Anthony Geary

Actor


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

Actor Anthony Geary was interviewed for two-and-a-half hours in Beverly Hills, CA, consisting of two parts: one-half hour with General Hospital co-star Genie Francis, and two-hours alone. Geary describes his early interest in movies and his acting ambitions. He talks about his move to Los Angeles, appearing with Jack Albertson in "The Subject Was Roses" on stage. He describes his work in two soap operas, Bright Promise and The Young and the Restless. He mentions his primetime appearances in the 1970s in such series as All in the Family and The Streets of San Francisco (in particular one Streets episode in which he played a heroin addict). He speaks about his approach to acting and how he learned the craft. He recounts his casting in his most well-known role, as "Luke Spencer" on the daytime serial General Hospital and his work with ingénue Genie Francis, who played "Laura." Geary gives his impressions of producer Gloria Monty and credits her with changing the face of soap operas. He talks about Monty's unconventional approach to producing General Hospital and cites as an example Monty's decision to shoot a scene between he and Genie Francis entirely improvised: a nine minute sequence that led to his first Emmy Award win. He looks back on the character of Luke, how he was originally conceived and his backstory. Throughout the interview, Geary discusses frankly his continuous struggle to keep the integrity of his character and avoid the pitfalls of clichéd writing. He talks about General Hospital storylines, working with his fellow actors, and fan reaction to "Luke." He speaks about playing a different character (a cousin of "Luke") in the early 1990s on General Hospital and how that character was killed off, dying in the arms of "Luke Spencer," thereby completing the transition for another return of Geary as "Luke." He fondly recalls meeting screen idol Bette Davis and the thrill it was to hear her say that she knew his work. In their joint interview, Geary and Genie Francis discuss acting together as "Luke and Laura" and the fan reaction to their appearance at ABC's Super Soap Weekend in 2006. The interview was conducted by Barrie Nedler on June 14, 2007.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I almost did 'Salvador' with Oliver Stone, until he hired me and found out I was Luke Spencer, and pulled back his offer. It was hurtful at the time, but I understand that if you're doing a big film, for the five seconds or less that someone goes, 'Isn't that that guy on "General Hospital?"' -- they're out of the movie. You want to take them into a movie and you want them to stay there. So a face or a voice, after all this time on TV, can be a negative to a film. Lucky for me, I don't enjoy doing film that much. Otherwise, it would have been devastating."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Anthony Geary on the various roles he played in Streets of San Francisco
00:31
Anthony Geary on joining the cast of General Hospital
05:00
Anthony Geary on some of his best-known storylines on General Hospital; on leaving the series in 1982, and returning in 1991
10:21
Anthony Geary on winning a Daytime Emmy Award
03:25
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early years and the development of his interest in theatre
On his first television roles on All in the Family, Bright Promise, The Young and the Restless, and The Streets of San Francisco
On his theatrical training
On joining the cast of General Hospital

Chapter 2

On his General Hospital character "Luke Spencer"
On the evolution of General Hospital's Luke and Laura "rape" storyline

Chapter 3

On his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
On some of his best-known storylines on General Hospital; on leaving the series in 1982, and returning in 1991
On the Daytime Emmy Awards
On the work environment at General Hospital; on Luke's love interests; on returning to the series in 1991; on the addition of Jonathan Jackson ("Lucky") to the cast

Chapter 4

On some of his other projects (radio, theatre, made-for-TV movies) he has done; on his celebrity; on his advice to aspiring actors; on how he'd like to be remembered

Chapter 5

START OF JOINT INTERVIEW WITH ANTHONY GEARY AND GENIE FRANCIS: Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their working relationship on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the beginning of the "Luke and Laura" storyline phenomenon on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their favorite storylines on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their favorite General Hospital storylines and their final thoughts on working together
Shows

All in the Family

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Anthony Geary on his guest role in the All in the Family episode "Judging Books by Covers" (airdate: January 12, 1971)
02:17

Bright Promise

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Anthony Geary on his role in the soap Bright Promise
05:14

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Anthony Geary on winning a Daytime Emmy
03:25

General Hospital

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Anthony Geary on joining the cast of General Hospital
05:00
Anthony Geary on his General Hospital character "Luke Spencer"
19:52
Anthony Geary on the evolution of General Hospital's Luke and Laura "rape" storyline
10:08
Anthony Geary his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
04:43
Anthony Geary on some of his best-known storylines on General Hospital; on leaving the series in 1982, and returning in 1991
10:21
Anthony Geary on winning a Daytime Emmy Award
03:25
On the work environment at General Hospital; on Luke's love interests; on returning to the series in 1991; on the addition of Jonathan Jackson ("Lucky") to the cast
10:30
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their working relationship on General Hospital
03:04
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the beginning of the "Luke and Laura" storyline phenomenon on General Hospital
06:13
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their favorite storylines on General Hospital
02:04
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
05:23
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the fan reactions to their General Hospital characters
02:54
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the remarriage of "Luke and Laura" for their 25th anniversary on General Hospital
00:48
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their favorite General Hospital storylines and their final thoughts on working together
03:30

Streets of San Francisco, The

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Anthony Geary on the various roles he played in Streets of San Francisco
00:31

Young and the Restless, The

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Anthony Geary on early his role in The Young and the Restless
03:55
Topics

Characters & Catchphrases

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Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the beginning of the "Luke and Laura" storyline phenomenon on General Hospital
06:13

Fame and Celebrity

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Actor Anthony Geary on his celebrity during the time of the "Luke and Laura" craze on General Hospital
04:17

We Celebrated

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Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
05:23
Professions

Actor

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Anthony Geary on his theatrical training
03:43
Anthony Geary on his advice to aspiring actors
01:02
Genres

Daytime/Primetime Serials

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Anthony Geary on the evolution of General Hospital's Luke and Laura "rape" storyline
10:08
Actor Anthony Geary on his celebrity during the time of the "Luke and Laura" craze on General Hospital
04:17
Anthony Geary on the future of the daytime serial
02:38
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
05:23
People

Norma Connolly

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Anthony Geary his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
04:43

Ivor Francis

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Anthony Geary on his role in the soap Bright Promise
05:14

Genie Francis

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Anthony Geary on the evolution of General Hospital's Luke and Laura "rape" storyline
10:08

Douglas Marland

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Anthony Geary on joining the cast of General Hospital
05:00

Quinn Martin

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Anthony Geary on the various roles he played in Streets of San Francisco
00:31

Gloria Monty

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Anthony Geary on his role in the soap Bright Promise
05:14
Anthony Geary on joining the cast of General Hospital
05:00
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the beginning of the "Luke and Laura" storyline phenomenon on General Hospital
06:13

Emma Samms

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On the work environment at General Hospital; on Luke's love interests; on returning to the series in 1991; on the addition of Jonathan Jackson ("Lucky") to the cast
10:30

Kin Shriner

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Anthony Geary his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
04:43

Elizabeth Taylor

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Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
05:23

Jacklyn Zeman

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Anthony Geary his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
04:43

All Interviews

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