Interviews
The Jeff Giles Interview – Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live
Courtesy/JGiles
In a time when fans are awaiting to find out the fate of the beloved One Life to Live once again, writer Jeff Giles just recently released his un-authorized history of the series in the book titled Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live. The self-published book is available at Amazon.com and via a kindle.
Taking a look back through four decades of the series on ABC and its often quirky, heartbreaking, shocking, dramatic, or even at times, non-sensical storylines, Giles speaks to countless producers, former and current cast members, and behind-the-scenes crew to learn some of the untold story about what went into making the series, the backstage drama, and how the show often times struggled to find its own identity in the early days sandwiched between ABC Daytime heavy weight brands, General Hospital and All My Children.
On-Air On-Soaps chatted with Giles after reading the book ourselves, where we were stunned at some of the admissions he related that some cast members told him, and never before heard backstage tales. So if you are a long time fan of the series, buckle up and read below at what Erika Slezak (Viki), Nathan Fillion (Ex-Joey), Hillary B. Smith (Nora), Brandon Buddy (Cole), Anthony Call (Ex-Herb), and many more had to say on a myriad of topics! Jeff clarifies to us that his intent to write the book was to share his passion and love for the series, and give credit to the hardworking men and women who have worked tirelessly to bring Llanview to life for now 45 years.
MICHAEL:
How long did it to take you to write this oral history of One Life to Live, which seemingly contains quotes taken from many interviews with people in front of the camera, or behind the scenes, during OLTL’s ABC days?
JEFF:
Courtesy/IMDB
It took me a year and half to write it. I think it helped by the fact that I was talking to people who were not on the show, and had not been on the show for a very long time, and did not have a stake in One Life to Live, or were even acting anymore. The first person I spoke with was Tony Call (Ex-Herb Callison), and then I went to Marilyn Chris (Ex-Wanda Wolek), and Michael Storm (Ex-Larry Wolek). I also spoke with Bob Woods (Bo Buchanan), who has still been part of the show, whose phone number I got from Marilyn Chris. That was another way that it happened. People would talk to one another and suggest other people for the book, for the most part. Nobody seemed very concerned that it was un-authorized.
MICHAEL:
When you read the book there are some jaw-dropping moments for One Life to Live fans that they may never have heard about before. For instance, I have not heard Erika Slezak (Viki) talk this candidly before, either. So then people call into question the validity of the book. What would you say to that?
JEFF:
There were people, and she was part of the group, that told me things that were off the record, and it did not make it in. There were things people told me that did not make it into the book, actually. A lot of the conversations were even more candid then what ended up in the final book, because I didn’t want it to be a dirt-digging expedition, because that was not the point. I did not want anyone to grind any axes in here, with the exception of Ellen Holly (Ex-Carla Hall) because I knew it was already public record, and that is why I sought out Arthur Burghardt (Ex-Dr. Jack Scott) to ask for his side of the story.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy/Ebony
Speaking of people from the past, one of the more heartbreaking things in the book is kind of following the downfall of actors who were being phased out, or were just written off, after years on the show!
JEFF:
Steve Fletcher (Ex-Brad Vernon) and Michael Storm (Larry Wolek) are a powerful example of how brutal daytime can be! In theory, it’s an open-ended gig; the show never stops. It’s such a weird thing for an actor to assume a character that is supposed to go on and on. And you often don’t get to have closure; especially guys like Michael Storm.
MICHAEL:
So, why did you decide to write Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live?
JEFF:
I am fascinated by the medium in general. I think it’s loaded with possibilities that are often, for whatever reason, left untapped. I am concerned for a number of reasons for the way it’s dwindled for the last decade in change. When I interviewed Paul Glass (current musical director at GH), that was my in, and if it hadn’t been for his stories, and more importantly his encouragement, I don’t think I would have had the gumption to do it. The more I thought about it, the more I thought somebody should do it, and it did not seem like anyone was going to do it.
MICHAEL:
Who shocked you the most when speaking to them?
JEFF:
Probably Joe Stuart (executive producer OLTL 1977-1983). I was terrified to talk to him after all the stories I had heard about him. In the book, there are a lot of stories about what a tyrant he was on set, and that he kept a punching bag in his office, and he fired people for inscrutable reasons. Everyone lived under this terror of being called into his office. When I talked to him he was this sweet, good-humored older man. We had a warm conversation.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy/ABC
At the very beginning of its run, OLTL was about a diverse group of families of different social and economic backgrounds. You had the blue collar Wolek’s, the Jewish Siegels, the wealthy Lords, and an African-American family in the Halls. It almost seemed that after Judith Light left the show in the early 80’s as Karen Wolek, the show got away from what made it originally groundbreaking, and at times it looked like it was fighting so hard for an identity.
JEFF:
I am guessing, much like me, you saw every ten to fifteen years they would have a new little pocket of token minorities kind of bubble up for a little bit, and then fade away.
MICHAEL:
So many producers changed up One Life to Live in the early days; that if they had kept it to what it was at the beginning, it would have been a defining show in the ABC lineup instead of the least known of the ABC Daytime brand fighting for recognition between General Hospital and All My Children.
JEFF:
You are absolutely correct! And, I think a whole other book could be written about how everyone grossly misunderstood what Gloria Monty was doing at GH, and how deeply it affected every other show in daytime. And as far as getting away from its original identify, all OLTL had to do was go back to what they had at the beginning.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy/YouTube
There was a really interesting moment in the book where Tony Call admits to a director’s note he was given on how to play the classic courtroom confession, where D.A Callison is grilling Karen and breaking her down bit by bit! Apparently, Tony hated his performance!
JEFF:
I was fortunate to speak with him right after the OLTL Marathon on SOAPnet, shortly before they went off the air on ABC. So his performance was fresh in my mind, and I remember thinking,” Oh, my God. This is so over the top.” My clear memories of Herb are from the 80’s, and not that period. And I remember him being a much more naturalistic actor. So, I wanted to ask him about that. He was very funny. I really enjoyed hearing how he would go to real courtrooms and watch lawyers at work, and try to emulate what they were dong, and how ashamed he was of his own performance in this really iconic moment in the show’s history.
MICHAEL
“Solaramite and the Big 80’s” is the name of a chapter in the book, which harkens to the ridiculousness of some of the story arcs and themes at that time!
JEFF:
That storyline in particular reminds me of that weird interlude in OLTL’s history where they were kind of fumbling about, and it was mentioned in passing in the book, how Asa had a western bar and people hung out there, and they dabbled in country singing for a little bit Bo owned a football team for awhile, and there was a period in the early 80’s where they did not know which direction they wanted to go. But, that was an inadvertant prelude to all the stuff Paul Rauch (former OLTL executive producer (1984-1991) got up to with the Wild West, Heaven, and Eterna storylines. I wish I had gotten more people to talk about Eterna, because that is the one that really is ridiculousness to me.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy/ErikaSlezak.com
I love when Erika Slezak talks about working with props like the papier-mâché looking rocks in the underground city of Eterna scenes! She said in your book, ” So here were these two grown men, respected actors and directors, digging a hole in the studio floor to find the entrance to Eterna behind little papier-mâché rocks.”
JEFF:
I was lucky with that too, because those scenes were also on the OLTL SOAPnet marathon, and Erika was in scenes with the actor who played the Native American spirit guy called “Bright Eyes”. My question to Erika was, “What is your approach to carry a scene like that, because it was obvious that the guy was not an actor, and you are surrounded by all of these very fake-looking props (I mean it looks fake on the TV screen. It has to look ten times faker on the set.) How do you sell the material?” And that was her response, and she told me the director of that scene had to read “Bright Eye’s” lines to him one by one from off-camera as the scene was being filmed … he was that bad!
MICHAEL:
So in your book, Clint Ritchie’s (Ex-Clint Buchanan) drinking problem is discussed. Erika Slezak seemed to have a good perspective on the situation, though.
JEFF:
There was no judgment from her at all. That story from her in the book, where he accidently throws a chair at her and she ends up stopping the scene, I left it in the book because she told it as part of the story, that the main condition for him re-signing with the show was that they needed to buy Erika a director’s chair, or he was not going to come back. I thought that highlighted what a complex guy he was, and how complicated it was for everyone else who had a relationship with him. Michael Storm talks about how he did not like working with Clint. There were a couple of other people who talked about how belligerent he would get on the set, and how kind of mean he could be. But, he was not always like that. He was talented, and I thought Erika seemed to have a clear picture of who he was. I never was of the opinion that he was judging him for his behavior Linda Gottlieb (Former OLTL executive producer 1991- 1994) tells a story about showing up to the set on a Monday morning and the cast is in the middle of filming this dinner scene. Clint showed up with bandages on his face, because he had gone out and done what they call “getting a little work done.” She flipped out and was livid, because they had to change the storyline completely because his appearance had changed.
MICHAEL:
Out of all the producers that you discussed with former cast members, or behind the scenes personal, was there one producer who stood out as the most favorable?
JEFF:
Courtesy/ABC
No one said a bad word about Frank Valentini, and no one said a bad word about Jean Arley, either. But everyone loved Frank Valentini, and how he earned his stripes under Paul Rauch.
MICHAEL:
In the book, there is a point where Hillary B. Smith (Nora) talked about one of the grossest moments in the shows story, involving Roscoe Born (as Mitch Laurence)?
JEFF:
She said, “She was so turned off by her own show, because she was so turned off that he was trying to rape his daughter, while spouting bible verses!” (Laughs)
MICHAEL:
How was Roscoe Born to talk to? Mitch was such a heinous character, but the series always found a way to bring him back!
JEFF:
Roscoe was wonderful to talk to. I think he is funny. He will say things and contraindicate things – such as: he did not really care for the daytime stigma, but then talk about how it affected his career, and all the roles that it cost him, and the personal embarrassment of how people treated him because of it. He was very open about that.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy/YouTube
One of the things mentioned in the book that is fascinating is that during the closing arguments in Todd’s rape case, (that Hillary B. Smith won the Daytime Emmy for) she related to you that she overstepped her bounds and re-wrote a lot of the closing argument from the original dialog given to her, by then OLTL head writer, Michael Malone.
JEFF:
I can tell you that Michael Malone and Hillary are still friends, because it was Michael who put me in touch with Hillary.
MICHAEL:
You also reveal how a beloved favorite, Marilyn Chris (Ex-Wanda Wolek) decided she was done with the show. I remember watching the show back then. All of a sudden, Marilyn was gone!
JEFF:
She did not want to do it anymore. Marilyn was so afraid they were going to make her an offer she couldn’t refuse, so she begged them not to give her any financial figures. She just said, “No, I can’t do it anymore.” I think she saw the way the show was changing, and I don’t think she was really one of the actresses that had an allegiance to daytime. I think like for a lot of other actors, it was a terrific way for her to subsidize her theatre career, and then she did not need the money anymore. She was not working as much, and the landscape of the show had changed to such a great extent, it was easy for her to let go of the character.
MICHAEL:
Where does your book end … because right now, there is a huge cliffhanger for fans if One Life to Live will see a second season with Prospect Park?
JEFF:
It ends after the first season of the revival of One Life to Live, and interestingly enough the way that Prospect Park constructed their sets. At ABC, the actors would come and go all day long for block/ taping schedules. At Prospect Park’s version, the actors would have to be on set mostly all day long. Both Erika and Hillary said it had the effect of restoring some of the theatre and repertory feeling to the company, and restored some of the comradarie they had in the old days. I thought that was a nice way to bring it full circle. I was really struggling to end the book on a happy note. Since the “shelving” news came out just before I thought I was done. So I ended it on a question mark … rather than a period.
Courtesy/ABC
MICHAEL:
Castle star Nathan Fillon (Ex-Joey Buchanan OLTL) also participated in the book?
JEFF:
Yes, he was wonderful. The sense you get from him is he is a passionate defender of daytime. He tells a great story of Bob Woods in the book where Nathan credits One Life to Live with giving him all the tools to become a successful actor, and how they gave him an acting coach. He was green, and he picked up all these skills. Towards the end of his contract Bob Woods set him down and said, “You are going to leave. No matter what, you are going to tell the network you are leaving at the end of your contract. And, you are going to go to L.A. and do whatever it takes to get your career off the ground. And if you try and you fail, you can always come back to One Life to Live. But if you try and you stay, you are going to find yourself trapped in what Woods called, ‘Golden handcuffs’.” It is his way of describing the soap actor’s lifestyle. You get locked into that role for so many reasons; some of which are the steady work and money. You build a lifestyle, and you have mortgage payments to make, and you can’t get out to do other productions because you are always on the soap. Then sometimes casting directors don’t want to see you because you have been on a soap. For someone like Woods, it gave him a good life and lifestyle. When Nathan Filllon told that story, and he looks around and sees everything he has, he knows he owes it to Bob Woods.
MICHAEL:
You also had a great story about Brandon Buddy coming from Texas and landing the role of Cole Thornhart.
JEFF:
I spoke with Brandon and how he got the role. His manager told him, “You are not going to get the part, but go out to New York and have fun and treat it like a vacation.” Brandon said he went out and tried out with all these other guys in the room, who were trying out for Cole. After the auditions, somehow Brandon ended up ferrying all of these guys back to the hotel they were staying at. And as he is driving them back to the hotel, they are all telling him how sure they are that they got the role! (Laughs) Brandon seems very self-effacing and down to earth.
Courtesy/ErikaSlezak.com
MICHAEL:
The AIDS quilt storyline was one of the most emotional and remembered storylines in the history of OLTL, and so important for its time. Roy Thinnes did a remarkable job at playing Sloan Carpenter, who dealt with coming to grips with his own son being gay, and also falling in love with Viki, and eventually dying. But what went down behind the scenes, according to you in the book, was also intriguing!
JEFF:
Linda Gottlieb and Michael Malone lured Roy Thinnes back to play Sloan, after he played his other role on the show of Alex Crown. He talks about how Alex was killed, and then they called and asked him to come back and he said, “My character’s dead!” Linda woo’d him back, because first he wanted to work with Erika Slezak and second, the story of the crusty old military guy who learns to accept his gay son, appealed to Roy. Unfortunately, it did not end very well. They were playing him against Clint Ritchie, and Linda wanted to make a triangle on-screen. Clint got hurt with a tractor accident and they had been meaning to get rid of Sloan. But then when Clint got hurt they knew they needed to keep him around, and so they signed him to another deal. And then when Clint got better, they decided to get rid of him. And Peter Miner (Director, OLTL) said in the book, Roy was miserable because they would not tell him what Sloan was dying of, and he had no idea what was happening.
MICHAEL:
As someone who watched the show for a big chunk of time, went away from it and then came back to it years later, what are your favorite storylines or characters of all-time?
JEFF:
Photo Credit: ABC/Getty Images
When those three characters; Todd, John and Starr went over to General Hospital after One Life to Live ended on ABC, I was excited about the idea of it, as I wanted to see the characters continue, but seeing them in a different context really drove home for me that my fondness for OLTL was never really about any particular character, or couple. For me, it was the sum total, and all of those characters in that place of Llanview. And part of what was so gratifying about me coming back to One Life to Live after not watching it for so long was that sense of place. I mean, obviously, it wasn’t completely the same, but a lot of it was. That felt good.
MICHAEL:
When you watched the final two episodes of One Life to Live on ABC, and the sheer brilliance of the writing, production and acting, what was the most moving moment for you as a long time fan of the show?
JEFF:
The really moving moment for me was in the final episode when Bob Woods turned to Hillary B. Smith and said, “I love you, Red.” He said it in such a way that you could tell that he meant it. He was in tears, and I told him how much I loved that scene. There are a few moments from the last few years of the show on ABC that also were so emotional impactful to me, and one of those was when Viki and Jessica (Bree Williamson) are together and Jessica remembers that her baby died. Instead of going over the top like a soap might, it was so quiet. They just held each other.
Courtesy/JeffGiles
MICHAEL:
What is the picture on the cover of your book supposed to be? Fans have been inquiring!
JEFF:
Well, I knew I couldn’t use any logo, or any still from the series, so I had to improvise. So I went to a stock photo company, and used a picture from the Philadelphia Town Hall, because it reminded me a bit of the opening credits of OLTL from the 80’s.
MICHAEL:
When, or how were your interviews with Erika Slezak (Viki) conducted? Why do you think she wanted to talk with you about all things OLTL?
JEFF:
There were two interviews with Erika, actually. She called me, and we talked for a while, and she invited me out to her place in Vermont. And, we spent an afternoon doing follow-up stuff. It was wonderful. Erika made me quiche! It was surreal. I think the other thing people might want to take away from this, is often soap actors don’t have a chance to talk about the craft of acting in the context of daytime. There is an incredibly unique thing they do of inhabiting one character for gross quantities of time, and using the character to traverse these insane emotional landscapes. I think she was maybe glad for the opportunity to talk about all of this stuff.
MICHAEL:
What is that you want fans to takeaway from your book? Was this a project done out of love for OLTL?
JEFF:
Courtesy/ABC
Yes, this was a project of love, and that is all it is. I tried to write in such a way that even if you did not see the show, it’s still an interesting read. I never really understood how deeply the odds were stacked against the people that worked on the show, from the actors, to the writers, to the producers. They were always barely on the edge of the whole damn thing falling apart. I think that is what carries through in the book, that as much as people may want to make fun of, or laugh at soaps, there is a lot of profound emotional drama that comes out of those shows. It’s the only type of drama you can get out of a long form narrative, and that is on a soap opera. The fact that it works as often as it does is a real testament to the skill, and the craft, and the dedication, and the effort that went in to those shows.
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Thank you for this interview. I got the book on my kindle as soon as it came out and now i’m in the process of rereading it. A book like this takes a few readings to get everything to sink in…it’s so great! a Must-have for all OLTL fans!
Thank you for the interview! Fascinating. Reading the book now.
This is a must own book for ANY soap fans, even if they never watched OLTL. *Finally* truly candid remarks, and the whole he said/she said format helps let the viewer make their own mind up about what happened. Especially thrilling to hear so many stories of the early years of the show–there’s always been so much mis-information (ie just how involved was Agnes during the 70s? Again, from a few different comments you’ll have to decide for yourself.)
I bought the Kindle edition when it first came out–even though I have no Kindle (I used the free computer Kindle reader) but a few pages in, knew I wanted it to be kept with the few favorite soap books I have (Schemering’s 1980s Soap Encyclopedia, Dan Wakefield’s All Her Children) so finally bought the on-demand print edition. Can’t recommend it enough–it has gossip about actors, insight about the struggled of putting on the show, details on storylines and writers… Just brilliant. I wish other soaps had a book like this.
Thanks for letting us know about this book a while back. It is fascinating – I can’t put it down! Brings back lots of memories of beloved actors and storylines.
I am half way done with the book it was written well not a tell all vibe , Ms holly seems to have issues. It would be nice if Erika would write a book about OLTL / her life she a classy lady and would not scandalize thing s, but I read somewhere that she wouldn’t write a book , but she did say she wouldn’t be on twitter their and she is on twitter , she tweets sometimes . so maybe u should ask her michael.
Hi Fran –
I have been hoping Erika Slezak writes a biography that would have OLTL at its center . It would b a fascinating read for any soap fan as her view of over 40 years on the sam show would be a unique and thoughtful read.
Thanks for writing this book. Hope to pick it up soon.
Will read it every day at 2:00pm, turning off the tv.
Maybe PP will see the sales and realize what they are missing out on.
Ordered this book the day Michael posted about it and couldn’t put it down. Well worth the money and a must have for OLTL fans.
This books is a delight and so entertaining and written with meaning. I ordered the Kindle edition as soon as I heard of the project. I am greatly enjoying it. Grew up with OLTL and hung on through all the shifts. The original premise of living in a diverse community with its class and economic struggles is the golden age for me. Loved it then.
Thanks Jeff. One Life to Live is my favorite soap and I enjoyed the excerpt above and mention of all the past characters. I didn’t know about your book until I read it in the interview but I immediate went to buy it. I know I will enjoy it since it is about characters that filled an hour of my day for so many years. I surely hope PP puts OLTL back on soon. I just hope it is soon. Thanks again for the book Jeff and to Michael for telling us about it.
Hmmm…I wonder…I wonder if Jeff Giles’s, um, book includes the following tidbits:
1. When Linda Gottlieb was OLTL’s executive producer in the early 90’s, Phil Carey tried (more than once) to undermine her authority. At one time, he even tried to get her fired.
2. Basically EVERYONE on the OLTL set HATED working with Barbara Luna because she was too difficult and demanding to work with. Clint Ritchie ESPECIALLY hated working with her.
3. BOTH Joe Stuart and ESPECIALLY Paul Rauch treated Ellen Holly like dirt.
4. Paul Rauch VERY CRUELLY fired BOTH Ellen Holly and Lillian Hayman will little or no explanation.
5. James DePaiva (when he was married to that Hee Haw chick Misty Rowe) kept bringing his marital drama to the OLTL set. Constantly.
In short…D-A-M-N!!!!!
I loved the courtroom scenes from when Judith Light confessed that her character Karen was a prostitute. I was too young to watch when these scenes first aired; but, I have seen them since in reruns; and what fantastic scenes! That’s what I miss about daytime, cliff-hanger Fridays, great, diverse storylines, like when Tad was sleeping with Marion and Liza on AMC, Erica was having an affair with Travis’ brother, Jack on AMC, old-style Luke and Laura on GH, the adventures of the WSB on GH and all of the 80’s icons, dramatic heat from Sonny and Brenda on GH, etc. Now, it’s a lot of recurring actors with hardly any talent (newbies on GH) or attempting to resurrect a character (OLTL characters on GH). I watch daytime for drama and romance! It’s an escape for me!
Does the book mention ANYTHING on Jacqueline Courtney and George Reinholt? I wonder if it touches on her affair with Joseph Stuart or how Robert S. Woods wasn’t that thrilled with her. Also, from what erika has had to say about Clint Ritchie, it seems that he was VERY much like George Reinhol, an emotionally tortured person who ALSO threw a chair on the set (that was during his “Another World” days- he threw it at AW director Ira Cirker in rage over Pete Lemay’s scripts- it’s been said that this particular incident led to his 1975 AW firing). OLTL picking up those two was a turning point in the show’s history, and then George made the now-ludicrous decision to leave the show only after two years! Was George Reinholt interviewed?
Charles…honestly, I forgot about Jacqueline Courtney. Dude…that DOES NOT surprise me at all that she had an affair with Joe Stuart. I once read somewhere that (when she was alive) Jacqueline had affairs with SEVERAL soap opera executives over the years. And, Jacqueline was downright MEAN AS HELL to other soap opera actresses and MOST soap opera actors TRULY HATED working with her because of her snobby, demanding and diva-like ways. Most of all, I wonder if Jeff Giles interviewed Jacqueline’s daughter for his book? Supposedly, Jacqueline’s daughter knows ALL of Jacqueline’s deep, dark secrets. Every last one of ’em!!!!!
Charles…take care, dude. Peace.
Well, I do know that for her last P&G contract on AW in the mid 70s she demanded her own dressing room with a toilet- and she got her wish!! This reminds me of how Joan Crawford had her own private toilet in her dressing room at MGM in the 30s, a fact that impressed Greta Garbo during the filming of “Grand Hotel”. George and Jacquie were very seemingly exclusive members of their own club on the AW set, so to speak, and apparently openly critized the work of fellow performers- just one reason why the rest of the cast didn’t mind saying goodbye to both actors when they were fired. Just before Paul Rauch came to produce OLTL, Jacquie’s contract wasn’t renewed, and according to her she was to be Dorian’s rival for David Renaldi’s affections instead of Jenny Wolek Siegel Vernon Janssen. Obviously ABC didn’t want a repeat of the Rauch vs. Courtney war from the 70s at AW- they valued Paul Rauch more than one of their biggest stars!
Avatar, check this out…back in the day, when she was on both Another World and (especially) One Life To Live, Jacqueline Courtney (over the years) did SEVERAL interviews. Interviews openly criticizing and OPENLY BASHING fellow co-stars from AW and OLTL, writers, producers, directors, crew members, etc.. One time, she even did an interview bashing BOTH NBC and (especially) ABC (aka the networks). Well, eventually, Jacqueline was pretty much forced into retirement because NO ONE in the soap opera community wanted to work with her anymore and (after a while) basically EVERYONE got tired of dealing with her. Period.
Take care, Avatar. Peace.
Avatar…check out these, um, other tidbits about Jacqueline Courtney:
1. When she was on BOTH AW and OLTL, Jacqueline used to annoy and irritate directors with her so-called and “helpful” suggestions. One day, it all reached a boiling point when a now former OLTL directer had enough and TOTALLY WENT OFF on her…including dropping the F-bomb SEVERAL TIMES in front of SEVERAL people on the OLTL set.
2. One time, on the AW set, Jacqueline VERY RUDELY walked into and interrupted a private meeting between some of the AW writers.
3. After a while, cast members from BOTH AW and OLTL had enough of Jacqueline’s snobby, insufferable and diva-like ways and each told producers of BOTH shows POINT-BLANK, “It’s EITHER her or us!!!!!”
Bottom Line: Over the years, Jacqueline Courtney burned A LOT of soap opera bridges with her unreasonable, demanding and awful behavior. STUPID WOMAN!!!!!
just finished book great book . thanks .. someone needs to write A tell all book about OLTL the above comments sound juicy . Hey this sound like a drama within a daytime drama I would buy that book in a minute too.
That does not surprise me (at all) that Michael Storm did not like working with Clint Ritchie. Back in the day, on the OLTL set, ONLY Erika Slezak, Robert S. Woods and the late Phil Carey enjoyed working with CR. That was because all 3 of them knew how to deal with him and knew how to keep him in line. As for the rest of the OLTL cast (overall), they all either “cheerfully” tolerated working with CR or they flat-out HATED working with him. Period.
This is a must-read for any OLTL fan. I read it once and am reading it through again. The stories for behind the scenes of 4 decades are so interesting for the fan to read. It is fantastic that Jeff Giles tracked down so many different people from the show for this book. Bravo!
Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Stacy Haiduk and Eric Martsolf Talk Kristen & Brady’s Twisted Relationship : The Mask, The Deception, The Sex
Last week on Days of our Lives, Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) was able to get the man she craves in between the sheets. So, just how did that happen when Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) had no idea she was alive? Well … he still doesn’t, really. You see, Kristen returned to Salem disguised as another ex flame of Brady’s, Nicole Walker (who everyone believed died in the warehouse explosion). And Kristen has been parading around town donning an incredible likeness of Nicole’s face – via a prosthetic mask – and some other tricks to sound and look just like her!
Kristen’s goal is to infiltrate Salem, remind Brady of the love and passion they shared, take over DiMera Enterprises, and who knows what else! And everyone who stands in her way, better watch out as we have seen! We are speaking to you (the late) Ted, and (once kidnapped) Kate, et al.
Fans of the NBC daytime drama series have followed the tortured relationship between Kristen and Brady for years and through many plots; Kristen was first played and brought to life by Eileen Davidson, and for well over a year now by Stacy Haiduk. Not only has Haiduk reprised the role of a frustrated, vengeful Kristen, she is also playing at times multiple roles: the wacky and often misunderstood, Susan Banks, Kristen playing Susan, or Kristen pretending to be Sister Mary Moira.
As for Daytime Emmy winner, Eric Martsolf, this latest story arc puts him front and center as viewers watch to see if what Brady senses, and the clues, and the feelings he is having, bring him to the conclusion that he has been duped by Kristen, and that her horrendous scheme – pretending to be Nicole (Arianne Zucker), and dumping Nicole’s longtime love Eric (Greg Vaughan) to be with him have a result that is unexpected or catastrophic!
Michael Fairman TV sat down with Stacy and Eric for this conversation about: all the plot twists, and playing the drama and the humor of the situations they find themselves in as actors in a wild story that only head writer Ron Carlivati could pen and keep the audience on the edge of their seats in the process. Check out this oh-so-fun, direct, and enlightening chat with two of DAYS most shining stars.
Photo: JPI
Eric, what has it been like working in this part of your storyline; where there’s the character of Kristen in its many forms: Arianne Zucker playing “Nicole” (but it’s really Kristen), Kristen as Susan, and the real Kristen, etc?
ERIC: It’s been a nightmare Michael. (Laughs) I don’t know who I’m sleeping with anymore. I’m at the point where I go home at night, and I just tug on my wife’s cheek just to make sure that she is not my ex-girlfriend from high school.
When you first heard of this storyline, and that it was going to facilitate how Arianne was going to come back to the show… and that it was supposed to be Kristen in a Nicole Walker prosthetic mask with a voice alternator, what went through your mind?
ERIC: I think in the back of Ron’s Carlivati’s (head writer, DAYS) mind, he was thinking to himself, “This dude started his soap career on Passions, he’s okay with this kind of thing,” and honestly, nothing surprises me anymore. When you’re thrown into that supernatural, crazy reality, doesn’t-live-here sort of atmosphere for you first soap gig, you don’t sweat a mask and a voice modulator. That’s just par for the course. My biggest problem was the body thing … that Brady is not able to distinguish one body from the other, because I would as Eric. My God, I know every inch of my wife’s body. So, it’s difficult to get my head around that, but at the same time, I’m going with the whole “love is blind” thing here. (Laughs)
Courtesy/NBC
(Laughs) I was going just going to say that Brady would absolutely know Kristen’s body from how passionate their relationship has been in the past, as well, he would Nicole’s body from his relationship with her.
ERIC: Since Kristen did finally just succeed – let’s use the word in “seducing” him, and using her wonderful feminine wiles as only Kristen has to get Brady in to bed, there was also another twist. What plays after that is that he notices the tattoo that’s been removed, and she plays it off as scarring from the fire. What’s going through his mind as he is making love to Nicole is a “Kristen train”. He can’t get Kristen out of his mind, and the guilt that he feels about that is horrendous.
Right! Brady is thinking: “Why am I feeling this when I am supposed to be with Nicole!?”
ERIC: Right! Brady has been waiting for a relationship for God knows how many years now – at least a successful one. He is so eager to have this work, even though he has been concerned about how Eric (Greg Vaughan) would feel about this. In Brady’s mind, Eric is done with Nicole. He’s good. He loves Sarah (Linsey Godfrey). This is fair game. Brady and Nicole have always been close … they’ve been close before … so, for him, it’s, why not give it a fair try? However, he finds himself now thinking about another woman the whole time. That’s rough.
Courtesy/NBC
Do you think in the back of his mind, that this whole time, he possibly knew that “Nicole” was Kristen?
ERIC: Well, you just have to wait. There will be a reveal eventually, obviously, but until then, let the games play on.
So, once Brady and “Nicole” have sex, he keeps thinking about Kristen?
ERIC: Constantly! She just plagues his mind. I think he’s realizing that his affection for Kristen is anything but dead and is very alive, and I think this is Kristen’s master plan from the very beginning. She knows that she pervades his soul, and once she does reveal herself, I would guess he would probably be surprised, maybe a little angry, but in the end … you can’t deny what your heart and your body wants, right?
One of my favorite recent scenes had Brady half-naked and Kristen as Susan getting into his room, because she was looking for the MIA Nicole mask she so desperately needed. She finds herself gawking and lusting after Brady under her disguise, and he tries to remove himself from the situation and says, “Susan, I’m going to get in the shower…”
ERIC: Yeah! And, “It’s not going to happen, baby.”
What was that like doing that scene?
STACY: I loved it! I thought Eric was brilliant in it. I watched it, and I thought, “Oh, my God!” (Laughs) It is one of my all-time favorite scenes.
Photo: JPI
ERIC: Kristen is a tiger.
STACY: She is a tiger. She’s got a goal, and she is going to go after that. She has obstacles that are going to come in-between her goal, but she will go after whatever she wants.
When Stacy comes in to Brady’s room as Susan, were you not laughing?
ERIC: No! I thought she was hot. (Laughs)
STACY: He did … he loved it. You liked me, didn’t you baby? (Laughs)
ERIC: I don’t think anybody can deny that Stacy Haiduk’s portrayal of Susan Banks is ridiculously good. Everything from her delivery … to her facial expressions. I think it is amazing. I mean, it is corny, and it is fun, and soaps need characters like that once in a while to lighten the load of the heavy dialogue and the drama. It’s a welcomed addition. So, I love playing scenes with Susan.
Photo: JPI
Eric, you always have been able play the straight-man so well in comedic scenes with impeccable timing,
STACY: You’re brilliant, Eric.
ERIC: You guys are being very nice to me.
STACY: You are. I remember on the day how much fun we had, but then, seeing it back and the crap that I was giving you, and just the stuff you were giving back was so beautiful, and innocent, and so alive. It was so funny.
Does Kristen think that now that she finally got Brady into bed that she won … that she got what she wanted … even if she had to don a “Nicole” mask to do it?
STACY: Well, no, because she still can’t be really Kristen. I think she is grateful that she gets to be with him. That’s one of her biggest goals: to be with Brady and she wants to have him fall back in love with her again. But for her, now it’s all about, “How do I reveal myself so that he doesn’t get scared away?” That’s the toughest part for her. Kristen’s love is so deep that it goes beyond this mask. So, how is it going to be when he sees her? Is he going to freak out? What’s going to happen?
ERIC: Did you think Kristen would be a little pissed off and think, “Oh my God. He did go for Nicole?”
STACY: Yes! I do, because she’s like, “Finally, I got him! But wait a minute … did I get him because I was Nicole … or because I was Kristen?” As Kristen, she always believes there is something deeper between them and a deep connection. That remains a driving force to her.
Photo: JPI
ERIC: That’s why I love these characters so much, because of you and the history of Kristen with Brady. She’s always wanted him as much as he has wanted her. She’s always wanted to be loved.
STACY: Yes … and very much so.
ERIC: Kristen had always wanted to be a part of the DiMera Empire, just as Brady has always wanted to be a part of the Kiriakis Empire, and they’ve always wanted love. They’ve never had it. They believe in the back of their minds that anything is attainable. So, I can see why Kristen would just forgo the Nicole disguise and just go, “He wants me.”
STACY: Kristen wants to believe that Brady knows it. She says to herself, “He knows it’s me inside and behind the mask. When he finds out, he will fall back in love with me.”
Now that she actually had sex with Brady, wouldn’t that make Kristen even more insatiable to be with him? Like, “I’ve got to have him!?”
STACY: The fear is still .. what happens she takes this mask off? She always says, “I’ll reveal myself, but I have to do it slowly when it is the right time.” I think there is that built up frustration now for her, absolutely!
Photo: JPI Studios
Arianne Zucker really has Stacy’s mannerisms down as Kristen. It really comes into in scenes where “Nicole” goes off on someone or loses her temper. Eric, you have worked with Arianne for years on this show. What do you think about her performances in this storyline?
ERIC: I have worked with Ari over the years, and I have enjoyed it a lot. Ari did do her homework. She did study Stacy’s tape, and she watched her mannerisms, and she took it very seriously. I know that because she is a hard worker, as much as a goofball as she is, she does work hard, and she wanted it to be good. I think my favorite parts were the Kristen meltdowns. You have to understand though; Stacy and Ari get along very well! They’re kind of two peas in a pod. So, it wasn’t a big stretch for her to take on how Stacy would play those types of scenes. They’re both animated, they’re both wild people by nature, and so, it was a good fit. It was a smart idea from the writers.
STACY: It was a good fit!
ERIC: I’ve been out with the two of them, and it’s hard to tell the two of them apart. (Laughs)
STACY: We are just like two cuddly bunnies.
ERIC: They’re like flirting with each other, and hugging each other. You find yourself thinking, “Are they going to start ordering the same food at the same time? This is getting weird. (Laughs)
Courtesy/NBC
In the recent scene that aired; where Kristen as “Nicole” turns off the light while having sex with Brady, is she worried her plan will now go awry?
STACY: Yes. I think she is worried about her body because it is burned. You know, how they take a tattoo off, and it’s as painful as can be. Not that I’ve had that done personally. I like my tats, but I hear it is painful. So, in the storyline, the burn is that pain that she has and the tattoo. There’s a part of her that thinks, she has to cover it up, and turn the lights down low.
ERIC: “Nicole” is sleeping, and Brady is rubbing his hands over her shoulder and touching her body, and as he goes over the burn marks. He sees a flash of the tattoo! That is a pivotal moment when he starts to put some pieces together. He thinks, “Woah! That’s exactly where that tattoo was.” It’s a slow little rollercoaster ride.
Courtesy/NBC
In the past, Kristen then played by Eileen Davidson, drugged and raped Father Eric. Stacy, did you ever see that story arc? Literally the sex scene is playing on the screen at Kristen’s wedding to Brady and then all hell breaks loose. This to say Kristen is notorious for the ways and the lengths she goes to get her men into bed.
STACY: Yes! I saw her Eileen do those scenes.
ERIC: You also saw how close Kristen and Brady were to their dream, to their happiness, their goal, which was they were going to marry each other. Brady is looking upon his loved ones in this town and thinking, “I know what you all think of her, but I’m going to show you our love on this screen, and once you see the connection that we have here as a couple, you all are going to be convinced that we belong together as well. This is the happiest day of my life,” and the screen comes up and it’s his brother banging Kristen instead.
Marlena (Deidre Hall) played the wrong DVD!
STACY: It was so good. See, I try to find as much info as I can on the character’s past, because all of the time I’m trying to find where these characters have been in their dark and twisted past.
Photo: JPI
ERIC: You’re putting your own stamp on Kristen. You got a direct call from DAYS casting department, didn’t you … when they were recasting the role?
STACY: Yes. You have to understand, I had two really separate characters to play when I was on Y&R. One was a doctor, and one was this crazy passionate, wild, little minx.
ERIC: I will say to find the wild and the beauty in one package is not easy in any town, yet alone Los Angeles. I’m glad they called you, because you have that. You have that villainous nature, but you also are able to show a vulnerable side to Kristen that is going to be a lot of fun and interesting to see.
Stacy is one of those people that will leap off of the screen at you and you will remember her. She is one actress that will have fans talking about their work, like when you played crazy Patty Williams on Y&R. The audience was on the edge of their seats going, “Oh, my God! What is Patty going to do next?”
STACY: I never knew what she was going to do!
Photo: JPI
Eric, has Stacy come to you at any point where she been overwhelmed by the task at hand; playing Susan while playing Kristen, etc, and the two of you have a moment where you work through some of the challenges of complex scenes … and ones where she is playing multiple characters?
ERIC: We’ve had many moments to speak of.
STACY: I always come into Eric’s room, and am like, “I’m scared!”
ERIC: It’s funny you mention it. We have had some very emotional scenes, and Stacy – who cares so damn much about this job and portraying this character correctly – that she gets a little overwhelmed, and the material that they give her is overwhelming for any anybody on any level. I have looked at her in the eyes, and said, “You’ve got this gig. You are this character. You are knocking it out of the park. Just do it. Just be you.” I can’t wait for people to see some of the stuff we have shot recently and have been doing.
Photo: JPI
Stacy, do you think Kristen can be redeemed? Many characters on daytime … and on DAYS … have done horrible things and later turned over a new leaf.
STACY: The thing is that villains are bad and all that other crap, but they’ve got a lot of stuff going on inside and insecurities, and they’ve got a heart. I’m sorry, the villain with a heart of gold, can be very true. I never see villains (and I play them a lot) as bad. You have to find where it comes from … how far does this go … where did that little seed change … and what made them go into the dark, but also, where is the good? You want to bring the good to it, too.
ERIC: Let’s face it! Star Wars is all about Darth Vader and how he became that because it’s intriguing.
Because of the pace in which DAYS tapes its episodes; do the two of you find time to run lines together before you go hit the set?
ERIC: We are running out of time to run lines. It’s pretty wild. Funnily enough, I was recently filming a movie and I was so underwhelmed at the pace of everything. I’ve gotten so accustomed to moving at this militant style, that as hard as it is, it is preferable to me now. I almost like it because you don’t have time to overthink what you are going to do, and you end up getting more visceral and natural reactions to the material. You can overthink a scene, and you can come to a wrong performance that way. When you burn your fingers on a hot stove, that’s the most natural reaction you are going to get. You can’t have ten minutes to think about how you are going to scream about that pain.
Photo: JPI
But, would you like the pace of shooting the show to be a bit slower?
STACY: I would like to, but I do think sometimes just jumping in, and going and seeing what happens is great. I love that. I do appreciate that.
ERIC: It’s scary.
STACY: It is scary. I would love if we would get to do a rehearsal and then two takes just to see, and then they can mix together what happens. Sometimes I am hard on myself as an actress. I’ve always been. It’s that jumping in when you only get to do one take. You have to just give it everything you’ve got.
ERIC: You can have a second take. Want me to give you a little secret? All you have to do is screw up your last line.
STACY: I can’t do that. I don’t even need it to be perfect because nothing is perfect. It doesn’t matter what I’ve done if I sometimes don’t feel it. I need to feel it when I’m on that set. I need to feel something because when I shut down, I close myself off. It’s like an athlete who has just got to train as hard as they can to reach their goal.
ERIC: You’re an Olympic swimmer!
STACY: You’ve got to do it as hard as you can. You practice, and you practice, and you practice, and you practice, so that when you come to that day, you do the best you can, but sometimes you are disappointed because you didn’t get that one last thing you had hoped for.
Courtesy/NBC
How do you view what happened to Eric with Kristen, who disguised as Nicole, tricked Brady into bed with her? Some fans commented that that they thought it was akin to a rape.
ERIC: No, I would disagree with that theory. I believe there is a high degree of deception in this, but there is a willingness on behalf of Brady. He’s not drugged. He’s not being forced to do anything. Deception, yes. Rape, no.
Stacy, what do you think?
STACY: Total deception. There is no rape. There is absolutely no rape. These are willing participants; he just doesn’t know exactly who he is dealing with.
ERIC: I appreciate the context of how somebody could construe that, and the seriousness of the matter. I don’t think it really has a place in this particular storyline.
Do you guys think that Brady and Kristen are each other’s star-crossed lovers in a weird, twisted, bizarre way?
ERIC: I don’t know. I think they’re magnetism can’t be denied. I think the hurdles that they’ve jumped through are astronomical. Will they end up together in the end? Who knows! Will there ever be an end? Who knows! It’s definitely been one of, if not the most, in-depth relationships Brady has ever had.
Photo: JPI
And intense!
ERIC: Yeah. They’ve just gone through so much to be together, and when you do that, anybody who is married knows that, that’s where the good stuff is; the wars that you win together and the battles that you go through. When you come out of the war, and you’re still together, that’s the bond. That’s what lasts.
What would Kristen do if she couldn’t have Brady in the end? Would she find a new obsession? What if she could not nab her man?
STACY: Wow! Hmmm. (Laughs) She’s going to get her man. She wants her man. She wouldn’t settle. She’d keep fighting. I would say to her, “Kristen, keep fighting the good fight.”
So, do you think Kristen will reveal herself to Brady sooner than later? Will Brady figure out what Kristen has been doing to get to him? Will Brady turn Kristen away if he knew she was alive and back in action … or would he fall back into her arms? Share your theories via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GH’s Rebecca Herbst Chats On ‘Friz’, Her On-Screen Sons & How Liz Has Grown-Up
Last week, Rebecca Herbst celebrated her 22nd year playing fan favorite Elizabeth Webber (now Baldwin) on General Hospital. She made her on-screen debut on August 1, 1997. And in those two decades plus in Port Charles, Liz has gone through many a rocky relationship, plenty of drama, and carried out some misdeeds of her own. But one thing is for sure, Becky is loved by the fans of the long-running ABC daytime drama series who always want the best for her, and for Nurse Elizabeth.
Recently, ‘Friz’ fans got a moment they had long been waiting for when Franco (Roger Howarth) and Liz, and their friends and family (and some enemies) shared in their wedding reception. But can their happiness last? According to two psychics, Sibley Gamble (Veronica Cartwright) and Chelsea Lambas (Jen Ray) that Franco has run into in recent weeks, he better be careful. That has made Franco concerned, while Liz is trying to get her family all on the same page, and it looks like her boys are coming around to loving and accepting Franco, too, despite what Liz’s ex Jason (Steve Burton) may have to say about it.
Michael Fairman TV caught up with Rebecca at the GH Fan Club Weekend, where she made a welcome appearance, to talk about: how she sees Elizabeth’s relationship with Franco, her talented on-screen sons, and how Liz has grown-up since she started on the series, and more. Here’s what Becky shared with us below.
What did you think of the long-awaited wedding reception of Franco and Liz? The show finally gave them this joyous moment; after their jailhouse nuptials. Did you feel like the way the wedding actually went down it felt like it cheated the relationship, or did you like it?
REBECCA: I felt the jailhouse wedding was a bit of a cheat, because they had tried two different times to have a really glorious wedding, so to do it in a jail cell was not the most desirable place. (Laughs) However, the fact that the characters did actually get married and nothing came in between was a plus, and so, hey, they’ll take that. Later, when I read in the scripts that there was going to be the reception, I was shocked, because I really didn’t think it was ever going to happen.
Photo: ABC
Do you think the fans were getting to the point where they thought this was never going to happen, also?
REBECCA: For sure. We all thought they Franco and Liz were never going to have their moment, or their honeymoon or any of that. I was really pleasantly surprised to see that not only did they write it, but it was beautiful! It was also visually beautiful. They put a lot of effort and thought into the show itself, and nobody died, and nobody fell through the roof. Well, it was kind of funny that Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) got pushed off the ‘Haunted Star’, but according to Elizabeth, that’s just fine that Obrecht got pushed off the boat. (Laughs) She didn’t die, so everything is good, but all in all, it was a really wonderful party.
What did you think when they had all of Elizabeth’s sons performing a song for the happy couple. It was so cute, and touching.
REBECCA: Oh, my goodness. Those were real tears I shed. That was so sweet. So very, very sweet of them.
Photo: ABC
The show is growing the boys, so now you, as Elizabeth, have some young actors to play off of in your scenes. How do you feel about that?
REBECCA: Oh, I love it! For so long, Elizabeth would only talk about her kids, “My boys, my boys, my boys, my boys in the attic.” (Laughs) Now, she has relationships, and very different relationships with each one of them.
I think that echoes real-life too. A mother has distinct relationships with each of her children. That’s what I like about Liz with her sons. And as a mom in real-life as well, I am sure you can relate to this.
REBECCA: Yes, my relationship with all of my kids is completely different, and I really love that it’s true for Elizabeth’s kids. I attribute a lot of that to the writers, because they definitely write our relationships differently. Aiden (Jason David) is still this baby who Elizabeth coddles and protects. Cameron (William Lipton) is expected to be the man of the house and take care of things, and sometimes Elizabeth feels like she puts too much responsibility on him, but he is going to protect his mom no matter what. Hudson (Jake) is so wonderful, too. The fact that I have been blessed with three beautifully smart little actors is just a win for me.
Courtesy/ABC
Let’s talk about Aiden, who had been bullied at school by the other kids. Do you think that story will be fleshed out? It seems it may have been put on pause, because it would be an important story to tell for parents with LGBTQ children, if that is how GH ultimately chose to tell the story.
REBECCA: It is an important story. I would love to tell the story. There is a great message. I don’t think we touched on it enough. I think, for now, the best way to put a button on it is to send the message that we should accept our children with all of their wonderful attributes and personalities and whatever their interests, and let’s not label children, and listen to them and support them. We should just all be kind. I was sad when I would read some of the tweets about the story. It saddened me to read people’s harsh opinions towards Elizabeth’s acceptance of her child. Some people said that we should not be doing a story like this, and then there was the other half who said, “Just because he is a baker, doesn’t make him gay,” which is 100% true.
True! TV viewers have certainly seen a lot of straight chefs on foodie or cooking shows, for example.
REBECCA: Absolutely! All three of my children in real-life love to cook. There is nothing wrong with that. I think we need to just continue to love Aiden no matter what, and he is not different than any of the other kids.
Photo: ABC
William Lipton has been amazing as Cameron, right?
REBECCA: Amazing. I know! He is not only a great little actor, singer, and performer, but he has this beautiful little face, and he is such a grounded young man. He’s a really sweet person. You can tell he’s been raised in a really great house, and he has an amazing mom.
Because you are such a “mom’s-mom” in real life, do you think that helps you in how Elizabeth reacts to her children?
REBECCA: I think so. I always ask permission from my on-camera kids before a scene: “Is it okay if I kiss your little head? Is it okay if I put you on my lap here? Is it okay if I put my hands on your face?” I’m not their mother, but when I think about what I would do with my real-life kids, they’re always getting kissed and hugged and held by me, so I want to make it look as real as possible. I have to think, “What would I do if this were Emerson?” He’d be on my lap, and I’d be kissing his little neck. So, then I have to ask Jason, who plays Aiden, “Is it okay that I kiss your neck, and if I kind of just like snuggle you?” All three of my on-screen kids are so great, because they’re like, “Yeah, sure. We don’t care!” and not all stage kids are like that. They all are receptive of my love, and they just let me do it. I think that is what is so sweet.
Photo: ABC
What do you think of this whole pairing of Elizabeth and Franco, and that you were paired with Roger Howarth? Elizabeth has had many relationships on the show, so where does her relationship with Franco fit into her list of romances/relationships? Do you think Franco is one of her great loves? Over her life, Liz has had a lot of ups and downs, and at times, has not made the best choices for herself, or the choices she made just haven’t worked out in her favor. I think we all can relate to somebody whose choices don’t work out the way they envision them to be.
REBECCA: For sure. I think each of Elizabeth’s relationships have been so different. Just to talk about a timeline: she was a little girl when she was with Lucky (Jonathan Jackson), and as she’s matured, so have her relationships. However, I think the relationship she has with Franco is her first real adult relationship; in that she not only does respect him, but she respects herself. She is not afraid to stand up to anybody for the sake of herself, or her children. I think that is the difference. In the past, she has been a little so head-over-heels in love that she would do anything, and now, she knows who number one is, and that’s her children, and she puts herself first now, too. Before, Elizabeth did not matter to herself.
Photo: ABC
I thought Elizabeth treated herself badly. Is there a self-loathing? Did you ever that figure out as an actress where that comes from? Do you think it was from when she was raped years ago?
REBECCA: I think it went deeper than that. I think it was because her parents left her at such a young age, and although they were doing great work for whatever they were doing, she was left as a child.
So, she felt something was wrong with her if they left her behind?
REBECCA: Yes. I think that’s where her lack of self-esteem came from. She just didn’t have that support at home when she needed it the most, especially when she was a teenager. You need your parents around you to tell you that things are awkward and weird, and you’re changing, but you’re going to be okay. She didn’t have that, and so, she kind of had to figure it out on her own. She did it through her relationships with men, and she didn’t have men in her life who were telling her, “You’re going to be okay,” except for Lucky, but that was a younger relationship in her life. Now, as more of an adult with Franco, he tells her she is going to be okay. Franco believes in her as much as she does now.
Photo: ABC
What’s the best part about working with Roger … and what’s the most challenging part? Is it some curve balls that might come from when you are going live-to-tape?
REBECCA: For me, I know I can totally work around whatever comes out of his mouth. (Laughs) I’m good with that. (Laughs) The most challenging thing about working with him is that he is constantly losing his glasses, so he can’t see his scripts. It’s always at the end of the scene. It’s like, “Where are the glasses?” (Laughs) So, if losing his glasses might be the most challenging thing, then I’m a pretty lucky girl!
Where does Jason (Steve Burton) fit into Liz’s life at this point?
REBECCA: We’ve not really established that.
Courtesy/ABC
Since Jason has been back on the canvas, not much has been played between them.
REBECCA: They had a relationship, they have a relationship, and they have a friendship. It should be played.
What would you love to see happen to Elizabeth story-wise, that perhaps you have not gotten the opportunity to play?
REBECCA: I would love to see Elizabeth be happy with Franco and just explore whatever that means for her in a long-term, adult sense (because she doesn’t really know how that is yet), an adult happiness, while trying to navigate the kids’ lives, but also having a friendship with Jason. I think that would be interesting, because she has always held a torch for Jason.
Photo: ABC
Viewers are currently alarmed that Franco has been receiving warnings from two psychics. On last Friday’s episode, Franco is clearly afraid to take a drive and in Cameron’s new car (the one Oscar gave him) due to the psychic, (Chelsea) telling him: “Don’t take that drive!” Does Elizabeth have something to be worried about?
REBECCA: Yes, but she’s going to hang on to Franco, and make sure nothing happens to him … until he doesn’t come home (laughs) … and then she’ll be calling Jason! (Laughs)
So, what did you think of the sentiments shared by Rebecca? What did you think of the Friz wedding reception, and Liz and Franco’s relationship? What do you think of Liz’s relationship with her children? What are your hopes for Liz moving forward? Comment below.
Interviews
Y&R’s Mark Grossman Dishes On Tackling One Of Soaps Most Coveted Roles … Adam Newman
When The Young and the Restless finally decided to resurrect the character of Adam Newman, it was one of the most highly-anticipated returns in the soap genre. After all, when viewers last saw Adam, then played by This Is Us star, Justin Hartley, he was presumed blown to smithereens in a cabin, thanks to first, being tranquilized by a dart gun by an unstable Chloe (Elizabeth Hendrickson), who holds Adam responsible for the hit and run that killed her daughter, Delia.
Fast-forward to summer of 2019 and Y&R fans got a very much alive Adam, vengeful as all get-out, picking right back up where he left off; only this time the role is being played by soap newcomer, Mark Grossman. In what has to be one of the most sought after roles on television for any young actor to play, Grossman nabbed it and has come on to the scene hitting the ground running and is quickly becoming one helluva soapy badass on the Genoa City canvas.
Michael Fairman TV sat down with Mark at CBS Television City where Y&R is taped to talk about: how his journey has been thus far in a role that has put him under the microscope from viewers to critics. Many will agree that in short order, Grossman is making the role of Adam his own, as he has been so in the mix with the iconic staples of the series, to those performers who just made exciting returns.
This week on Y&R, Adam is going to take down his brother, Nick (Joshua Morrow) by any means possible to gain custody of his biological son, Christian. As they face-off in a custody hearing, Adam is up to his chicanery, and viewers will see the fall-out.
Here’s what Mark had to say about his castmates, the opportunity and the pressure of being Adam on the top-rated soap, and why he loves getting to be bad.
Photo: CBS
Adam is so integral and key to the canvas. How are you settling into the pace of Y&R? Did you have any idea that it was going to be this amount of work when you signed on?
MARK: I had an idea, and this is actually my first soap. I had always heard that the amount of volume is a lot, but yeah, it was kind of a steep learning curve, but it got much easier as time has gone on, and the memorization got a lot easier. You adjust to it, and you just get used to it.
A few years back, I attended the premiere of the indie film you were in with Melissa Archer (Ex-OLTL and DAYS) called South32. In that, you played one bad dude. I remember thinking, “That guy plays evil and creepy so well.” Your character was horrible in the film!
MARK: Oh, yeah. My character’s name was Donny. That was a bad guy. That was a really bad guy. I just remember I had a lot of fun because Melissa Archer was great, and Sean Kanan (Ex-GH, Y&R and B&B) was in that too, and they both are in the soap world.
Courtesy/IMDB
So when I saw that Y&R cast you as Adam I was like, “Oh yeah! Great choice! He can play a real jerk!” (Laughs) So, why do you think you play bad so well?
MARK: I don’t know. I just have that face… the jerk face? (Laughs)
(Laughs) Do you practice those looks in the mirror?
MARK: (Laughs) No. I like to think I’m a really nice guy, actually. I think I’ve always liked characters that are more broken and are trying to do the best they can with the cards they are dealt or trying to overcome something. I mean, in South32, that’s a different story. I’ve just always gravitated to those kinds of roles more than a stereotypical love-interest or something like that, or kind of a more vanilla character.
Let’s talk about the audition process for this sought-after soap role. Did you know when you first were in the running for the character that it was to play “Adam Newman”?
MARK: I had no idea because it’s all under codenames.
What was the codename?
MARK: The codename was “Jeremy”, and I had no idea I was auditioning for Adam, because they change all of the names, and I wasn’t up-to-date with everything that had been going on with Y&R. When you’re out there as an actor you are auditioning for all kinds of stuff (and I don’t really watch much TV as it is). I think it was at the network test when a couple of the other actors, who were there, kind of let it slip what part this really was for.
Photo: JPI Studios
You had your screen-test with Sharon Case (Sharon). What was your first impression of her?
MARK: I adore Sharon. She’s wonderful, and she was so, so helpful. She’s coming up on twenty-five years on this show, and that is amazing. I really love working with her.
Once you knew the role was that of Adam Newman, did you begin to do your research? Call people? Phone a friend (laughs)? Take to You Tube?
MARK: Oh yeah! I went way down the rabbit hole. When I did my research I watched tons of scenes on YouTube, and then everything on the internet, Wikipedia, and every site that had information on the role. Before I started, I also had lunch with a couple members of the cast, and they were probably so annoyed at me for asking so many questions about just about everything that came to mind. (Laughs)
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
You follow in the footsteps of other great actors who have played this role; Chris Engen, Michael Muhney and Justin Hartley. Did you have trepidation taking the role knowing the bar was set so high?
MARK: Yes, of course.
In the world of daytime drama, recasts happen all the time; that is just the nature of the beast. You hope the fans will give the actor stepping into a role a chance to establish themselves in the part, because they can get initially very reactionary. In your case, there were some immediate tweets that went out right when you were announced as the new Adam with some fans commenting: “He’s too young!” That happened even before your first episode aired, so no one had seen you embody the part yet. What’s your take on all of that?
MARK: I get it, trust me. You watch somebody for years, and you really enjoy watching this person, and then all of the sudden they’re gone, and somebody new comes on. That’s hard to get used to. So, that was a little daunting, but it just is what it is. You just have to go in and put your stamp on it, and the audience will say what they do. That’s all you can do. Just, “this is what I think it is,” and do your best job with that, and yes, people will say what they’re going to say.
Courtesy/CBS
So, you meet Y&R icon Eric Braeden (Victor). You’re playing his on-screen son, the black sheep of the Newman clan. What was it like meeting Eric, and then actually getting on set and getting to work your first scene with him?
MARK: It was great. He was really supportive. I remember I would get together with him and ask if we could rehearse, and we’d just end up in his dressing room talking for like twenty minutes about the show and life. I just feel so lucky that I get to play you know, the problem child. (Laughs)
It’s fun for actors in soaps to be a storyline catalyst. However, sometimes the catalysts can be short-term roles, and this one isn’t. Catalysts shake things up, and Adam is so entrenched with so many characters and has such a checkered past, and there is much to him. In finding out his back-story; what was the one thing that you were shocked to find out about him? That he ran down Delia?
MARK: That’s a huge thing. There’re people who think that Adam actually really didn’t do it. I mean … then there was … pretending that he was blind … wearing dresses. There’s so much!
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
It’s a great part. Adam would literally do anything to get what he wants. (Let’s not forget he apparently had sex with Rafe).
MARK: It’s a great part. I’m looking forward to what he does next. I hope they throw me in a dress and let me mess around and pretend to be other people. (Laughs)
So, how are you playing Adam’s motivations now? He comes back to Genoa City with amnesia after being in Vegas, and gets shot. He seems a nice guy, but then his memory comes back, and now he is literally back to old tricks and wanting to screw everybody over who he feels wronged him.
MARK: I think he wants his kids back. Adam is going to do whatever he wants to do to get his kids, and I think he is justified. Obviously, the way he goes about it is very shady and sometimes illegal, but I think he comes from a place of really wanting to be a father to his kids because of the stuff that happened with Victor, and being abandoned, and his blind mother, Hope. The issue of where Victor was while he was growing up and how Adam’s life could have been so different always weighs on him. Adam feels, “If there is one thing I need most, it’s to make sure my kids don’t go through what I went through.” I think that’s where he is justified in that regard, but the way he goes about it is obviously very questionable.
Photo : JPI Studios
So, what happened when Joshua Morrow and you met for the first time?
MARK: I met him at my screen-test too. At the screen-test, we had to do scenes together and Joshua is such an awesome guy. He’s a total professional, but he is so funny. He is hilarious. We’ll always have these scenes where we are at each other’s throats, and then we’ll just crack up laughing.
Do you think there could ever be brotherly love between Adam and Nick?
MARK: I’ve actually been thinking about that lately. You know, I have a half-brother in real life. I think there are definitely possibilities for that with Adam and Nick. I think somewhere deep, deep down, on some very small level, Adam could possibly want to have a relationship with Nick. I think it could be possible, but I don’t know, and they’re so different from each other.
Then, there is the return to Y&R of Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea). And another task you were handed was to see if you can create the same on-screen magic for the duo known as “Chadam”.
MARK: I sure hope we can create that. Melissa is another person in the cast who is just so awesome. You probably think I’m lying, but everybody who works on this show is so nice, and they want the show to work. They have the best interests of the show at heart. You feel like you’re on a team here. I had watched Missy on YouTube with the other Adams. So, when I first met her I was all, “Oh, you remember this scene … and this scene … and when you were doing this?”
Photo: JPI Studios
And Missy was like, “No, I don’t remember.” (Laughs)
MARK: She’d go, “No I don’t…” And then she would go, “Oh! That scene!” I had watched as much of her stuff that I could get my hands on. When I first met her, we had a big scene to do. We just kind of had to dive in. She was great.
So, where do you think Adam’s heart lies?
MARK: I think he has a deep love for Chelsea and Sharon.
Why does he love Sharon?
MARK: Oh, Sharon has been there for him when nobody else has, and they have so much past together, but I know there’s always the Chadam/Shadam thing!
Photo: JPI Studios
Welcome! You’re right in the middle of these fan wars between camp Chadam and camp Shadam. That’s not a bad place to be. You’ve also been working with Greg Rikaart (Kevin) and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis). Adam has been horrible to Kevin, and poor Kevin is being blackballed by him.
MARK: (Laughs) We have so much fun. Those are great scenes. I really love working with Greg. It’s fun when you get to manipulate and blackmail someone, and Greg, as an individual is great, and obviously he’s been part of this show a long time, and he was really helpful too. So, I asked him questions. You know, “Fill me in on Adam and you before. What was it like, and what was your dynamic like?” Things like that.
There has been a total refocusing of Y&R. They brought in you as Adam, and they brought back Melissa, and Michelle Stafford, and you’re kind of in there with all of them. There have been some great scenes between you and Michelle Stafford, too. There was the scene where Phyllis is sitting alone at Adam’s eating a whole cake by herself with her champagne glass, and it was so funny. I’m like, “Did Michelle make that choice to sit there with the whole cake, or was it written like that?” She is a firecracker!
MARK: She’s great. I love Michelle. She keeps you on your toes. It’s funny, I actually had done a little, independent movie. I popped in for a day. She was in it, so I knew who she was, but I had never met her. She wasn’t there the day I was there. You never know which way she’s going to go in a scene. I enjoy that. You just have to be present because a lot of times we are doing these scenes in one take on Y&R, so you’ve got to be in it. Michelle is really fun to watch.
Photo: JPI Studios
Are your family and friends checking you out as Adam on Y&R?
MARK: I have an aunt who is a big Y&R fan in Pennsylvania. She was so excited when she found out I was playing Adam. My dad is like, “I watch twice a day,” and my mom works during the week, so I think she watches on the computer at night. They live in Arizona.
Can you watch your work back? A lot of actors I have interviewed over the years in this medium have told me they do not like to watch their work, as it would then make them to aware of any quirks they may have and detract from their ability to deliver their performance, etc.
MARK: I watch, sometimes. It’s weird, isn’t it? I’ll go back and forth. I’ll watch myself sometimes with the sound off, and then I’ll slowly start creeping the sound up, and I’ll see … and then I’ll rewind it, and I’ll slowly start watching it. I’ve got to ease myself into it. Sometimes; I’ll ask other people if they’ve seen the scenes I was in, and I’ll be like, “Well, how was it?”
Photo: JPI Studios
There is major bad blood between the characters of Billy and Adam. How has it been working with Jason Thompson (Billy), and what do you think of the Adam/Billy dynamic? Billy is considering taking a bullet to Adam and pulling the trigger. Billy holds Adam responsible for the death of his child, Delia and perpetrating much hurt on those he loves.
MARK: That’s a tough situation, and as for Jason Thompson, man. Jason Thompson is just such a great actor, I think. I just love watching him. He’s just so real, you know? You really feel what he is going through and what he is saying. I know there is a lot history between Billy and Adam, and yeah, Billy is becoming a little unglued.
Adam has that effect on people.
MARK: Adam does! It’s such a tragic thing that happened with Delia. How does one get over that? How many times can Adam apologize? So, I don’t know if they can even make amends and be friends.
I don’t think we want them to be friends. Do we? No.
MARK: No. There’s a lot of good drama there.
Photo: CBS
Then, we have Elizabeth Hendrickson as Chloe. So, what does Adam think about Chloe? Does he understand why she is constantly unhinged?
MARK: Yes. I think he understands that you lose a child, and that really affects you. I guess you don’t really know what you’re going to do until something like that happens. I think Adam tried to clear the air … and be honest about what actually happened that night, and say, “Look, if we keep this up, one of us is going to end up dead.” So, we’ll see if she can move on. I don’t know… Adam has got to keep watching his back.
And … watch out for dart guns. (Laughs)
MARK: Look out your window!
Victor thinks Adam is the smartest of his kids. Do you think so?
MARK: I think so. Adam went to Harvard. I think he is the smartest of the three. Obviously, he is the outcast, but I think he is the smartest intellectually of the three.
Photo: JPI Studios
They’re talking a lot on the show, about the missing years when Adam supposedly went to Vegas. So there is a lot to yet be discovered about what happened to him and what he was really up to.
MARK: Maybe he was faking this whole amnesia story because he really wanted Sharon? I don’t know. I would imagine we would be delving into where he was. At least, I hope so.
Would you like to play some scenes where viewers get to see the more tender side of Adam?
MARK: Yes. I would love to explore the real sadness with Adam and Victor and why his father wasn’t there for him. I would love to see more of that, and scenes with the kids… get Connor back, and stuff like that.
Now speaking of doing anything to get back his kids, Adam, who professes to love Chelsea, kind of screwed her over after her new husband Calvin (John Burke) suddenly died, and he is kind of using that to his advantage with her.
MARK: Well, hey! You don’t mess with a man’s kids. It’s his son.
Adam is such a polarizing character and is driving story. Do you open the script and go, “Oh, man! I’m doing this today?”
MARK: Oh, sure. I’m always excited, because I’ll get a new episode, and I’ll open it immediately, and I’m like, “Oh, yes … oh, wow… oh, wow!” I feel like that’s what it’s been like though since I’ve been a part of this show, Adam is always stirring the pot and bringing a lot of that drama to it.
Photo: JPI Studios
This week on Y&R, it’s the custody battle for Christian between Adam and Nick.
MARK: Yes, we are going to be in court, and we are going to go head to head over this custody battle for Christian. I hear Chloe might be back.
Do you get to make a statement as to why you’d be a good father while everybody is like, “Oh, God?” Do you get to say how your kids were taken from you?
MARK: Yeah, I do! Adam pleads his case.
Photo: JPI Studios
It’s going to be interesting to see how this progresses with you as Adam, and how the fans take to him. Will the audience be at all compassionate towards him in certain circumstances, even though he’s screwed everybody over?
MARK: I hope so!
So, are you enjoying Mark’s portrayal of Adam? Who do you hope Adam winds up with romantically? Do you want Adam to get custody of both of his sons? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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