In 1971, Rob Reiner and Anthony Geary were on an episode of "All in the Family" together. Five decades later, both would die on the same day.
Actors Rob Reiner and Anthony Geary, who both passed away on Dec. 14 at age 78, shared a notable history: they appeared together in the fifth episode of the iconic American sitcom "All in the Family" in 1971, where Geary played a friend of Reiner's character, Mike "Meathead" Stivic.
Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were tragically found dead in their Brentwood home, leading to their son Nick Reiner being taken into police custody for murder. Reiner, initially an actor, garnered immense acclaim as a director, creating beloved films such as "This Is Spinal Tap," "Stand by Me," "The Princess Bride," and "When Harry Met Sally...".
Anthony Geary died on Sunday, Dec. 14, following complications from surgery. He was best known for his legendary portrayal of Luke Spencer on the soap opera "General Hospital," a role he originated in 1978 and continued until his retirement in 2015. His character's 1981 wedding to Laura Collins remains the most-watched soap opera episode in history.
The 'All in the Family' episode that featured both Reiner and Geary was titled "Judging Books by Covers." In this episode, the openly bigoted patriarch Archie Bunker mistakenly assumes Geary's effeminate character, Roger, is gay, only to later discover that one of his own best friends is gay. The episode is available for streaming on Pluto TV and Tubi.
Claudio Gama, Anthony Geary's husband, shared his profound grief over the actor's death, stating, "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."