How does Rick Springfield remember Anthony Geary? 'General Hospital' star reflects on soap legend's legacy

Rick Springfield is mourning Anthony Geary, the man who made Luke Spencer unforgettable.

Following Tony's death on Sunday, Dec. 14, the Jessie’s Girl singer who joined General Hospital in 1981 as Dr. Noah Drake, reminisced about his late co-star in a phone call interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

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Rick Springfield shared with the outlet how he ended up starring on the show back in the early '80s, as well as his bond with Anthony Geary.

"I already had my album Working Class Dog recorded, but I didn't have a lot of faith in it. I got called up on this audition and I didn't think much of it. I just went in and did my reading. They must have seen something that I didn't see and picked me for the part."

The 76-year-old actor-musician went on:

"It was a game changer because of Tony Geary and [exec producer] Gloria Monty. Tony was very involved with her in the direction of the show. It became a bigger than primetime show, like you said."

Rick Springfield commended the late soap icon as he reflected on the "grueling" production schedule at the time.

"It was very fast. I was kind of thrown into it and just kind of learned by watching others and doing my best. It was more a line memorization thing than an actual acting gig, because there was just so much dialogue. It's a different art form, the soap opera, from a nighttime show or a movie. And it's really the actors don't get the credit that they deserve. Tony was one of the greats."

Rick Springfield expressed his sadness over the loss of Anthony Geary, whom the outlet referred to as "one you never forget." The Hard To Hold star continued:

"You think of soaps, you think of Tony as one of the first. He had a great life, and he loved living in Amsterdam. But it's always sad when someone leaves before their time."

Rick Springfield says he knew Anthony Geary was gay: "There's nothing you really can hide"

Anthony Geary, known for his iconic portrayal of Luke Spencer in the 18-time Emmy-winning General Hospital, has passed away at 78 following complications from a scheduled surgery.

The actor started headlining the soap in 1978 and had appeared in over 2,000 episodes before concluding his GH career in 2015.

Tony's husband, Claudio Gama, confirmed the sad news to TV Insider:

"It was a shock for me and our families and our friends. For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband."

When asked if he knew that Anthony Geary was gay, Rick Springfield told the outlet:

"There's nothing you really can hide on a show like that. I think he moved to Amsterdam because it was more acceptable to be gay there. It didn't have quite the stigma that it had in America. But back then, it was much more tolerated in the artistic community than in the general public. It was no big deal to us. You really had to be focused on being ready to film your scenes or it could go down pretty fast."

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