General Hospital actress Genie Francis is mourning her longtime TV partner Anthony Geary. The eight-time Daytime Emmy Award winner passed away yesterday in Amsterdam.
“This morning I woke up and went into my husband’s arms,” the soap opera star said. “In my sleep, my life was flashing before me and I was afraid of death. An hour later, I received a call from Frank Valentini, [General Hospital’s executive producer]. He told me Tony died.”
Genie Francis woke up “afraid of death” before learning of Anthony Geary’s death
“I hadn’t spoken to him in years,” Genie continued on X (formerly Twitter). “But I felt his life end in my sleep last night, and with it a big part of … mine … No star burned brighter than Tony Geary. He was one of a kind.”
In 1981, the wedding of Luke and Laura (portrayed by Tony and Genie) drew an amazing 30 million viewers. To this day, it remains the highest rated episode in American daytime television history.
In 2023, People recalled the epic media event as “a cultural milestone.” Bars and college dorms threw viewing parties. In fact, I knew someone whose college instructor wheeled a TV into the classroom, saying, “I know you’re all thinking about it anyway, so we might as well watch the wedding.”
Even movie star Elizabeth Taylor got herself invited to the fictional wedding of the year, appearing on-screen as evil Helena Cassadine, who put a curse on the couple. “I’m wild about that show,” Taylor Swift’s “role model” professed. “I had a ball!”
“As an artist, he was filled with a passion for the truth, no matter how blunt … but [he was] always hilariously funny,” Genie continued. “Working with him was always exciting. You never knew what might happen. He spoiled me for leading men for the rest of my life.”
“I am crushed, I will miss him terribly, but I was so lucky to be his partner,” she continued. “Somehow, somewhere, we are connected to each other because I felt him leave last night. Good night sweet prince, good night.”
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