‘General Hospital’ to Re-Air Anthony Geary’s Farewell as Luke Spencer — Find Out When
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General Hospital will honor Anthony Geary, the eight-time Daytime Emmy winner who passed away on December 14, with a special encore of the July 27, 2015, episode marking Luke Spencer’s farewell to Port Charles.
Airing January 1, the repeat revisits the emotional hour that wrapped up Geary’s nearly four-decade association with the soap.
Geary joined GH in 1978 after catching the attention of the show’s executive producer, Gloria Monty, and became one of the most influential figures in soap opera history. He left in 1983, briefly returned in 1984, then rejoined the show in 1991 as Luke’s lookalike cousin, Bill Eckert, a role he played until 1993 before once again resuming the role of Luke. Geary retired from GH in 2015, making one final appearance in 2017.
ABC/Todd Wawrychuk
The storyline that led to Luke’s departure began the year before, in 2014, when Luke had undergone a profound psychological change. He began acting strangely and increasingly out of character, committing crimes and frightening his friends and family members. Viewers nicknamed this unsettling version of Luke “Fluke,” initially assuming it was Bill Eckert.
In early 2015, Fluke’s identity became the subject of widespread speculation. After a bomb exploded aboard The Haunted Star, the suspect’s fingerprints matched Luke’s. It was revealed that the man in custody was the real Luke, who was committed to Shadybrook after a violent courtroom outburst.
Luke escaped Shadybrook and sought out his sister Patricia (Dee Wallace), believing she knew the cause of his breakdown. After Luke held wife Tracy (Jane Elliot), daughter Lulu (Emme Rylan), and sister Bobbie (Jacklyn Zeman) hostage, Tracy ultimately broke through to him. Luke fled again but soon returned to his childhood home, where repressed memories surfaced: He had accidentally caused his mother Lena’s death in 1963 and killed his abusive father, Tim Spencer, in self-defense. That long-buried secret caused his personality to splinter, and “Fluke” was the manifestation of his dark side. Luke was arrested and sent for treatment.
Following his release, Luke reunited with Laura (Genie Francis), and they embarked on another adventure: Rescuing Lucky (Jonathan Jackson), Ethan Lovett (Nathan Parsons), and young Jake (James Nigbor) — whom Luke thought he’d killed in a hit-and-run accident — from Helena Cassadine (Constance Towers). Back in Port Charles, Tracy annulled their marriage. Brokenhearted, Luke returned to his childhood home in despair, faced his past, said goodbye to his family, and ultimately chose to leave Port Charles to face his future alone.
ABC/Todd Wawrychuk
In 2022, Tracy revealed that Luke had died under mysterious circumstances in a cable car accident in Austria, likely engineered by Victor Cassadine (Charles Shaughnessy).
Tune in on January 1 to relive how Geary closed the chapter on his legendary run on GH.
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC
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G
They should of never killed luke off screen. We probably won't get a tribute to him and everything he brought to GH. Let's face it luke & Laura are the only reason GH didn't get cancelled in the 70. GH hasn't been the same since Tony retired.
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P
should OF?
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Should've!
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G
LMFAO away has to be a temu version of spell check.
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G
Bless your heart
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A
This article is about what they chose to do as a tribute. I'd have preferred a week of the best Luke episodes or even a week of new compilation shows featuring clips and new interviews with his scene partners, but this is better than nothing.
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G
It's not really a tribute. ABC always shows reruns for the holiday's. This is like the 3rd time they showed this as a holiday episode.
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D
He wanted to leave the show, likely to retire. They certainly couldn't recast him. And the show is still great. But we will always miss Luke.
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G
I, for one won't be watching. I never cared for Luke after he raped Laura on the disco dance floor. When is Tristan Rogers and Denise Alexander going to be recognized? They passed away before Mr. Geary.
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G
I’ll pass. There’s no need to rewatch. I don’t have the attachment to this character like so many other viewers.
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G
Anthony Geary was an actor playing a role. He was not yet a household name and was not in a position to turn down or edit scripts. He played the role of a sleazy disco owner very well and the "rapist" implications should not tarnish his memorial. R.I.P. Mr. Geary~~~
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C
I thought they should repay the Luke and Laura wedding,
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D
As I have said before, and likely will continue to say, to me, it was never about Luke, although I admit to finding the whole Spencer family of great interest, but it was always about Tony, a very special actor, who will be missed. I will, of course, watch this encore episode, but I do not expect it to change my mind about Luke. He carries with him that awful time when violence against women was thought to be good soap & even to gain ratings. The Head of ABC Daytime was the one who insisted that that rape happen.
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He retired in 2015, and they killed off Luke in late 2021 early 2022. So again there was no reason to kill luke off . He was off screen for 6 years they should of kept it that way.
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