The 8 people I still love watching with GOAT Tony Geary

Before I disappear down the rabbit hole of Anthony Geary's work on General Hospital, I wanted to give the genre's greatest of all time some props and tell my GH origin story. So rare for me to have this kind of clarity on a memory, but I've been telling this particular tale for a long time.

I was away at Girl Scout camp in 1980, and some people talking about how Luke had been knocked off a yacht by someone. They were pretty animated about it and their disgust for him. Now the only Luke I knew of at that time was from the Star Wars universe. So I said, "I like Luke!" and the quick retort was, "He's the bad guy!" I held fast to Luke's side, though, and when I came home from camp, I started watching GH. And sure enough, don'tcha know, Luke became the good guy with all kinds of adventure and a perfect love story with Laura (it was more idyllic for not knowing their origin story, I suppose.)

Is he the greatest of all time because of the legendary Luke & Laura romance that led to 30 million people watching their TV wedding and eight Daytime Emmys for Geary (that number unfathomably still seems low). No, that's not why he's the greatest but rather the result of him being the greatest.

Geary couldn't figure out how he became a sex symbol, specifically noting his receding hairline, weak chin and sallow complexion during a Soap Opera Digest interview done at the height of the mania. It was obvious to all of us drawn in by his charisma, and I probably didn't know much about it at the time, but also his attention to detail and desire to do the best job he could, even if it was "only" on a soap opera.

Guess who benefited most from this? Well, yeah, ABC ... and the soap magazines ... and the teen magazines. But also his co-stars because this guy could have charisma with a lamppost, so imagine matching up with and/or facing off against someone with talent? 

That got me thinking about his decades on the show, his fellow actors and who I loved watching him play scenes with the most. I've narrowed it down to five actresses and three actors, but Geary was capable of greatness at any moment. He was known for going off script and shaking things up, here are eight actors who could not only play that game but raise the stakes.

The five actresses:

No. 1: Genie Francis (Laura) has to be No. 1, right? ... Right! We've heard over the ensuing years that Genie didn't feel like she had gotten enough credit for Luke and Laura's success when she originally departed the show. And since she was made to feel that way, I'd have to agree. There was something about Genie's beautiful, fresh-scrubbed face that was reflected in Tony's eyes. It was a partnership, 50/50. A seasoned actress despite the fact she was just out of her teens, she wasn't the least bit fazed by Geary's penchant for flying by the seat of his pants. Not only could she match him there, but she inspired devotion because she delivered even the most soapy bits of dialogue with the ring of truth. Luke and Laura became a supercouple because of Tony and Genie, and daytime drama got a lot bigger audience and a little more respect as a result.

No. 2: Sharon Wyatt (Tiffany): Luke and Tiffany Hill were never love interests, but they were roommates for an all-too-brief period. I could have done with more scenes like Tiffany walking with her toes in the air after painting her nails and Luke completely revolted by the image. But beyond that, their mutual admiration society was always evident when they were on screen together. Luke brought a lot of genuineness out of Ms. Hill, she didn't put on airs around him (unless it was for a good cause). When her other best friend, Laura, was presumed dead, there was never a doubt that Tiffany would be there when Luke needed her. It was such an unsoapy, gratifying relationship -- always with love and humor. I credit Tony and Sharon for most of that, it probably wasn't on the page to begin with.

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No. 3: Emma Samms (Holly): When Genie departed (the first time), the pressure was on the show. What would they do with their hot commodity Tony (and Luke Spencer by extension)? They brought then-unknown Demi Moore into the fold as feisty reporter Jackie Templeton, and she and Geary had a couple of sparkling promotional photo sessions. I was one of the few who liked her, but just not with Luke, it was 1. too soon and 2. wasn't clicking properly. So, in swims Emma Samms as Holly Sutton. That worked better but really got great when Luke was presumed dead and Holly was forced to marry his best friend. So Luke and Holly may not have been meant for each other, but the chemistry remained and we got to see it resurface on a couple of occasions later.

No. 4: Robin Christopher (Skye): I really liked the combination of Luke and Skye, maybe it was because they both had some down-and-out times and birds of a feather can have a lot of chemistry together. But the Luke and "Blaze" story never completely caught fire because another opportunity presented itself. In running across this era nowadays, it seemed inevitable that Luke and Skye wouldn't wind up together, but I still can't help wishing that they had a better crack at it.

No. 5: Jane Elliot (Tracy): They absolutely weren't going to go back to the Luke and Laura well, right? OK, then this is probably the best possible matchup we could get. Tony and Jane long reigned as two of the strongest characters Port Charles has ever seen, living and loving and laughing, a breath of fresh air from the mob mania. Yeah, I might consider Luke and Tracy soulmates under other circumstances. The affinity both actors had for their characters was evident in every line of dialogue, in every sideways glance and in every emotionally denying sneer. Ultimately they were worthy of each other.

The three actors:

No. 1: Tristan Rogers (Robert): How does a day player wind up becoming a soap icon? Take Tony Geary, add Tristan Rogers and stir, do not shake! What a boon this "little" decision turned out to be. Rogers matched Geary quip for quip and vice versa. They could make something out of the most menial dialogue. Once the two characters teamed up and were the best of buddies and not adversaries, GH ascended another level. It was enthralling to watch the bromance grow and change, it added depth not only to Luke's rapscallion-turned-hero personality but gave us rooting interest in the Aussie as well. As tends to happen on a soap, that led to a battle for fair Holly's heart, but we knew somehow, someway they'd always find their way back to each other. Luke and Robert were end game too.

No. 2: Jonathan Jackson (Lucky): GH struck gold again with the casting of Jonathan when Luke and Laura returned to the canvas in 1993 with an 11-year-old who really seemed to be the byproduct of the soaps' greatest love story. He was wise beyond his years but not precocious, and he kept up with the 0-to-60 pace set by his on-screen parents. Speaking of living up to lofty expectations, the lessons from Geary have paid off for Jackson, who has six Daytime Emmys of his own. He's definitely proven to be his on-screen father's son no matter what material has been thrown his way, he's just as adept with the medium's heavier moments as he is with the kind of scenes that endear characters to viewers.

No. 3: Kin Shriner (Scott): On screen, Luke and Scott were rivals from the get-go. Off camera, they were besties. And as such, both actors always seemed to feast on their chances to face off as mortal enemies. Both had opportunities to run the gamut back and forth and back again on the show. Antagonist Luke became everyone's hero and boy-next-door Scotty turned into quite the spiteful villain when the love of his life was taken away from him -- never more evident than in the Wedding of the Century shocker that found Scotty catching Laura's bridal bouquet. And so it went back and forth over the years, the two practically grinding their teeth when they wound up in each other's orbits. But it always was riveting when Geary and Shriner had the chance to face off once again. --Paige

A Few thoughts on one Good Man

There's not much we can say about Rob Reiner's untimely passing beyond our reactions of total shock and immense sadness. But what we can express in more detail is just how much his work has meant to us over the decades in which he's been part of our lives. Reiner was a fine actor, no doubt, but where he impacted us most was as a director. It started in our formative years, and our affinity and respect for him has only blossomed in the years since.

So we're going to present three favorite Rob Reiner films apiece. We'll be leaving some other films behind in doing this list, but his work will continue to be part of our lives now and in the future.

Misery (1990): This is one of those times I read the book before I saw the movie. Reiner paired with legendary screenwriter William Goldman, who wrote the script based on Stephen King’s best seller about a writer’s No. 1 fan. Reiner did what King couldn’t (or chose not to) do: his Annie Wilkes had some bouts of likeability. There are brief moments where you almost root for Kathy Bates’ character over James Caan’s Paul Sheldon. But then you learn her backstory, witness the hideous hobbling and mourn the loss of the inquisitive local sheriff. I’m sure many squeamish viewers preferred the movie version of hobbling over the book version, but Rob surely raised the tension for that scene. Fun fact: This is the only movie in which Reiner directed someone (Kathy Bates) to an Oscar win. --Leah

The Princess Bride (1987): I think we first saw this one at a local theater together. At the time, it was nice to know a cynical 15-year-old could still find something -- anything -- enchanting. Twenty-eight years after its release, it remains my favorite Rob Reiner movie. Goldman wrote the script based on his own novel -- he wisely kept the good parts and ignored the not-so-good parts. Reiner and his cast brought those scenes to life and told a story that truly seemed to have something for everyone. It’s not a perfect movie; someone really needed to have a talk with the editor (best example: the scenes after Fezzik dunks Inigo’s head into buckets of water). But great movies are allowed to have flaws. Not-as-fun fact: Rob Reiner is the voice you hear on the audio book version of The Princess Bride. As you know, in the movie, a grandfather is reading the story to his grandson. On the audio book, a father is reading it to his son. You’ll never listen to it the same way again. --Leah

Stand by Me (1986): It is no easy feat to adapt Stephen King's work for the big screen because the legendary author is so great at what he does that even the most talented of visionaries has trouble translating the vivid imagery we conjure up in our heads to the big screen. The fact that Reiner was able to do that on more than one occasion is another testament to the man's talent, his openness and the fact that he truly understood the assignment. And not only did he do that, but he also excelled on another front that historically proves difficult for filmmakers -- bringing the aches and pains of adolescents to the big screen in a way that is heartfelt and not cloying while also remaining accessible to people not of the same age group. As a result, Stand by Me isn't just a kids' story, it's a tale that reminds us of when we were young and naive and the tell-tale moments in which all of that changes forever. --Paige

The Sure Thing (1985): Another great example of a genre that it's tough for moviemakers to get a decent grasp on, Reiner reflected upon the coming-of-age children from 1959 in Stand by Me hot off this often-overlooked gem of young modern-day college students trying to figure out who they are, and literally and figuratively deciding what path they're going to take in the world while being subjected to ridicule and derision of their peers' whims. Movies about this age group -- as well as the teenage years that preceded them -- were a dime a dozen in the '80s, because John Hughes had shown there was a sustainable market for them. But out of the lion's share of them, you'd be hard-pressed to find one better than The Sure Thing. In fact, I prize this more highly than Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink, because it does a better job of defining characters beyond the film's emotional core. And it's certainly head and shoulders above the allegedly titillating likes of Porky's. --Paige

This Is Spinal Tap (1984): The groundbreaking mockumentary that forever will have us cranking it up to 11 gave rise to all such films that have come since (particularly the hilarious works of one of the film's stars, Christopher Guest). It succeeds in this endeavor because it takes the title faux heavy-metal band seriously while pointing out the foibles of its members (including their dubious drummer tales of woe) and the absurdity of the record industry at the same time. Reiner played the part of the director documenting the band on camera while also harnessing all the ridiculousness from the outside for the actual movie. He gave his stars -- Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer -- the green light for improvisation and then basically got out of their collective way. And the band members had such fun doing it that the "fake" band resurfaced as a real group, releasing records and giving concerts en route to a recent return to the screen in a sequel. --Paige

When Harry Met Sally (1989): Too bad we don’t have access to multiverses so we could see how movies like Misery, The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally would’ve ended up if they had different directors. It’s easy to give credit to writers and assume anyone can turn a stellar script into a fantastic movie. But in someone else’s hands, I don’t think Nora Ephron’s script would resonate the way it did. Casting for this one was just as important as the timely hairstyles. And Reiner’s use of Harry Connick, Jr.’s jaunty, jazzy music is just perfect in the background. The chapter intros -- couples talking about how they met -- are a great structure for the movie. Fun fact: In an interview, Reiner once described demonstrating Meg Ryan’s orgasm scene in the deli to show her what he wanted her to do. Everyone knows Reiner’s mother Estelle had the movie's best one-liner because of that scene, but not as many people probably think about how awkward it had to be for Rob to perform that scene in front of his mom. --Leah