General Hospital's Anthony Geary Dead at 78

The actor began his legendary soap career with roles on Bright Promise and The Young and the Restless before joining General Hospital in the role of Luke in 1978.

The role—which notched Anthony an astounding eight Daytime Emmy Awards, most recently before he retired from acting in 2015—would prove to be groundbreaking when he coupled up with Genie's character Laura Webber, creating an instant cultural phenomenon. 

The couple's 1981 wedding episode, which featured Hollywood icon and noted General Hospital fan Elizabeth Taylor, drew a whopping 30 million viewers.

Both Genie and Anthony left the show in the '80s before returning together in 1993. She would later exit again in 2002.

After winning his eighth and final Daytime Emmy, which he called "particularly gratifying," Anthony explained his decision to step away from acting.

"There comes a time when you reach a certain age," the actor, who was 68 at the time, said on A Spoonful of Paolo in 2015. "I had serious spinal operation—two of them over the last two years—and I realized after the second operation in no uncertain terms that my time was not infinite on this planet."

"I've loved my life, and it's time to take the benefits of what I've gotten from being an actor for 50 years half a century," he added. "It was time. I just decided, now is the time."

As for leaving his iconic character of Luke behind, Anthony commended General Hospital's writers for "wrapping up this character so beautifully" before reflecting on the impact that Luke has had on him as a person.

"I just didn't think there was much better we could do," he mused. "He's given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people and be part of a community that as a child I always dreamed of."