Anthony Geary, the eight-time Daytime Emmy-winning actor who immortalized the roguish Luke Spencer on General Hospital and helped create one of television’s most legendary supercouples with Genie Francis’ Laura, is dead. He was 78.

Geary passed away on December 14 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he had lived in retirement since 2015. His husband, Claudio Gama, confirmed to TV Insider that the actor died from complications following a planned surgical procedure three days earlier. “It was a shock for me and our families and our friends,” Gama said in an emotional statement. “For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband.”

The news has sent shockwaves through the soap opera world and beyond, with fans and former co-stars flooding social media with tributes to the man who defined daytime drama for generations.

“No star burned brighter than Tony Geary,” Genie Francis, who played Laura to Geary’s Luke in the iconic “Luke and Laura” romance, wrote in a heartbreaking post. “He was one of a kind. As an artist, he was filled with a passion for the truth, no matter how blunt, or even a little rude it might be, but always hilariously funny. He spoiled me for leading men for the rest of my life. I am crushed.”

Francis added a deeply personal note:

“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… he told me Tony died. Somehow, somewhere, we are connected to each other because I felt him leave last night. Good night sweet prince.”

ABC and the General Hospital team also issued a statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Anthony Geary, whose portrayal of Luke Spencer helped define General Hospital and daytime television. The entire #GeneralHospital family is heartbroken over the news of Tony Geary’s passing. Tony was a brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive for. His legacy, and that of Luke Spencer’s, will live on through the generations of #GH cast members who have followed in His footsteps.”

Geary joined General Hospital in 1978 as Luke Spencer, a character originally intended for just a short arc. But his electric chemistry with Francis turned Luke and Laura into a cultural phenomenon. Their 1981 on-screen wedding remains the highest-rated episode in soap opera history, drawing 30 million viewers and landing the pair on the cover of Newsweek.

Despite the character’s controversial beginnings — including a storyline involving sexual assault that was later reframed — Geary’s nuanced performance earned him a record eight Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor. He retired from the role in 2015 after nearly 2,000 episodes, moving to Amsterdam for a quieter life filled with travel, theater, and time with Gama and their beloved cat.

Fans are already sharing memories of Luke’s adventures, from ice princess capers to epic romances, with many calling him the ultimate anti-hero who changed soaps forever.

Rest in peace, Tony Geary. Your adventures — and that disco dance with Laura — will never be forgotten.

What’s your favorite Luke Spencer moment from General Hospital? Share your memories and tributes in the comments below; we’d love to hear from fellow fans during this heartbreaking time.