It was a shock for me and our families and our friends," Gama told TV Insider. "For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband."

News of Geary's death prompted tributes from colleagues and executives associated with "General Hospital."

Frank Valentini, the show's executive producer, issued a statement on the show's official Instagram account, describing the loss as devastating to the cast and crew.

"Tony was a brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive for," Valentini said in the statement. "His legacy, and that of Luke Spencer's, will live on through the generations of #GH cast members who have followed in his footsteps."

Francis, meanwhile, shared a tribute on social media.

"This morning I woke up and went into my husband's arms. In my sleep, my life was flashing before me and I was afraid of death."

"An hour later, I received a call from Frank Valentini, he told me Tony died," Francis continued. "I immediately felt remorse, I hadn't spoken to him in years, but I felt his life end in my sleep last night, and with it a big part of me, and mine."

Actor Kin Shriner, who played Scott Baldwin, responded to Francis' post and said he experienced a similar moment before learning of Geary's death.

"I too was hit with gh dream last night that I tried to explain until I got the call," Shriner wrote, adding, "Tony was saying goodbye to both of us."

• 'Pulp Fiction' Villain Peter Greene Dies at 60
• Rob Reiner, Son of a Comedy Giant Who Became One in Turn, Dies at 78