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The Rick Hearst Interview – The Bold and the Beautiful

By Michael Fairman

Published

17 years ago

on

rickMain.jpg

Three-time Daytime Emmy winner, Rick Hearst, has had a tumultuous few months, but now has landed squarely on his two feet. This Friday, July 17th, Rick returns to the role of PR Wiz, Whip Jones, on CBS’s The Bold and the Beautiful, a character he last portrayed in 2002. As soap fans know, Rick was dumped to recurring status by his former show, General Hospital, where he played bad-boy Ric Lansing, the brother of Sonny Corinthos. After years of heavy story, Ric Lansing’s story stalled and the actor found himself in a precarious situation. With talks that Rick could bolt and go back to his old stomping ground, Guiding Light, where he played Alan-Michael before the show ends its CBS run, it was “B&B’s” head honcho (executive producer and head writer) Brad Bell, that lured Rick back to the fictional soap fashion world with one memorable phone call.

Now, with an exciting return and a new lease on his soap life, Rick Hearst is ready to stir up things at Forrester’s competing fashion house, Jackie M. In this candid interview, the talented Hearst tells On-Air On-Soaps that this time it’s a wide-open field romantically, for “B&B’s” Whip. (He was last wed to Brooke) This actor will certainly be the straw that stirs the drink upon his return to one of CBS’s top rated soaps. Here’s Rick.

Listen to the audio:

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MICHAEL:

Let’s go back to the beginning. We all know you were put on recurring status at General Hospital. Then how did the opportunity to come back to The Bold and the Beautiful happen?

RICK:

It kind of came out of nowhere. I had been placed on recurring status, and I had become a gun for hire at that point. I was two weeks on recurring status, and sitting here in my house on a day off and the phone rings. My wife answers it, and she is talking for a while, and I hear her say, “Brad, blah, blah, Brad.” I went, “Who’s Brad?” That’s it! I’m done! She has finally found somebody better. Oh, God! I get put on recurring status with General Hospital and it’s done. (He laughs) All joking aside, she comes down the stairs and she goes, “Honey, its Brad Bell.” So, it completely took me off my feet. I took the phone and said, “Brad¸ how are you? You know what I love about you? Here you come from a family of soap royalty. Here you come from a place where your father was mentored by Irna Phillips, and you guys have set the standard and the model for daytime. You would think you would be the most unapproachable person in the entire daytime world, and in television in general, and here you are calling me at my house. You are a class act, you know that?” So he goes, “So Rick, how are you?” We picked up where we left off and it was so great. Brad always kept me in mind, and we had always seen each other at the Emmy awards. The cool thing was that we kept in contact. He said, “I had heard you had been let out of your contract by “GH” and I just wanted you to know that I’ve been thinking about the character and bringing Whip back!” Brad then says to me, “We can even change his name!” I said, “No, Brad, its fine. Whip…Whipple… please. My name could be ‘Mud’ for all I care.” (He laughs)

bradmain.jpgMICHAEL:

What is the origin of the very unique and distinctive first name, Whipple?

rickWhip.jpgRICK:

From what I understand, it goes back years ago. The name Whipple came from a good friend of Brad’s, who he grew up with. I have never in my life known anyone named Whipple. I think it must be a name from a higher upbringing, and look, I am from Queens! (He laughs) “Whipple Jones” I used to laugh about it. I would say to Brad, “Whipple is such a unique name. What is his last name?” Brad would go, “Jones”, and I go, “Not Smith, not Johnson,” and I laughed. Out of respect for Brad, I said, “fine.” The character was so interesting back then in 2002, I knew it could only go up from there.

MICHAEL:

You were under utilized as Ric Lansing over the past year on “GH”, which left many fans disgruntled. Do you believe they just did not care about the character anymore?

RICK:

I don’t think there is a decision where it comes across in a writer’s mind at the production offices at “GH” where they say, “Let’s not come up with story for him.” It’s just sometimes you hit a wall and sometimes you don’t have a vision for a specific character the way the character had been utilized, and the focus is now somewhere else. I don’t fault Bob Guza (head writer, “GH”) for that. It’s the way it is. I am not in charge, and I am not steering the ship. There are so many avenues where I could have seen Ric going, but that was not really in their mind’s eye at this particularly point in time. Who knows how the world works? Who knew I would play six and half years on “GH” and then it would come to this point and time. Who knew that Brad Bell would think, “You know that character we started with Rick Hearst, we should really take some place.” Who knew the stars aligned and it was time it needed to happen?” I never look at things with animosity because it just gets you nowhere. I miss my “GH” family very much.

MICHAEL:

Speaking of your former “GH” family, what did they say when you said you were going to go back and revisit Whip on “B&B”?

sonnyRick.jpgRICK:

Truthfully, I would venture to say the majority of the cast and the production crew was thrilled for me. They were crazy about it and they were glad I was going to a place where I could be utilized fully. Had this not come about, would I have stayed on “GH” and on recurring status, and played the story that they provided, which I could help unfold? Absolutely, but then again, I was looking for other creative venues at the same time.

MICHAEL:

Were you ever going to entertain the thought of going back to Guiding Light to play Alan-Michael, for the end of its run?

RICK:

There was talk, actually, just as soon as this came about. Barbara Bloom, Senior Vice President of CBS Daytime and my agent were speaking about it. They were trying to come up with a plan for me to go back there for a four to six month stint before the cancellation came about. I would have loved to have done that, but at the same time it was finite, but I would love to have wrapped that up. It was such a great part of my family’s life and I grew up there as an actor.

rickEmmy.jpgMICHAEL:

And, you won your first Emmy!

RICK:

Yes, my first Emmy! It was the beginning of so many wonderful things in my life and it’s so sad to see it go. It’s sad to see it happen to the daytime community, and it takes vision. When you see decline in your world, whether it be professional or personal, and the conviction of what it can be, you try to go forward and it can be tough. But, I think we still have it in the networks and in daytime for those people who have the strength of character, and the strength of their own vision and their audience, to stay with it.

MICHAEL:

You exited “GH” last month, by Ric Lansing getting into an elevator- Sayonara!

RICK:

I shuffle off to Buffalo, and the door has been left open for Ric. I think this is a great time for me to be back on “B&B”, the canvas has shifted a bit. There are some great new people for me to work with. There is vibrancy in the cast, and not a lot of people have left the cast since I was here last time around.

MICHAEL:

Tell me about Whip Jones? I see him as a smarmy PR guy.

RICK:

He is a smarmy PR guy, and an opportunist. He does not try to get under your skin; he just calls it like he sees it, and he makes no excuses for himself. Is he out to hurt anybody? Absolutely not. He can be wildly bombastic and visionary in his own right, but he is a guy who knows how to pull the reigns back.

rickBlack.jpgMICHAEL:

I want to know why you are so good at playing these kinds of guys.

RICK:

People exist in their own world and from their perspectives, given what they have been through in their own lives and their circumstances. These guys say the things you wish you could say. I describe this guy at this point as the Ari Gold of the fashion world. I so respect Jeremy Piven of Entourage. Here is a guy who has taken an agent, who for a lot of us in the industry seem to be sometimes the slimiest people in life, but at the same time you have to look at the person behind it. He plays a guy who, regardless of anything, he cares and he loves his client. His methods may be off-center but he makes no excuses for it. Ultimately, it’s for the betterment of himself and his client. I look at Whip much the same way. He is looking to reap the benefits of what he is laying out there for his client.

MICHAEL:

Whip is being brought back into the show by Stephanie, correct?

RICK:

Yes. He is being brought in by Stephanie, who hadn’t decided whether she liked him or hated him, but she knew he was very effective with what he did. Now, Stephanie is over at Jackie M. Whip has been talked up by Stephanie, and he has hit the skids and needs a job like many people in this economy. Whip had gone through Forrester International and done very well. From what I surmise of the history, he had a falling out and got too big for his britches. He thought, “I want to do something more with PR and take it to the next level.” Whip knew that Forrester was very much a family company and they had their method of doing things. So, he goes to work for some other small independent fashion houses, and maybe they weren’t established enough, and maybe he left on his own accord from those two places. There is something that is burning inside of the guy to make him come back to Los Angeles. He knows he can’t go back to the Forresters, because he knows there is too much under the bridge there. Brooke is still there. He still has this thing in his heart for her and maybe he wasn’t able to put that completely to bed.

heatherTom.jpgMICHAEL:

Do you think they will rekindle Brooke and Whip? Because Heather Tom (Katie), told me in a recent interview, she would love to have the opportunity for Katie and Whip to mix it up.

RICK:

It would be fantastic! I will be honest with you; the canvas is wide open for him this time. It would take a lot for Whip to really go forward and allow himself to get involved in a situation where ultimately he could lose out to Ridge.

MICHAEL:

Anybody who comes on the show could eventually lose out to Ridge, in regards to Brooke.

RICK:

Right. It’s like with “GH”, if you are going to go up against Sonny Corinthos you are going to lose. If you want to find a way to exist in that environment, that’s great. In regards to Brooke and Whip, if she would turn around and say, “Hey, I made a mistake,” Whip would probably jump in a second. That being said, I am in agreement with Heather Tom. I so respect her as an actress. She is a phenomenally talented girl and a stunning looking girl. So, absolutely Katie, and Lesli Kay as Felicia, and there are so many ladies on the show!

MICHAEL:

Brad Bell told me to expect more comedy at Jackie M.

jackiem.jpgRICK:

Yes, and I am thrilled it’s more light-hearted stuff. I literally said, “If it’s cute and peppy for awhile, that’s great.” People have to get to know this guy again. If you bring Whip in with ulterior motives and what not, you will push the audience away. Brad is very smart that way. We want to see that Whip is a fun-loving guy and irreverent. Do you want to smack him someday? Sure. That is better than hating his guts. He is more the guy in the room who gets to say what he wants and gets away with it. That’s entertaining. I want this audience to feel that kind of love for him in the way that you would rather pinch his cheeks and smack him in the face for doing what he is doing, than want him dead. That’s the difference I see between Whip and the character of Ric Lansing. I was a bit concerned about that. I literally left one job and went to another in less than 24 hours. I was saying, “Goodbye” as Ric Lansing and saying, “Hello” as Whipple Jones III, closing the elevator door in Port Charles, and opening the door at Jackie M in LA. It’s comedy from the first time you see me. I was thankful when I opened that door. I literally said, “Please God. Do not let me open this door as Ric Lansing. Let me open this door as Whipple Jones III.”

sarahRick.jpgMICHAEL:

Speaking of your exit from Port Charles, many felt there was a missed opportunity between you and Sarah Brown (Claudia) on “GH,” as a couple. How did you feel about that?

RICK:

Sarah has always got her game, and I love and respect her so much. I will miss her and I think it was a missed opportunity that didn’t happen. There was not enough vision with the people that make the decisions to make their relationship go forward.

MICHAEL:

Where are your three Daytime Emmys?

RICK:

My Emmys are up on one shelf. My trifecta. I used to not predominately display them until a friend told me they were collecting dust, and I needed to have them in the front of the house. So now, thanks to my friend, I have my Emmys displayed with my son’s awards, and with my wife’s awards. They are now all together as everyone walks in our house, for everyone to say, “This family’s accomplishments are all even.” My son’s award for Best Supporting Actor within his theatre and school is just as predominately displayed as my Emmy, and so is my wife’s Best Choreography awards. My youngest son’s awards are there, too.

rickPortrait.jpgMICHAEL:

In closing, what can we look forward to from the return of Whip Jones on “B&B”?

RICK:

He will shock and amaze and awe-inspire. And whether you love em or you hate em, he is always going to be in your face, and don’t ever second-guess what he is ever going to do.

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I just read that B&B put Rick on recurring status, I was’t crazy about GH decsion to place him on recurring status and was equally as to see that B&B has followed suit I mean to waste a talent like Rick! what’s the soap world coming to. Since Guza out (GH) and there’s a change in the wind with S/L’s at GH is it possible that Rick will play Ric again? Just quoting the new head writer on board at GH (sorry can’t remember his name) “sometimes they come back” well I hope Rick Hearst is a comback player with a better S/L.

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I just read that B&B put Rick on recurring status, I wasn’t crazy about GH’s decision to place him on recurring status and was equally sad to see that B&B has followed suit I mean to waste a talent like Rick! what’s the soap world coming to. Since Guza’s out (GH) and there’s a change in the wind with S/L’s at GH is it possible that Rick will play Ric again? Just quoting the new head writer on board at GH (sorry can’t remember his name) “sometimes they come back” well I hope Rick Hearst is a comback player with a better S/L. Repost edited

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Interviews

‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Heather Tom Talks Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and What’s Behind Katie’s Deep-Seated Issues with Dylan (Exclusive)

Published

2 days ago

on

September 11, 2026

By

Heather Tom

The Bold and the Beautiful’s Heather Tom (Katie Logan) is heading into the 53rd annual Daytime Emmys next month with a chance to win not one, but two gold statuettes to add to her collection of six!

Heather is once again a nominee for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, and for the first time a nominee as part of B&B’s writing team in the Outstanding Writing for a Daytime Drama Series category.

Currently, Heather is tied with One Life to Live icon, Erika Slezak (Ex-Viki) as the actresses with the most wins in Daytime Emmy history. An acting victory by Tom would break the tie, although Slezak’s wins have all been for Lead Actress, while Tom literally grew up before our eyes over 35 years in daytime, and has won in all three actress categories: Younger, Supporting and Lead.

Photo: JPI

Whether Tom wins the gold this year, next year is looking even like stronger lock with Heather delivering some of the best work of her career, over the last several months. Who can forget Katie’s showdown with her sister Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) over the creation of her own fashion house named Logan, that slap from Brooke, and eventually being disowned from the Logan family by Brooke and their sister, Donna (Jennifer Gareis). 

This fall, Katie is in full momma bear-mode and being overprotective of her son Will Spencer’s (Crew Morrow) heart and pocketbook. In story, Katie has a massive distrust of Melissa Dylan, who has made her move on her son, while Will is still trying to deal with the break-up with the love of his life Electra Forrester.

During a live chat this week on the Michael Fairman Channel, Heather opened up on a myriad of subjects, including why Dylan gets under Katie’s skin in such a major way, and what scenes earned her a shot at Lead Actress gold at the October 30th Daytime Emmy ceremony.

Photo: JPI

HEATHER TOM’S DAYTIME EMMY SUBMISSION

In daytime, Heather Tom does it all, she acts, directs and writes for The Bold and the Beautiful. When deciding what material to submit for Emmy competition with its eligibility rules of episodes from 2025, it relayed heavily on scenes with her longtime B&B scene partner, Don Diamont (Bill Spencer).

“I submitted material having to do with the Luna (Lisa Yamada) storyline and having to do with Katie and Bill. I love that Katie and Bill have been really trying to find their way back to each other for, honestly, five years. He’s been trying to woo her back. Katie’s been like, ‘No.’ However, they come together, especially over their son, Will (Crew Morrow) and they have a very real relationship-type of discussion. It wasn’t an argument. It was more about, ‘I know you. Don’t do this.’ That’s always kind of been Katie’s relationship with Bill. The scenes with Don Diamont were about Katie and Bill’s history, the pain, and the drama, and especially about their son, seemed very familiar to me.”

Heather added, “There’s also a couple scenes with Will and Luna, when Katie finds out that Luna is pregnant. Katie was like, ‘Nope! Our son is having a baby with somebody, and we’re going to figure this out. We’ve got means and the ability to do this. I don’t care if we have to take this baby away from Luna because she’s crazy, we’ll figure it out.’ They were some really good scenes that I felt very proud of. I thought to myself, “OK, this is Katie really taking a stand for her son, and having these conversations with Bill where I just felt they were real and honest.”

In conclusion to standing by her choices of scenes, Heather explained, “It was nice to see Bill and Katie operating as a parental unit and have her be like, “Yep, we’re not doing this. You know, you can’t force Luna to do anything, so let’s just figure out how we’re dealing with this.” Katie was kind of the adult in the room. Then, the scenes where Bill says to Katie, “You have to come back to me and I need you,” while Katie shed a few tears, she still didn’t take him back, not yet.”

Photo: JPI

DYLAN BROKE THE ‘GIRLFRIEND CODE’

There are specific reasons why Katie has it out for Melissa Dylan. In fact, Dylan went so far as to get her mother Darcy Dylan to town to shut down Katie’s suspicions of her, but it still isn’t swaying Katie away from her stance on the matter. Heather revealed how she is playing the scenes.

“So, here’s the deal. It’s multifaceted,” began Tom. “This girl pushes Katie’s buttons. She reminds her of her sister, Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang), and what Katie’s going through with her sister right now is very unpleasant. I think she looks at this girl and says, “This girl is going to crawl over anyone to get what she wants. And right now, she wants my son, and she’s willing to throw her best friend (Electra) under the bus.”

Heather also said, “Honestly, there’s something known as the ‘girlfriend code.’ Would you like to know what the girlfriend code is? ‘The girlfriend code’ is if your girlfriend, who is also your best friend, dates a guy and is especially in love with him, it doesn’t matter if you break up, that guy is off limits. You need to find yourself another guy.”

KATIE’S TROUBLES WITH BROOKE AND DYLAN MAKE HER TAKE A STAND

Katie clearly draws a similarity to her sister Brooke and Melissa Dylan which is also driving her attitude, which Heather confirmed. “So to Katie, it’s like Dylan broke that code. She is someone who follows her heart just like Brooke and leaves carnage in her wake,” said Tom.

She continued, “I think Katie looks at her and goes ‘Okay, one, you were living in your car. You didn’t call your mother who clearly loves you and ask her for help, but you were more than willing to take help from this, lovely rich guy.’ I think Katie feels like the fact that Dylan has been so expressive of how in love she is with Will, I think she finds that a little weird.  She’s telling him that she’s e in love with him, and he doesn’t say it back to you. So, clearly he’s in not in love with you.”

In story, Katie can’t trust a young woman, who knows her son doesn’t feel the same way about her and yet is still hanging around. Heather shared Katie’s viewpoint to Dylan: “He’s clearly in love with your best friend. So, isn’t it a little unsettling that she kind of keeps saying she’s in love with him? So that’s my multifaceted reason why Katie doesn’t like her. It really has nothing to do with the fact that she came from humble beginnings because Katie did too. That being said, the Spencers are billionaires, so she would have to also look out for that. However, I don’t think that’s the main reason why she doesn’t like this girl or doesn’t trust her. I really don’t.”

You can check out the full conversation from our livestream conversation on the Michael Fairman Channel below.

Now let us know, are you rooting for Heather Tom to win the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? What did you think of the scenes she submitted? Will Katie be proven right about Melissa Dylan, or will her distrust blow up in her face and she will wind up respecting Dylan when all is said and done? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Interviews

‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Kelly Sullivan Talks Becoming Darcy Dylan, Who’s Melissa’s Dad, and Future Love Interest (Exclusive)

Published

6 days ago

on

September 7, 2026

By

Kelly Sullivan

Kelly Sullivan made her triumphant return to daytime on recent episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful in her new role as Darcy Dylan, the mother of Melissa Dylan (Sydney Bullock).

In story, Melissa, better known as just “Dylan,” phoned home to her mother to come to Los Angeles, in an effort to calm the waters with Will Spencer’s (Crew Morrow) nosy mother, Katie Logan (Heather Tom), who doesn’t trust Dylan one iota.

Soap fans remember Sullivan from her previous Daytime Emmy-nominated role sas Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri on General Hospital and as Sage Warner on The Young and the Restless. During a livestream conversation exclusively on the Michael Fairman Channel, Kelly spoke about her time on GH and Y&R, and the wonderful co-stars she shared the screen with, and her excitement on her brand new role on B&B.

Photo: JPI

As to her thoughts on if Darcy will ultimately prove to be a gold-digger, opportunist, but still has a heart of gold (as we saw in recent scenes with her daughter, seemingly), Sullivan explained, “Characters like Darcy can be dangerous. I think Darcy is a survivor and she can charm. She’s a flirt. She knows what she wants. Darcy is self-made, according to her, and she made it.”

THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN DARCY AND HER DAUGHTER, MELISSA DYLAN

However, Melissa plays a big role in what’s next for Darcy! Kelly explained, “She’s got this beautiful daughter and that was her entire life who is now making her way. Let me tell you, I don’t know what Darcy’s retirement plan is, but one would assume she doesn’t have much savings. This is a great opportunity for her to connect with her daughter and get the lay of the land.”

Finding out that Melissa has been dating Will Spencer from the rich and powerful Spencer family in Los Angeles, while initially a shock, could prove interesting if the mother/daughter were to work together for a common cause, their survival.

Sullivan explained, “Darcy’s all about the tabloids and all about this life of illusion and the haves and have-nots, essentially. She would never shy away from an opportunity to see what’s around the corner. I think the interesting thing for me, that I’m excited about is to explore the dynamic between Darcy and Melissa and what is that going to become?”

From all accounts, Darcy is here to stay in Los Angeles, and fans will see much more of Sullivan on their-screens. “Darcy’s not going anywhere”, confirmed Kelly. “I always said to Sydney Bullock, Darcy didn’t buy a round trip ticket. If you think about it, Melissa could be her ticket. She might be Darcy’s only hope. There are serious stakes here if Darcy has been waiting for this moment.”

Photo: JPI

SHARING SCENES WITH HEATHER TOM

Last week, Sullivan had her first on-screen confrontation with Heather Tom. In the scenes, Katie was disapproving of Dylan and let Darcy know it. Eventually, Darcy takes Dylan with her to leave Will’s beach house apartment, but Will stops Dylan.

Recalling the taping of the scenes, Kelly said, “Heather Tom is a real special artist. In the story between Katie and Darcy, you’ve got momma bear and you’ve got momma bear. You can’t fault either of these women for how they feel, and how protective they are of their children.”

There are many things viewers and perhaps the writers have not totally fleshed out about the Dylans. Are their Dylan sisters coming, or to be revealed to rival the Logan sisters? Who is Melissa’s biological father? Plus, some more nuggets as Kelly revealed.

“I think there is a juicy, juicy story there of the Dylans,” previewed Sullivan. “It would also be interesting if they decide who Melissa’s dad is. Who is that? I mean, that’s interesting. You know, when I auditioned for this role, it said on the page that the character was charming, from the Midwest, and dance skills a plus. and I was a Broadway dancer. So, I hope this means there might be an opportunity to dance on the show at some point.”

Photo: JPI

DARCY DYLAN AND WYATT SPENCER PAIRING?

As for the men on the canvas, Kelly was asked what she thought of a potential Darcy and Wyatt Spencer (Darin Brooks) pairing? To which she responded, “That would be so much fun. I’m such a fan of Darin’s work. Oh, I would have a ball working with him. One of the things that really excited me about Darcy when I was coming into audition for her was that they said that they wanted her to have a  comedic sensibility, comedic chops as they said it.”

Sullivan concluded, “To work with Darin, I would be so lucky. He’s such a great actor and he’s got great comedic timing and he’s just really present and phenomenally talented. He’s a great actor, so I would love that. I mean, anyone on the show would be really fun.  You throw it at the wall (in daytime) and say, ‘Is there a thing? Is there something here?’ Chemistry is chemistry.”

Now below, and in case you missed it, you can check out our full video livestream chat with Kelly Sullivan below.

So, what have you thought of Kelly’s performances thus far as Darcy? Do you think Darcy will turn out to be an opportunistic woman, but who deeply cares and loves her daughter, or will it turn out to be a ruse? Would you like to see Kelly paired with Darin Brooks on-screen as a love interest, and who do you think truly is Melissa Dylan’s biological father? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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General Hospital

GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

Published

3 weeks ago

on

August 21, 2026

By

Patrick J. Gibbons

At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.

However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.

Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Photo: ABC

FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG

Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!

Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”

MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL

Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).

Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”

Photo: JPI

PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY

Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”

It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”

A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”

Photo: PGibbons

IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS

As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”

He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”

Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.”

So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.

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