Actress Genie Francis is heartbroken over the loss of her longtime co-star, Anthony Geary. He died Sunday at 78, and Francis is remembering their years together on daytime’s most famous drama, ABC’s “General Hospital.” Their on-air partnership on the show lasted an incredible 37 years, cementing their status as television royalty. Their amazing collaboration as a team brought them both multiple prestigious Daytime Emmy Awards.
Francis, now 63, looks back on their time together wistfully. Their chemistry as the golden couple, Luke and Laura, stole hearts and redefined daytime television with millions of people tuning in. In 1981, Luke and Laura got married on “General Hospital.” Almost 30 million viewers streamed the heart-stopping moment live, proving their tremendous popularity.
Reflecting on her late co-star, Francis stated with profound sorrow, “I’m so very sad. She described Geary as “a very warm person, very sensitive person, and incredibly funny.” Their connection had unique meaning. He was her first leading man, and she started working with him when she was still a minor. It’s Geary’s protective nature during those early years that would make a lasting impression on Francis.
The chemistry between Geary and Francis was quite the potent brew that led to their success. Their time on “General Hospital” not only entertained, but proved a catalyst for a cultural conversation. In the words of producer Gloria Monty, they were about to “turn the world of daytime upside down.” Francis remarked on this unique connection, stating, “He ruined me. He ruined me for leading men for the rest of my life basically. Because I started with the best.”
Even Geary himself freely admitted the procedural nature of their success was quite extraordinary. He once remarked, “There are all kinds of successes but ours was different in that it was truly lightning in a bottle.” The Luke and Laura days wasn’t just a popular soap opera arc, it generated the first mega-celebrity status for both actors.
Cameron Mathison, an actor who himself spent a decade on the show, is right when he says the impact of Geary and Francis’s characters cannot be overstated. He said, “The Luke and Laura days … they were huge. They were massive celebrities. They could barely walk outside.”
Anthony Geary’s influence reached far past his performance on “General Hospital.” During his own appearance during the podcast, he described his time on the show as unexpected. It was a fringe soap opera, almost cancelled, when it rose up, surprised them all and became this viral sensation and took over the country,” added Burgess. It’s a fleeting piece of history that I’m thankful to have been involved in.
