Organized crime boss Frank Smith hired Luke Spencer to manage the Campus Disco, the business through which Frank laundered money. Frank was impressed with Luke and hoped to integrate him into the family business. However, Luke faltered when ordered to carry out a hit on Senator Mitch Williams. Frank was also displeased with Luke's romantic interest in Laura Webber, especially after Laura overheard privileged information. Frank ordered Luke to marry Frank's daughter Jennifer, and Luke complied, but the marriage was annulled. Luke and Laura stole Frank's black book of mob contacts and hoped to use the information against Frank.

Frank knew that Luke and Laura had incriminating information, and he ordered his henchmen to kill them. The couple took off on the run, followed closely by Frank's men. Meanwhile, Frank was sent to prison but continued to run his organization from Pentonville.

Several years later, Frank's men located Luke and Laura at a diner they ran in Canada. He instructed his associates to bomb a truck outside the diner. This prompted Luke, Laura, and their son Lucky to hide in plain sight back in Port Charles. Meanwhile, Frank hired Sonny Corinthos to help him run his organization. Frank's son Damian was also residing in Port Charles, and he coerced Luke into working with him after Frank's men had mistaken Luke's cousin Bill Eckert for Luke and killed him. Luke helped Frank break out of prison, and Frank anticipated that Luke would try to kill him. Frank grabbed a very pregnant Laura and used her as a human shield to escape. Luke eventually tracked Frank down in Puerto Rico and shot him. He was presumed deceased, and Sonny took over the organization.

Over twenty years later, Luke's sons Lucky and Ethan were kidnapped, and Luke and Laura were lured to Canada. Ethan's mother, Holly Sutton, joined them. Luke's daughter, Lulu, and her friend Dillon Quartermaine also made their way to Canada. The group located Ethan but learned that Lucky had escaped from the kidnapper, Frank Smith. Frank revealed that he had survived Luke's bullets, although he was paralyzed from a bullet that had hit his spine. He shot Ethan in the arm then let everyone leave except Luke and Laura.

Frank decided to make Luke watch Laura die before killing Luke, but Lucky rushed in with guns blazing and shot Frank several times. Luke and Laura immediately sprang into action to help their son take out Frank's henchmen. After the dust settled, Lulu and Dillon ran in to check on her parents. As the Spencers reunited, Frank used the last bit of his strength to pick up a gun, intending to shoot Luke, but Dillon called out a warning to Luke. Luke shot Frank then watched as Frank slowly died. With his last breath, Frank gloated to Luke that Lucky had been in on the kidnapping.