Anthony Geary Remembers Tristan Rogers and the Legendary Luke & Robert Bond originally appeared on Parade.
Anthony Geary is remembering his longtime friend and General Hospital co-star Tristan Rogers, paying tribute to their decades-long friendship and the unforgettable Luke and Robert bond that defined an era of the soap.
Over their decades together on General Hospital, Luke Spencer, played by Anthony Geary, and Robert Scorpio, played by Tristan Rogers, shared many adventures, drinks, laughs, punches, and even women. The bond between the ex-mobster & always grifter and the super spy hero seems unlikely on paper, but was magic onscreen due largely to their portrayers. Luke & Robert were their own category of super couple, and GH fans adored them.
Geary started on GH in late 1978 and was thrust into a story with Rogers when he joined in December 1980. Both actors originally signed on for short stints with the show, but impressed fans and GH executives so much that they were both quickly signed to long-term contracts. The role of Luke garnered Geary 17 Daytime Emmy nominations and 8 wins. Aside from GH, Rogers also appeared on soaps The Young & the Restless, The Bold & the Beautiful, The Bay, and Studio City. The Bay earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination, and Studio City earned him two, one of which he won.
In a 2015 interview with Michael FairmanTV when Geary retired, Rogers talked about how they built the Luke and Robert friendship, “We had taken the basic script, and we had a producer who allowed us to ad-lib. We demonstrated right from the start that we could do it, and do it in a very entertaining way. Gloria Monty’s (former GH executive producer) role in this was to give us some order for it to make sense. She would say, “OK guys, I need these pieces of information to come out, because they are involved in plot down the road, and a part from that … have fun with it.” And we did! Ultimately what we established was a very unique and interesting relationship between two guys.”
On Geary himself, Rogers said, “Tony’s contribution to daytime was priceless. He was a commanding figure with a very unique and penetrating acting style that really struck a chord with a lot of people. You could not ignore him. He had a presence in that role that is something you don’t forget easily. He is not a person that could be easily replaced.”
Since retiring to Amsterdam, where he lives with his husband, Claudio Gama, Geary has very rarely spoken publicly, but he recently broke that trend when he spoke to TVInsider after the passing of Tristan Rogers.
“I was depressed at the news of Tristan passing away,” Geary said. “I have great memories of him and always will have. I’ve always thought Tristan was a good actor, a very giving actor, and fun to work with.
He went on to say, “Tristan was an enigma — comfortable enough to create a man of mystery. Working with him was an experience that I could always rely on to be funny, exciting, challenging, and infuriating — a perfect day’s work. The fun thing about working with Tristan is that he was unpredictable, always good for throwing in a surprise or taking a scene in his own direction. I always liked that.”
When talking about how easily they connected, Geary said, “Tristan is one of the few acting partners I’ve had that we didn’t discuss the script much. Because whatever was in the script, no matter what we were given, we were going to do it — not word for word, for sure, but we didn’t challenge the Luke and Robert relationship. For us, it was like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but Tristan and I took turns being The Kid. It was a classic relationship with a couple ne’er-do-wells, who knew the worst about each other, but for the most part, remained friends anyway.”
Geary knew the man behind Robert Scorpio in a way many didn’t, and while the onscreen bond between their characters was epic and cherished by fans of the show, it’s their offscreen bond that Geary will cherish. “It’s been a long while since Tristan and I worked together, but then again, it seems like just yesterday. Tristan was a character. And he’ll remain a character to me. Not just Robert Scorpio, but Tristan himself — he was the bigger of the two characters. That’s a good memory.”
In a statement to Parade, General Hospital Executive Producer Frank Valentini said, “The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing. Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio). I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time. Tristan was a one-of-a-kind talent and will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace.”
Tristan Rogers was 79 when he passed away from lung cancer on August 15, 2025. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Teresa Parkerson, two children, and a grandchild.
Anthony Geary Remembers Tristan Rogers and the Legendary Luke & Robert Bond first appeared on Parade on Aug 21, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
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