As portrayed by Anthony Geary, Luke Spencer has been described as the most popular character in soap opera history. One critic said: "Geary's individualism, uniqueness and awesome range is the most notable in Daytime (television) history," a statement that is typical of the actor's reviews. He added to his laurels by winning the 1981 Emmy Award as Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series. Anthony brought Luke Spencer back to the viewing audience on October 29, 1993, and received his second and third Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in 1999 and 2000. In total, he has been nominated eight times for Outstanding Lead Actor.
In January 1991 Anthony returned to General Hospital in the role of Bill Eckert, a cousin of Spencer's and a man of many — often dark — colors. Anthony was seen on-screen as both Bill Eckert and Luke Spencer as the story progressed, until the death of Eckert.
Anthony has come a long way from Coalville, Utah, the small mountain community of 800 where he was born. 'Tony' was a gifted student, attending the University of Utah as a Presidential Award Scholar in theater. Jack Albertson saw him perform there and cast him in The Subject Was Roses. The production, starring Albertson and Martha Scott, toured Hawaii and settled at the Huntington Hartford Theater in Los Angeles, where Tony decided to establish himself. His ensuing musical theater credits comprise a catalogue of classics. A highlight in this period was his co-starring engagement with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas in Your Show of Shows.
Anthony has performed in more than 50 stage productions throughout the United States. His appearance in the one-man show, Human Scratchings, performed to sold-out houses in Los Angeles in 1996, earned him unanimous critical acclaim and a DramaLogue Award. His other extensive theatrical credits include roles in productions of The Wild Duck, The Inspector General, The Cat's Paw, The Glass Menagerie and Barabbas at the Los Angeles Theater Center. In addition he toured with a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, portraying the title role. He also portrayed Octavius Caesar, opposite Lynn Redgrave and Timothy Dalton, in a production of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra for PBS and the BBC.
Anthony has made guest appearances on more than 40 television shows. Among his TV credits are roles on Starsky & Hutch, Barnaby Jones, The Streets of San Francisco, The Blue Knight, All in the Family, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Partridge Family, Most Wanted, Mannix, The Mod Squad, Room 222, Doc Elliot, Temperatures Rising, Marcus Welby, M.D., Hotel and Murder, She Wrote. He also performed in the television movies Perry Mason and the Case of the Murdered Madam, Kicks, Sins of the Past, The Imposter, Intimate Agony and Do You Know the Muffin Man?, and in the Daytime dramas Bright Promise and The Young and the Restless.
Anthony's feature film credits include roles in U.H.F., It Takes Two, Pass the Ammo, You Can't Hurry Love, Penitentiary III, The Disorderlies, Private Investigation, Johnny Got His Gun, Scorchers and Night of the Warrior.
As a producer, he received a Cindy Award for the drama Sound of Sunshine, Sound of Rain, a children's story for Public Radio. He has also taught improvisation and story-theater techniques.
Anthony competed in track and field and swimming events as a college student, and also raced horses. He is a certified scuba diver, as well as an accomplished rollerblader. He also claims himself to be "the world's oldest Hip Hop dancer."
