General Hospital
Tony Geary Opens Up About His Iconic Role as GH’s Luke Spencer on Nancy Lee Grahn’s ‘Soaps In Quarantine’
It what was truly the best interview we have seen with the man considered daytime dramas all-time greatest actor, General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis) along with her friend and co-host Kaore Bonell, had a virtual conversation with Tony Geary (Ex-Luke Spencer) via his home in Amsterdam on the latest episode of their series, Soaps In Quarantine.
Grahn and Geary who both admitted to their absolute love and admiration of working together in scenes on GH, truly gave the viewers insight into Geary’s triumphs and struggles playing the iconic Luke Spencer. Throughout his run, Geary won a record eight Daytime Emmys for his performances.
Photo: JPI
Throughout the episode, Tony shared more insight into many of the rumors and stories that circulated about him and his approach to the character of Luke. That included: his early years in the soaps and working with legendary GH executive producer, Gloria Monty, why he came back to the show in the early 90’s, his conflict when Luke raped Laura (Genie Francis) in the legendary campus disco scene, being part of pop culture, the pressure and his constant desire to keep the integrity of the character of Luke Spencer though various writing regimes, and his love for working with his longtime scene partner, Genie Francis.
Tony also answers the question, along with Nancy, if they two of them ab-lib their scenes. Nancy and Tony also share to the soap audience their approach to the work, from how they work their scripts to when they hit the set to tape.
Courtesy/BonGrahnYouTube
Later in the episode, Tony shares his love for his home in Amsterdam, and why he has chosen to remain there, and how he finally gained full citizenship in Holland.
Watch the entire conversation below. Then let us know what you thought of Tony and Nancy’s extraordinary discussion via the comment section below.
That was wonderful. I enjoyed it so much. Thank you.
Ahh I like Tony.
He is an interesting guy in the round..
If I were to go to Amsterdam I’d look him up
and light up with him for a great communication/talk.
I miss Tony and doubt that he’d return for a walk-through, in GH.
I’m looking forward to another Tony lockdown Nancy talk.
Did you hear the regret in his voice, Su? He says he would change a lot of things if he could. I, also, doubt that he will return for that “walk-through.”
Jane Elliott’s was ignominious. Bet she regrets HER “walk-through.”
Yes, I think Geary is done with GH–and, as a once-diehard fan myself, I, too, am “done” with him. He behaved abominably toward Genie and his fans. He could have apologized but I didn’t hear it. Arrogance will do one in every time.
And, in the beginning, ironically, he seemed so very grateful for the role of Luke, but . . . that arrogance DID do him in.
hi nancy ) hope all is going well for you during this time-
I know of no one, including myself, that has regrets
over a terrible this or that and wish we had a do-over.
Tony was in GH like half of his life-
many things can go ”not like me” at times.
He does seem to be relaxed and peaceful
of course, that could be due to good weed !
Genie was no angel, either lol
and surely she has regrets and would love a do-over too.
heck- go like Tony get some good weed and pull back LOL 🙂
Hey there, Su! Yes, of course, we all have regrets. We’re “imperfect” beings, after all. But, Tony Geary’s very public rants and hurtful interviews are out there for all to see. And he had to be aware of the ramifications. So, I think he should say something concrete, PUBLICALLY, to, as you say, “pull back,” and make amends. Life is too short, we all kmow. And even TG must know this even as he “disappears” into a weed induced nirvana. 🙂
As for me personally, a good long walk in nature does the trick, “naturally”!
Hope all is well with you, too, as we “hunker down.” Take care.
Just for you Nancy– 🙂
GH’s Anthony Geary No Holds Barred Chat:
This is from Michale Fairman’s board on July 20, 2015–
yes, a good many of us posting back then.
Your posts about Tony&Genie, mine, and many others..
Take a long read–
((talk about a flash-back..))
Thanks so much, Su! I did “take a long read,” and will say that you and I are CONSISTENT! 🙂
Su, thanks for taking me down the rabbit hole with the above link. I followed the thread to several external links and waded through the 179 comments and thoroughly enjoyed the debate and controversy. I’m with you, loved the honesty! There’s definitely a memoir in there somewhere. What’s Tony been doing for 5 years, if not writing it?
MFTV being my only social media indulgence, I don’t seek these people out in other venues to learn about the show or their personal lives, but I must say that I’m really enjoying Nancy Lee Grahn’s “Soaps in Quarantine”—even her drive-by birthday was entertaining. New-found respect and appreciation for my GH family, some of whom I’ve been with since the 80s.
Hi Reed–
you said;
”’Su, thanks for taking me down the rabbit hole with the above link. I followed the thread to several external links and waded through the 179 comments and thoroughly enjoyed the debate and controversy.””
I miss that!!
there was nothing better than Michale Fairmans old black board..
It held conversations, ideas,
it was almost like a coumminty lol
even with high opinions everyone was polite. even if an opinion fight evey was respectful
i miss it 🙂
Su, did you catch “Soaps in Quarantine” with your boyfriend Valentin? James Patrick Stewart and Michelle Stafford’s episode was great fun as well. It’s nice to see another side of these people but I think I’ll stick to my little universe at MFTV. Always enjoy your posts…even when you talk out of your rear!
Why do you believe that Anthony Geary behaved abominably toward Genie and his fans? After 37 years Geary was tired of being Luke Spencer. He was also tired of commuting back and forth between LA and Amsterdam. Geary was not obligated to ask Genie for permission to retire GH. Geary obligated to ask his fans for permission to retire from GH.
Please read my post closely. I didn’t say anything about Geary’s retirement–most especially asking fans’ “permission” to retire. ????
I was talking about his COMMENTS that were hurtful to both Genie and to his fans–and to their loyalty to an iconic story–that of Luke and Laura.
That’s what I remember too, Nancy. I would have to go back and look at the interviews at the time to remember specifics, but I do recall that in interviews as he was approaching retirement, he said things to the effect that Luke and Laura fans “needed to get a life.” I could understand the frustration he must have felt through the years being constrained in his portrayal of Luke by the absolute worship that LnL fans (of which I was not one, because of the rape, largely) felt for the legend and the couple, and I could understand that weighing heavily on my mind as he approached retirement and was looking back on his professional life and its ups and downs, but I really felt he should have shown more respect for those fans, since they had a big part in giving him the kind of retirement he was going to be able to have. He was certainly entitled to feel however he did, but he didn’t have to express it when it was so disrespectful; just talk about something else or say nothing at all. Fortunately he seems much more respectful and grateful in this interview, much more willing to concede he might have handled some things better, and overall much more pensive and much less angry and dismissive of his soap career and iconic status. I did not know what to expect when I clicked the play button, but I ended up enjoying the interview much more than I expected and respecting him more as a person and an actor than I did right as he was leaving. (My appreciation of his phenomenal acting ability never waned.)
Michael, I agree with your sentiments.
I loved this interview with Tony Luke
I have missed him
I am proud of him and his choices
Hope he will come back to visit
Thank you
Well I can play devil’s advocate here. He says it was a rape between L&L, and he had problems with that, and the attention he got, and the writers. Yet 8 years later he didn’t seem to have a problem returning to the show, when he obviously couldn’t get a job elsewhere. So he has plenty to say, yet didn’t back that up with his actions. As far as Amsterdam goes, nobody disagrees with the Cheetoh in Chief more than I do, but people like Geary, Tina Turner, George Clooney etc. who leave the U.S. never have anything nice to say about the country that made them stars. So good riddance. (When was he ever discriminated against? What was preventing him from having transgender, gay, or African Americans as friends here in the U.S.? I say nothing.).
I’d be careful about assuming that because he had a phenomenally successful acting career (by many standards), he experienced no discrimination. Certainly he was denied some of the same freedoms his heterosexual colleagues could take for granted–couldn’t openly have a partner, openly be gay, openly be who he was–and still have a career. It’s considerably different now, fortunately, but he spent most of his life in a *very* nonaccepting society in a profession in which it mattered, so I can’t blame him for embracing a culture that didn’t take so long to get there. I’m 10-15 years younger than TG, and I still find myself not quite trusting all the change and wondering if the pendulum is going to swing back, so as grateful as I am for all the recent changes, I can certainly understand the allure of living in an environment in which it has NEVER mattered and in which one doesn’t have to be concerned that it will all disappear again.
Time marches on. Most things in life get better. Today, we should all be focusing on the bigger picture and treat humans like humans and realize that anyone you may have pointed a finger at in the past, just might be the same person that could save your life.
I can’t say my observations and life experience (across almost six decades at this point) would validate your observation that most things in life get better, Timmm, but I appreciate your optimism.
Geary sounds wistful and filled with some regrets. He admits that he would change a lot of his behavior if he could go back and do so. Wish he HAD behaved better; he alienated a lot of his long and loyal fans, me included, when he treated Genie–and their story line–so badly. That’s unforgivable after all the years they worked together. And Genie has ALWAYS taken the higher, compassionate ground,even when she didn’t win the Emmys she deserved–and he did win, 8 times. He even said he won an Emmy where he and Genie improvised the whole scene. I followed the Luke and Laura story with so much anticipation. It was a saga filled with fun. The least Geary could have done was to let the viewer enjoy the story–and continue to admire his work which was considerable. He used always to praise Genie–and then he just got plain mean and resentful, seemingly of her and of his and her fans. Sigh. Too bad. I suppose he COULD make amends, but I haven’t seen him try. BTW, where is that book he was always saying he was writing??? Would love to read it. But I don’t think he’s written one at all.
What is wrong with you and others who have followed the Luke and Laura story from the beginning? LUKE RAPED LAURA! It was and still is UNFORGIVABLE that the producers/writers further victimized Laura by turning her rape into a love story. As for the viewer enjoying the story, Geary wanted to retire.
Again, please read my comment carefully. I said NOTHING about the rape. And, yes, he DID rape Laura. They were both told by Gloria Monty to play it that way. But, you heard TG say clearly that “the audience felt as much sympathy for the rapist as they did about the victim of the rape–and, expediently, they kept him on the show when he was supposed to have a short 6-wk. or so stint. So, the ACTING of Genie and Tony entralled the audience and “a “seduction” theme was touted–and later, after protests, the writers really did a number trying to take it back to rape–see scene where Luke talks to Lucky about “raping his mother.”
Rape is not now nor will it ever be “seduction”. The acting of Genie and Tony surrounding the aftermath of the rape may have enthralled you and other women my mother’s age but not me. I and other young women look at the endless replays of the Luke and Laura “love story” with both anger and contempt. The scene where Lucky talks to Laura about her rape was/is an unacceptable attempt by the writers to make nice with those of us who protested. Did not work!
Funny. Do you know Nancy D’s age? I see plenty of those comments in the youtube replays stating they are young and watching it for the first time. Many of them admit the story is compelling, and the rape cannot be condoned. The story was well-told (at least in the beginning) and Genie and Tony are theatrically trained. It was interesting to see the story unfold, thanks to all of the above. It was the first time “date rape” (and the victim’s needless feelings of guilt) was given a name and shown to an audience. The writing team should have had more confidence in themselves and in the audience, though. In my opinion, the story was fine running its course as a redemption and forgiveness story. I could not forgive a rape. But, the character of Laura has always been forgiving to a fault, especially when she was young. It was no surprise to me that she could forgive Luke because she was already falling in love with him before the rape. And she had always dealt with feelings of abandonment in previous storylines. She had already spent time in a cult too. Falling in love with Luke was right on par with Laura, in my opinion. I was annoyed and insulted when the writing team decided to change course and make it seem like the rape was more of a seduction. I know Tony claimed in this interview one of the reasons the writers decided to change course was because the audience eventually felt sympathy for Luke. If the audience was beginning to feel sympathy and forgiveness toward Luke, then the writers didn’t need to tweak the story. The writers should have trusted the story as-is. Both characters have their histories with mental illness too, so of course the story was not going to be conventional. Of course the story was going to be dark and gray. At least, in my opinion. Throw in Luke’s alcohol problem with his mental illness and, no surprise to me. Yes, Luke “could” be in love with Laura and still rape her during a panicked, drunken blackout. Abhorrently, husbands used to get away with raping their wives. The character of Scottie told the rape counselor that if Laura didn’t consent to him soon, he was worried he might rape her himself. This story had many ugly layers. The story forced our society to discuss what used to be deemed “improper to discuss.” The writers accomplished controversy for sure: Here we are still talking about it 40 years later.
If we really wanted to pick this apart, there were some other female injustices from that time period which wouldn’t fly today:
-The beloved character of Aunt Ruby was said to have been a former Madame. We later learn Bobbie started prostituting as a teen/child, which would also make Aunt Ruby a child sex trafficker today.
-Bobby was often having to deal with people threatening to expose her past. Yet, she was thrown into the profession as a child.
-Newspapers labeled a very young Laura “Lolita” for seducing her mother’s boyfriend. Today we know this as child molestation and statutory rape.
In spite of all this, I still love vintage GH and the slowly-unfolding, character-driven storylines. 🙂
The great point you made is Laura was already falling for Luke. Still, rape is never condoned. BUT, as a society, coming out of the seventies and into the eighties, the lines were blurred. Critically blurred! We all have grown and learned for the most part. That is the good news.
Carrie, moral conscience has no “age;” it is a constant. If you are interested, or have the time, please read my response to Anne (above).
There is, however, “enlightenment” and “changing mores.” And that’s what the writers at GH ran into re L & L story. I hasten to add, also, that women on GH still are often not portrayed as “equals” or multi-layered individuals.
One last thing: Genie has said: “I have no more interest in playing the victim, the wounded dove; I am through with that.” Brava, Genie!
Nancy, I am sorry if there was confusion. I actually thought I was responding to Anne and how she was certain you, and any LnL fan, must be her mother’s age. ….and how she stated there must be something wrong with LnL fans. I was trying to convey that anyone who stuck around long enough to see the story unfold “could” see how the 2 characters could end up together. Sorry, again, for any confusion caused by my earlier post. I was actually trying to defend you, myself and other LnL fans. Sincerely. 🙂
Thanks, Carrie. 🙂
Hi again Nancy. I love Laura and I think my all time favorite storyline was right after LnL return from Beecher’s Corners and they break up. Laura becomes tough and independent. Months go by before LnL become a couple again. It was so much fun seeing them develop a new dynamic and a new normal. And those scenes brought so much laughter. It was a perfect anticdote to the previous year’s rape story. It was my favorite time and you can really see the creative freedom the actors were given to improvise. And you could sense they were having fun on the set. It was fantastic. 🙂
Yes, in one interview, Genie said they laughed so much that her stomach ached! And both Genie and Tony have stated that the “on the run” story was their favorite. The humor WAS great fun–obviously for the actors as well as the audience.
PS. They hold up today and can be a perfect antidote in these uncertain times. Take care, Nancy 🙂
BTW, this would be a perfect time for TPTB at GH to show those funny scenes on “throwback Fridays,” don’t you think? We need some “comic relief” while we hunker down! 🙂
Yes, that would be great. Maybe ABC is afraid to show episodes exposing the freedom and larger budgets they once allowed. ha ha
And do you sense, as I, the chemistry between Genie as Laura and Jeff Kobe as the character of baddie Cyrus Renault? What to do with THAT???! He has that twinkle in his eye while playing the dastardly evil character. And Genie has that bit of fire in her defiance of him and his evil ways. I see those sparks. Maybe TPTB shouldn’t have made him so BAD. What do you think? Chemistry is something one just cannot predict, isn’t it? (Case in point: the chemistry between Genie Francis and Tony Geary, right?)
I’m not sure. Nothing against Jeff, but so far I think Genie can act circles around most. Jon Linstrom and Tony Geary and Stephen Nichols were good acting matches. Always Tristan Rogers but it’s clear they are going to reunite him with Holly or shift his character in that direction. In Jeff’s defense, he may be forced to hold back since he is new. The GH veterans aren’t afraid to show more fire. I’ll give it some more time. I bet Cyrus ends up being the father of one of the existing characters. Is he old enough to be Valentine’s dad?
Not sure if he is on contract or just recurring, but he has had a lot of scenes that seem ominous with Jordan, Laura, Sonny. And I don’t think he would be old enough to be Valentine’s dad, but I don’t think they’ll take the story that way. But anything can and does happen or seem possible on GH. And, remember, they are always “bending” time. Still, I’d selfishly like to see more “power” scenes between him and Genie, though I don’t know what direction they writers are taking the character–if he will be killed, or will still be on the canvas for a while. BUT, EXPEDIENCY can always factor in a character’s staying or leaving. Witness TG as exhibit “A.” Right? 🙂
I think it might be fun (and funny) to see Michael E. Knight have some Genie scenes. 🙂
Yes, she could have the milquetoast for lunch, couldn’t she?
This interview was awesome! The fact that Nancy and Tony know each other made it even more fun. Say whatever you want about Tony, but he was a fine actor and the humor he added is sorely missed. Great job both Nancy and Tony! Thank you!
Hi Nancy. I thought it was just me, because I can have wild thoughts sometimes. Personally, I think Laura has chemistry of some sort with every male she has contact with, her friendship with Sonny, Robert, Marcus,etc. Ironically I don’t see and never have seen a romantic connection with her own husband. Of course we rarely see them together. I don’t like Cyrus and the way he gets right in everyone’s face or space so to speak. I think he’s offensive and that’s his intention to make the other person feel threatened.
On another note. I am not crazy about seeing a relationship between Ava and Nick, but actually might consider one with she and Franco. I think they are well suited, n’est-ce-pas ? Oh, silly me!
My point exactly, Anne. Expediency ruled the day, unfortunately.
And please read my posts carefully, Anne. Nowhere did I say that “rape” is “seduction” (that would be repugnant)! Neither did I say the RAPE “enthralled” me. Quite the contrary (if you read carefully). I said that TPTB started calling it “a seduction” after the audience’s response. The character of Luke was supposed to be short-term, so what to do, after, as GEARY said, “the audience expressed sympathy for Luke (the rapist) equal to the sympathy expressed for Laura, the victim of the rape (or “survivor)? EXPEDIENTLY, “the powers that be” wanted to keep Tony Geary on the show, so they began to call it a “seduction.”
If you listened to TG’s interview (and he has said it in multiple interviews) that once, when he was opening a mall, and the women/fans began to call out, “Rape ME, Luke!” He said that he said: “Please stop!” and they did. “Soap fans are good people, usually,” he said. But he was uncomfortable, naturally. Still, he had a job and a script, and the writers had a show with soaring ratings.
SO, they did what was EXPEDIENT, because, as I said in previous post, the viewers was obviously ENTHRALLED by the acting of and chemistry between the two actors. And, remember, Gloria Monty was brought aboard to “raise the ratings” of GH before it was cancelled. So “the show must go on,” with EXPEDIENCY.
And it did, and the rest is history. Yet, that pesky question remained: Rape or seduction? So, the writers attempted to deal with in,much later and unsuccessfully, in my opinion. The scenes were uncomfortable and not necessarily good drama–nor good for ratings. The “fix” didn’t work, but GH brass must have felt they had no choice but to deal with it.
A footnote: Genie has said, in her interviews, that the previous writer quit rather than write the story of Laura’s rape. But Gloria Monty had one job to do: bring up the ratings–and she did!
AND SO IT GOES . . . .
Thank you. It was RAPE. I watched it. And although I’ve had my reservations about Mr. Geary through the years, a big BRAVO to him for confirming it in this interview. I got so tired, back in those days, and sometimes in the intervening years since, of being told I did not see what I saw on my screen. It was rape, Tony has now said on the record that it was written as “violent rape” and that Gloria Monty directed it as rape and that he and Genie played it as rape. And that’s exactly what I saw on my screen, and I’m grateful to have somebody say that instead of all the “seduction” BS that TPTB (including Gloria Monty, and shame on her for it) tried to feed viewers after the fact when Luke and Laura became so popular.
Very interesting talk. Thanks for sharing it!
Tony is fabulous and GH misses him! Fans who bitch about his stubbornness or entitlement need to listen to this interview. He explains exactly why he is who he is and explains his behavior in regard to his character, his own integrity and his exit plan.
The interview, like I stated, it was very good. He finally explained his thought process from day one to his last day on GH’s set. The problem I have is Grahn treated this more like a phone conversation than an interview. Here are some questions she could have asked that would have made total sense but she couldnt help herself from just being enamored with the legend.
1. Tony, any thought of ever returning to GH? What would truly bring you out of retirement to set foot at ABC?
2. Do you keep in touch with any of your cast mates?
3. What do you miss most about GH?
4. You signed off long ago about pursuing a movie character. Would you sign on to do a film or even a significant prime time role if it were offered?
5. Is there anything in life that is still on your bucket list?
Thank you Mr. Geary.
I like your questions Timmm.
Thanks Carrie. Tony is reclusive so anything is something but…
I’ve watched all of the episodes (so far) of Soaps in Quarantine. Each one has been interesting in it’s own way but I especially liked this one with Anthony Geary. Especially his thoughts on what it was like in the beginning vs how it is now. Thanks to Nancy Lee Grahn for doing this!
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric
General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).
On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.
Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”
Courtesy/ABC
HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT
Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”
Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”
Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”
Photo: ABC
DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES
In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”
Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”
You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.
Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guy for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.
General Hospital
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)
At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.
However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.
Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.
Photo: ABC
FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG
Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!
Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”
MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL
Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).
Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”
Photo: JPI
PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY
Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”
It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”
A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”
Photo: PGibbons
IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS
As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”
He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”
Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.”
So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Admits That He Didn’t Expect the Role of Michael Corinthos to be Recast, and Would Consider Working on Another Soap (Exclusive)
Chad Duell, the Daytime Emmy-winning actor, who stepped away from the pivotal role of Michael Corinthos on General Hospital, opened up about: his previous decision to leave the series after nearly 15 years, where’s he’s at now after time away from the demands of a daytime soap opera, and took a stroll down memory lane with some of Michael’s most-acclaimed storyline during his run, during a livestream chat on August 19 on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.
Viewers last saw Duell on-screen as Michael in January of 2025, and with his successor in the role, Rory Gibson making his debut at the GH Nurses’ Ball in episodes that aired later in May. It was clear that during the conversation, Chad was a bit surprised that the GH brass decided to recast him when he thought he was just taking some much needed time off.
Burn-out of the daily grind of being on a soap was definitely a part of Chad’s decision to take a break. Duell explained “People know when you’re doing something for so long or your character is kind of in the same place for so long or doing the same stuff over and over again, you do get a a little burnt out, you get a little stiff, stale, a little stiff at times. I didn’t want that to be any sort of lasting impression. I have 15 years of a body of work of I’ve done on that show, which is fantastic.”
Photo: ABC
WHILE CHAD WAS AWAY GH RECAST MICHAEL CORINTHOS WITH RORY GIBSON
Chad shared, his mindset when leaving GH was, “I’m taking some time away, we’ll see what happens.” Then he added, “Obviously, they decided to go in a different direction with Michael when I was gone. I didn’t think they were going to bring somebody back in my place. But you know, it’s the business. You never know what can happen.”
Duell also shared he has not watched a single episode of General Hospital since he left the series, but now feels he reenergized following the loss of his father and stepping away from the GH, “I’m in a place now mentally, where I’m ready to sink my teeth into it again.”
Courtesy/ABC
Even though he is no longer Michael on GH, Chad was very happy with his final storyline where Michael was set on fire when a bomb exploded at Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) penthouse. “It was fun to put him in a dangerous situation, because I was wanting Michael to be in something scary instead of trying to be a hero character or just things happening around him, but to be the center point of tragedy happening to him. (I always saw) Michael as the heart of the (Corinthos) family.”
When Michael was badly burned the show chose not burn his face, which normally a soap does when they are recasting role and switching actors. Chad weighed-in, “They didn’t burn my face because I told Frank Valentini (EP, GH) I’m willing to come back. It was just a little bit of a break. So, I assumed that if they would have burned my face, they could have brought somebody back looking different than me… if that’s what their plan was.”
Courtesy/ABC
MEMORABLE MICHAEL STORYLINES
One of Chad’s most memorable performances was the in the storyline of Michael’s rape while he was sentenced to prison in 2010 and the confession of it in 2011. “It was so well-written and I was very nervous,” recalled Chad. “When I get really nervous about something, it ends up being really good when I do it, because it just means I care a lot about it”
“I have to put a lot of effort and work into it, and I really want it to be good. I was working with Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) and Steve Burton (Jason) a lot during those scenes, and Laura Wright (Carly). It was great working with Steve and Dominic, especially, during that storyline.
A NEW SOAP ROLE FOR CHAD?
As to a future soap opera role, Chad is open to the idea and would love to jump back in to a juicy role, “I know people over at The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Young and the Restless. They know that if they’re interested, I would love to come in for a screen test or something, and they can see what I’m doing.”
Meanwhile, Chad has been busy putting out new music under the moniker Duelly and during the interview he explains how he creates his EDM tracks and much more. You can stream his latest single, Static in the Quiet Room on Spotify, Apple Music and You Tube Music.
You can check out the full conversation with Chad Duell below.
Now let us know: what show would you like to see Chad cast on down the line? BTG, DAYS, B&B, Y&R, or a new role on GH? What did you think of his thoughts on the casting switch while he was away in the role of Michael? What was your favorite Michael storyline during Chad’s 15-year run on the ABC soap opera? Let us know via the comment section.
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Preview: Kelly Sullivan Debuts as Dylan’s Mom; Suspicion is Raised About Carter and Steffy
‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)
‘Guiding Light’s’ Grant Aleksander Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of TV Daughter, Hayden Panettiere On What Would Have Been Her 37th Birthday
‘General Hospital’s’ Maurice Benard Talks: New ‘Sonny’ Storyline, His Contract, and Three Characters He Would Want to See Back in Port Charles
How John Oliver’s ‘Days of Our Lives’ Guest Star Turn as ‘Devlin St. John’ Came to an End
‘Veronica & Julian’ Feature Starring ‘Days of Our Lives’ Alums Nadia Bjorlin and Kyler Pettis Releases Key Art and More (Exclusive)
John Oliver Recaps His ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’ Soap Opera Experience on ‘Last Week Tonight’
‘General Hospital’ Alum Bryan Craig Cast in ‘The Weapon’
‘Guiding Light’s’ Grant Aleksander Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of TV Daughter, Hayden Panettiere On What Would Have Been Her 37th Birthday
‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Admits That He Didn’t Expect the Role of Michael Corinthos to be Recast, and Would Consider Working on Another Soap (Exclusive)
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ric’s History of Jealousy Where Elizabeth is Concerned Has Come Back Around
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