General Hospital
GH's Anthony Geary No Holds Barred Chat: Luke's Final Story, Next Year's Daytime Emmys, Jonathan Jackson & Genie Francis!
Courtesy/ABC
In a whopper of an exit interview from Michael Logan at TV Insider, Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer) shares his thoughts and lets it rip on many a subjects related to: his final chapter as the iconic Luke Spencer, working with his long time co-stars again Jonathan Jackson (Lucky), Genie Francis (Laura and more, if he will submit himself for the Daytime Emmys next year, even though he is no longer with the soap and more.
Additionally, the mighty Geary teases how Luke will exit the canvas on next Monday’s July 27th episode (in a scene with Maurice Benard’s Sonny) of the ABC daytime drama series, his thoughts on the story reversals of having both nemesis Frank Smith and the child Luke ran down, Little Jake Spencer (James Nigbor) turn out to be alive during his final weeks on the series. Geary also relates how he had chosen in his contract to have the right to rewrite dialogue over salary during Luke’s over three decades in Port Charles.
Below are a few interesting excepts from the interview, but make sure to check out the entire feature!
Courtesy/ABC
Geary on Little Jake being alive in story: “The audience saw that little boy dead on the operating table, and his organs were harvested. I do not understand the value of disassembling two of the best stories we’ve told (note: referring to Frank Smith as the other). I guess the point of bringing the child back from the dead was so Luke could be redeemed, but I never felt he needed that. I hate redemption. I’m sure there are audience members who didn’t want him to be a child killer and so they’re pleased, which is fine. But I was not thrilled.”
Geary on if he will submit himself for the Daytime Emmys next year in particular for GH’s 52nd Anniversary, where we learned Luke killed his mother and father: “I’m not like Oprah and Ellen, who took themselves out of the running after winning so many times. (Laughs) I don’t have their unyielding good taste. If nominated, I will happily be at the awards. I do not take those trophies lightly, because every one of my wins was for extraordinary and very meaningful material. I never think it’s in the bag.”
Courtesy/ABC
Geary on getting the opportunity to work with Jonathan Jackson (Lucky) one last time: “Jonathan and I sat in my dressing room for two nights in a row, well into the night, and we deconstructed the scenes we’d been given, and it was an incredibly creative, collaborative experience. Without changing the writer’s intention, we tried to bring to the fore what the audience knows about Luke and Lucky’s relationship, because it just wasn’t on the page. I feel our work it resulted in some of the best moments Jonathan and I have shared on screen. And that’s saying a lot, because we’ve had many. The boy is extraordinary and a true artist.”
Geary on Genie Francis (Laura) saying she was surprised that Tony would want her back for his final run on GH: “Genie was surprised that I was willing to work with her? Really? Wow. OK. I wonder who she’s been talking to. You know, there are very few great teams that last as long as the fans want them to. Astaire and Rogers. Abbott and Costello. Martin and Lewis. They rarely end well. It’s a struggle.” He also noted about working with Genie: “She’s always been a wonderful actress and a supreme professional. We’ve had our ups and downs. There’s no harm in saying that. It was a stormy marriage, on screen and off. But this last time together was absolutely lovely.”
So soap fans, what do you think about Tony’s comments on Luke’s final story? Genie Francis and Jonathan Jackson? Would you like to see the icon nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2016? The rest of his sentiments in the interview? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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I have to say I kind of agree with him comments about bringing back little Jake from the dead. I never felt like Luke needed redemption from that. He was a drunk and he hit and killed a little boy who ran out into the road at night. It wasn’t like he meant to kill him. He might have killed him even if he had not been drinking.
RC seems he cant write the show unless he changes history…i can let some pass but RC over does it…he needs to create something fresh…not chop up another writers stories whether they were good or bad(like the killing off a beloved vet)…move on!!!
Agree– I just don’t like RC’s writing/stories like many seem to.
Jenny, I agree with a lot of his comments.
Back when Luke killed Frank Smith, some 30 years ago, Frank was a very old man and Luke was a very young man.
Suddenly, Frank Smith is not only alive, he is younger than Luke.
And after delivering maybe two lines, Smith dies.
Terrible writing and Tony Geary did his best to rise above it.
“They’ve given me a terrific wrap for my character,” he said. “He’s been a difficult, eclectic character to find a logical motivating conclusion for, but they’ve done that.”
This is Geary to “The Los Angeles Times”.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-tony-geary-20150727-story.html#page=2
The excerpts from the “tvinsider” interview with Michael Logan are what make of the article on this page. In that, he paints Ron Carlivati as aloof and uncommunicative…
GEARY: “I think the problems were always more with the writer than with Frank, although the writer and I have never spoken.”
LOGAN: “Literally? Seriously?”
GEARY: “We’ve sat at the same table at the Emmys and what not, but he never has anything to say to me.”
CORRECTION. “…make up the article on this page…”
Please read the entire interview before you comment or trust me you will get the wrong impression. A lot of the things he said were right on the money I especially love his take on Twitter and that you have to be a pretty boy to make it anymore. I can tell you one thing RC is going to need a stiff drink he pulls no punches about the writing. Yikes!
But I will add this Ian Buchanan /Duke left with grace and never spoke a bad word about anyone. I believe in any situation like my Mom always told me try to take the high road and leave with grace and dignity. The journalist Logan who interviewed him has been at war with RC I think it is time to grow up boys and move on.
K./kay, I so agree with “take the high road and leave with grace and dignity.”
Exactly. TG called LnL fans children who don’t want their parents divorced but to me he is a child who throws a tantrum whenever he doesn’t get his way with his character. And for someone who seems to delight in calling LnL “dead” and overdone, he SURE does allude to his affair with Liz Taylor every time he can fit it into the conversation. Having read this whole interview I got the idea TG is going to save money on a flight to Amsterdam by just sailing over with the wind of his big ego filling up his head.
HE HAD PLENTY OF GRACE & DIGNITY!!! I’m not even the biggest Luke fan but I LOVE HIS HONESTY!! Which he was right on about. No need to rewrite history. I mean they should have never killed te kid in the first place..but they did so let’s move on.
I didn’t get the impression he has an over-inflated ego. I read the whole interview and saw someone who was honest. He knows the character of Luke better than anyone, and I can see how it would be frustrating when new writers come in and change things.
It is quite refreshing to read the truth rather than a spin.
Ian didnt retire and would consider a return. Tony doesnt care about ever returning.
He’s needs counseling. He needs lessons in graciousness. He is bitter and ungrateful. Glad to see him go. He scorns what made him millions-LnL. He has no dignity or grace.
A lot of people make good money at their jobs and bad mouth them out the door. Sometimes you have to bite your tongue until you are free from others controlling your future. It doesnt mean he needs counseling!
I don’t understand dissing Ron’s writing and not the Guza/Phelps era…
I think TG really liked Guza/Phillips and they brought the match with Tracy and dumped Genie. The Luke and Laura couple is upsetting because it’s a partnership and he is a singleton. There’s no reason there couldn’t be a couple who were successful and together. The audience wasn’t the one who made up the story and they shouldn’t be criticized for expecting it. The meme that Luke’s relationship was over long ago and he was crazy for Tracy was his expectation that the audience could be led or even more likely, aged out but the fact is that the 80s was the best time for GH and Luke and Laura were the stellar couple. The interview is interesting how he complains about Luke and Laura and blames the audience but in the next question, he describes them as a couple that gratefully the audience never tired of. Thus, much of his interview is pure emotion and I’m sure over the phone. Meeting face to face would have checked some of the vitriol. There’s value in getting this information but there’s harm too.
Last comment stop and ask yourself TG says he never talked to Ron then why in a April interview he talked about talking to Ron about changing it to being Luke instead of the original plan of Bill Eckert. The man also says he did not remember Holly knowing Bill etc. bottom line this interview and the questions concerning the current writer was nothing more then Logan still arguing with RC. I believe a thank you for having a job and getting six months time off would have been nice. I agree with TG on hiring people for their looks I agree with him about Twitter but it never serves any purpose to burn bridges.
nice interview,, then on the heels of this general hospital announces genie francis is leaving for 2 months and then back again,,,bull crap ,,do the powers that be really think the audience is that stupid that we will believe more of there garage trash mouths,,i knew this was going to be the case ,,fans suckered in one more time,,and as a fan im so dissappointed in genie francis herself…to help aid the let on of her return…i for one have had enough…so good bye g,h and good bye genie,,,time to tune back into y and r and give this kindergarden production up.
Fair weather fan, huh?
You guys better not say anything critical of Anthony Geary because Michael Fairman will delete them.
Only positive things around here. Truths are hard to come by.
Anthony deserved better writing. Having said that, he is a class act and brought life and depth to the story. Luke will be sorely missed. I fear that GH is killing off an entire generation (not all their (GH) fault) but to truly reflect life, all generations should be represented. Have a happy life, Anthony.
If you think that interview was a class act, I hate to see what you think is not a class act. He’s a loser …at GH and in life
Whoa! Class act? I don’t call “biting the hand that feeds you” a class act. He would probably have NONE of the things he treasures if it hadn’t been for General Hospital, including his friendship with Elizabeth Taylor!
I, for one, am glad to have Luke gone.
SZims. TG didn’t “bite the hand that feeds him.” He said he loved every minute…the good and the bad…being on GH. He also expressed love for his co-workers and great affection/respect for Jonathan Jackson and Jane Elliot. Respect as well to Frank.
Great, straightforward, candid interview…a REAL behind-the scenes look at the workings of GH, and an honest account…albeit one that he’s told before, about his contract and preferences. I think it says a lot, in a positive way, about an actor who cares so much about his character that he takes less of a pay increase for the right to input dialogue.
Loved everything he had to say. Respect.
Hi, Vicki.
I have only been a fan of GH for just over a year. I only knew Luke as Fluke. We became instant enemies…LOL. However, through all that debacle, I could not deny Anthony’s talent.
Recently I have come to appreciate what the fuss, surrounding this bigger than life character/actor, is all about. I saw the ease which he has with the cast and vice versa.
I did not like this man, for the longest time…..his eyes scary and cold. But, there it is….appearances, especially in perceiving a character, can be deceiving.
Today’s scene with Traci, actually cinched it for me. What I saw before me was real. Yes, they were in character, but at the same time, they were also Jane and Tony. Their parting tears came from the heart….to me, the emotions were palpable. I was so moved when Jane and Tony embraced, I cried….something which would have never been seen from me pertaining to Luke/Fluke/Anthony. To repeat what Luke said to Traci…” Who would have thunk”!
Godspeed.
A classy women who has come to her senses!
@Timmm. Thank you, Timmm. The compliment, coming from you, means the world to me.
“Extraordinary and meaningful material”? Not so much.
And why didn’t he sit with Genie Francis and “bring to fore what the audience knows about the Luke and Laura relationship? Very telling remark indeed. Doesn’t he care to remember that that relationship put him on the map?
Can you tell that I find his comments about Genie not only telling but a bit lame.
I thought that too .. he was much more concerned about having meaningful Lucky scenes than Luke&Laura .. oh heck, he didn’t care about having Luke&Laura scenes at all!
Oh, yes he did! He cared that they were as minimal and as ineffectual as they could possibly be.
Luke under the Laura relationship was always under her shadow. I just watched the wedding night on youtube and Luke has a flashback of Scotty punching him out at Luke and Jennifer’s wedding and being attacked by Scotty during his wedding with Laura. Luke says he can’t believe he made it to this day and thanks her for marrying him. Laura says she is so proud to be married to him. Tony doesn’t want to be under anyone’s shadow. Except for Liz. I think Boy Toy is pretty accurate for his relationship with Elizabeth Taylor. Tony always was a film fan and a lover of the old stars, to actually be wanted sexually by a major star would have been really heady for him. He keeps expanding on this relationship but he had to have closer ones over the years. This is either the only one he feels comfortable talking about or he really does distance himself from people. I think both.
Lots of jealousy and animosity. Better for them now than in the past.
I followed the link and read the entire interview..
I have to say– I was enthralled reading Tony’s thoughts..
Tony said it all.. no need to twist what he said or dissect it and throw in my thoughts and feelings, Tony said his feelings and nobody should mess with them.. (turn his words into how they see it ) Tony has spoken ..
A great interview, one of the best I’ve read..
(( When out of contract one can speak up 🙂
And now I have spoken…no class=Tony Geary
Bye bye Luke!! Personally I’m glad hes leaving. I absolutely do not care for his over inflated ego,,,L& L made him and for him to be so RUDE ,,,don’t let the door hit ya where the Lord split ya!!
I also read the TV Insider interview in it’s entirety before posting….
I’m not sure everyone will appreciate his candid and deliberate
responses to the questions asked… I believe he’s lived the right
to say what needed to be said… After all Anthony Geary has left
the building.
And thats it su, he doesnt have to kiss anyones ass anymore and he said how he felt. Isnt that refreshing!
Refreshing would be to hear the honest opinions of the people who have had to work with and around him for all these years. It’s as though there was a unspoken law that newbies had to kiss his ring so Geary obsessed fans wouldn’t turn on them. I’ve never been impressed with his non-GH work, and have politely
toletated him for the last 25 years. If I had known just how utterly over he was with this role, I would have taken pen to paper and written ABC a letter a week to please stop renewing his contract! I would have begged them to stop submitting him for Emmys so that actors that I actually like would have a chance at winning
Until recently, I wasn’t aware that there were problems with Tony & Genie. I’m assuming (which yes, is bad to do) that this revolved around Tony’s unhappiness w/ Luke & Laura’s story. It’s possible that feelings could have gotten hurt over his vocalness about not wanting to continue the Luke/Laura story. Anyone have any real info on what there “downs” were?
I agree that bringing Jake back to life (though I don’t think he should have ever been killed off) doesn’t really make sense. But that’s soap writing.
I seem to recall that it was Tony Geary himself who wrote, with his co-writer Irene, the “return of Luke and Laura” after the “Bill” character didn’t pan out. Gloria Monty was fired by ABC after that, and Tony wanted to return and persuaded Genie to return also.
You can’t have it both ways, Tony.
Amen
I guess u missed all the interviews over the years where he dissed the L and L fans, and dissed her, too. She knew it, and thats why she was so surprised to be asked back for his exit. She knows how he feels.
I was hoping Luke’s final scene: On a dark moonless night, Luke, alone, travels down a lonely country road reliving, in flashback, his life in PC. Then there is a big flash of light and a big spaceship lands in front of him. Casey The Alien exits the ship and beckons Luke to join him. Luke asks ‘Are you taking me to your leader?’ Casey just nods. Inside Luke meets the alien leader and he looks at her in astonishment! ‘OMG!’ gasps Luke. Its Holly!!! Holly tells Luke she is an illegal alien and cant stay in America too long!!! Luke says he always knew Holly was foriegn but not that foriegn!!! Holly says she is taking him to her planet Fallon where they will unite as King and Queen and together they will rule her DYNASTY…lol
Love your irreverent take on things. Sometimes a sense of humor is the only way to explain GH happenings.
LOL– I did, however, expect there to be flashbacks with a young Lucky, etc. Maybe the last episode has them but I was pretty disappointed that we didn’t see them with Laura, Tracey, Ethan, and Lucky especially! To me, it felt like an appropriate way to acknowledge all the years of history there!!
Brilliant, Jimh! If only…
I have just now finished reading the entire interview. Wow, what venom Tony Geary spews! He calls the acting environment “a rat-infested jungle”–talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Wow. He says the character of Luke “was unique. . .and mythical.” Operative word “WAS.”
So he traded salary for the “right to change dialogue”—wow, again, he has even a greater ego than I thought. MOMENTAL would be an understatement.
No class…he scorns what made him a millionaire
@nancy first going on a road trip with family and I am going to get some of your books! Got a favorite I might try ? Second something is going on with TG he has conflicting statements and many times I have seen the live in interviews that he had for Genie I think you are a smart lady and I think I can leave it unsaid and you know where I am headed.
Love!
Hey there, K/kay–have a great road trip with your family.
I’m very flattered that you want to read my books. You might try AMERICANA RURAL( from Wind Publications). It’s on Amazon. It’s one of my later books and has selections of poems and short fiction from the earlier books of mine. Thank you so much!
And I agree with you–something’s definitely going on with TG–that much anger seems unnatural, doesn’t it?
This is the knock on the guy who plays Victor Newmwn, as well. He is very protective of how the writers write him and I have no problem with that.
I find it very interesting to compare TG’s and Genie’s deportment re Luke and Laura and their experience on GH.
Just finished reading the article. Best wishes to Tony. I will truly miss his talent and his wit. I will not miss his sometimes bitter “tortured artist” side but I understand how he came to that and it’s his right to feel whatever he wants to feel. I hope he finds happiness and contentment in his new chapter. I hope in time he will forgive the media and the crazed fans who ruined Luke and Laura for him. I hope there is a part of him that recognizes not all of the LnL fans are crazed nor limited in their thinking. Many of the LnL fans are simply grateful for the memories and for the magic he brought to the screen back in those days. Often artists have to step away for a while before they can see their fame or their image in a different light. I’m sorry he learned about Genie Francis’ comments so casually. I wish the interviewer had read more of her article to him so he wouldn’t have felt like she was being snarky. (…if that’s how he felt..I have no idea.) It’s nice to learn he had nothing to do with the Frank Smith return story. I hope he realizes plenty of the LnL fans are just as disappointed in the Frank Smith return story as he is. And plenty of the LnL fans are just as disappointed in the lackluster writing as he is. Also, plenty of the LnL fans feel Laura and Tracy both deserve better than present-day Luke. I’m happy the writers brought the Paul Hornsby character back to stir things up with Tracy. I keep wishing they would bring someone interesting to stir things up with Laura. Genie stated she would like for Laura to run Kelly’s Diner. I wish they would invite Doug Sheehan back as Joe Kelly. The character of Joe would be retirement(ish) age now and he might be curious to return to his roots and see his family’s diner again. The character of Joe probably has some kids and grandchildren by now. The writers could incorporate some Kellys into the mix. Joe and Laura might be a nice coupling. …wishful thinking on my part I guess.
Very well put.
I love Tony & his character Luke. I didn’t realize that him & Genie didn’t always get along. I have always loved Him & Jonathan together. You could tell they had great chemistry. he should totally put himself in & should win. he’s the best.
Tony Geary’s storyline dictates have ruined the character of Luke. It’s all well and good for Luke to branch out from Laura for awhile, but at the end of the day (and the show), we need to know they had a love that will never die. Otherwise, what was the point?!! Would 30 million viewers have tuned in to their wedding if they’d known what Luke was going to turn into? A cheating piece of scum, cheating with his BEST FRIEND’s WIFE, no less! Showing barely any affection for Laura now, he “loves” Tracy! I’m sorry, but if he cheated on LAURA, the great romance of his life, he is not capable of truly loving anybody. He’s not even sorry for it! Not content with ruining Luke, Geary had to ruin Holly’s character too. Drag her through the mud with him. And now he has the NERVE to criticize RC’s Frank Smith story as “uncreative”. ITA, but he thinks “Fluke” IS creative?!! And cheating on Laura IS creative?!! How many times have we seen couples cheat when the writers can’t think of anything else for them to do? Dante & Lulu anyone? And he thinks killing little Jake was “one of the best stories we’ve told”. Seriously?! That was a bold-faced rip-off of “B.J.’s Heart”, and, even though well-acted, it was not about Jake’s death at all, it was ALL about Luke and his pain. And Jason and his pain. And Carly and Joss. And Luke’s intervention. And Jonathan Jackson’s ability to cry on cue. Jake didn’t even merit a funeral! It was carefully engineered to win Geary and Jackson more Emmies. Can you tell I’ve lost all respect for Mr. Geary? He has an ego the size of New York, everything’s all about HIM! Can’t wait for him to leave.
Maddiehayes, you say it so very well.
good bye tony geary,,dont let the door hit u in the ass on the way out,,,oh yes genie francis made you,,,dont forget it. without her laura u would have only ben a 6 week stint,,
Thanks Nancy, coming from you that’s high praise 🙂
You are so right, Randy, Tony Geary was nothing to look at, and if it weren’t for his amazing chemistry with Genie, he would have never been leading man material. Character actor, yes, my kids love him in that old movie UHF with Weird Al.
Don’t kid yourself…he had control over those story lines…
I am SO with your every word maddiehayes.
ehh Tony doesn’t have a bigger ego than earned..
What Tony is is blunt,,
He doesn’t hold back and tells it as it is with him..
He doesn’t pamper his words, and I respect Tony for that ..
Its 2015 and some people just cannot handle honesty. I find it refreshing that the man said what was on his mind and didnt beat around the bush and kiss everyones ass. He may come off a bit ungrateful but I am tired of watching or reading blah,. blah, blah! Give me the truth!
Did Frank Smith actually have a story…i blinked and he was gone…lol
He was a good actor. They should have casted him as someone else. Frank Smith needed to stay dead!
You shut it all down in this post, maddie. You said it all! Social media is buzzed with most fan saying the same thing. He just couldn’t leave without one last FU to the audience. I’m nor surprised though.
Goodbye, Tony. Your rewrites weren’t any better than Ron’s or Guza’s. So hypocritical. I hope they never allow him to come back to this show. He has done so much to ruin GH and a few other characters on the canvas just so he could play Luke however he wanted to. He has no sense of reality and that’s probably the worst thing out of this whole mess.
You are right, Luke & Lucky’s scene was pretty much a rehash of the talks they had after Jake was killed and during the intervention “you made fatherhood look like so much fun, I wanted to experience it from the other side of things” written by Guza.
me3 ..
If Tony wanted a give out a fuk you, he would not hesitate to put it out there..
Tony is the type to not play games with his thoughts..
Knowing that- Tony never gave a ”fuk you” to the audiance
if he had he would have said it loud and clear.. .. lol 🙂
Yeah… I guess we must be mistaken when we read him saying
“And I realize that I am biting the hand that fed me.”
Maddie, they were! Not to mention rewriting LnL’s history, Luke being an alcoholic again and, my recent favorite, Holly not knowing Bill Eckert. He wasn’t even in that scene. All rewrites that the fans hated! I don’t think he has any lingering issues with Genie, though she may have a few with him now.
Tony’s venom is pointed at Ron in this interview. Bullseye.
AMEN!! Personally…I’m not shedding any tears over Luke/Tony leaving. I’m glad Genie will stick around.
I don’t even think his acting is as good as everyone says. His scenes as Fluke were so over the top that Joel McHale kept replaying one of them over and over, in order to ridicule it, on “The Soup.” It was classic bad soap opera acting. If Tony was so great, how come he never succeeded in any other medium? When he realized that he wasn’t going to become the huge star he thought he deserved to be, he went crawling back to GH.
The Luke and Laura romance ended because TG loathed working with Genie Francis, his acting partner who made him a star. It could have been written very differently if TG wasn’t such a conceited jackass. Why GH accommodated his demands all these years is beyond me, particularly the unending, unwatchable and demanded by Tony Fluke story. And him claiming partial credit for that awful story just shows how clueless he is. How he won an Emmy for that is beyond me.
He showed no respect for the show or his fans. And if you believe that his relationship with Elizabeth Taylor was a “romance,” I’ve got a nice bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.
I hope no one tracks him to Amsterdam and does a year of how are you doing now articles. Good Luck and Be Gone already. LOL
Thanks for the memories but …NOW BOARDING AT GATE 12…
This interview just proves to me, again, it is time for Tony Geary to go!
Proves to me that its time for GEARY to let go! As interesting as this read was its filled wuth resentment. He’s going to miss this show like crazy and I can only hope they don’t allow him to return. He’s not worth the hassle.
The comments on here about Tony’s ego: I’m torn. I agree he has often come across as righteous indignant and I agree he has always been sensitive with a big ego. I agree he has often been up on a high horse and he can be condescending in interviews sometimes. If I were in the GH family, I would never want to be on his bad side. I think over the years he has gotten in his own way sometimes. Sometimes he admits to his negative side. In a previous interview, he admitted to his poor behavior displayed during his first Emmy win. He said he feels humiliated when he sees the youtube footage of his first Emmy win and how “entitled” and angrily he behaved. I think he is capable of seeing his mistakes but not until many years have passed. I think he may always be a conflicted person and I’m sure this is what fuels his talent. At least those around him know where they stand with him. He doesn’t mince words. When it comes to working with anybody like that, I respect the honesty but not always the delivery. I think he thinks of GH as an open wound. Maybe time will close the wound eventually and he can look back more fondly of the whole experience. He has never claimed to be a “normal” person. Whenever I begin reading any of his interviews, I have to brace myself because I know there is going to be things in there that can be upsetting sometimes.
He is a complete hypocrite. He complains about RC doing re-writes of stories well done the first time and yet he collaborated with Bob Guza to do the very same thing before RC ever wrote one word down. (Ethan…. cheating on Laura…. hating his life…etc.) He calls LnL fans children who want their parents back together, but when he doesn’t get his own way he “Bullies, cajoles and subverts” (his words, not mine). He says that LnL is dead, buried, a corpse but yet he talks about the Elizabeth Taylor thing every chance he gets. Which is further behind in the past? I think he is going to have some emotional problems when all is said and done because to me this article portrays him as a bitter and egotistical old man. Who has burned his bridges not only on GH, but what producer or director would want to work with an actor who gives interviews such as these?
And if I were he I would forget about being nominated for that last daytime emmy.
Unfortunately he will get nominated on the strength of playing dual characters.
Exactly, Elizabeth, he had no trouble with the nonsensical rewrite that Luke had cheated on Laura THROUGHOUT their marriage, AND Laura put up with it and understood! Not to mention, Ethan was conceived during a time when Luke&Laura AND Robert&Holly were blissfully happy with each other. So we are supposed to believe that not only Luke, but HOLLY was a cheater as well?! Terrible! As for Liz Taylor, having a big star like her admiring him would give a person a heady feeling .. but she would never have noticed him if he didn’t have that magical pairing with Genie. He needs to get that through his thick head.
I really think he will NOT get nominated as his comments as they relate to the show were not complimentary in the least. And it is the show that would nominate him.
Yes, guess he will have fill up his time writing that memoir he has talked about for ages. In it, he can spill his guts ad nauseam and spew his venom forever. Don’t know if it will be a “best seller,” however.
Hey, Genie! I’ld love to read YOUR memoir re those years on GH. I’ll even help you write it, if you want. LOL
Agreed, Beth, that, even in this interview, he makes very brutal, critical remarks then turns right around and says it is “petty” for him to speak thus. And, I too, have heard him talk about and wonder why he was so angry in one of his earlier Emmy acceptances.
And I think what an apt, and accurate, description you use to describe his thinking of GH as “an open wound.”
I think, however, that it is over-indulgent and simply unprofessional of him (if I may again mix a metaphor) to “burn the whole house (and its occupants) down” in the process.
Two comments by none other than two of our presidents perhaps put things in perspective: “grace under pressure,” and “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” But, alas, by Tony’s own admission, he stayed for the money. Not admirable.
Oh darlings he will get nominated his peers and columnists think he is the second coming!
True, Nancy. I heard someone say “The murderer of a dream is a good job.” Normally, that applies to someone working in a stable office job when they want to be an artist. I sense Tony felt like he had the “office job” version of acting. I think he appreciated it, but was very bored with it. He often came across as unfulfilled (among other things). Like you said, “if you can’t stand the heat…” I’ve seen interviews where he said he doesn’t believe in auditioning; that his history of work should speak for itself. He seemed offended by the notion of having to audition in order to land jobs outside of GH. I have no idea what other well known actors go through. I can only assume many or most of them have to audition for other roles. I’m happy for him that he was able to take his job (even if it bored him) and use it to finance his dream of living in Europe. I’m just sorry about the burned bridges and how he resigned to this LnL disgust which he harbors. If he was that uninspired professionally and creatively, he could have fought through the GH and LnL typecasting if he wanted to badly enough. …but if you don’t/won’t audition. I love him for his acting talent but I wince when he takes delight in a graceless remark. I truly hope he finds professional fulfillment in his new chapter.
Some of the posters here amaze me; you actually sound offended. “How dare he do this…say that…”
He’s an actor. He played the incredibly charming, swashbuckling, adventure hero/antihero on GH on and off for over thirty years. He’s entitled to have his own opinions about his TV alter ego, he’s entitled to love some of his co-workers and not so much others. He’s entitled to not like his work environment or the GH acting process…and he’s entitled to want to shake off Luke and Laura and put them on a back shelf.
He was direct, self-effacing…he knew as he spoke that some of you would be pissed…and he had the conviction to say what he feels anyway. Just because he wanted to move past Luke and Laura doesn’t mean he didn’t have a blast back then…or that he doesn’t realize how that couple escalated his popularity on the show. It also doesn’t mean he has to ride on the popularity of L&L forever…just as any actor who starred in one show that was a hit wouldn’t want to move alway from the character he/she played. Imagine Jennifer Aniston only known for being Rachel from FRIEND/ after she moved on…
I guess Paul McCartney should only talk, walk and sing The Beatles, Beyoncé is only Destiny’s Child, Jerry Lewis should’ve folded after he and Martin split. My point, and Tony’s, is some couples, duo’s, groups are great…and then they part ways. And they go on to other people, places, things. He doesn’t OWE fans anything and he doesn’t have to wax poetic about Luke and Laura. If that couple holds a special place for you, a nostalgia, that’s great. He’s not taking that away. He can’t. No one can. That’s the beauty of memories…and YouTube. 🙂
But the man, the actor, went on to new stories, new loves on GH. He evolved, as people do. I, like many fans, think the man carved a very special place in Port Charles. Not just as Laur’a’s husband, but Lucky and Lulu’s father, Carly’s uncle, Bobbie’s brother, Scottie’s thorn, Sonny’s bud, Helena’s arch frenemy..,Anna’s friend almost love…Tracy/Spanky’s great love. Luke, Fluke, Dr. Schnitzel, Witzel, Fitzel or whatever crazy foreign feigned-accent scientist he transformed himself in to…He gave countless hours of fun familiarity…immersed himself in his character…and I say “I’ll miss you, Luke Spencer! Take care of Tony and break a leg ( but watch that back!) in your next venture…
The man brings new meaning to the words,ungrateful a**hole. In the end he’s what he has played for so long…a loser.
Luke was not an upstanding citizen and Tony does seem bitter BUT I am a fan of his ACTING. A loser is someone who busts into a church and shoots and kills nine innocent people!
TONY IS ALWAYS WONDERFUL TO WATCH AND ESPECIALLY WITH GENIE AND JONATHAN JACKSON. THE STORY LINE WAS SHOCKING, BUT A HAPPY ENDING FOR ELIZABETH AND JASON,IF ONLY HE KNEW. I HOPE LAURA WILL TELL HE THE TRUTH AND THAT HE GOES BACK TO SAM AND DANNY,SORRY TO PATRICK.
AND I HOPE VALERIE WILL BECOME PREGNANT AND THAT LULU AND DANTE HAVE SOME GOOD FIGHT SCENES. G.H. NEEDS SOME ACTION RIGHT ABOUT NOW. I WILL MISS TONY GEARY A GREAT DEAL. GOOD LUCK,AND YES GO FOR THAT 9TH EMMY YOU DESERVE IT,LIKE ALL THE EMMY’S YOU DESERVED.
Joyanna, I just read on GH Happenings that it will turn into a “fatal attraction.” (Hope there are no little bunnies around—LOL)
You’ve got to admire the ability to conceive in Port Charles. One time and right on target! And no birth control. Imagine years ago, Laura could even talk about her period and taking the pill. That would be very abusive to make Valerie into some fatal attraction character and make her pregnant.
I smell a ninth Emmy win! The black and white episode was epic!
Even if you’re not a big TG fan, I’d recommend reading the full article. I found much of what he had to say interesting and insightful, even when I didn’t particularly agree. Some highlights: He did not like Wendy Riche (wow), he apparently dislikes Ron Carlivati intensely because he will not even refer to him by name (calls him “the writer”–more than once), and he and Genie have had a rather stormy relationship but it sounds as though it is currently a positive one (would love to know if Genie agrees with him). (Oh, and by the way—he cops to being the one who made the change to Holly’s dialogue on Bill Eckert a few weeks ago that had everyone up in arms.)
It was a good interview for sure. I appreciated his candor and you could almost feel how liberated he felt in giving it.
He is right about the writing–it has been God awful and yet he made the best of it.
I found it humorous that he referred to Ron as the “writer” and that Ron never once spoke to him. Ron deserves that little dig and so much more.
I am surprised so many here are focusing on the negativity. There were a lot of things to like in that interview. I really enjoyed reading about his friendship with Elizabeth Taylor–you can feel that he still loves her as he describes her loyalty and “bawdy laugh.” I also enjoyed his comments about Jane Eliot. He’s right–she is underused and she is a gem of a talent.
He did make me laugh when he asked,”I wonder who she’s been talking to”? when told of how Genie was afraid he would not be too happy about working with her again. I laughed because I could just hear his whimsical tone of voice making that query, and I also laughed because Genie derived that impression from reading his comments and interviews!
I also really appreciated his talking about how he and JJ brushstroked their dialogue with their own interpretations without changing the plot points. That was self evident when Luke started speaking of his existential viewpoint.
Anthony Geary has learned from his mistakes and has come to terms with the Luke and Laura supercouple history. I think he’s highly intelligent and very very funny, and I wish him all the best with his future endeavors.
I will try and forget that horrific Fluke debacle (because that was not Luke) and remember the good times with Luke Spencer.
@harry…
Perfectly said… My sentiments exactly.
I don’t think he’s come to terms with L&L. Didn’t he evenc state in this interview that he was almost there? Right before going off on a bitter tangent. I hope he makes peace with the fact that he will always be remembered for Luke AND Laura Bush he’s not there yet. This interview is evidence of that.
I agree. It’s funny that so many people feel like he’s bashing the show, but like any other job Americans have out there; when we quit, don’t we say things about our previous employer, coworkers, material, pay, ect?? He has every right to say what he wants now. And after 30 years, there is no WAY he and Genie can be sunshine & roses all the time; if they were, you think they would have had that chemistry on the show?
I appreciate Tony’s honesty and loved the interview! Be well Tony!
Yes, and that is no surprise–see–he was still running the show, “directing” Emma Samms–so she went with him–and he was wrong. And so very telling that he calls RC “the writer” and doesn’t even acknowledge his presence at a table at the Emmys. Boy, it must be brutal being around TG.
Genie said in a recent interview that they’d gotten along just fi ne this time around. I don’t think they’ll be having lunch anytime soon but its good to know they didn’t want to killed eachother on set 🙂
People forget also that not EVERYONE who works together likes each other. As he rides into the sunset his feelings towards Genie have soften. He is a human being for god sakes!
Tony Geary has spoken highly of Genie for years. He has said that he adores her. He has said that he was devastated when she had to leave to go to England with her husband in 97 or 98. I forget which one. He has called her his acting soul mate long before riding off into the sunset.
I don’t understand why people are having a hard time with the “news” that he & Genie didn’t always get along. It’s a rare relationship that goes on for 30+ years that doesn’t have a few bumps in the road. Add in the fact that they are artists, maybe temperamental, but at the end of the day, real people. Just like real people, there were probably times when their lives weren’t going great, or they had a bad day, or any number of things that could’ve contributed to less than stellar behavior on-set. I don’t always get along with my co-workers either!
Some of the things he had to say were surprising, but in the end, all I can say is thanks for the memories, and I wish him nothing but the best in his new life in Amsterdam.
exactly! well said.
Amen DW!
Please you tube Michael Zaslow who won best actor in 1994 a man of courage and class I wish columnists would give accolades to some of the past people who respected and also helped put daytime on the map . He was a wonderful man who died of als like my beloved mother-in law he was a brilliant actor!
Bob Hasting ATWT, Victoria Wyndham AW, Bill and Susan Hayes(who i consider Daytime Royality and Daytimes no one supercouple) DOOL, Erika Slezak OLTL, Mary Stuart SFT, Ron Tomme and Audrey Peters LOL, John Bernadino, Emily Mclaughin, Rachel Ames GH,….i could go on…so many who helped put Daytime TV on the map before Tony Geary made it big on GH…sure, TG was on two soaps prior on GH and was in many popular stories on GH but if it wasnt for those before him that helped keep the soaps alive, there might not ever been a Luke Spenser!!!
But Jim I ask you, how many daytime actors who are left will get this type of send off? Eric Braeden is the only guy that comes to mind. And you wait and see, when he leaves, the criticism will be ten times as worse than Tony’s!
Agree with you, K/kay–a wonderful actor.
Agreed.
Well, I will give him credit. He was right about a couple of things – the Frank Smith/Jake storylines were terrible and yes, he will always be remembered as being part of “Luke and Laura.” Otherwise, he does not come off very well in this interview and I would agree with others that this was a graceless way to exit GH.
On another note, I managed to watch today’s episode and quite enjoyed the Tracy and Laura scenes. Here’s hoping they get the storylines and romantic interests they so richly deserve! Lots of gold to mine there…
Here’s hoping with you. Jane Eliot already looks brighter with more of a twinkle in her eye. Poor Genie still looks put upon, but it must have been really hard being on set, given the things we have just read that TG said. But I know she is capable of getting her spunk back.
I, too, am hoping for good things for Laura and Tracy. They are so underutilized right now. Actually, I don’t see how any of the actors can gain any kind of momentum or creative flow. The scenes are so short these days. It’s unfortunate.
Scenes are taped about three weeks before they air. Thus Genie wasn’t on the set having just read what Tony said…. in fact I think GH is just finishing a dark period where no one has been taping for the past few weeks.
Pretty certain she had a better time than she did in 2013. She and Tony faired better this round and JJ came back. He was their common ground. Neither Laura or Genie are victims. She was able to handle Tony when she was a teenager. As annoying as this all has to be for her, she can handle him today. That line about surviving Luke that she spoke to Holly was really Genie saying she survived Tony, IMO.
I have to agree with him on the writing of GH. Bringing back Jake made no sense. All the writing on GH is weak
Agreed!!
I appreciate his candor and if this is what he wanted to say then it reflects more on him than the show.
Acting is and can be an art form, but when art is for profit then the business end of things have to be factored in. Daytime dramas no longer have the time or the budget to indulge an actor’s artistic vision for the character. Although I do agree in soaps often the actor playing the character has a better idea of what his character would say or do, in the end, the actor isn’t getting paid for his artistic input, but to act out the scene the writer wrote and heed the voice of the director in charge in bringing the writer’s words to life.
I assume many of the scenes are written out like Tony said in the full article, just to save time and debate between conflicting “artistic” vision. When you only have one or two takes to nail a scene– shortcuts have to be taken and unfortunately as an actor, daytime dramas might not be the place if you are really care about the in depth process of fleshing out a scene that a movie or even rehearsing a play can bring out.
I’m surprised he lasted as long as he did on daytime since he seems to have nothing but disdain for it, even from day one– but obviously he did like something about it– the steady pay check that has now allowed him to afford to retire in style. So I’m glad he got something out of the whole experience he wanted.
Tony is an artist. They are never completely happy. I think he liked GH and yes, how many actors work and get paid handsomely for 37 years in a row! I think there are times in his career where he may have wanted to be more than Luke Spenser and that frustrated him. I also think as an artist they dont like to be told to do things and hate change. Tony worked with different EP’s and HW’s and some he liked some he didnt. It happens in the real world, as well.
AMAZING to hear someone speak the truth about what is happening on that show.
Maybe this will open the eyes of the ABC execs. The actors are unhappy with the storylines, the fans feel the same and the ratings seem to prove something’s wrong. Guess what ABC: the fans are not idiots, we will just not believe everything you feed us.
I have never stopped watching due to the fact that I personally didn’t like a specific plot, storyline, coupling or actor but when the storyline goes into the unreal and we are expected to just believe people return from the dead, that’s when the channel gets changed.
How can I invest in a character and get emotional over their death when I know, down the road, if ratings are low this character may be resurrected from the dead.
I dont think ABC cares much about the soap. It does better than cooking shows so it sticks around for now. At least Lila and Edward havent been tampered with YET!
For those of you that are defending the GH writing team, let’s review:
– Heather Webber digs herself out of a grave and drags herself to a hospital after being stabbed with a 10 inch knife
– Heather Webber falls from, at least, a five story building and survives unharmed
– Eva falls off a cliff and survives
– Sonny murders AJ and then is pardoned by the governor.
– I think Jordan is up to 2 people she’s killed
– Robin brings back to life the frozen dead body of Helena
– Franco rapes, murders, kidnaps with no repercussions
– Carly falls in love with the man who had her son raped
– Dr Obrecht kidnaps a child but still becomes chief of staff
– Morgan has sex with “Denise” and doesn’t realize she’s actually Ava
– Jake returns from the dead.
– AJ returns from the dead
– Frank Smith returns from the dead
– Duke returns from the dead.
I’m tired, does anyone else want to continue?
I’ll take all of that and whatever else Ron serves up over Guza’s “Adventures of Sonny and Lil Jason, the Bad-Ass Enforcer.”
I agree with you, Alan! I think you are the only one on here with good taste!
No denying it, the writing on GH these days is abysmal. Doesn’t negate the fact that Tony Geary comes off in this interview as an ungracious and egotistical, bitter and unwilling to OWN his choices in life.
In the interview Tony spoke about Gloria Monty changing the soap opera from a little show about nurses gossiping over coffee to the plot driven show that it became. She said she wanted to change soap operas and by introducing plot driven themes she did. However, her vision for soaps have evolved into the holy mess you just spoke about. Plot driven stories that have to keep upping their game even if means taking to the extreme end of absurdity to do it.
But isn’t strange how all the most powerful moments on soaps, the moments that earn actors Emmy awards and touch our hearts are the moments when characters are just talking–
Agree, it’s been absurd. I get they wanted to entice long time viewers with flash backs and returns of old time favorites but why bring them back for dumb stuff or to barely use them (Felicia, Mac, Lucy, Doc, Scotty?)
At least before this writing team, we kind of knew what was going on in the few stories. I didn’t totally hate or love the mob stuff, but we knew the characters and who they were. Their relationships were more believable, there was more depth in creating love connections and hatred. Now Sonny and Julian chat like friends but supposedly they are enemies and couples are just created without dating.
Now there is ridiculousness- characters we knew and loved for who they’ve been forever are changing a lot. Great talented actors are barely used, there are too many actors to connect with and the stories take too long to be revealed. As a longtime 25 year fan, I still watch but miss “the good stuff”
I read the entire interview and i enjoyed it! I appreciate his candid honesty. I understand the annoyance of the Luke/Laura era, lets move on…
As for the writing, I too think it is bad. I still watch but I do not blame him for wanting to move on and leave the show. I doubt he’ll ever come to the show – ever.
I totally thought the farewell to him has been terrible and unrealistic and absurd! Of course it was great to see Holly, Nathan and Lucky (love them) but the story was ridiculous. I look forward to this week to see what else is in store.
Who else can we bring back from the dead?? Geez!! Bring back Emily to stabilize Nikolas since the writers love to bring back historic dead characters.
I found it odd that the writing team never spoke to him. Interesting for sure.
I agree that Tracy is a fabulous actress! She is under used talent wise and content wise. It will be a loss to her without Luke.
I think the way the world is changing with technology, social media, twitter, etc. scrutiny is so brutal, TG is over that.
It will be different without him, his charm, his darkness, his mediocre parenting, his presence. I respect him and wish him the best!
I hope GH just doesn’t lose anymore powerhouses (Sonny,, Carly, Alexis, Tracy, Sam, Patrick) they are the mold.
Can’t wait for Jason to be REVEALED!!!
Agree with tony. Baby jake should have stayed gone. Total rewriting of history to serve what purpose?
I like how Tony doesn’t hold back lol
He can kick sand at the best of them..
I am glad his contract is done and he is free to express his thoughts/feeling and way he feels to do it .. lol gotta admire that!!
Tony also shared some heartfelt moments with Liz Taylor and Jane ..
He said nice things about Frank, too..
He did not like his exit story, he didn’t hate it he didn’t like it..
I’d bet Tony wanted to go out with a bullet to the heart, the big bang exit, of course..
It would have been very befitting..
However; Ron and team could not kill off Luke, the majority of fans would have hated that !! .. Luke needed to live on even if on another planet, for the fans..
RC, not from me I would luv Luke to be killed, but others fans would have hated it..
I am a huge, long-time Luke and Laura fan. I have been, as a fan, annoyed with Tony’s patronizing, almost hostile attitude towards this fan base. And his incessant demands were intended to tarnish the Luke and Laura legacy. But the film doesn’t lie. That historical legacy is intact, despite his “best” efforts, and Tony clearly knows this. But, and this is a big but…it is a very intelligent, illuminating interview. Very few actors, let along daytime actors, demonstrate this level of intelligence about the creative work that is acting at its best. HIs thoughts on his craft and that job were worth my time to read.
HIs comments about Genie were not ungenerous. He was grateful for the opportunity for final scenes with Emma Samms, Jonathan Jackson, Nathan Parsons…and Genie Francis. He said it. He is, of course, disingenuous pretending he does not know how Genie got the idea he didn’t want to work with her. Well…the comments about the legacy have been published…so…
What struck me was how he went after “the writer.” A good many viewers know of “the writer’s” seeming inability to write plausible, moving drama…we see the ineffective product that GH puts out day after day after day, penned by “the writer.” Good that Tony Geary called him out on the work that is killing GH, while also remaining very complementary of Frank Valentini, as a producer. Geary is, in my opinion as a viewer, right about “the writer.” And it would seem, indeed, that “the writer” has a very high, indeed inflated, opinion of himself if he can’t bother to speak to Tony Geary at an Emmy award ceremony when they are sharing a table. Very very telling anecdote.
I was also happy to see Tony Geary praise Gloria Monty, whose daring, revolutionary approach to GH saved that show — literally — while forever changing the direction of daytime. For good or ill Ms. Monty was one of daytime’s true geniuses. And one of its few. Her contribution should never be forgotten, and I am glad Tony acknowledged the woman who — literally — gave him this career.
It is time Tony Geary retired from GH. He has clearly moved on. But before he exited, I am glad he shared his thoughts. Sometimes infuriating, always interesting. Love him or hate him, Tony Geary is a true artist in his chosen field. But, he was very lucky. Without the spark in that partnership with Genie Francis, he would be but a mere footnote to soap history, if that. I had wished for a bit more acknowledgement of the magic that she was a full partner in creating. Yes, he moved on. But SHE helped him create something from which he COULD move on. Without Laura, no Luke.
He wouldn’t give her the acknowledgement since he didn’t want to acknowledge the pairing at all as a reason why he’s been afforded his career.
Tristan, I love what you wrote. I think I am going to just leave it at that.
As the Beatles sang,”And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
@Harry… And in “The End” your the Gem….
Well said Tristan. I totally agree. I for one, will not allow him to tarnish those wonderful scenes of early Luke and Laura. They were magic, and he owes her big time. Without her chemistry to him, he would’ve been out the door after six weeks.
Well said! I loved Tony Geary calling out “the writer”, I totally concur. “The writer” loves his camp, and some of what he has written has been very entertaining, but he does not seem to be very good at writing long-range storylines. Take the baby Jake story, for instance. Yes, seeing him was a shocking surprise, but how much better would it have been if there had been hints for months that something big was going down on Cassadine Island .. build up the suspense .. I don’t know, but it really fell short.
A very thoughtful read. Thank you.
@Tristan… lovely
Great interview! Love or hate his candor, Tony will be Tony – and he is one of a kind. I found it interesting that he and JJ put so much work into the scenes with Luke & Lucky because I actually found Luke’s scenes with Ethan to be equally as effective, if not more so.
Well, that was….interesting. Although not terribly unexpected and pretty much par for the course from Mr. Geary, this farewell interview did at least provide a much-needed parting shot at the show’s writing, which has been mostly utterly abysmal. Having said that, GH will never be the same without “Luke,” but then again, it hasn’t been the same GH for quite a long while now anyway! Regardless of all his quirks and foibles, AG’s absence will be noticeable….probably not right away, but when he fails to resurface after Luke’s annual trademark sabbaticals, then it will hit the viewers that he is well and truly gone….and after this final verbal temper tantrum he just threw, it sounds as though it shall be on a permanent basis. Still, best of luck to the man and whatever future paths he chooses, because for better or worse, he will forever and inescapably be known as “Port Chuck’s” most famous enigma, the one and only Lucas Lorenzo Spencer.
@Hey Shay..hope all is well on your end…
Succinctly said as usual.
Thank you, Fanny! Same to you….although I’m currently nursing a wasp sting to my calf that I suffered whilst pruning my privet hedges. Yard work is really NOT my thing, but I’ve failed to employ anyone who does this job correctly…they either butcher the heck out of those bushes or fail to shape them in any proper way. Hence, I’m stuck with the task! Fortunately, I was nearly completed when the predatory insect got the best of me….first time in years!!!!!
@Shay… Goodness be careful… Those nasty little stingers can be
downright dangerous!
This is true, Fanny…I’m actually mildly allergic, but do you know what saved me? I was wearing my patented Sam Morgan-style “superchick” jeggings! (Isn’t that how everyone dresses for yard work? And, yes, with the corresponding stiletto booties, no less! LOL….) The material was heavy enough that the stinger didn’t make it through the fabric to embed in my skin….so whilst I did suffer the initial burn of it, I didn’t experience the usual swelling and pain. It still smarted a bit, but it could have been so much worse!
Although I’ve stated before that Luke has not been a character I’ve particularly liked through the years, from his inception to today – and I’ve certainly not agreed with Tony’s idea of what is entertaining (what entertains him as an actor isn’t the same thing that entertains an audience long term) – I have appreciated him as an actor on the show.
What makes me scratch my head when reading through many of the comments here and as of late, is the idea of all this animosity he has for the audience, for the character of Luke, for Genie Francis. I just don’t see it. I see a man – who like many of us at our jobs (particularly ones we’ve been at for a long time), he sometimes loves his job, sometimes not; he sometimes gets along with his fellow actors, sometimes there are disagreements; sometimes his bosses please him, sometimes they don’t. I see an actor that over time, only seemed to be challenged by a darker Luke and fought for it because he wanted to continue to like coming to work. I see an actor who seemed to accumulate some clout with the show – but as any worker, if you could at your job, wouldn’t you? I see an actor who wants to be remembered and appreciated for ALL the things he has done as Luke including recent things, not just a story and a romance from the early 80’s and yes, has felt frustrated that his early years as Luke seem to be the only things some portions of the audience have ever responded to and to this day, still yearn for – despite the fact that THAT Luke, hasn’t been seen since the early 90’s at best.
As a viewer and a fan of GH, haven’t we all wished we could just hear the true thoughts of the actor? When we are hating story, haven’t we wanted to know that the actor hates the story too? That if we don’t like the writer, the actor has issues too? So I hate to see Tony criticized for being honest about GH, the writing – because he is saying many of the same things we have said. And yet, he’s ungrateful now? No, maybe grouchy, maybe too close to it all to fully appreciate it – but I think it’s refreshing.
(PS – All this stuff about Genie making the comment about him wanting her back being a surprise – even that I didn’t read as negatively as many have. I thought she – knowing that the idea of Luke and Laura as the end game wasn’t part of Tony’s plan – was just making sure this story, this idea of tying Laura up with Luke again – was okay with him – not that he hated her and didn’t want to act with her).
Excellent, Mike! Great, insightful, common sense take on the actor/interview. I think you’re particularly correct about Tony wanting to be acknowledged and remembered for his full body of work…not just his Luke to Genie’s Laura days. Couples move on …perhaps 60 percent of marriages end in divorce. Oh woes me…Jen and Brad, now Blake and Miranda! Lol…even his Liz Taylor and her Richard Burton. Geary had a right to want to play other aspects of his character…find new love. His comment in the past about fans being like children who don’t want their parents to divorce (paraphrasing here) is true! We get attached to couples, we love them…they feel familiar and like home. But people split…and while it takes an adjustment to accept a new couple in real life, or get used to a new couple in fiction…it can and does work for those who can let go and move on.
The man, the actor, has a right to his thoughts. On HIS character. HIS career. HIS co-workers. HIS work environment. HIS experience. No animosity here…
Upon further reflection, I think the character of Luke was lost as a cohesive character a number of years ago and simply became a vehicle for TG to realize his acting ambitions. This tug of war between the actor, who was more interested in flexing his acting muscles than the integrity of the character, and the various regime changes, many of whom lost sight of GH history and character development, has contributed to the weakening ratings and viewer discontent just as much as the other factors TG talks of.
As for Luke and Laura, it was more disappointing as a long-time viewer to see how the importance of “Laura” was minimized in TG’s exit. I had accepted the fact there would not be any ride off into the sunset for these characters but without Laura/Genie, Luke/TG wouldn’t have had the long run on the show and the opportunity to flex all those acting muscles.
It is clear that a firm hand with strong vision and an appreciation of history needs to be at the helm balancing all of these interests to keep GH alive and viable.
Beth, a very thoughtful post 7/21/15 at 6:27. Re auditioning–in the interviews that TG and Genie did for the archives of Television Arts and Sciences, he talks about the problems he had with auditioning. He says: “I was never very good at it.” Perhaps another reason (besides the money) that he stayed with GH was just that–insecurity about auditioning. Revealingly, also in those interviews, he says that, when he and Genie left after the wedding and “Laura’s return,” he thought he would go into movies, but that “nobody wanted him.” So, what did he do? Came back to GH, of course. I note also, that he says in this current interview, that he was “out of his depth” singing on the stage. Interestingly, I recently read an old 1980s scathing review of TG’s attempt to sing on stage. The reviewer stated that every other word or phrase he used was an obscenity and that he could not sing and had absolutely no stage presence. Perhaps this was, in his words, one of the “bad decisions” he made while “drunk or drugging.” And he has also talked at length about his shyness. He has also made jokes about not having the “typical good looks of a leading man,” which he and we know can also be limiting, fair or not; that’s just the way it is. There are exceptions, of course, if acting outweights the looks, so to speak. I saw another old interview (Gary Collins’ old show Home) where Tony, Genie, and a young Jonathan Jackson came on to promote “the return of Luke and Laura.” The first question from the audience was a truly insulting one where the audience member asked Genie Francis how Laura could fall for such a unhandsome man–not the word she used. An awkward moment ensued. Finally, Genie said, “I’m not going to answer that” and TG made some self-deprecating remark, to get over the moment. But the man is human and the remarks must have stung. I saw other shows during that time frame, for example a Phil Donohue show with cast members (all men of course) where similar questions were asked and TG came off very defenseful and angry. Perhaps that also hampered him in live performances. I know he was a backup hoofer in Vegas eons ago (thus the scar on his chin, according to him) but apparently his delusion about singing were just that, as well as his hopes for a career as a leading man in film. In sum, I would say that he is very, very lucky indeed to have been in the right place at the right time with the right circumstances; otherwise, he might, ironically be playing rapists as he did during a short stint on The Young and Restless. Funny, I don’t ever hear him, or anyone else for that matter, talk about that role or other bit parts like “Thug No. I” on Quinn Martin productions. (He states in the same interview for the archives… Read more »
Your post is lovely but the last paragraph is key for me. We all, all of us, have to come to terms with our lives and the choices we make in those lives. Luke said to Lucky this past week that your life is the sum of your choices. Tony admitted to practically writing those lines so where was any of that kind of resolution in this interview? He lives with his middle finger up to the brass at GH. Ok. How about accepting that you choose to do this for 40 years, Tony? If I can eat the Fluke story line for a whole year, he can eat that.
Actors endure rejection with every audition and they get used to it. It is a part of their job. You go on 30 auditions because out of the 30, maybe 8 will call you back. Out of those 8, maybe 2 will hire you and thats that. Tony clearly stopped auditioning a while ago and he’s never gotten used to it, rejection. He’s never gotten over it either. He’s blamed other sources over the years for what he wasn’t able to do in his career. How is that anyone’s fault? He endured no more rejection than anyone else in his field and I hope he accepts the choices he made regarding his career and the fact that he had a good career. It doesn’t matter that he wanted to be a film star and wasn’t/ He got to do what he loved for a living, was paid well for it and got more autonomy than any actor I’ve ever seen in the history of entertainment.
He couldn’t say thank you? To anyone?
Sad to read this interview.
Where is the graciousness? There is no need to disrespect anyone like that in a public forum. Leave with dignity not with shameless pot shots at people.
Wish him well but there is no need to bring him back with that attitude in tow.
I understand you wanted the high road but it was nice to hear someone in Hollywood be truthful. I know he only gets to do that since he left GH but the show is in trouble and he had the balls to expose a big issue, the writing!
It was interesting that he said taking to twitter was without integrity and then he blasts his former head writer during an interview with the press. Every single thing he said in this interview was a complete contradiction.
Tony does come across a bit ornery BUT he is or was a veteran of daytime and you get to bitch about certain things and have your say as you gain senior status. To me it seemed like writing was his main hangup with the different regimes. Specifically this one since it his last. Ron Cartini and Tony never spoke? How is that possible? The best part of the interview is when he speaks of him and JJ in his dressing room reading their scripts and adjusting the material to represent Luke and Lucky. He candidly admits the writers did not know how to write for the characters. Ladies and Gentlemen, Tony may have retired but we still have a soap here and what Tony said is GH’s biggest problem, the writers! Look in the mirror Cartini! Godspeed Tony, what a refreshing interview. Someone who speaks their mind and it makes it to press. Love it!
Was he kidding about his last scene being with Sonny on a foggy night? If he was telling the truth about that, can he be sued now for not keeping it under wraps? I am puzzled why this interview happened now instead of after the July 27th episode.
ABC released a sneak peak and its there, Tony walking into the fog. If thats Tony’s exit, it sucks!
ahha
c’mon people..
you are not Tony’s psychiatrist so stop analyzing his feelings..
Tony can feel any way he wants to, and all in all he loved GH and its’ peoples..
After 37 years one gets burn out ..
burnout is a real thing,( many vet watchers have soap burnout) and Tony is not one to pamper his words BRAVO for that..
As for Tony’s inward feeling only Tony knows, don’t be analyzing a man with your thoughts as to how he is in his world lol that is crazy to do!
Tony was an employee.. he did a helluva job! brought in more emmys than anyone..
He gave half his life to GH .. A career ..
He doesn’t owe anyone anything, he was paid for his job/performances..
His only regret, would be leaving the family/ his close co-stars..
but, they will always be in touch, I’d imagine..
Long Live Tony in Amsterdam… and happiness in his future projects!! 🙂
Boy su0000, you are hitting them out of the park today! People feel as if they are the ones who should control an actors feeling or behavior because they are on TV! This is how TONY feels! Let him feel! “Fans” want him to go from city to city and kiss their ass! Leave it go people! He has been done with Laura forever! Let it go. He wanted to be with Tracey. They were dynamite together. Different era, different results. Luke met Laura as a young girl and he was the older man. They both played their love story in front of millions perfectly. Sometimes love stories end. Its part of life. Even Laura said the other day that her and Luke are through. She has dated other people. We havent seen that yet but when she returns we will see her fall for someone new. So what! Good for her! Tony, enjoy Amsterdam, you earned it. You owe us NOTHING!
Just finished reading Tony Geary’s interview & I have to say as a faithful viewer of GH since 1976, it really bothers me that he felt compelled to trash the show and higher ups past & present that kept him employed, I never really cared too much about him or his character & personally am glad he chose to retire. Maybe GH can finally pay attention to all the other great actors & actresses, like the one and only Jane Elliot and give them the story lines they deserve & not waiting around for an arrogant actor to come back every six months which only made the show more difficult to watch. I know that there are a lot of people that love Tony Geary as for me he is like a spoiled child that does whatever it takes to get his way including trash talking the very show that made him who he is today. Sorry but that’s only my opinion.
Ric..
Tony did not trash anyone..
He praised Frank and said he did not like some parts of his exit story, that is not trashing that is just not liking it..
he also had good things to say about co-stars and past stars.
And how great it was to be able to live in Amsterdam and at same time be with GH..
He owes GH much less than GH owes him.. GH got more from Tony then Tony got from GH ..
Tony earned a paycheck and earned his fame..
Tony also made great contract deals, good for him !! 🙂 lol
Tony and GH are synonyms..
Like I mentioned its just my opinion,
Su0000, I rarely agree with you, but I do respect your take on Tony and the interview. What refreshing candor. Now, I have an assignment for you. Go watch Genie’s farewell to Tony and look at the flashbacks posted. You cannot surely watch those and feel NOTHING for what Tony and Genie created together. TOIGETHER!!! After Luke raped Laura, it was only the extraordinary chemistry between, and the acting of, Tony and Genie that kept him on the show. Her character was not a disposable extra. Luke raped THE STAR of GH. Their performances TOGETHER kept him there, from which Tony grew as an actor and talent. Therefore, I do not understand your unrelenting hostility to Genie and to what she created in partnership with Tony. Without Genie, really su0000, NO TONY. So please, at the very least, please grant her the respect she has earned. And remember, had THEY not clicked, the rapist Luke would have been history. The clicking was because of two remarkable talents who came together in a specific place and time and CREATED HISTORY. After you watch Genie’s farewell, please go to ABC.com and watch THE DANCE: Tony and Genie at Wyndem’s Department store in 1979. She was only 16. He was in his 30s. They were MAGIC. That is why Tony Geary took off and was able to last for almost 40 years on GH. No Genie. No Tony. Now…when you are done watching…report back to us, OK? Enquiring minds want to know!!!!
Well Ric, I will agree on one thing you said, Jane Elliot needs to be front and center! She is amazing and commands attention every time she is on set. It reminds me of another actor who just left the show!
I don’t think he trashed the show, he spoke the truth. GH would have died a long time ago if Gloria Monty had not changed it and daytime forever. I love Luke and laura as much as the next person but every good thing must come to an end. The writing is sometimes ridiculous and everyone knows it. Part of the fun!
He is right about the writing since these storylines are ridiculous lately.
I’m not saying that he is completely overrated, since he brings it when he wants to. But as a lifetime soap viewer, there is a lot of talented actors and actresses who don’t get major recognition ever, or if they’re lucky get it after they leave, that I feel like Geary has rested on his laurals and stuck with material he sees as beneath him because he knows that he couldn’t hack it elsewhere. He resents LnL because he feels that it biased the world against him playing anyone but Luke. Except, it’s his job as an actor to show that he can be great as anyone else.
Read the whole interview!!! I laughed. Thanks, Mr. Geary for entertaining me since 1980! I’ve loved and hated every minute, laughed and cried and been excited and exasperated all at the same time. Enjoy your retirement! You will be missed.
I have watched GH since the early 70’s and have fallen in love with Luke and Laura. I wish that Anthony was not leaving the show. It will be very hard to see him go. I think that he should get an award for his talent. He truly deserves it.
Tony- you will be sorely missed. I started watching GH decades & a lifetime ago as I am a grown woman with adult children & grand children but when you came into the picture as Luke Spencer, , those were my most favorite episodes! I took off from work the day of your wedding to Laura! I cried yesterday watching you say goodbye to Tracy. I sincerely hope you don’t “off” yourself- OMG! THAT would be a tragedy! I wish you only the best in your new adventures – You filled the lives of GH viewers with greatness! The very best to you! You were the BEST!!!
Good riddance…
I think Tony is a gentleman, professional, and supreme artist – I loved this article and his whole acting careers – I’ve watched him on GH my whole life I fact he was the main reason I stayed with the soap(the only I watch anymore) . He will be greatly missed. If they don’t get better writers – the will loose followers.thank you Tony- I hope you enjoy your retirement- live long and prosper!
I thought what Tony said was honest and for the most part, correct. He was speaking as an actor, which I think some people missed. Actors very often are disgusted with the business — because it is awful. As far as Genie, I sat in the Daytime Emmy Press Room and someone asked him a question about the show, and he said, “Well, I’ve had a soulmate with me all these years,” talking about Genie.
It’s not unusual for an actor to want to move on from a hyped part of a role or performance. He hasn’t been able to do anything else, so he wanted to develop Luke Spencer. And why hasn’t he been able to do anything else? Because no one wants “Luke Spencer” in a movie or TV show. He’s too associated with the part. He’s entitled to his feelings. Google 10 Actors Who Hate Why They’re Famous – I found none of what he said unusual or untrue.
Regardless of how Anthony Geary feels about Luke and Laura now, it wasn’t always so in my opinion. He is the Luke that Laura made him like it or not. He would not be around to have relationships with Tracey or anyone else otherwise. I was there from the beginning. He is one of the most amazing actors I have ever observed but more so with Genie Francis than anyone. He had a whole other layer and depth of emotion with Genie that was missing with others he worked with. Too bad he can’t step back and see it. Whatever the case, he is a very gifted actor. I just hope he is happy in his life and enjoys his time in retirement. If he does return I hope that he will have Genie, his acting soul mate, join him until he really leaves for good. There are so many story lines that can be written for Luke and Laura that don’t have to be all gooey and sweet.
I swear this man says one thing one minute and one thing another time. He has said that he was a pathological liar as a child. He has said how much he adores Genie and she is his acting soul mate. Now he is telling another “story”. I get the feeling he says whatever he is feeling in whatever mood he is in. Genie is too good to work with him. She is a hard working person. She deserves the best person out there to act with her and it surely isn’t Geary. Tristan Rogers had him beat hands down.
Adding that though Geary is a great actor, Tristan is better. How do we know which “lie” to believe that comes out of Geary’s mouth? The one where he loved acting with Genie or the one where Luke and Laura was baggage? Leave already. You won’t be missed. Keep Genie around and the ratings will go up now that Geary is gone.
Breaking News
Natasha Henstridge To Play Opposite GH’s Departing Vinessa Antoine in DIGGSTOWN
More casting news from the upcoming Canadian legal drama series, Diggstown which will star General Hospital’s Vinessa Antoine (Jordan) in the central role of Marcie Diggs.
As fans know, Antoine will be exiting GH in the role of Jordan as she begins filming the CBC series.
However, Antoine is getting a co-star on her new show, in none other than Natasha Henstridge. The actress has previously appeared in CW’s Beauty and the Beast and Secret Circle.
According to Deadline, in Diggstown, Natasha will play Colleen MacDonald, a single, no-nonsense, openly gay director of legal aid now headquartered in Halifax after being blacklisted by the legal community in Toronto. She hopes to one day work her way back home.
As for the premise of the new series, Diggstown is set in the gritty arena of legal aid. It centers on Marcie Diggs (Antoine), a star lawyer who reconsiders her priorities after her beloved aunt commits suicide following a malicious prosecution. Landing at a legal aid office in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Marcie is driven by one thing – to never again allow innocent lives to be destroyed by the justice system. The team of lawyers that Marcie works with are a curious band of do-gooders, cynics and scrappers – messy souls struggling to keep personal disappointment and demons out of their practice as they work directly in the community to find justice for their diverse clients, exploring issues of racism, poverty and gender bias.”
Antoine is the first black actress to be cast as a dramatic series lead on iconic Canadian Broadcasting Company, CBC.
So, what do you think of the premise of Diggstown? Sounds intriguing to us! Comment below.
General Hospital
GH’s Kathleen Gati and Michelle Stafford Deliver The Power Performance of The Week!
A grieving mother and sister found themselves stuck in a revenge plot gone haywire, that provided the backdrop in which two accomplished actresses; Kathleen Gati (Liesl) and Michelle Stafford (Nina) were able to shine on episodes of General Hospital.
Although Peter’s kidnapping went on far too long, and fans on social media have their own viewpoints as to what they think of Mr. August aka Henrik Faison (Wes Ramsey), the final week of taking Peter hostage to torment him as payback for his part in Nathan’s death; gave Gati and Stafford scenes from the comedic, to the emotional, to the cray-cray, and more..
Courtesy/ABC
On Thursday’s episode, Nina is trying to talk down Liesl from torching the place, but Liesl is becoming more unhinged and more grief-stricken. She says to Nina, “I lost my son. I gave Nathan up to protect him. I spent my life not even daring to gaze in his direction for fear that Cesar would take him. I never wanted my son to be like him, and now my beautiful boy is buried in the ground, while the other son is still breathing! So, I must finish this my way, Nina … with or without you!”
Pleading, an emotional Nina responds: “Aunt Liesl, you are not the only one who lost time with Nathan. I did, too. I missed him growing up. I missed his childhood, and seeing the incredible man he turned into. I feel his absence and I feel the loss every second of every day. I hate Faison, and I will for the rest of my life, and I hate Anna (Finola Hughes) just like you did, but that does not justify what I have done… being an accomplice in this crazy revenge. None of that is going to bring my brother back.” Nina goes on to say: “I knew J would not want his mother grieving alone. This isn’t grief anymore … this is madness.”
Obrecht with rage and sadness in her eyes says, “The brightest souls like my Nathan are extinguished.” And from there, as viewers know by now, Liesl sets the fire, which sets the stage for Nina’s rescue, and the Friday cliffhanger of Finn (Michael Easton) having to decide whether to go in the burning building and get Peter out, or not.
Courtesy/ABC
Later on the pier, a stoic, but grief-stricken Liesl is arrested. She spitefully tells Curtis (Donnell Turner) and Jordan (Vinessa Antoine), “Tell Anna something for me: ‘Now we are even!”‘
Earlier in the week, we saw how Kathleen Gati navigated the comedic yet dramatic moments as she had to knock Franco (Roger Howarth) out, while she was trying to get back to Spoon Island, as he realized Obrecht was the guilty party who took Peter.
Gati has made Obrecht, this one-of-a-kind character, come to life, no matter what the circumstances the writers put her in. And as for Michelle Stafford, when Nina spoke of her brother and the loss she continues to feel, it was one of the most on-the-money moments for anyone who has lost a sibling that they looked to.
So, even through some of the absurdity of the circumstances, and as they were portraying two women trying to figure their way out of the mess they created, Gati and Stafford never faltered as they committed to the material, and delivered this week’s Power Performance of the Week.
Share your thoughts on the performances of Kathleen and Michelle and what stood out to you via the comment section below.
Breaking News
GH’s Billy Miller Lands Role In Apple’s Upcoming Thriller Series, ARE YOU SLEEPING
Natasha Henstridge To Play Opposite GH’s Departing Vinessa Antoine in DIGGSTOWN
DAYS Freddie Smith and Alyssa Tabit Officially Engaged!
BIG BROTHER: Team FOUTTE Or Team Level 6?
GH’s Kathleen Gati and Michelle Stafford Deliver The Power Performance of The Week!
Jason Canela Reveals: “I’m Proud And Honored To Officially Be A Full-Time Member Of The Young and the Restless Family”
NASHVILLE: The Penultimate Episode Leaves Relationships On The Edge
GH’s Billy Miller Lands Role In Apple’s Upcoming Thriller Series, ARE YOU SLEEPING
DYNASTY’s Brianna Brown Is A New Mom!
BIG BROTHER RECAP: Bro-My-God! Brett Or Winston … Who’s Going Home?
Jordi Vilasuso Joins The Cast Of The Young and the Restless
Dominic Zamprogna Speaks Out On His Decision To Leave GH, His Final Scenes With Emme Rylan & How Dante Exited The Canvas
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Hilary, Lily, Charlie … Car Crash!
GH’s Vinessa Antoine Lands Primetime Series Will Make Canadian TV History!
Jason Canela Reveals: “I’m Proud And Honored To Officially Be A Full-Time Member Of The Young and the Restless Family”
Jordi Vilasuso Joins The Cast Of The Young and the Restless
General Hospital Promo: Obrecht Decides It’s Time To End Peter’s Life, But Her Plans Go Up in Flames!
DAYS Freddie Smith and Alyssa Tabit Officially Engaged!
GH’s Billy Miller Lands Role In Apple’s Upcoming Thriller Series, ARE YOU SLEEPING
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Nick Has Been Masquerading As J.T. And Blindsides Victor
GH’s Kathleen Gati and Michelle Stafford Deliver The Power Performance of The Week!
25th Annual ESPYs Emotional Moments: Nassar Survivors, NFL Legend Jim Kelly, Marjory Stoneman Coaches Recognized
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Hilary, Lily, Charlie … Car Crash!
General Hospital Promo: Obrecht Decides It’s Time To End Peter’s Life, But Her Plans Go Up in Flames!
B&B Preview – Week of July 16, 2016
Y&R Preview – Week of July 16, 2018
Y&R Cliffhanger Friday: Victor and J. T. Come Face To Face?
General Hospital’s Wedding To Die For: Will Michael’s Plan Succeed Or Be A Major Fail?
‘House Of Cards’ Robin Wright Breaks Silence On Kevin Spacey Dismissal
GH Promo: A Shocking Reunion, A Mystery Patient, A Legal Battle Heat Up The Summer!
B&B Preview – Week of June 18, 2018
General HospitalJuly 14, 2018Dominic Zamprogna Speaks Out On His Decision To Leave GH, His Final Scenes With Emme Rylan & How Dante Exited The Canvas
The Young and the RestlessJuly 18, 2018THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Hilary, Lily, Charlie … Car Crash!
Breaking NewsJuly 14, 2018GH’s Vinessa Antoine Lands Primetime Series Will Make Canadian TV History!
Breaking NewsJuly 21, 2018Jason Canela Reveals: “I’m Proud And Honored To Officially Be A Full-Time Member Of The Young and the Restless Family”
Breaking NewsJuly 19, 2018Jordi Vilasuso Joins The Cast Of The Young and the Restless
Breaking NewsJuly 17, 2018General Hospital Promo: Obrecht Decides It’s Time To End Peter’s Life, But Her Plans Go Up in Flames!
Breaking NewsJuly 21, 2018DAYS Freddie Smith and Alyssa Tabit Officially Engaged!
Breaking NewsJuly 19, 2018GH’s Billy Miller Lands Role In Apple’s Upcoming Thriller Series, ARE YOU SLEEPING