Anthony Geary, a beloved figure in the world of daytime television, passed away on Sunday, December 14, in Amsterdam at the age of 78, as reported by TV Insider.

The cause of his passing was complications following surgery that occurred three days prior to his death. Geary’s husband, Claudio Gama, confirmed the sad news, stating, “It was a shock for me, our families, and our friends. Tony has been my friend, companion, and husband for more than 30 years.”

Born on May 29, 1947, in Coalville, Utah, Geary’s talent was first recognized by actor Jack Albertson while he was a student at the University of Utah. Albertson, known for his role in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, cast Geary in a touring version of The Subject Was Roses.

Geary moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s to pursue a career in television, and in 1978, he landed the iconic role of Luke Spencer on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, opposite Genie Francis as Laura Webber Baldwin. Their on-screen relationship captivated audiences, despite a highly controversial storyline involving a rape scene aired on October 5, 1979, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter.

Geary initially exited the show in 1983 but returned in 1991 to take on the character of Luke’s cousin, Bill Eckert, until 1993. Eventually, he reprised his role as Luke Spencer and remained a regular until 2015, with a brief return for a cameo in 2017. Throughout his career on the show, he appeared in nearly 2,000 episodes and was honored with eight Daytime Emmy Awards for his remarkable performances.

Other TV credits of Geary’s include Mod Squad, The Partridge Family, The Streets of San Francisco, The Young and the Restless, Starsky and Hutch, Murder, She Wrote, Roseanne, and the General Hospital spin-off, Port Charles.

Francis paid tribute to Geary on X on Monday, writing, in part, “He spoiled me for leading men for the rest of my life. I am crushed, I will miss him terribly, but I was so lucky to be his partner. Somehow, somewhere, we are connected to each other because I felt him leave last night. Good night sweet prince, good night.”

General Hospital EP Frank Valentini also mourned Geary’s passing on X, writing on Monday, “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. We send our sincerest sympathies to his husband, Claudio, family, and friends. May he rest in peace.”