About
"I almost did Salvador with Oliver Stone, until he hired me and found out I was 'Luke Spencer,' and pulled back his offer. It was hurtful at the time, but I understand that if you're doing a big film, for the five seconds or less that someone goes, 'Isn't that that guy on General Hospital?' -- they're out of the movie. You want to take them into a movie and you want them to stay there. So a face or a voice, after all this time on TV, can be a negative to a film. Lucky for me, I don't enjoy doing film that much. Otherwise, it would have been devastating."
In the two-hour solo portion of his interview, Anthony Geary describes his early interest in movies and his acting ambitions. He talks about his move to Los Angeles, appearing with Jack Albertson in The Subject Was Roses on stage. He describes his work in two soap operas, Bright Promise and The Young and the Restless. He mentions his primetime appearances in the 1970s on such series as All in the Family and The Streets of San Francisco (in particular one Streets episode on which he played a heroin addict). He speaks about his approach to acting and how he learned the craft. He recounts his casting in his most well-known role, as "Luke Spencer" on the daytime serial General Hospital and his work with ingénue Genie Francis, who played "Laura." Geary gives his impressions of producer Gloria Monty and credits her with changing the face of soap operas. He talks about Monty's unconventional approach to producing General Hospital and cites as an example Monty's decision to shoot a scene between Genie Francis and him entirely improvised: a nine-minute sequence that led to his first Emmy award win. He looks back on the character of "Luke," how he was originally conceived, and his backstory. Throughout the interview, Geary discusses frankly his continuous struggle to keep the integrity of his character and avoid the pitfalls of clichéd writing. He talks about General Hospital storylines, working with his fellow actors, and fan reaction to "Luke." He speaks about playing a different character (a cousin of "Luke") in the early 1990s on General Hospital and how that character was killed off, dying in the arms of "Luke Spencer," thereby completing the transition for another return of Geary as "Luke." He fondly recalls meeting screen idol Bette Davis and the thrill it was to hear her say that she knew his work.
In the half-hour joint portion of their interview, Anthony Geary and Genie Francis discuss acting together as "Luke" and "Laura" on General Hospital. They also talk about the fan reaction to their appearance at ABC's Super Soap Weekend in 2006. Barrie Nedler conducted the interviews on June 14, 2007 in Beverly Hills, CA.
Highlights

Anthony Geary on the various roles he played in Streets of San Francisco

Anthony Geary on joining the cast of General Hospital

Anthony Geary on some of his best-known storylines on General Hospital; on leaving the series in 1982, and returning in 1991

Anthony Geary on winning a Daytime Emmy Award
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years and the development of his interest in theatre
On his first television roles on All in the Family, Bright Promise, The Young and the Restless, and The Streets of San Francisco
On his theatrical training
On joining the cast of General Hospital
Chapter 2
On his General Hospital character "Luke Spencer"
On the evolution of General Hospital's Luke and Laura "rape" storyline
Chapter 3
On his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
On some of his best-known storylines on General Hospital; on leaving the series in 1982, and returning in 1991
On the Daytime Emmy Awards
On the work environment at General Hospital; on Luke's love interests; on returning to the series in 1991; on the addition of Jonathan Jackson ("Lucky") to the cast
Chapter 4
On some of his other projects (radio, theatre, made-for-TV movies) he has done; on his celebrity; on his advice to aspiring actors; on how he'd like to be remembered
Chapter 5
START OF JOINT INTERVIEW WITH ANTHONY GEARY AND GENIE FRANCIS: Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their working relationship on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the beginning of the "Luke and Laura" storyline phenomenon on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their favorite storylines on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their favorite General Hospital storylines and their final thoughts on working together
Shows
All in the Family
Anthony Geary on his guest role in the All in the Family episode "Judging Books by Covers" (airdate: January 12, 1971)
Bright Promise
Anthony Geary on his role in the soap Bright Promise
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Anthony Geary on winning a Daytime Emmy
General Hospital
Anthony Geary his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
Anthony Geary on some of his best-known storylines on General Hospital; on leaving the series in 1982, and returning in 1991
Anthony Geary on winning a Daytime Emmy Award
On the work environment at General Hospital; on Luke's love interests; on returning to the series in 1991; on the addition of Jonathan Jackson ("Lucky") to the cast
Anthony Geary on joining the cast of General Hospital
Anthony Geary on his General Hospital character "Luke Spencer"
Anthony Geary on the evolution of General Hospital's Luke and Laura "rape" storyline
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their working relationship on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the beginning of the "Luke and Laura" storyline phenomenon on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their favorite storylines on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the fan reactions to their General Hospital characters
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the remarriage of "Luke and Laura" for their 25th anniversary on General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on their favorite General Hospital storylines and their final thoughts on working together
Streets of San Francisco, The
Anthony Geary on the various roles he played in Streets of San Francisco
Young and the Restless, The
Anthony Geary on early his role in The Young and the Restless
Topics
Characters & Catchphrases
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the beginning of the "Luke and Laura" storyline phenomenon on General Hospital
Fame and Celebrity
Actor Anthony Geary on his celebrity during the time of the "Luke and Laura" craze on General Hospital
We Celebrated
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
Professions
Actor
Anthony Geary on his theatrical training
Anthony Geary on his advice to aspiring actors
Genres
Daytime/Primetime Serials
Actor Anthony Geary on his celebrity during the time of the "Luke and Laura" craze on General Hospital
Anthony Geary on the evolution of General Hospital's Luke and Laura "rape" storyline
Anthony Geary on the future of the daytime serial
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
People
Norma Connolly
Anthony Geary his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
Ivor Francis
Anthony Geary on his role in the soap Bright Promise
Genie Francis
Anthony Geary on the evolution of General Hospital's Luke and Laura "rape" storyline
Douglas Marland
Anthony Geary on joining the cast of General Hospital
Quinn Martin
Anthony Geary on the various roles he played in Streets of San Francisco
Gloria Monty
Anthony Geary on his role in the soap Bright Promise
Anthony Geary on joining the cast of General Hospital
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the beginning of the "Luke and Laura" storyline phenomenon on General Hospital
Emma Samms
On the work environment at General Hospital; on Luke's love interests; on returning to the series in 1991; on the addition of Jonathan Jackson ("Lucky") to the cast
Kin Shriner
Anthony Geary his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner
Elizabeth Taylor
Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on the wedding of "Luke and Laura" on General Hospital
Jacklyn Zeman
Anthony Geary his General Hospital co-stars Jacklyn Zehman, Norma Connolly, and Kin Shriner