Luke Spencer
Luke Spencer is a fictional character in the American television soap opera General Hospital, played by Anthony Geary from 1978 until his departure in July 2015.[3] Geary holds the record for most Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his work as Luke.[4][5] He was the show's fifth most tenured character after Monica Quartermaine, Laura Spencer, Scott Baldwin, and Bobbie Spencer.
For the American soccer player, see Luke Spencer (soccer).Luke Spencer
- Anthony Geary (1978–2017)
- Guy Wilson (2006)
- Joey Luthman (2015)
- 1978–1984
- 1993–2015
- 2017
November 20, 1978
May 4, 2017
- Lucas Lorenzo Spencer Sr.
- Lloyd Johnson
- Nick Charles
- Dr von Scheemerman
Peter Caspin
- Lucas Lorenzo Spencer Sr.
- Lloyd Johnson
- Nick Charles
- Dr von Scheemerman
Peter Caspin
- Tim Spencer
- Lena Eckert
Laura Webber (1981–2001, 2006)
Jennifer Smith (2002)
Tracy Quartermaine (2005–2011, 2014)
- Aiden Spencer
- Rocco Falconeri
- Jake Webber (legal)
- Cameron Webber (adoptive)
Beatrice Eckert
Lucas Jones (adoptive)
The character was famously paired with Laura Spencer (named Laura Webber when he met her), starting soon after Luke Spencer joined the show. The pairing, termed "Luke and Laura" by fans, was extremely popular with viewers, and led to the creation of the "supercouple" concept, which many other soap operas attempted to emulate. The pairing culminated with the couple's wedding, which took place on the episodes aired on November 16–17, 1981; the November 17 episode was watched by 30 million people and remains the most watched hour in soap opera history.[6]
Casting[edit]
Anthony Geary was originally hired for a 13-week stint on General Hospital in November 1978, which eventually grew into a full contract role.[7] Geary received Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1980 and 1981, and had his first win in 1982.[8][9] Geary was nominated again in 1983, before leaving the show on December 27, 1983. He later reprised the role from October 26 to December 10, 1984.
In 1991, Geary returned to General Hospital as Luke's cousin and look-alike Bill Eckert, due to the actor's desire to play something other than Luke.[7] However, in response to audience feedback and demand, the character was killed off, and Geary resumed the role of Luke on October 29, 1993.[7][10] Geary was nominated in 1997 and 1998 for Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor, and had his second win in 1999,[8] and his third in 2000. He received another nomination in 2003, and had his fourth win in 2004.[11] When Geary won for the fifth time in 2006,[9][11] he set the record for most lead actor wins.[7]
Geary has been known in later years for his annual long vacations from the show.[12] As Geary explained to Entertainment Weekly, "That's my contractual situation. There came a point where they really couldn't offer me more money in negotiations. I've made a very fine living and I'm grateful for that. But what they could offer me would be more time. So what's happened is that through the years I've eked out what I think is an ideal situation. I have a minimum number of shows, 31 weeks a year, and the rest of my time is my own.[7]
Geary received another Emmy nomination in 2007, and in 2008, he again set a record for most lead actor wins with his sixth[13] Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor.[14] Also in 2008, Geary made a guest appearance on the General Hospital spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift.[15]
Having received his last nomination in 2009, Geary again set a record in 2012 with his seventh win for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series.[16][17] In May 2015, Geary announced his decision to permanently leave General Hospital, stating: "This show has been a huge part of my life for over half my life and Luke Spencer is my alter ego. But I'm just weary of the grind and have been for 20 years." Geary made his final appearance on July 27, 2015.[18][19]
Soap Opera Digest announced in April 2017 that Geary would make a guest appearance on May 4, 2017, in conjunction with the exit of Jane Elliot's Tracy Quartermaine.[20][21]
Storylines[edit]
Background[edit]
Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, known as Luke, was born and raised in Port Charles, New York, as the son of Tim Spencer and Lena Eckert. Tim was an abusive alcoholic, who regularly beat Luke, his sisters Patricia and Bobbie, and their mother. In 2015, it was revealed that in an attempt to protect his mother from Tim, he accidentally struck her over the head with a baseball bat, resulting in her developing a head injury that led to her death. When Tim taunted Luke with the news that he had murdered his own mother, Luke responded by beating Tim to death with the same bat he had hit his mother with. As a result of the psychological trauma of these events, Luke would block out these memories for the next fifty-two years, when Patricia, whom he had not seen since, told him the truth.
At some point in his youth, Luke ended up befriending Lila Quartermaine (Anna Lee), who had intended to adopt both him and Bobbie. However, before they could, the two left Port Charles with their aunt, Ruby Anderson (Norma Connolly), who worked in Florida as a prostitute. Bobbie, who was only 14 years old at the time, began working in the same profession.
1978–1984[edit]
After leaving prostitution behind, Bobbie (Jacklyn Zeman), became a nurse and returned to Port Charles in December 1977. After becoming infatuated with Scott Baldwin (Kin Shriner), she sought help from Luke in an effort to help break up Scott's engagement to Laura Webber (Genie Francis), who also returned to town and began working at the Campus Disco. The Disco operated as a front for a money-laundering racket operated by Frank Smith (George Gaynes), a local mobster. Luke soon fell in love with Laura and refused to help Bobbie further when one of her schemes resulted in Laura being injured in a car accident.
Laura and Scott were eventually married, with Luke pining for her in secret. In an effort to earn money to buy Scott a law library, Laura began working at the Campus Disco alongside Luke and became drawn to his unconventional way of living and sense of adventure. Meanwhile, Luke was being pressured by Frank Smith to kill Mitch Williams (Christopher Pennock), a corrupt politician who was running for Senate with a platform to crack down on organized crime. Realizing that he was likely a dead man, regardless of the outcome, Luke confessed his feelings to Laura the night before the hit, and overcome by anguish, raped her on the floor of the Campus Disco. In an effort to save Luke, his friend Roy DiLucca (Asher Brauner), attempted to pull off the hit but was caught and seemingly killed.
In 1980, Frank pressured Luke into marrying his daughter, Jennifer (Lisa Marie). On Luke and Jennifer's wedding day, Scott discovered a letter written by Laura to Luke revealing that he had raped her. As Luke and Jennifer were about to exchange vows on a yacht, Scott boarded and proceeded to start a fight with Luke, resulting in Luke falling overboard and all in attendance presuming he had drowned. Later, while pacing the docks, Laura was stunned when Luke reached out from the water and grabbed her leg. The two then worked together to steal a black book containing evidence of Frank's criminal activities, and armed with a clue about a "Left-Handed Boy", went on the run.
While on the run with Luke, Laura began to fall in love with him but was reluctant to break her vows to Scott. Frank then sent a hit man, Hutch Hutchins (Rick Moses), after the duo but after catching up with them, he kept his identity a secret and began working with them at a tavern run by another of Frank's hit men, Max Hedges (Chris Morley), who was disguised as a woman named Sally Armitage. After locating a statue known as the "Left-Handed Boy", Luke and Laura were able to use the inscription on the statue to decode Frank's book, resulting in his arrest and imprisonment for the next thirteen years. In the aftermath, Luke and Laura returned to a farm on which they had spent joyful time together and made love for the first time.
Upon their return to Port Charles, they were greeted by a bevy of reporters. Overcome by memories of the David Hamilton murder trial, Laura confessed that despite being unfaithful while away, she was still Mrs. Laura Baldwin. Feeling rejected, Luke turned away from Laura, despite her willingness to divorce Scott. In time, both Luke and Laura began working for Edward Quartermaine (David Lewis) at ELQ Industries. While under his employ, Luke met his niece, Alexandria (Renee Anderson), who enlisted him to locate the "Ice Princess", a large, uncut diamond that she had painted and lost in transit to Port Charles.
Luke met a secret agent named Robert Scorpio who worked for the WSB (World Security Bureau), a secret government spy agency whose mission was to stop Mikkos Cassadine and his brothers. Luke teamed up with Robert and headed to the Cassadine compound on an island off the coast of Venezuela. After they left Port Charles they discovered that Laura had stowed away with them.
Actress Tiffany Hill, a guest of Mikkos', joined the trio in their mission. They defeated Mikkos and his powerful ice machine, and returned to Port Charles in triumph. Laura obtained a divorce from Scott and began planning a lavish wedding with Luke. Laura and Bobbie ended their feud and became close sisters-in-law.
Luke and Laura were married by the Port Charles mayor on November 16, 1981, in a spectacular public ceremony at the mayor's manor. Mikkos' widow, Helena Cassadine, watched the wedding from a hidden spot and vowed she would curse their marriage. Helena blamed Luke and Laura for her husband's death.
Laura mysteriously disappeared in 1982. A thief named David Gray claimed to have killed her, and an enraged Luke killed him in a fight.
Luke, though still uncertain about his wife's ultimate fate, began an affair with scam artist Holly Sutton. Their affair was cut short when Luke was presumed dead in an avalanche. Holly fell in love with Robert, despite Luke revealing he was alive. Increasingly lonely, Luke decided to run for mayor of Port Charles, and won the election.
In 1983, Laura Spencer then revealed she was alive and had been kidnapped by the Cassadine family. Mikkos' cousin (later retconned as eldest son) Stavros Cassadine had spared her life since he had fallen in love with her. He forced her to marry him, though the marriage was invalid because she was already married to Luke. Stavros came to town to claim Laura, but was killed after falling down a flight of stairs after a struggle with Luke. The couple attempted to settle into their roles in politics, but found the roles stifling. They decided to leave Port Charles that year in order to see the world.
In 1984, Robert helped Luke when he was accused of murder in Mexico so that Luke would be free to be with Laura. When Luke was finally cleared, he returned to Laura, who announced the joyous news that she was pregnant. The Spencers immediately shared their news with their friends. With the revelation, Luke and Laura made what seemingly would be their last appearance on General Hospital. In the following years, passing references to the couple would be made by several characters.
Later that year, Laura's mother Lesley appeared to die in a car accident (later revealed to be arranged by the Cassadine family).
1993–2002[edit]
Luke and Laura returned to Port Charles in 1993. Frank Smith's mob was in pursuit of the couple and their 10-year-old son, Lucky Spencer. On August 8, 1994, Laura gave birth to a daughter, Lulu Spencer.
Mobster Sonny Corinthos killed Frank Smith and took over his territory. Sonny befriended Luke, which almost cost Laura and Lulu's lives in 1995.
In 1996, a young woman named Carly Roberts arrived in Port Charles and began working at General Hospital as a physical therapist. Carly slowly insinuated herself into the Spencer family.
Lulu was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in May 1996 and needed a bone marrow transplant to save her life. Luke was shocked when 16-year-old Nikolas Cassadine arrived in town and revealed himself as Laura's son with Stavros Cassadine. Laura had conceived Nikolas while the Cassadines held her captive. Nikolas' bone marrow matched his half-sister Lulu's and saved her life.
Nikolas and his uncle Stefan settled in Port Charles and began to meddle in the Spencers' lives. The Cassadine-Spencer feud, coupled with Laura's bombshell news of her secret son Nikolas, proved catastrophic to her marriage with Luke.
Luke discovered Carly Roberts was actually Carly Benson, a daughter Bobbie had given up for adoption during her career as a teen prostitute. Luke kept Carly's secret but used it to blackmail her. Carly, bitter and vengeful toward her mother Bobbie, had an affair with her mother's husband Tony. Bobbie divorced Tony after she caught him in bed with Carly. Bobbie then married Stefan. The marriage came to a quick end after Luke attempted to kill Stefan.
Luke and Laura faced emotional turmoil when Lucky discovered that Luke had raped Laura. Lucky began to date Elizabeth Webber, who had also been raped at the age of fifteen. Lucky was presumed dead after a fire in 1999, and the trauma ended his parents' long separation with a divorce.
In 2000, Luke and Laura realized Lucky was still alive and a captive of Helena Cassadine. Luke and Laura joined forces to search for their son and rekindled their love for each other. This reunion ended when Luke began a relationship with Felicia Jones.
Laura realized her romance and marriage with Luke were indeed over, and she rekindled her relationship with her first husband, Scott Baldwin. Luke became jealous but didn't try to reconcile with Laura. After months of dragging their feet, the couple officially divorced in 2001, shortly before their 20th wedding anniversary. Scott then proposed to Laura. Luke was devastated by Scott's proposal, but told Laura he wanted her to be happy. Laura made the painful decision to decline Scott's marriage proposal. Luke seized this opportunity to win Laura back and become a family again. He romanced Laura for months to convince her that they belonged together, and she agreed to remarry. They made plans for a second wedding in 2002, but Laura recovered a memory of murdering her stepfather Rick Webber. The shock led to a breakdown, and Laura entered a mental hospital.
Reception[edit]
In 2022, Charlie Mason and Richard Simms from Soaps She Knows placed Luke's funeral as the "Best Send-Off" of 2022, saying "We still don’t buy that General Hospital really killed off Anthony Geary’s infamous Luke, but nonetheless, the character’s memorial was spot on. From the “party” crashers to the meaningful throwbacks, it was a feat of mourning glory."[22] The following year, Mason placed Luke second place (behind Laura) on his ranked list of General Hospital’s 40+ Greatest Characters of All Time, commenting "From Mob flunky to mayor, Anthony Geary’s infamous alter ego was fashioned from a mold that was long ago broken, one from which sprang the kind of absolute scoundrel who is as infuriating as he is entertaining, as irrepressible as he is irresistible."[23] Richard Simms from the same website wrote in 2021 that "Characters don’t come more iconic than General Hospital's Luke Spencer".[24]