Days Of Our Lives
THE PETER RECKELL INTERVIEW – DAYS OF OUR LIVES
By Michael Fairman
Listen to the audio:
[display_podcast]
TV SOAP:
Peter, now that Ed Scott has been chosen as the new co-executive producer, replacing twenty year veteran Steve Wyman, how has that been behind the scenes for “DAYS”?PETER:
It has been a huge boost to the show. Ed has a lot of passion. I think the biggest thing is Ken Corday, (exec prod. “DAYS”) has given him the reigns basically, and said, “Go for it and do what you gotta do.” Part of the issue with Steve Wyman is that he did not have total power. He didn’t have much power to go after all the elements of the show; from the writing, the lighting, and the way we use our cameras…. everything. Ed has come in with a lot of energy, a lot of commitment, and passion. It is great for everyone, not just the actors, but also the wardrobe and make-up departments, and the sets. Everybody is charged because he listens to people and they get a say. Ed listens to their suggestions and doesn’t just come down and say, “This is what I want and this is the way it’s going to be.”TV SOAP:
Have you talked out about your character, Bo Brady, with Ed yet?PETER:
First, I just wanted to hang out and see what his patterns were. So, we set up a breakfast during our vacation in September. At that time, I will get to sit down and pick his brain and hash out some things, not only about “DAYS,” but daytime in general.TV SOAP:
Will Bo be integral to the Brady/Dimera vendetta storyline?PETER:
I don’t know that I am an integral part. I am sort of keeping people in control. When I came back to the show 12 years ago, I was not real thrilled that while I was gone Bo had become a cop, and where was it leading. Now, it’s leading more and more each year that he is more under control and less of a hot head. Bo seems more reasonable, and that is the current thing. I am trying to keep Steve under control and Sami under control. In my mind, Bo has always been the renegade. Currently, this is a role that is difficult. It’s not easy for me. I like the role of a renegade with passion.TV SOAP:
There were recent scenes where Doug and Julie, John and Marlena, and Bo and Hope are together reading the letters of Santo and Colleen’s back-story of the vendetta. Are days like that great fun where you all get to work together in the same scene?PETER:
Oh yeah, we should do it more often. We all have a great time and the taping of the show is secondary. (He laughs) I like the way the show is written, where you are seeing the story being portrayed through different people’s eyes. Then, we see the actual story being played out by the characters of Santo and Colleen. It is really kind of a cool way that Hogan Sheffer (head writer, “DAYS”) has put that together.TV SOAP:
Is it tough being a veteran of the show and having a small part in this big umbrella storyline? (The Brady/Dimera vendetta). Do you know where things are heading for Bo?PETER:
I am not really sure, and have not been integral in figuring it out, as yet. It’s really a Sami and EJ story. I am not really concerned about it. This whole thing will resolve itself and Bo will be a part of it. What I am looking forward to is the storylines that come down the road, and how involved Bo will be in those. I don’t know a heck of a lot of “Y&R”, but having fantastical stories like this one, I don’t believe was part of the make-up of the show. We will have more storylines that are more identifiable, and I think I will be much more integral to those… I hope!TV SOAP:
Have you and head writer, Hogan Sheffer, ever sat down and discussed Bo, since Hogan started with the show?PETER:
No. We have tried to hook up, but we both have been busy. Maybe during the show’s September vacation, we will do that, too.TV SOAP:
We have heard all the reports of your recent riding accident. Could you please clarify for your many fans in Australia, what happened?PETER:
I was riding my pedal bicycle to work and the front forks broke, and I shattered my clavicle. They put a titanium piece in there to put it back together. They want me to clean up the rotator cuff in my shoulder as well, and we are just starting to address putting that back together.TV SOAP:
In a recent interview with TV SOAPS, Kristian Alfonso (Hope) told us that many times she comes in to work nervous about the scenes for the day, and you will help calm her nerves. From your perspective, is that true?
PETER:
Sort of. That is the way it was, to a great extent, when we started. Because, at that time she was a novice to the acting stuff and I had a bit more experience. These days it’s not so much that. Every now and then that will happen. She will get nervous because of the amount of material and I will stop her and go, “Hey, let’s take this one step at a time.” It’s not difficult to do that, and we start dealing with each scene individually. I get nervous, too. It’s a good thing; the two of us still care so much about the show that we want to do a good job. That’s true, especially now with someone like Ed Scott, who is really watching and cares about the product and how the actors are doing. It’s funny, you watch other actors who have been around as long as we have and that doesn’t happen. It keeps it fresh for us.TV SOAP:
The soaps seem to drop all the core characters over the summer for the younger set storylines, and this always seems to backfire. What is your opinion on that trend?PETER:
Oh, yeah. They have tried on “DAYS,” especially this year. Kristian and I hardly worked this past January and February. It got both of us very nervous. The ratings of the show dropped, and then they brought us back and the ratings climbed back up. So, it’s kind of strange to us anyway, that the show keeps doing that every summer. They drop us off the show and the ratings go down, and they go, “Oh-oh” and bring us back on. So why go through that every year? I don’t understand it.TV SOAP:
We hear there is some major news on the home front with you and your beautiful and talented wife Kelly Moneymaker?PETER:
Kelly is pregnant! We just saw the ultrasound pictures today, and the baby is beautiful and we are just so excited. She is six and half months pregnant.TV SOAP:
Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?PETER:
It’s a little girl. We are stoked, and we will have a little holiday baby. This is our first child.TV SOAP:
How will fatherhood be, do you think?
PETER:
Going to work in the morning and leaving the house, is going to be terrible. I know I am going to want to be with the baby all the time. That is probably when my story will be so big I won’t be able to go home. (He laughs)TV SOAP:
Do you and Kelly have a name for your baby?PETER:
Yes, but we are going to keep it secret until it’s born. Somebody else has already stolen the name. It is an unusual name. The baby named itself, and it came to Kelly in a dream. She woke up from this dream and she had to go look up the name. It’s a beautiful and perfect name.TV SOAP:
Has Kelly been working on her musical career while going through this pregnancy?PETER:
She has six projects going. Kelly is working with a recording artist from Poland who she is developing…also, Kelly’s “own girl band”… and Kelly has got another album she is working on. She is trying to get all the songs done before she can’t breathe anymore! (He laughs)TV SOAP:
Would you like to see Bo battling some type of life-threatening health issues, or something along those lines that is more reality based, as you alluded to earlier?PETER:
The reality story where Bo and Hope dealt with their son Zack dying last year, was something that does happen to people in real life. The audience responded and loved it. Hopefully, we will see more of it down the road.To hear this audio snippet, click back to The Global sections,
“New This Month” area.
TV SOAP:
It seems like every time the writers try to break up Bo and Hope with another romantic love interest, it turns the fans off. Do you think that is true?PETER:
That is the thing, the whole love story, break up thing. For us, at this point, what could break us up? We have gone through our child dying. It seems like those kinds of things where the two of us have gone through a rough patch; it was the circumstance that gave us the rough time the audience likes. We see two people struggle through that, and end up finding strength in each other and seeing it through. I think that is a huge example to our audience; struggle and be there for each other as much as you can through the pain, etc, etc. Zack’s death was an amazing storyline.TV SOAP:
How has it been having the Dimeras back, Joe Mascolo (Stefano), Thaao Penghlis (Tony/Andre), and Leann Hunley (Anna)?PETER:
It’s great. It’s a base and it adds that substance to the show. On the bad guys side, we are up to a few more. Before they came back, the one bad guy, EJ, was always written smarter than Bo. I did not see a whole lot of substance. Joe and I had a scene today that was great. There were two men going at each other who could stand up to each other, not only physically, but emotionally, and verbally. It was these two bulls going at each other.TV SOAP:
How is your eco-friendly home coming along?PETER:
The house is finally finished. We have been trying to find a publicist who can get the house in Dwell magazine and those types of magazines. We have been so busy with the baby now. But, I am very proud of the house. It’s very astounding!TV SOAP:
When we last talked, you were facing many challenges in fixing the home. Has it mostly been resolved?PETER:
The grey water stuff worked out. The water from our showers and washing machines irrigate the landscape. Our rainwater catch system is working now. Our solar panels are in and cranking out electricity. Most everything is in and doing beautifully.TV SOAP:
When you and Kelly go out in public nowadays, what do fans say to you the most?PETER:
It funny, these days they just go, “Hi” and they want to talk to Peter Reckell. They are calling me by my real name instead of Bo. The interesting part about it is the people that are white collar; it’s not the blue-collar workers, which is rather interesting.TV SOAP:
What do the fans want to see from Bo?PETER:
They mostly say, “I hope you have bigger storyline.”TV SOAP:
Do you know what the mystery of the vendetta is, between the Bradys and the Dimeras?PETER:
Yes, I do. We just found out this week.TV SOAP:
Was it worth the wait?PETER:
It’s something that most of us could have guessed, and it was not something that necessarily blew you away.TV SOAP:
Do you think the story will wrap up soon?PETER:
I think the story will be wrapped up quickly. Bo was not the one who found out. Bo found out along with everyone else who put it together.TV SOAP:
What do you think we can say to your legions of fans, what to expect from Bo in the near future ?PETER:
I don’t think we know what’s in store for “DAYS” with this new powerhouse at the helm. I would think exciting things would happen!
If you have ever tuned-in to the soap opera genre over the last 50 years, and witnessed some of the greatest romances, drama, classic and outlandish storylines of all-time, you would have seen Deidre Hall smack dab in the middle of it as longtime Salem heroine, Dr. Marlena Evans.
It was 50 years on this date, June 21, 1976 that Hall first appeared on DAYS on NBC which was its home for 57 years before it moved to its current streaming platform on Peacock in September of 2022.
In Hall’s first episode she was introduced as a psychiatrist treating Mickey Horton (John Clarke) at Bayview Sanitarium after he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Mickey learned that his brother Bill Horton (Edward Mallory) was the biological son of Mike Horton (Wesley Eure) with his wife Laura (Susan Flannery) and that he had been lied to for years and years. From that moment on, the rest is television and soap opera history. Days of Our Lives put Hall front and center.
Photo: NBC
There were so many heartbreaking and shocking story twists involving the beloved Marlena. One of the first was the historic crib death of baby DJ (Don Jr.) in 1980, Marlena’s infant son with Don Craig (Jed Allan). The story had never been told on daytime television and Hall’s performances received accolades from TV critics to fans when Deidre received thousands of letters from grieving mothers who had gone through the same thing in their own lives.
DAYS also brought Deidre’s twin sister, Andrea Hall Lovell to the show as her on-screen sister Samantha, who had a grudge and even locked Marlena up in a sanitarium and took her place! Fast-forward and in 1982, DAYS launched the Salem Strangler story where everyone believed Marlena was his next victim, only it turned out to be Samatha. Jake Kositchek (played by Jack Coleman) was revealed to be the actual serial killer.
Later, Deidre would assume the role of Marlena’s look-alike, Hattie Adams in 2004, once played by her sister, Andrea. Over the years, Hattie has come back to Salem and caused trouble giving Hall a chance to play a different type of character, then the always upstanding Marlena.
Photo: JPI
THE LOVES OF MARLENA
Deidre Hall struck gold with all her leading men: from the late Jed Allan, to Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady, and of course, her enduring love story with the late John Black played by the iconic Drake Hogestyn. In fact, Marlena’s 1986 wedding to John (who was believed to be Roman at the time) remains a favorite of fans to this day.
TOP MARLENA STORYLINES OF ALL-TIME
While the list is long, here are several that were some of the memorable during Deidre’s five decades in Salem!
The Possession (1994- 1995)
Considered one of the most ambiguous, outlandish and unforgettable story arcs in soap opera history, then Days of Our Lives head writer, James Reilly went there! Marlena was possessed by the devil! That included; the demonic eyes, hissing at father John (Black) the priest, morphing into creatures, and the classic levitating in her bed! It became a cultural phenomenon and cemented Deidre Hall’s status as a daytime television legend. Just ask Ryan Gosling!
Photo:JPI
The Affair with John Black (1993)
John and Marlena’s forbidden love could not be denied and they had passionate affair, while she was still married to the real Roman. Problem was her daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney) caught her mother having sex with John on a desk that changed Sami forever.
The Salem Stalker Mystery (2003-2004)
In a shocker, Marlena was revealed to be a serial killer who bumped off several Salem favorites residents who were all alive on the island of Melaswen (spelled “New Salem” backward). Turns out, she was manipulated and gaslighted by Andre DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) to do the “killings” and had no memory of her actions.
The Pier Scene (1991)
This remains Michael Fairman TV’s all-time favorite Deidre Hall moment, which featured some of the best acting in the storied careers of both Hall and Drake Hogestyn.
In the story, a presumed-dead Marlena returns after four years. One foggy night on the pier, John is alone, and Marlena steps out of the fog to reveal herself, and is reunited with the love of her life. You can watch it any year, any decade, and in any moment, and it will have you reaching for the hankies again and again. (best music score fo a soap scene of all-time too!)
Photo: NBC
Kristen’s Secret Room Reveal (1997)
Marlena was caught in Kristen Blake’s (Eileen Davidson) elaborate web of lies, when she was held hostage in a secret wine cellar/room until John managed to track her down, leading to an iconic on-screen reunion. The classic catfight between Hall and Eileen Davidson was one for the ages.
It should be noted that Maison Blanche, Queen of the Night, Possession, Aremid and Lady in a Cage were all a part of classic DAYS storyline and all featured Hall at the epicenter of it from 1993-1996.
THE RECENT YEARS OF MARLENA
In recent years, DAYS brought back the possession 2.0 storyline under then head writer Ron Carlivati in 2021 where the devil leapt back in Marlena after taking advantage of a frail Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes)
In 2025, viewers watched the end of the love story of John and Marlena, as John succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion saving a vial of medication needed to bring Bo (Peter Reckell) back to life. Marlena has been a widow on-screen since June of 2025 as Hall as portrayed the good doctor struggling with her grief and to move on with her life since his death.
Photo: JPI
One story that never goes away is Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joe Mascolo) obsession with Marlena, his “Queen of the Night.” Even in death, Stefano is toying with her from the great beyond with the mysterious chess set and the missing “pawn,” that he had gifted John and Marlena in his will. The mystery is currently unfolding on all-new episodes of Days of Our Lives.
Tune-in to Days of our Lives on the Monday, June 22 episode as Marlena looks back at her 50 years in Salem.
Share your congratulations to Deidre Hall for this incredible 50-year milestone as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives in the comment section. Then let us know, what is your all-time favorite storyline or moment in the life of Marlena over the past 5 decades? And, just for kicks, and to celebrate this amazing milestone, here is Marlena levitating below circa Christmas Eve 1994.
Days Of Our Lives
Al Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’
It’s been a bittersweet time for Al Calderon. The talented actor/singer/songwriter has watched from his vantage point to roles he loved so much come to their conclusion for different reasons.
In a heartfelt message posted to his Instagram story on Saturday, Calderon took a moment to share how grateful he was for the opportunity to play Javi Hernandez on Days of Our Lives, and nurse Nico Silva this year on NBC’s second season of Brilliant Minds. Currently, Brilliant Minds has two more episodes that will air on June 24 and the series finale on July 1.
Calderon expressed, “As I sit here reflecting on this lovely Saturday afternoon over the last two years of my life, I have two major chapters closing that have been part of my life every day for the last two years. We have Brilliant Minds. Our last episodes are wrapping up, and then my last scenes aired yesterday as me as Javi on Days of Our Lives.
Photo: JPI
“I’m just unbelievably grateful for the chance and the opportunity to be a part of something so much larger than me,” continued Al. “I (will) love Days of Our Lives forever, my family. Thank you for supporting me and supporting my decision to take the leap of faith and believe in myself and, and tell other stories. You know, it’s never goodbye. It’s always ‘see you later’ to me and just leaving with love and leading with love.”
Al concluded with a special mention to some very important people, the fans: “Thank you to the fans and the support from everyone, the lovely messages. So this next chapter, hopefully it’s not a dragon, hopefully it’s a gold coin.”
Photo: NBC
Calderon’s journey on-screen on Days of Our Lives began in October of 2024 and concluded this month. In one of his last appearances Javi was asking a favor from Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) before bumping into his ex, Leo (Greg Rikaart). In story, Javi has a new romance with Gus (Michael Ocampo), while fighting his feelings for Leo. The role of Javi will be played starting on June 30 by Jacob Martinez who takes over the role.
NBC decided to cancel the Brilliant Minds, after it split up the airing of its second season which began in the fall of September of 2025 and the back-half started airing after a long break this past May. Calderon joined the medical drama staring Zachary Quinto for the new season, which sadly was its last.
So, will you miss Al on Days of Our Lives and Brilliant Minds as his time on-screen has come to an end? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
Next week, Days of Our Lives welcomes back fan favorites Colton Little (Andrew Donovan) and Christopher Sean (Paul Narita) when they reprise their roles for an upcoming special episode which contains Deidre Hall’s 50th anniversary as Marlena Evans.
Circle Monday, June 22 when the married couple comes back to Salem. Paul is the son of Marlena’s beloved and late husband, John Black (Drake Hogestyn). Andrew is the son of iconic couple Shane Donovan (Charles Shaughnessy) and Kimberly Brady (Patsy Pease).
According to the official Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of June 22-26, Andrew scolds Cat (AnnaLynne McCord). Let’s remember Andrew is ISA. Meanwhile while Marlena thinks back on her fifty years in Salem, Paul arrives back in town.
Photo: JPI
ANDREW AND PAUL
Christopher Sean began playing Paul Narita back in 2014. He has come and gone from the show over the last decade. He was last on-screen back in November of 2025, when Paul arrived back in Salem for the dedication of the Tom Horton Free Clinic as part of the Days of Our Lives 60th anniversary celebration.
Colton Little, first began playing the all grown-up Andrew Donovan in 2022 on the Peacock limited series, Beyond Salem: Chapter 2. Little eventually moved to the mothership and Days of Our Lives in 2023. He was last seen on the soap opera back in March of this year in scenes with Peter Porte (Dimitri Von Leuschner) and Greg Rikaart (Leo Stark).
In story, Andrew and Paul tied the knot in front of family and friends on June 24, 2025, which followed the heartbreaking funeral of Paul’s father, John Black, who had passed away several weeks earlier from injuries sustained in an explosion.
Photo: JAnchondoIG
Michael Fairman TV also confirmed the romance exclusively of Colton Little with former General Hospital actor, Adrian Anchondo (ex-Marco Rios) at the end of December of 2025.
Anchondo shared at that time, “I reached out to him (Colton) when I got the job on GH. We knew of each other through mutual friends; so I knew of him for a long time. I started asking Colton about what his experience was like on soaps and asked about SAG health insurance, etc. We met up one night and were hooked from then on.”
So, are you excited to see Andrew and Paul back on your screens? Share your thoughts and if you would like to see them stay longer in Salem in the future, with a story all of their own via the comment section. But first, check out the just released promo for the action on Days of Our Lives entitled “Conspiracy” below featuring Christopher and Colton.
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