Anthony Geary is leaving ABC’s daytime soap opera General Hospital for good. He debuted on the show in 1978 and has remained a part of it since 1991.
Geary announced his retirement from the Luke Spencer character in an interview with TV Insider. He’s not planning on retiring from acting, just from GH.
“This show has been a huge part of my life for over half my life and Luke Spencer is my alter ego. But I'm just weary of the grind and have been for 20 years,” Geary, 67, told the site. “There was a point after my back surgery last year where it became clear to me that my time is not infinite. And I really don't want to die, collapsing in a heap, on that GH set one day. That wouldn't be too poetic.”
Geary said he made the decision in January and noted that executive producer Frank Valenti had an idea that it might be time for Luke to leave. He did promise that it will give Jane Elliot, who plays Tracy, a chance to give “the most wonderful, ass-kicking performance.”
Does Geary know how Luke will leave? “I've been given a sort of Reader's Digest version of the story,” he said, but wouldn’t give any further details of course. You’ll still have to watch.
As the Associated Press notes, Geary made his GH debut in 1978 and first left in 1984. He returned in 1991 to play a lookalike cousin, but that character was killed off and Luke returned for good in 1993.
ABC confirmed that Geary is leaving. Genie Francis, who played Laura and left GH in 2013, will be back this summer to be a part of Luke’s last story.
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