Luke Rides Into The Sunset One Last Time

Anthony Geary Says Goodbye To General Hospital

I wish I had words as to why this saddens me. I've never met Anthony Geary (though I wouldn't turn down the opportunity - you know in case anyone has connections). I think the closest I've come is meeting Jonathan Frakes who is currently wed to Genie Francis who has starred with Geary on and off for the past 37 years on General Hospital.

A lot of people may not recognize the names Anthony Geary and Genie Francis, but mention "Luke and Laura" and recognition dawns for quite a few. In 1981, more than 30 million households tuned in to watch the two of them marry in spectacular soap opera fashion. And yes, I was in one of those households. Basically from birth my schedule involved watching both General Hospital and Days of Our Lives thanks to my mother. I grew up with families like the Quartermaines, the Bradys, the DiMeras, the Hortons, the Cassadines, and the Spencers and their stories were as familiar to me like a good book with one exception...they didn't end.

Soap Operas operate in a unique place in the pantheon of entertainment and pop culture. Whereas your favorite character from your favorite book lives on in your memory and may eventually be brought to life by an actor on a movie or television screen, they mostly have a limited (pardon the pun) shelf life. A television show may last for three episodes, a season, or two decades, but there are only up to 25 episodes a season and your favorite character may not be in all of them. A movie character could have endless sequels as long as the money holds out...I'm looking at you Rocky Balboa. But that's their life at 90 minutes a pop. Soap Operas generally produce about 245-260 episodes a year.

And, since the show typically incorporated an entire town you had plenty of characters interacting during these episodes. And yes, roles get recast, character continuity depends on your writing staff more than actor's conviction, and amnesia affects more people than the common cold, but it's meant to be fun. It always has been and hopefully always will be. Actors and Actresses of all caliber have started on soaps, came back to soaps, guested on soaps, etc. Hell, my first recollection of Dame Elizabeth Taylor wasn't in either of her Oscar winning performances. It was as the evil incarnate, Helena Cassadine, on General Hospital against Anthony, Genie, and Tristan Rogers as the incomparable aussie, Robert Scorpio.

Meg Ryan, Christian Slater, Leonard DiCaprio, Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Pitt, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Morgan Freeman, and Nathan Fillion barely scratch the list of recognizable faces who started on a soap opera. However, much like actors who tread the boards for life, there are any number of actors who have dedicated the majority of their careers to entertaining folks on soap operas. Some to the tune of half of a century. Anthony Geary has spent 29 of his 68 years bringing life to the character of Lucas Lorenzo Spencer. And I've been along for the majority of those 29 years (I lost the habit of daily watching around the time fatherhood hit, but was drawn back to GH in 2013 with the 50th Anniversary).

Geary has decided that this year will be his last on the show and I believe him. He's always been watchful of his life, accepting larger vacations from the show instead of more money, taking opportunities to live abroad, star in plays, etc. And after all this rambling, I believe his leaving saddens me because I feel as though I'm losing a friend in Luke Spencer. I truly grew up with Luke. I may not have always understood the storyline (rape tends to be a bit beyond the mentality of a four year old) but Geary always seemed to draw me in to whatever crazy adventure he was on at the moment. I mean, really, freezing the world with a weather machine? Knight Rider had more plausible plot lines and that show starred David Hasselhoff (who also got his start on soaps btw).

So, to you Mr. Geary, I salute you and thank you for all the escapism you've provided to me over the past 37 years. May your exit be equal to your talent and if ever we do meet, please accept my speechless handshake with the respect and admiration that I put behind it even if I can't actually vocalize anything at that point.