♥ Never Ending Story 2007 ♥ Note on soap magazine publication dates and content of articles/interviews regarding multiple soap stars: Many of the monthly or every other month (and sometimes quarterly) magazines back in the 1980's would be on the newsstands a long time before the date on the actual magazine. We've noticed, for instance, that DAYTIME TV magazine did an interview with Drake in late 1986 about his upcoming wedding, which was scheduled for December 1986, yet the interview didn't appear until the July 1987 issue several months later. Therefore, it might be a bit confusing to read about his "upcoming" wedding in an interview dated July 1987 when you happen to know he was married in December 1986. We've tried to date the articles to match the date on the magazine, regardless of when the events talked about took place. Hopefully it will make sense as you go along! We've also edited some of the articles/interviews to just include John's storyline, since this is a Drake/John website. We've left out comments and sections about other actors or storylines unless they're involved with John's storyline. This too should be very apparent and clear when we've done that so it makes sense and you don't have to skim through a long article to find the "John parts." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Happy Holi-DAYS! Plus...John Is Shot! Happy Shoot Year: (Please Note: The word "Salem PD's" was changed to Salem Police Department's in this paragraph to keep consistency throughout our website. We always refrain from using shortcuts or abbreviations, even though the magazine chose to do this for space constraints.) The Salem Police Department's plan to arrest EJ backfires this week on DAYS, when John and EJ's shoot-out ends with a bullet in the wrong guy. "It's an interesting moment to have these two guys in a room in a life-or-death situation," explains James Scott (EJ). "There's a lot of tension. EJ has a lot to say to John. EJ's resentment comes to the surface about his father loving John first." EJ also explains why Stefano wants John dead. "Betrayal," states Scott, pointing out that John abandoned the DiMera fold. "Leave and you have to die." Then, EJ reveals there is a second assassin assigned to kill Bo and Steve, and whispers the killer's name to John before the two start struggling over EJ's gun. "It goes off," shudders Scott, "and John is shot twice." EJ runs off, and Tek arrives on the scene, fresh from begging Lexie for another chance. He races back to get Lexie, and she tends to John after ordering Tek to leave. "Abe made it clear that if Lexie is ever alone with Tek again, their marriage is over," reminds Renée Jones (Lexie). "So poor Lexie is forced to tell another lie." And it's a whopper. "Tek says that if he leaves, Lexie will have to pretend she witnessed the shooting," sighs Jones. "Lexie says, 'Are you crazy?' Tek thinks it was EJ, but he's not positive. Lexie knows how dangerous this is, because EJ is a DiMera. Tek convinces her that she has to let people know who did this. If John dies, she has to avenge his death." Finally, Lexie agrees, and Tek takes off before Roman arrives. Lexie explains that she saw someone shoot John and believes it was EJ. Meanwhile, John is rushed to the hospital, where he's taken into surgery. But first, he sees Steve and moans, "Killer…" SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 1/2/07 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Two Bombshells! DAYS: Steve Kidnaps John And You Won't Believe Why The News - DAYS: Steve Kidnaps John! Steve strikes again this week on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and this time the victims are Kayla and John. Steve dreams he's choking EJ, but when he wakes up, his hands are around Kayla's neck. "He's horrified," shudders his portrayer, Stephen Nichols. "He reacts as if he has been burned, scrambling as far away from Kayla as possible." She's not scared, though. "Kayla not only begs him to stay, she tackles Steve to keep him there," laughs Nichols. "Kayla will not accept that Steve leaving is 'good' for her." But that's exactly what he does, when he races off to the warehouse where EJ has set up Stefano in his oxygen tent. "When Steve arrives, he is faking EJ out by saying, 'I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt Kayla,'" previews Nichols. "Then, when EJ turns his back, Steve pulls a knife on him." Nice try. EJ whips out a tarot card and brings Steve to his knees. "On the way down, Steve's begging, sincerely, 'Please, don't hurt Kayla,'" says Nichols. EJ instructs Steve to deliver John to him. "Steve has no fight and no questions, because he has been put into control mode. He's in a trancelike state, ready to do EJ's bidding." So, Steve shows up at the hospital and snatches John, who'd better snap out of that coma before he loses a lot more than Marlena. Apparently, John has something EJ wants. Tune in next week for the "cutting" - edge twist. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 2/2/07 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Soaps - The Logan Report... The Fight To Save DAYS: NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly has publicly hinted that he may drop DAYS OF OUR LIVES at the end of its current contract in 2009 - and that has the soap's owner and Executive Producer Ken Corday all fired up. Corday tells me he can legally shop DAYS elsewhere starting September 22 "even though NBC has until March 2008 to decide what it's going to do with the show. I'm a fool if I don't pursue other avenues, be it another network, SOAPNET or syndication. I will do everything I can to keep DAYS alive." That includes getting back to basics. Come summer, DAYS' top heartthrob Drake Hogestyn will emerge from storyline Siberia, :/) as will such egregiously ignored fan faves as Deidre Hall, Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso. Seventies superstars Bill and Susan Hayes will get major face time. We'll finally learn (after twenty-five years) why the DiMeras hate the Bradys. And Corday promises a gotta-watch plot "that will have everyone going, 'Oh, my God, they're doing that?'" Michael Logan, TV GUIDE, 4/9/07 - 4/15/07 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ "Cheated" Star Can't Wait! The News - DAYS' Hogestyn: "I Felt Cheated" Drake Hogestyn (John) has a very important message for all the disgruntled fans out there. The good old DAYS (OF OUR LIVES) are on their way back. "I've been doing a lot of public appearances, and I've been very frustrated with the fans' frustrations," admits Hogestyn. "They are so anxious to get back to the show that they've known and loved for years. I've been encouraging them that we're on the right track." Indeed. Since his character woke from his coma last month, Hogestyn has been working his way back into the thick of the action and says the best is yet to come – namely the long-awaited reveal of the cause of the Brady/DiMera feud. "I'm ecstatic about it. We never got to finish that storyline," notes Hogestyn, referring to the show's initial attempt to tackle it under the head-writing team of Paula Cwikly and Peter Brash in 2003, only to have it abruptly dropped when James E. Reilly returned to the helm. "I felt cheated in a certain respect." With DiMera icon Joseph Mascolo back as Stefano, Hogestyn has great expectations. "I love working with Joe," he praises. "We have a great chemistry and relationship off the show. I couldn't be happier to see the man back. He demands respect and fills the screen. I'm looking for great things to happen. If the story is there, you have the players that can just tear the roof off of this place. I can't say enough about the talent." But DAYS hasn't been taking advantage of some of that talent in recent months, choosing to focus on younger cast members. "They brought minor leaguers up to fill major league roles and found themselves in last place," sums up Hogestyn of DAYS' alarming ratings drop. Now that Hogestyn and company are gearing up for a huge story, he plans to give it his all. "I'm not used to being with a show that's spiraling out of control," admits Hogestyn. "My job is to come out with a sense of urgency and professionalism. That's all I can bring to the table. I'm here to bring the show back up to where it belongs." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 6/12/07 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS' John: Tragic Accident! Late-Breaking News - DAYS: John's Tragic Accident... Sami tries to persuade Lucas to grant her a divorce, insisting that it's only temporary until Stefano dies. He points out that with André in the hospital and Stefano near death, the threat to the Brady family no longer exists. After some urging from her family, Sami decides not to marry EJ and go through with the terms of the vendetta after all. Elvis, who has his own plans to woo Sami and make her love him, decides to prove that a very real threat still exists and targets Belle. "Belle is completely oblivious," says her portrayer, Martha Madison. "The closest threat to her is her sister and she's worried about Sami, but she hasn't felt any imminent threat from the Brady/DiMera vendetta because she's not a Brady." EJ makes his move trailing Belle from the Cheatin' Heart (where Philip has kissed her) to the clinic, where she has a class. "EJ is following her to make a hit on her and Belle is just trying to get to the clinic on time for her class," explains Madison. "She locks her keys in the car by accident and calls her parents to see if they can either bring an extra set of keys or get them out because she's late for class. She's calling them as she's running in and while she's in there, they do come and get the keys out." That's when things take a tragic turn. "John is struck by a mysterious hit-and-run driver and seriously injured on the street right outside of the clinic," Madison sighs. Belle comes out of class and sees her parents. "She notices that John and Marlena are on the ground in the middle of the street and she freaks out," previews the actress. "She runs over there and is trying to figure out what's going on and if someone has called 911. John looks really bad; he's bleeding from every orifice. Belle runs back into the clinic to get some supplies and is waiting for the ambulance to get there. She's just in shock. She can't believe her father is going through something like this again. She just got him back and now she could be losing him again." Be sure to get the next issue of SOAP OPERA DIGEST to learn John's fate. SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 10/16/07 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES News Sami And John: A Matter Of Life And Death Guilt-ridden over John's "accident," this week on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Sami looks to a new husband in EJ - as Marlena lets hers go. "Sami feels she has to do this," explains Alison Sweeney (Sami). "She is the only one who can end this violence." After rushing to the hospital to support Marlena and Belle, Sami tapes up the annulment papers and tells EJ she will marry him. Meanwhile, Dr. Berman tells Marlena and Belle that John won't last the night, but they can't accept it. "He's a fighter," asserts Deidre Hall (Marlena). "They've been through so much. It can't happen. Then, sitting at John's bedside, Marlena sees the numbers on the monitor dropping and realizes what his injuries are. She knows (he's dying)." As the family gathers around John, Lucas learns Sami has decided to marry EJ and pleads with her not to do it. "Does Sami really want to go through with it? No," admits Sweeney. "But after everything she's put them through, she sees this as an opportunity to lay herself out there and prove how much they mean to her." An ailing John fights to hang on, until Marlena gives him permission to let go. "Marlena holds John and whispers that they'll be okay," sighs Hall. "He's taught them to be brave and courageous, and they'll be fine." John dies, but Sami is far from fine. "Sami sees herself as solely responsible (for John's death). She could have stopped it," points out Sweeney, noting that Sami is determined to stop "anyone else from getting hurt." The day of John's funeral, "everybody falls apart, but Marlena doesn't," says Hall. "She's Jackie (Kennedy). She knows this is a moment to get her family through." Indeed. When Stefano walks in, Marlena tackles the situation head-on. "It was wonderful to be able to play Marlena's strength," recounts Hall. "She blocks Stefano's way to the casket. She stands right up to him and doesn't let him take an inch. Then, she throws him out of the church." The next day, Marlena argues against Sami's plan to marry EJ, but Sami insists it's the only way to protect her family. "The situation doesn't resolve itself," previews Hall, "because Sami goes into labor." Giving birth to a whole new problem. The Lives And Times Of John Black: DAYS' John Black dies this week, but hopefully fans can take heart in the fact that even if this is really curtains for our hero, he's lived an eventful and intriguing life, er, lives. 1985 "The Pawn" arrived in Salem and took the name John Black off of a Vietnam War Memorial. (OOPS! This is wrong. Well folks, hold on to your hats because there is about to be an avalanche of silver flowing down this page, also known as our correction color. Here we go! First off, The Pawn did arrive in Salem in 1985, but he didn't take the name of John Black off the Vietnam War Memorial plaque until 1986, contrary to what this paragraph states.) 1986 John was revealed as the "late" Roman Brady with a totally new face. 1992 Wayne Northrop's Roman turned up alive; Drake Hogestyn's Roman went back to using the name John Black. (OOPS! This is wrong. YIPPEEEEEE, they nailed the historical facts in this article, but once again messed up the date *sigh* OY! This should say this all went down in 1991 not 1992. This section will now be delayed since they've now essentially dropped the year of 1991, chuckles!) 1993 John discovered he was Lawrence Alamain's brother Forrest, who was supposed to have died and been buried at the age of three. (OOPS! This is wrong. LMAO, told ya! John found out he was Forrest Alamain in 1992 not 1993 that is stated in this article.) 1994 After John was lured to Maison Blanche, viewers learned that many years earlier he had been a Catholic priest named Father John. 2003 John was revealed to be the biological son of Stefano's wife, Daphne DiMera - making him the half-brother of Tony DiMera. (Please Note: This "Mail Call" was also found in this 10/23/07 issue of SOAP OPERA WEEKLY on page thirty-eight of "Public Opinion: Tell Us What You Really Think!") Mail Call - Here's What Fans Are Talking About This Week: DAYS: John fans are still worried that their favorite is marked for death. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 10/23/07