'General Hospital' Icon Anthony Geary Dies After Surgery – Fans React to Last Photo with His Sweetheart

A beloved daytime television figure has died following a routine medical procedure, leaving fans reflecting on a final glimpse of his private life and celebrating his legacy.

In a shocking turn of events, beloved "General Hospital" icon Anthony Geary — forever etched into the hearts of fans as the charming yet tormented Luke Spencer — has died at age 78.

The soap opera titan passed away on December 14 from complications following a scheduled surgery, just three days after the procedure.

For decades, Geary captivated millions as one half of daytime TV's most famous couple, Spencer and Laura Webber. The eight-time Daytime Emmy winner remained a cornerstone of the soap world until the end, his name synonymous with passion, scandal, and unforgettable storylines.

Bittersweet Final Days

In the final weeks before his death, Geary found quiet joy in a tender moment. A heartwarming video posted by his husband, Claudio Gama, showed Geary watching a podcast featuring his longtime "General Hospital" co-star Genie Francis and fellow actor Maurice Benard.

The video captured the late star's emotional reaction as he listened to their conversation on "State of Mind." According to Gama, the moment made Geary "very happy." He lovingly recalled Geary's words: Francis and Benard were"lovely and talented people," and Geary said he missed them deeply.

Final Photo Sparks Outpouring Reactions from Fans Worldwide

Just days before his death, Gama had shared what would become the actor's final public photo. Taken on December 5 in Amsterdam, the touching snapshot depicted the couple wrapped in a peaceful, intimate moment.

The accompanying caption painted a picture of a quiet day spent celebrating a local holiday, savoring time at home, and planning a simple evening together.

Fans quickly commented on Gama's final photo, leaving behind a trail of aching admiration and deep sorrow. The image, Geary and Gama entwined in a moment of quiet love, struck a poignant chord. "

What a lovely photo," one person wrote, while another said, "Aw you look so cozy." One admirer captured the universal sentiment best: "Great looking couple."

General Hospital Family Left 'Heartbroken' by the Loss

As news of his passing reverberated through the entertainment world, People confirmed that representatives for Geary had been contacted. On Monday, December 15, "General Hospital" executive producer Frank Valentini broke the show's silence with a heart-wrenching statement.

"The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken," he said, hailing Geary as a brilliant actor whose unparalleled work set the standard for daytime drama. Valentini vowed that both Geary's legacy and that of Spencer would endure through the next generation of cast members. He closed by offering condolences to Gama, the rest of Geary's family, and close friends.

From Small-Town Roots to Soap Opera Immortality

Born May 29, 1947, in Coalville, Utah, Geary was the only son in a family of five. He grew up alongside three sisters. They were raised in a devout Mormon household by their father, who owned a construction business, and their mother, a homemaker.

Though his mother dreamed he might one day become a teacher, young Geary's heart belonged to the stage. That calling intensified in college, when a pivotal moment changed everything.

As a sophomore at the University of Utah, Geary caught the eye of Jack Albertson, who cast him in a touring production of "The Subject Was Roses." That moment lit the spark of a career that would stretch across decades and stages, eventually totaling more than 50 theatrical productions.

From Prime-Time Guest Roles to Daytime Glory

By the late 1960s, Geary had made it to Los Angeles, where the young actor quickly found his rhythm in television. He landed roles in "The Partridge Family," "The Mod Squad," and "All in the Family." These early successes paved the way for his foray into the soap world.

He first took on the role of David Lockhart in "Bright Promise," followed by a controversial turn on the first season of "The Young and the Restless." But it was a chance casting decision in 1978 that changed the course of television and Geary's life forever.

Gloria Monty, producer of "General Hospital," cast him as Spencer, an antihero whose complicated charm and intense chemistry with Webber electrified audiences.

Their on-the-run romance in 1980 turned the show into a juggernaut. Spencer and Webber's wedding episode attracted over 30 million viewers, making it the most-watched hour in soap opera history and cementing the couple as daytime royalty.

A Love Story Onscreen and a Quiet Life Abroad

Though adored on camera, Geary yearned for peace away from the limelight. In his later years, he found exactly that in the Netherlands, living a life of quiet simplicity with his husband, Gama. Through Gama's occasional social media posts, fans were offered tender glimpses into the couple's tranquil life in Amsterdam.

In a moment that now feels achingly poetic, Spencer's story on "General Hospital" ended in Holland as well. When Geary filmed his final scenes, the moment was nothing short of legendary.

Present on set was Francis, the woman who had been his partner in fiction — and in history. She was with him on his very last day, a symbolic closing chapter to the saga that defined them both.

But even in the glow of fame, Geary never shied away from the darker truths behind his legacy. In a rare moment of candor, he once said it was "difficult" to accept that his entire career might be overshadowed by one role. The phenomenon of Spencer and Francis, he explained, did not fully represent who he was — either as an actor or a person.

An Extraordinary Life, Lived on His Own Terms

Despite that struggle, Geary never failed to express gratitude. His decades on "General Hospital" afforded him opportunities few could dream of: a transcontinental lifestyle, creative freedom, and the ability to disappear into a world where celebrity meant nothing.

In the Netherlands, he found peace in anonymity, free from the weight of superstardom. Reflecting later in life, Anthony Geary described his path as nothing short of extraordinary. Though the journey was filled with complexities, he said it had been "worth it."