♥ Ongoing Days 1988 ♥ 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." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Soaping It Up! Coast-To-Coast Report! Drake Hogestyn and wife Victoria and baby enjoyed his brother's wedding back east. Victoria went home first to Indiana for a week. Drake made a personal appearance in Mississippi then picked Victoria up and later they all flew back together. The wedding was in Connecticut. Lillian Smith and Sheila Steinbach, SOAP OPERA PEOPLE, 1/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Soaping It Up! Coast-To-Coast Report! Lynn Herring, "Lucy Coe" on GENERAL HOSPITAL, can't be seeing all that much of husband Wayne Northrop of DYNASTY these days. She spends almost every minute when she's not doing the show practicing her high wire act for CIRCUS OF THE STARS. Don't miss it on television in December. It shows you a whole new side of this talented actress. She spends long hours rehearsing and just loves it. Lynn has to train to become a circus performer. They tape her act every day and a week or so later she can see the improvement, or what she is doing wrong. So she has the chance to see herself right from the beginning! We just hope it's safe and she's working with a net, because what would GENERAL HOSPITAL be without "Lucy"? Actually, when you tune in to the show you'll get a chance to see Todd McKee of SANTA BARBARA and Drake Hogestyn of DAYS OF OUR LIVES! Imagine "Ted Capwell" and "Roman Brady" in the circus! The show will be on CBS, by the way. Lillian Smith and Sheila Steinbach, SOAP OPERA PEOPLE, 1/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Two DAYS OF OUR LIVES Love Stories! Drake Hogestyn... Should Roman Brady Love Again? Here's Your Chance To Let Him Know! DAYS OF OUR LIVES Drake Hogestyn - Should Roman Brady Find Love Again? How long is a decent time for Roman (Drake Hogestyn) to mourn for the love of his life now that she has been killed off on DAYS OF OUR LIVES? It's an interesting question and one even Drake Hogestyn would like to have answered soon. At least he seemed to want to know when I asked him and he said he had no idea. We were talking in his dressing room on the set, and he looked simply fabulous in the shorts and T-shirt he was wearing because he'd been working out during lunchtime. The man oozes vitality and strength and I couldn't help thinking, what a waste! Roman should pick up his life and go on! "You look like you're bursting with energy, good health, everything," I mentioned. "Clean living, baby. Clean living. My big vice though, and what I'm really proud of myself, is I'm cutting down on ice cream and beer and this was a sacrifice. The way I cut down the beer, I got rid of cable television. That was it! I was getting sports in from all over the world, would find myself up at 3:00 AM watching Chinese football or something and baseball especially. I'd sit down and have a beer. I figured out that was when I would have one, so I got rid of the cable. Now I had to work on the ice cream. I knew I was going to steal that before going to bed. So last night, there was no beer during the Lakers game so I thought maybe I could have some ice cream and I said, 'No, I'll just read my script and then go to bed.' So I think I'm on the right track," he said, grinning at me. "So how are things going on the show?" "As well as can be expected considering the circumstances," he returned. "With Deidre going," I nodded. "Yeah, tough blow." "A lot of people have gone," I mused. "Yes, we pretty much got a house cleaning," he said. "I'm a little disappointed that you were obviously having a good storyline and now I don't see that happening. They'll have to give you some kind of a girl friend or something." "It's a tough call there. That was a real popular storyline, Roman and Marlena. I mean, well before I came on the show. I think that's what made us successful because people wanted to see Roman and Marlena together so they brought me into the storyline. I would like to think my acting is acceptable enough to warrant more storylines now," he told me. "They've got you coming in now when somebody disappears or you're going to trace somebody," I said. "Yes, you know, I stick my nose in other people's business right now and it's a major back burner. I just pick up a script a day at a time and don't say anything. I'm not a squeaky wheel, never have been. I think that comes from my background in team sports. I just play it like it is. I think they'll get something cooking." "I think so too; everything that goes around comes around and maybe they're laying low because of Marlena's going off," I asked. "I get the impression they're trying to keep a low profile because of Deidre's departure. Maybe out of sight of mind is the approach they're taking. (OOPS! This is wrong. Typo alert! In our opinion it should be "out of sight out of mind" not "out of sight of mind.") Let this die down until people will respond to the fact as well." "That's exactly what I'm saying really," I said. "Yes, doing something else and if it means a new love interest, fine, even though initially everyone said they won't accept Roman with anybody but Marlena. Since they didn't find a body, I think everyone is waiting to see if there's a chance she might come back." "I think that would have been true if Roman were still played by Wayne Northrop, but for some reason it isn't with you playing the part now. You did a very good job stepping into a very difficult storyline because to replace Wayne must have been hard. He was so popular there," I told him. "Really?" "Yes, and when you have that idolatry for one person it is hard to see them go, but the fans accepted you; still, I don't think they should have the same feeling now that Marlena's gone. I think they will feel you have to go on with your own life. I think they would have assumed Wayne would have committed suicide at her death, you know the difference? They don't expect that with you." "Yes." "I know I would not resent it if you fell in love with somebody else in time. I think there must be other viewers that feel that way too," I said. "There was that little bit worked in with Olivia, who was Orpheus's sister-in-law. The fans responded rather harshly with using the wine glasses for a little toast. You know, 'you kissed her. How can you do this?'" "I guess something terrible should happen to you so we can all sympathize with you. You know what I mean? This poor man has been through so much and he's lost the love of his life. Let him have a little happiness," I remarked. "We'll see what the writers will work out. I had a little talk with Shelley Curtis and she said this is a conscious effort to keep you in a low profile then later we'll re-establish you as the leading man you are and possibly with a new girl," he said. "Well, that sounds logical because in the summertime they always give most of the time to young people," I said. "Well, the kids are out of school and we've got so many new people right now that they're trying to establish them and see which storylines take off and what the public reaction is, so we're driving hard in that direction. My own reaction, my own attitude goes back to baseball. You want to work, that's my desire and my drive and because of Roman and Marlena's storyline, and both were popular and were achieving a lot of recognition. Deidre always has, but my individual popularity has risen quite a lot and that was gratifying, but I knew I was riding Deidre Hall's shirt-tails right on up there. That's a fact. I accept that, but I'd like to think that a lot of that I did on my own also. Then to be stagnant for a long period of time is like riding the bench in a baseball game, and I would get real antsy. That's where I learned to juggle and to pacify myself," Drake told me. "You do look a little bit like that now. Your movements are quick and like you should be doing something other than sitting here talking." "Yes, working out like I'm doing takes care of part of that. I've had a lot of spare time recently so I've taken over my own fan club because now I have a chance to answer all the letters, correspond personally. When I was working heavily last year, I turned it over to somebody else." The last time I interviewed Drake he was looking forward to a visit from Vicky from his hometown. He obviously was deeply in love with her and hoped she would decide she liked it out here. Now they are married and have a little girl and he's oozing happiness. So I asked him how it felt to be a father. "When Victoria was pregnant I was always thinking that I was gonna have a boy. I was just pretty positive and would do all the father-son type things. When Whitney was born there were certain ambivalences that I went through. 'Oh boy, it's a girl.' And I went 'Holy Mackerel!' I didn't realize that until right when she was born and it took a couple of weeks for me to sit there and stare at her, realizing I'm not going to be able to change the gender of this child by looking at her and I couldn't see myself with anything but a boy. I mean, I'm sure that will happen in the future, but now I look at this little girl and My God, she's...would I treat a little boy differently? Would I not be affectionate and as caring and as holding? Do you know what I mean? And holding and cooing and saying I love you, I love you. If I had a boy would I treat him differently, but babies are babies." "They say even from babies, a little girl is dainty," I offered. "She has picked up on all that and from watching Victoria, with her make-up on, she's got her make-up on and she has purses and just everything feminine, it's imprinted." "How old is she?" "She was two on July 20th. She's squawking words out now and putting them all together." "They say fathers are even crazier about their little girls," I ventured. "Well, it's pretty hard to describe. It's the first time this has happened to me and that puts a lot of things in perspective. I was always ready to settle down with Victoria. It was pretty much a question of when. Way back, whenever she was ready I was there. So there's never been any cogitation on that part and every day it gets better." "Is marriage as good as you thought it was going to be when we first talked about it?" I asked him. "Yes, you know there hasn't been any major transition. We went together a long time. You go through the stage and stuff. I guess that's true if you meet somebody and you have a whirlwind romance like that and you get married and then suddenly you realize what they're like. I grew up with this gal. From the day I met her I knew she was something special and the further we went along proved I was right." "How does Victoria like California now?" "She likes it. Yeah, she misses certain things like stores where you can pick up reasonable things. She's been doing all our shopping in Malibu but she's getting acclimated to paying - the cost of living is higher out here, let's face it. I mean, everything. The rent is like sky high and to buy a home, you know?" "I am curious, do you see your dad any differently now that you are a father?" "Well, a lot of things come into play when you become a father. Suddenly, as you look at your child and you see a big piece of yourself, especially if it looks like you, a lot of your moral fiber starts coming out very strong and you find yourself being very guarding and maybe a little bit overprotective. I'm thinking down the line how I'm going to handle certain situations which right now on the show I'm doing with Carrie and I'm saying, getting back to your question, I don't know if it's gonna be any easier raising kids now than it was then." He thought a while then added, "I would probably be able to answer that better if I have three more children, like my dad and then got two boys who were always going at each other like my brother and I did." So there is a lot Drake Hogestyn is looking forward to, more children, a house, the building up of his role on DAYS, meeting more fans on personal appearances, which he loves to do. He has a ball and does a lot of kidding, which he realizes shows a whole new side of himself to them. He likes to have fun. When things are slow he gets busy with other things, keeps moving and best of all...life with Victoria and Whitney is pure joy. All in all, Drake Hogestyn is a very happy man. SOAP OPERA PEOPLE, 1/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Man Of Contradictions... Romantic, Funny And Very Private: Drake Hogestyn, the jocular jock-turned-actor, looks like a Saturday morning commando in a jumpsuit version of khaki-colored Army fatigues ("It's my leisure suit," he quips) as he greets the show's publicist and a visitor in the lobby of the two-story studio where DAYS is taped daily on the Sunset-Gower lot in Hollywood. (The show is working Saturdays to put enough episodes in the can so the cast and crew can enjoy a year-end hiatus.) Through the circuitous halls of the studio, the playful blue-eyed six-footer leads his guests to a dressing room on the first floor, talking football scores, plays, etc. to anyone he meets along the way. (OOPS! This is wrong. According to the biography given out in the fan club kits, Drake is six-foot-one.) Settling on a sofa in his dressing room, Hogestyn begins a free-flowing conversation, reminiscing about his first audition for DAYS back in November 1985 and moving on from there. The former minor-leaguer (he played for the Yankees) loves to talk. It must be his favorite sport - well, after baseball and football and amore (not necessarily in that order). He is a raconteur, albeit an earthy one, with a phenomenal memory for dates and the minutest of details to flesh out an anecdote. It's been two years since Hogestyn first showed up in Salem as the mysterious John Black, later revealed to be Roman Brady with a new face. Indeed, the show had pulled off a major coup in getting the DAYS fans (notorious for their steadfast devotion to certain characters) to accept another actor in a role created by the incredibly popular Wayne Northrop. How has the character of Roman changed in the past two years? "About 180 degrees," Hogestyn answers in that rapid-fire delivery (almost like a 'play by play'). "Yeah, they've opened him up and let more of my personality come out. Not all of it." A grin. "They don't let him be as crazy as I really am." Hogestyn's personal publicist arrives. She delivers an AM Cleveland baseball cap to the actor, which he promptly plants on his head. The talk turns to his personal appearances around the country. "People see me in person and they think, 'This isn't Roman Brady,'" he says with a laugh. "I really have fun, but I kind of wonder if that's counterproductive sometimes. I get a lot of mail that says, 'WOW, you are so much different. I wish that personality would come out more in Roman.' But you gotta remember the guy is a cop. He was an agent. He's cut from a little different mold, and he's there, y'know, for the checks and balances against the bad guys. Roman, being the good guy, is going to take a stand, give an opinion. And so that way, I have to cut myself back - but there are certain moments." Which introduces Hogestyn's leading lady, Genie Francis (who plays Diana Colville), into the conversation. "We play around with the script quite a bit," he says. "They have given us license - to a degree - to have fun with it more, to find some moments in the script. The situations in Greece - even though they were intense and dangerous - we were allowed to add some levity through the dialogue." Adding: "It makes for good banter, makes it exciting fast." The actor says he doesn't understand the word "chemistry," but acknowledges there is something special that ignites between him and Francis when they are on screen together. "I like Genie. I tease the heck out of her. I tell her sometimes, 'If I tease you too much, just let me know, okay? Just raise your hand, and I'll know you've had enough.'" "Now, Genie is an 'actress,'" continues Hogestyn, "and that's from a different school of thought than I come from. She's focused, she does her homework. Not to say that I don't. I keep saying, 'Hey, I don't know what I'm doin' out there.' That's a bunch of bull. I'm really serious about my work here." They go about preparing for a scene differently? "We do," Hogestyn says. "Because I haven't taken a whole lot of training - and it shows. But I just try to look at each scene as a dance, and at the end of that two-three minute scene, I say to myself, 'Did we get our point across to the people watching?' However we arrive at it, that's just between Genie and me. We should find the beats there and work at it together and she's good about giving her time to make it work." About life away from the television studio, Hogestyn is more guarded. It is known that he shares a place in Malibu with his wife of one year, Victoria. They were married on New Year's Eve day 1986 at his parents' home in Connecticut "in between the football games," he jokes. The romanticist in him is revealed, though, when he looks at the "classic love" of Roman and his late wife, Marlena (played by Deidre Hall), describing it as "the perfect relationship. That's what people need to see, that it really does happen. That's like my wife and I - as far as I'm concerned. I've known her since I was fifteen and she was twelve." They were childhood sweethearts growing up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (It was at times, however, a tumultuous relationship, and for a seven-year period, they were separated.) The couple has a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Whitney. Last summer at the first annual DAYS family picnic, the actor was observed politely turning down photographer requests to take pictures of him and his daughter. Does he prefer to keep Whitney out of the limelight? "Yeah," he says with a sigh. "I like to accentuate the work, because I don't talk too much about the personal stuff." But the proud father in Hogestyn gets the better of him. "She's just beautiful," he says in the next breath. "I sat and looked at her for an hour last night. She's such a blend (of both parents)." In a previous interview, Hogestyn confessed, "There is a very serious side to me that I mask very well." Who else, besides his wife, sees that sensitive side of him? "People who know me real well - and that's not too many people." What made him decide to go that private route? "I don't know," Drake Hogestyn shrugs. "Genie said something today. 'You're more serious about this business than you let on.' But I have fun with it. And I think everybody needs to be lifted up a little bit. There are just too many sour things going on in this world. Not that I'm ever a 'life of the party,' but I have fun. People always associate with positive energy anyway. And so you can be a little sparkplug and make someone laugh - and I usually get them that way by telling very crude jokes." David Johnson, SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 2/29/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soap's Sexiest Couples - On And Off Screen! Fun And Games At Our Cover Shoot: One of my responsibilities as a publicist for Columbia Pictures was to coordinate photo sessions, like the one on this cover. Without divulging too many behind-the-scenes secrets, readers, I can say it was shot at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center! Genie and Drake had just finished a thirteen-hour day at DAYS and arrived at about 7:00 PM. Carol Brown re-did Genie's make-up. After all, this was to be a romantic, black-tie occasion look, different from a typical day between cop and scribe. Paulette Lewis whipped Genie's hair into shape (with the help of Drake's hairdryer) in two styles, so that our editors could have a little variety. Check-list: we've got the flowers, the chocolates are not melting under these hot lights...where's the loveseat that photographer Gene Arias physically picked up pre-shoot?...This was a real make-shift environment at the corral, with restrooms used as dressing rooms. Drake's wacky sense of humor kept energy up. Not only did he entertain his fair lady, but also the entourage of publicists, business managers, wardrobe people and friends that go with the territory of a shoot. But what kept Hogestyn's energy from crumbling? He had just returned from a two-city forty-eight-hour tour with a midnight stop in Chicago. Drake made it back to his Malibu digs with his wife Victoria and the baby in barely enough time to catch two hours of sleep before work. Genie had spent part of the weekend planning her wedding. She had also attended a STAR TREK convention with one of its co-stars and her fiancé (now husband), Jonathan Frakes. What pros...the couple knew exactly how to pose, how to camp it up, how to flirt (Drake claims Deidre Hall gave him great lessons; Genie practiced with her buddy, Tony Geary). All to create a fantastic cover. It was as if we were watching George Burns with Gracie Allen. Genie even taught Drake how to tap dance between takes - why, we'll never know...Lots of giggles from the peanut gallery. Since it was past the dinner hour at the shoot's end, the candy was demolished, even with these health-conscious California types. Each lady departed with a rose. Happy Valentines Day. SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 2/29/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ A Former Slugger Hits It Big In Salem! A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Drake attended Broward Junior College in Florida on a baseball scholarship, and then he transferred to the University of Alabama, Arizona State, and finally the University of South Florida. Drake graduated with a degree in microbiology, but he signed a professional baseball contract with the New York Yankees out of school. Drake never made it out of the minor leagues, so he gave up baseball and turned to acting. The role of Roman on DAYS is his first on daytime. DAYTIME DIGEST: It's been quite a year. You returned to Salem, but now you've lost Marlena... Drake Hogestyn: It was some year. I'm sorry that Deidre (Hall, "Marlena") had to leave, but the show must go on! She was such a pleasure to work with...very professional. I wish her nothing but the best, but she doesn't need my blessings. She knows she'll do super! DAYTIME DIGEST: What's next for Roman Brady? Drake Hogestyn: That's a tough one! I wish I knew. I'm sure he'll have his hands tied with the kids, but I hope he'll also have time to get out and see what single Salem women are lurking about! It will be interesting to see what happens. DAYTIME DIGEST: Not many people know that you played professional baseball. How did you end up acting? Drake Hogestyn: To tell you the truth, I really had no desire to become an actor. On the baseball field, though, I was often told I acted more like a player than looked like one! Hey, I knew all the important things when it came to baseball...how to chew tobacco, how to wear the uniform! Seriously, my first year in organized baseball was with the Oneonta team (the New York Yankees minor league club in the New York/Penn League). I played very well and made all-league. Then I went to the Florida State League, and out of the blue I ran into some people who were running the Columbia Pictures National Talent Search. I was in the right place at the right time. DAYTIME DIGEST: So you just gave up baseball? Drake Hogestyn: Well, I also injured my arm, so that sort of helped me in my decision. I hated the idea that I wasn't going to be a baseball star, but I also had to think realistically. I think I made the right decision. DAYTIME DIGEST: How was the transition from the baseball diamond to the television studio? Drake Hogestyn: It was tough! The Columbia Pictures program lasted three months. I was one of thirty actors picked out of over 70,000, so I knew I had a chance to go somewhere. I wasn't getting any younger, so I decided to stick with it. DAYTIME DIGEST: What was your first role? Drake Hogestyn: I had one line in the television movie FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, but at least I got my Screen Actors Guild card out of it! My first "starring" role was in the series SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. That lasted a year. Then I landed the role of "John Black" on DAYS, which of course turned out to be Roman. DAYTIME DIGEST: Do you still try and play ball when you can? Drake Hogestyn: Of course! I play for the DAYS team, and I also play for the Hollywood Allstars. We travel around the country playing other all-star teams for charity. Hey, it's not major leagues, but then again only a select few ever get to play major league baseball. On the other hand, only a select few get to do what I'm doing now! I guess that's not too bad! DAYTIME DIGEST, THE BEST OF DAYS OF OUR LIVES, 3/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Real-Life Close-Ups! Share The Stars' Love Affairs, Weddings, Battles Their Laughter And Tears... "It's Always Magic When We're Together" - Drake Hogestyn And His Childhood Sweetheart Tie The Knot: Roman Brady, DAYS OF OUR LIVES Drake Hogestyn (Roman, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) thought of the perfect way to start 1987 off with a bang. He upped and married his long-time lady, Victoria Post, on New Year's Eve. "I couldn't be happier," the newlywed admits. "I always believed that if Vicky and I were meant to be together, then it would happen. It's also really good when your career and your personal life fall right into line." The wedding took place at the Connecticut home of Drake's parents. "My two brothers, Bill and Bart, and my sister, Jackie, were there, too. It was only the immediate family and a few friends. Our reception was watching the football bowl games on television," laughs Drake. What about Vicky's family? "Well, we had stopped off in Indiana (Vicky and Drake's home state) on our way to New York and let them in on our plans. We left my parents' house on the second of January and went back to Indiana. I got back just in time to catch the Fiesta Bowl on television with Vicky's dad." If you're wondering why sports play such an important role in Drake's life, maybe it's because he once was on the New York Yankees farm team - or more importantly - that's how he met Vicky! "When I was fifteen, I was at a baseball game playing the outfield. There was this girl and her friend riding a bicycle built for two. It's the seventh inning of the game in one of those parks that doesn't have a homerun fence," recalls Drake. "There's two outs and the girl on the bicycle is riding around me in centerfield while the umpire yells time out. 'Get those girls off the field.' I looked at her and said 'What are you doing woman!?' She answered calmly, 'I just wanted to see what you looked like.' The next pitch was hit right to me in centerfield. I snagged it on the fly and then kept on chasing her. I've been chasing Vicky ever since!" Actually, it's been a mutual chase. Vicky has stood by Drake while he contemplated becoming a dentist, then during his struggle trying to make it in baseball and now while he's taken on the acting profession. "She's followed me through my career and keeps me on my toes. I'm a workaholic and I like to stay busy. I'm pretty lucky with the fact that DAYS presented security. As an actor, you never know when your next job is coming and I was afraid of getting married without that security," Drake says honestly. "The steady work influenced my decision to a degree. We both have real close family ties and the distance from Indiana to California was hard for her to adjust to. Loving Vicky has been the bottom line. If Vicky and I had never gotten together, I really couldn't see myself settling down with anyone." Drake is definitely settled down. He and his wife Vicky have a "beautiful baby daughter," he revealed. "I spent most of Vicky's pregnancy with her in Indiana, but she delivered the baby in Los Angeles. Fatherhood has absolutely changed my life." Who does his daughter take after? "My wife Victoria has all the qualities that I wish I had. She's reserved, mild-mannered and rational. I'm sure she'll pass that on to the baby. If our daughter takes a little after both of us, then she'll be headstrong," Drake laughs. "She'll be tall, have dark hair and be beautiful." With all the problems that children are having today, Drake is reluctant to mention his daughter's name and even her birthday, but he did note that she has picked up on one of his favorite pastimes, the beach. "She's eighteen months and loves the ocean although the other day she scared the heck out of me. She followed me into the water and when I turned around a wave had knocked her down. I grabbed her, she did a few baby talks, and was fine. She's a real surf punk. Having Vicky and the baby with me is terrific. The beach has never looked better," Drake says with a smile. "This is a good time in my life." (Selected from SOAP OPERA STARS, 7/87) Anne Marie Allocca, DAYTIME TV PRESENTS...THE BEST OF DAYTIME TV Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Issue - 1963-1988, 3/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His Days Are Getting Better! Several years ago, when the mysterious John Black appeared in Salem, there was much speculation that he would turn out to be Roman Brady, and indeed he was. It was an experiment to test out the strength of newcomer Drake Hogestyn to see if he could play the same character with an equal amount of depth and popularity as Wayne Northrop, the actor who originated the role of Roman Brady. As previously done with Wayne and Deidre Hall (Marlena), Drake and Deidre continued the magic of Roman and Marlena until she decided not to return to the show. Now that Drake has proven his popularity with the viewers and the ability to hold his own, the DAYS writers are bringing forth a new romance with Roman in the person of Genie Francis. As to why they didn't recast the role of Marlena like they've done previously with Roman, Drake feels that that's something the audience wouldn't take to too kindly. So now it appears that Roman will find love with Diana Colville, the character that Genie Francis plays. In his personal life, his love life is not as convoluted as Roman's since Drake's a happily married man and the father of a two-year-old daughter. "When Victoria was pregnant, I was always thinking that I was gonna have a boy," he says, but he's really been happy with Whitney, his daughter. Fatherhood becomes Drake, and he's really enjoying that aspect of his life. Before venturing into acting, Drake started out playing baseball and is an avid admirer of the Yankees. However, the Cardinals drafted him to play for them and he was positively thrilled. The salary he was receiving was nothing to sneeze at either. "I said, 'Gee, WOW! WOW!' They really want me to play major league baseball." The Cardinals wanted to drop the salary they were going to pay him, so Drake went off to the University of South Florida to get his degree in microbiology. It was during the summer that he was drafted by the New York Yankees. "I signed a professional contract and played two years in Oneonta, the New York/Penn League." Drake doesn't have any pictures of himself as a baseball player because they're all in the attic in his parents' home. As time goes by, the "days" just seem to get better and better for Drake Hogestyn. SOAP OPERA PEOPLE SPECIAL, 4/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Too Hot To Handle? DAYS OF OUR LIVES Scenes That Never Made It On The Air Victor And Diana: The Wedding That Wasn't Roman's Poignant Farewell... DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Too Hot To Handle? These Sizzling DAYS OF OUR LIVES Scenes Fizzled Out Before They Ever Made It To The Screen: Imagine Salem without Kayla? Justin a daddy? Or Diana Colville as Mrs. Victor Kiriakis? These are just some of the shocking plot twists that almost made it on the air, then, at the last minute, were abruptly stopped. Why? Sometimes those crafty DAYS OF OUR LIVES writers simply had a change of heart. But occasionally, fabulous storylines got the ax after a backstage blow-up erupted, a key star threatened to leave the show, or a lovely, young actress announced she was pregnant... Another character who bounced around from one love interest to the next is Diana Colville. During her first few months on the show, Genie Francis was linked to more on-screen lovers than Joan Collins! First, word was Diana would team up with Mike Horton. There was even talk about bringing back a "single" Bo Brady and hooking him up with her. Then, the writers came up with a brainstorm: Diana would be forced into a marriage with Victor Kiriakis. Vows were nearly exchanged between this odd couple, when the DAYS writers got cold feet! One reason may be that fan outrage over Victor and Diana's impending nuptials was far greater than anyone had ever expected. Or, could it be the backstage brass realized Diana was too compelling a heroine to be locked into a loveless marriage? (Maybe DAYS learned a lesson with Jack and Kayla's disastrous stint as husband and wife). In the end, Diana wound up in Roman Brady's arms - and for a good reason. The sexual tension between Genie Francis and Drake Hogestyn was explosive. On-screen they were magic together, and chemistry like that just couldn't be denied. Fortunately, Roman was still around for Diana. Remember when Deidre Hall left the show as Marlena? Well, Roman's fate was on shaky ground for a long time. Would he remain on the show? Would he be killed off? Or would it turn out he really wasn't Roman at all and simply leave town? Roman's big goodbye scene was nearly in the works. But then, Bo Brady and his wife, Hope, sailed off into the sunset together. Deidre Hall was gone; Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso had just left; certainly DAYS couldn't afford to let Drake Hogestyn go, too. And at this point, he was the only Brady son left. So, Drake and Roman got a new lease on life... Janet Di Lauro, SOAP OPERA STARS, 5/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ The Sunset Strip What's Happening In Hollywood Congratulations to Drake (Roman, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) and Vicky Hogestyn. The pair celebrated their first year of wedded bliss this past New Year's Eve. "Vicky and I have been together since we were school kids," says Drake. "And we're still as happy as the day we met. I don't know what I'd do without her." Janet Di Lauro, SOAP OPERA STARS, 5/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Inside Track In this monthly column, we spotlight the people in front of the camera and behind the scenes... A publicist's job is never done: Julie Nathanson talks about the ups and downs of working for soap stars. "I don't consider it brain surgery, but it's something that somebody has to do and it might as well be me because I'm good at it and I like it," says Julie Nathanson, who runs a Los Angeles-based public relations firm whose client roster includes DAYS OF OUR LIVES' Drake Hogestyn (Roman), THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS' Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki), and SANTA BARBARA'S Scott Jaeck (Cain). She also handled Peter Reckell at the height of his popularity as Bo Brady on DAYS. Julie explains that the aim of a publicist is "to call attention to the actor and the actor's work. The purpose of that is to ultimately get the actor more and better work. Strictly speaking, publicity is all the stuff that an actor does as himself: interviews, photo sessions, fashion layouts, talk and game shows, personal appearances." One aspect of her job is determining which types of publicity best suit an actor. For instance, Drake Hogestyn and Arleen Sorkin (Calliope, DAYS) work well in crowds. However, Julie's afternoon may consist of carrying Arleen Sorkin's fur coat for four hours because there's no place to put it during an appearance. An evening in Charleston, West Virginia may find her hunting up tuxedo studs for a forgetful performer. Putting a sick actor in touch with a good internist or procuring tickets to the American Music Awards can also fall within her domain. And, there's always the "emergency" late-night calls such as the client who phoned from South Carolina complaining, "There's no room service and I don't eat meat and there's nothing to eat in this whole town." Nathanson says you can call the hotel's assistant manager, who'll usually accommodate a celebrity by opening up the kitchen to get him a banana. Traveling can be fun, too. Julie recalls the time a food-fight broke out between actors and publicists on a first-class flight from Washington, DC to Los Angeles. Despite the camaraderie, Nathanson stresses, "I'm not friends with my clients. I am friendly with my clients. I have to be; I travel with them. I know their wives and girlfriends and husbands and lovers. I know about their children. I know their secrets. They have to trust me, I have to trust them." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 5/17/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Stories About Stars Only Their Moms Can Tell... Special Section - Mother Knows Best: When it comes to talking about their childhoods, certain actors become squeamish. Their mothers, however, have no qualms about shedding some light. If you want to know what GENERAL HOSPITAL'S Ami Dolenz (Melissa) was like as a child, or what Todd McKee's (Ted, SANTA BARBARA) family has nicknamed him, or what kind of mischief THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL'S Carrie Mitchum (Donna) got into as a little girl, read on. In this very special section, some proud moms speak out about their famous offspring... Drake Hogestyn (Roman Brady, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) and his mother, Shug Hogestyn: Shug Hogestyn says that she and her family see a lot of Drake's personality emerging in his television character. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What was Drake like as a child? Shug Hogestyn: Very normal. Very energetic. Very inquisitive. Athletic. He loved sports and knocked himself out trying to be the best. He certainly had no compunctions about getting up in front of people, and he was always a storyteller. He was very entertaining. He also loved Sunday School. One Sunday morning I found him completely dressed, lying on his bed waiting for us to go to church. It gave me quite a start. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: Any nicknames? Shug Hogestyn: His name is Donald. We called him Don or, playfully, Drakus. His friends and coaches called him Hogey. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What kind of mischief did Drake get into as a little boy? Shug Hogestyn: Well, Don used to tease his brother, Bill, and one day they got into a fight in the swimming pool. Don said something to Bill and then ducked under the water. Bill threw a chlorine can in after him and it hit Don on the head. He got a gash, but they didn't want me to know about it. Don said he had an accident. Meanwhile, they had taken all the bloody towels and buried them so I wouldn't find out what had happened. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What did you think Drake would become? Shug Hogestyn: Everything pointed toward sports, but he was a very good student, an achiever. I felt he'd be a doctor. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: How is Drake different from what the fans may think? Shug Hogestyn: Don himself is a very serious person. But I think to some people he appears as though he doesn't have a serious bone in his body. He can be flippant, but underneath, he wants to do everything well. He's very thorough. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What's it like to be a star's mom? Shug Hogestyn: Well, I'm thrilled for his success. It was a long, hard row, and you know how many actors don't get recognition. I'm astounded by the way heads swing when we're out together. You do give up some privacy, but as I said to Don, 'How would you feel if no one recognized you?' But as far as Don goes, he hasn't changed... SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 5/17/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ RoundUp SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What is your favorite childhood memory? Drake Hogestyn (Roman Brady, DAYS OF OUR LIVES Drake Hogestyn: One of my favorite childhood memories is walking along the St. Joe River with my dad to Johnny Appleseed Park to play a little one-on-one baseball...because it was spring and it was the first ball of the season and I had my dad all to myself. SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 5/31/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS' Genie And Drake: What People Are Saying Behind Their Backs... Cover Story - The Lady And The Jock - What People Are Saying About Genie Francis And Drake Hogestyn: She's a legend of the small screen. He's a baseball player turned daytime star. But, to DAYS OF OUR LIVES viewers, Genie Francis and Drake Hogestyn have become Diana and Roman, the show's latest super couple - a shining example of the battle of the sexes and the principle that opposites attract. Roman's a cop, Diana's a reporter. She's impulsive and covert. He's straightforward and righteous. He's seasoned, she isn't. Yet in some ways they are incredibly similar. They're both stubborn, determined to get his or her own way, and very, very attracted to each other. What makes them click? What are they like off camera? What's it like to work with them? How do they really feel about each other? To get answers, and some insight into this intriguing pair, we spoke to castmates, friends and family members. Here's what the people who know them best had to say: Becky Greenlaw, Producer, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, on why Genie and Drake work well together: Drake is a jock. He is the all-time jock. He's a wonderful guy but he's a jock and Genie's the lady. It's just great chemistry between them. Genie Francis reveals how Drake inspires her and why they never argue: He's a very down-to-earth kind of a guy. As far as working with him goes, I couldn't be happier. Drake is very, very hard-working. He has such a wonderful attitude, he's excited and he always says to me, 'I think it's really important to have fun at work.' And he does just that, he keeps it really light and he's not filled with ego. There's a lot of that in this business as we all know but he's not like that. What I was trying to say in sort of a jumbled up way is that I think that Drake manages to take his work seriously without taking himself seriously. It's wonderful to spend a day with someone like that. We never argue. We used to come up here (her dressing room) after the dry block every morning and sit on the floor and we'd just keep working and working on those scenes and he's very good about all of that. I wanted to see more comedy in the beginning of our relationship and he was like a kid with a new toy. He came up with wonderful, funny stuff. He's got a great sense of humor so it's a very healthy working relationship. I like romantic comedy - it's one of my favorite things to do. I have a good time with him and he's a really good friend of mine. Drake Hogestyn tells why he minds his manners with Genie and how she's different from Diana: Genie is a lady. Genie reminds me in a lot of respects of my wife, Victoria, from the standpoint that I can be very funny and throw out some zingers, so that my wife is always telling me, 'Remember that I'm in the room with you when you're saying these kinds of things.' I think Genie's character is probably the furthest removed from what she actually is. Diana is very dynamic and forceful and opinionated and speaks her point. Genie is reserved, very. I wouldn't use the word withdrawn, but Genie will sit on a lot of things and she'll watch and observe and then formulate the opinions. However, I think just a little bit of Diana Colville is starting to come out in Genie. I'm not a real actor, I mean I didn't grow up wanting to do this, thinking that this was going to happen. It kind of fell into my lap. Genie grew up in a theater family. So this is what she knows. The other day she was talking about how she saw a play and got goose bumps and felt this need to create and to really become better as an actress. I never got goose bumps doing a play, I never got butterflies. I never got butterflies here, I got butterflies before every game - I just would have to pull myself together. So that way I know that feeling: How she feels about this work, how she wants to create and to get herself better - and how she can get upset if she maybe missed something in a scene that she was striving for and it didn't work. Whereas I can get upset too, but I don't expect a whole lot out of myself, if something happens, it happens. She wants to do some theater work and I can see this light in her when she talks about that. I think I'm getting to know her pretty well. She's not moody, but I can tell right when I come to work in the morning if I can be my usual jovial self, or if I've got to put on some white gloves and just let her work it out. And she knows it, too, if I don't...I don't know how many times it's happened, but maybe around 2:00 PM she'll go, 'I feel good now.' And I'll say, 'All right, listen to this joke!' And we just take off on that. But I'm pretty perceptive to her needs and her attitude. There are shifts, there are big swings, we all have them, but I can see hers right away and I don't like to step into that boundary; let her have her space and it makes for a much better working relationship. Things do bother her. I don't know everything that she had before, but she's talked about that once or twice, you know having all this attention...Her first kiss was a stage kiss, to me that said a lot right there, growing up like that, getting your education on a set and dealing mainly in an adult world while you're growing as a child. That would probably be pretty tough for anybody. She's very protective of herself and she doesn't open up to a lot of people. But she's deep and she's complex. She talks about a new stage of her life, motherhood and marriage, and I can see she's really looking forward to that. Joe Colligan, Ethan Reilly, DAYS, on what it's like to work with them: I don't know anybody that doesn't get along with Drake, I don't know anybody that doesn't get along with Genie. Drake's fun, Genie's there. It's a different thing from when I work with Arleen (Sorkin, Calliope) and you never know what's going to happen because it's always last-minute. You're kind of on edge. With Genie, it's smooth. It's so nice, it's so clean, it's like you just know. I like both things, but it's just a total difference. Drake is open to any creativity. I'm getting to know him a little bit better since on crowded days we share a dressing room. He's just always, always, always a pistol. Charles Shaughnessy, Shane Donovan, DAYS. A private joke? As long as Drake doesn't come anywhere near me with that whipped cream, he can do what he likes. Zora Sloan, DAYS Hair Stylist, on what she sees in the Makeup Room: Drake will always have a funny story to tell us and it's endless - he will come in day after day and tell us the craziest stories. He makes things funny. And Genie laughs at him and thinks he's very silly. He makes her laugh. Michael T. Weiss, Mike Horton, DAYS, tells how Genie surprised him, and how he surprises Drake: When Genie first came on I thought, 'Uh-oh, Genie's going to be this big star, I'm going to have to beat her up to get her to be normal,' and she's the biggest sweetheart and became one of my closest friends. And Drake, I call up in the middle of the day or night every time I hear a dirty joke. I catch him at home and tell him my dirty joke over the telephone. We have a running thing going, so anyone out there who has dirty jokes please send them to Drake or Michael T. Weiss in care of DAYS. Christie Clark, Carrie Brady, DAYS, on why she loves to work with Drake: Drake's always funny and always in a good mood. We play practical jokes on each other a lot. Once he forgot his wallet at home and I heard him say it, so I gave him half of my sandwich and I put fart powder in it. Then Melissa Brennan (Jennifer) and I went down to his dressing room and yelled, 'Drake.' He was in there for about five minutes and when he came out he just looked at me and said, 'Well, I think it works.' It was so funny. Plus we have all these fake doggie-dos or 'poopsicles.' We goof around. He said he was going to get me back soon but he hasn't yet. Now Genie thinks I'm going to be doing something to her pretty soon because she asked me, 'Christie what are you up to?' Everyone around here knows about that fart powder thing. Arleen Sorkin, Calliope Bradford, DAYS, on why Drake and Genie have good chemistry: I think the characters on the show that really work are the ones that incorporate humor because that's true-to-life, that's what people do. When people are upset they try to make jokes about it. That is the natural instinct much more than playing everything very seriously. Drake and Genie both have a good sense of humor. I think that's probably why they have such good chemistry and have had that right from the very beginning. Drake is a constant kidder, a constant joker. He says things that shock the hell out of you, the things that come out of his mouth. And Genie is fun, she loves to laugh and she's always got funny things to say, but Drake likes to shock her. He says things - WOW - I mean, people think that I'm shocking - he'll say things that shock ME. Lee Smith, DAYS Costume Designer, explains why they're easy to dress: Genie is very cooperative. She's got a terrific figure and wears clothes very well. She looks good in those pastels and then for evening things, I can go for a real burst of color or something real glamorous. What's great about Drake is that he's willing to try something, he's great about fittings. He loves to put everything on and sort of get the feel of it. We've gotten a few almost trendy things on him, which is kind of fun because Drake wears that stuff very well. Bill Hogestyn, Drake's older brother, on what it was like to grow up with Drake: We're farm boys. We grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and our family is a tight group. We had the typical sit-down, meat 'n potatoes meals with everybody telling stories. Drake always had a quick wit and the gift of gab. He'd have everybody roaring while our dad would be saying, 'You don't do that at the table.' We're only two years apart, so we had those cat-and-dog fights, but it was hard to get the better of Drake. One time we really got going, and Drake broke a test tube from my chemistry set and put the pieces in the bottom on my bed between the sheets. I got cut up, so, to pay him back, I made a blow gun out of another test tube and sent a little homemade dart into his rear. It cost me five bucks to keep him quiet because he was going to tell my parents. As an athlete, he was fast as greased lightning and one hell of a pitcher. He played on an older team and matured very fast in the sport. His attitude was: 'Baseball is my life.' Even now, there's no doubt in my mind that is his first love. (OOPS! This is wrong. According to past interviews with Drake as well as the fact that his eyes and face light up with pride and admiration when he is with Victoria, his first love is his wife, Victoria, not baseball. LOL!) He's pretty relaxed about acting, though I would say he's probably his own worst critic. He tries to be a perfectionist. His attitude has always been: 'I can do better,' and it's the same about his acting. He's kept a level head over the years. He's a down-to-earth guy who likes to please the crowd and who also likes his privacy. Kin Shriner, Scotty, GENERAL HOSPITAL, relates what it was like working with Genie: It seems like it was so long ago that she was Laura. It's been ten years. It's like another lifetime. There was such newness then, and fun. We really had fun doing the show. GENERAL HOSPITAL was taking off in the ratings. We were all swept along with it. Doing a soap wasn't a job back then. It was the best time and Genie and I had a lot of laughs. There are so many memories of being together, spending time. I haven't spoken to her in a while, but we still keep in touch. I call her every year on her birthday - May 26. The thing about Genie is, she's shy. She keeps things to herself. Remember, she went through a lot of tough stuff at a young age, but she bounces back. She wants to be happy and, I think, she's always really wanted to settle down with someone. Victoria Hogestyn, Drake's wife, shares what she always knew about him: I've known Drake since I was twelve years old and even then I had a feeling he'd be a great father, which was important to me because I love kids. He certainly didn't disappoint me. He is a wonderful father who's genuinely interested in kids and that's why I'm happy to report we're expecting our second in December. Jonathan Frakes, Genie's husband, on why he's looking forward to spending his life with her: Genie is the hardest-working actress in show business. I think people forget that she's been working for twelve years. During that time, she has not become jaded, and with all that she went through, it could have gone the other way. She loves acting and that love comes from her father (Ivor, a well-known character-actor and respected drama coach). I knew him for about a year-and-a-half before he died. He was one of those guys who make you proud to be in this profession. She's like him in her passion for the craft. You know, lots of people go into this profession without support. Their parents are waiting for them to give up acting and get a 'real job.' Genie was lucky not to have had that. Her parents have been behind her. It's going to be fun spending the rest of my life with her. It definitely won't be boring. And I'm looking forward to being her nighttime husband. Mimi Leahey, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 8/9/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Exclusive Pullout: DAYS' Knights! The Knights Of "DAYS" - Lord Roman, The Sheriff Of Salemtown, Prince Michael Of Mirth, Heir Of Horton, Royal Jester Black Jack, The Dark Knight Master Marcus Of Hunter, Sorcerer Extraordinaire... The days and knights of Camelot are gone, but chivalry still carries on. They're like princes, these players, our daytime soothsayers, and they hereby pledge their best, the knights of "DAYS" are unlike all the rest. - AJW. Hear Ye, Hear Ye...Not all the heroic and gallant Knights of the "DAYS" Round Table have been included in this special section. However, watch for future issues of SOAP OPERA UPDATE, where we promise to feature them all! Lord Roman, The Sheriff Of Salemtown Is Portrayed By Drake Hogestyn... If it's the bottom of the ninth and the bases are loaded, two outs and the home team is down by three runs, who would you want to come up to the plate to hit the ball over the fence, to win the game for the team? In Salem, the clutch hitter, the team player par excellence, is Drake Hogestyn. This metaphoric reference should come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about the former Yankee minor leaguer, who now reigns as one of daytime's brightest stars on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. He is as proud of being a professional actor as he is of his time in professional sports. He's a man who has made the most of what he has, and one who takes a good deal of pride and pleasure in his work. "I have a good time. I don't take too many things too seriously," he tells me as we stand on the deck of the ocean liner, Amerikanis, on a soap cruise to nowhere. Sponsored by Coast to Coast Productions, it is yet another public appearance for Hogestyn, who is quickly earning a reputation as one of the most dedicated and giving soap performers on the public appearance circuit. After this interview was completed, Drake met with fans from eight until midnight, signing autographs and taking pictures, not leaving until everyone had had their chance to meet with him. As the breeze whips around us and the sun sets lazily behind him, framing his handsome profile with some of nature's softest and most gentle lines of color, Drake tells me more about his on-the-set attitude toward work. "I laugh at myself a lot, which is real important, and I think it's a throwback to when I played professional sports. I always kept the locker-room very light. I didn't let the seriousness of each game - which was your career, your life in professional sports - outweigh the fact that it was just a game," or in this case, just a television show. However, don't get the wrong impression. Drake Hogestyn approaches every day of DAYS with a fervor and intensity that imbues each sequence, scene and moment of his storyline. When pressed to explain his acting method, the Hogestyn eyes narrow slightly, and the lips curl in a thoughtful smile. "I pick up a scene, figure what the objective of the scene is, what I want people to think about after a three or five minute scene, what are they gonna get out of it, and I use that as my through-line and I try and work for that point of view." He stops for a moment, dramatically prefacing his explanation with a pause. "I look at each scene as being a dance between you and your scene partner, none of this upstaging bullsh##. It's a dance, and you give and you take, and you work towards that point of view, and that's why they give us a lot of time to rehearse, and we have a lot of actors on the show that are very giving of their time, and that's why we have a very successful show." The continuing success of DAYS OF OUR LIVES in the past two years has been in part thanks to the darkly handsome, virile Hogestyn, who came into Salem to resurrect the role of Roman Brady. With Wayne Northrop happily doing time on DYNASTY, and the fans beseeching the show to have Roman return to Marlena (Deidre Hall), the producers went out and found a replacement. But Drake doesn't see it that way. "I never really thought of myself as taking over a role, because I played five months as John Black before they told me I was Roman," he explains, remembering the time before it was revealed that Roman had not died when he went over the cliff during a fight with Stefano. "That was a popularity contest there, they wanted Roman back," Drake reveals candidly, adding modestly, "I think anyone could have stepped into that role and experienced success because they wanted Roman back and I just happen to be the person they cast in that role. For me to overtake the hurdle of Wayne Northrop, it was a measure of time and a measure of wanting Roman back." Yes, but what about the popularity and acceptance of Roman without Marlena? Very often in daytime, breaking up a supercouple, like Roman and Marlena, is cause for vehement protest and massive letter-writing campaigns. Yet, the pairing of Roman and Diana (Genie Francis) seems to be a success. How does Drake view this from his unique perspective? "The replacement of Marlena by Genie Francis, as some people call it, wasn't engineered that way. They had her hooked up with Mike Horton (Michael T. Weiss). They were going to wait a couple more months before they hooked me up with a girl, until everyone forgot about the 'M' word - Marlena. But Roman and Diana were received. There were some scenes that were strong right in the beginning. That was an accident. They just threw us together in a couple of scenes and it happened and NBC said jump on it. Let it happen now, we're getting a real big pull in this area so what are you waiting for? Do it. Take 'em to Greece, make 'em fall in love. A lot of time and thought went into the scenes that Genie and I worked up. We could restructure some scenes to get the most out of it - the important moments." Drake also recalls the audience's displeasure during Deidre Hall's last year. "With Genie coming in, the people, after Roman's absence (and Marlena was gone for a long time before she was gone with OUR HOUSE and the kidnapping and stuff), the general consensus from my mail and the show's mail was that 'All right, you've played us long enough on this one. You've overdone this one. Now it's time to free Roman up and move it on, and if OUR HOUSE collapses and she comes back, we'll welcome her back.'" Drake offers an enigmatic smile and winks. "Or will they? I don't know. There's going to be a die-hard Marlena contingency out there that's going to start writing letters. Oh, baby, you bet!" What about Drake, does he think Deidre will come back to DAYS? "Well, I'm not really sure. My own gut feeling is no, she won't come back. She's had a long and successful run on daytime and now she has a successful career going and she just finished a movie of the week (with Michael T. Weiss, called ALL MY DARLING DAUGHTERS)." The other woman in Roman's life, Diana Colville, is played by Genie Francis, and it is evident by Drake's kidding that while they may have different approaches to acting, he gets along very well with his new leading lady. "Genie uses all the actor words. I still don't rehearse, I practice. 'Come on, let's practice.' 'It's rehearse, Drake, rehearse!' 'Oh, right!'" he laughs, revealing a sense of fun and joy in the work that might surprise people who think of him as Roman, the serious cop, Brady. But on the show, Drake's playfulness is appreciated and exploited for the good of the company. "The producers pull a lot of gags on me 'cause they know that I don't get real uptight with too many scenes. No, I'm a dedicated actor and I take a lot of pride in my 'craft,'" he says, making the latter word sound pompous and stuffy. "No, seriously, and I enjoy it a lot, but every once in a while…" What about the other side of Roman that's rarely seen, the vulnerable, tender side? "Those moments are very few and far between for Roman. There was a moment when he shot a gang member and at that moment, I picked the script up, and I went 'Here's a good beat for Roman.' I said (to myself), 'If you could play this out, if it can be there during tape, it'll be a very strong moment.' I don't know if it's going to be there or not. You can never guarantee it. You try to save it in dress, so hopefully it'll be there in tape. And the moment was there for me, the concentration was strong. I felt it. It was a good scene. I had one when Diana was dying, and I had my prayer to the big coach in the sky, and then I had a moment with Kayla when I realized that it was fear that was keeping me, holding me back, from her." Since Diana has recovered, she and Roman have seemed to enter a new phase in their relationship, away from their previous phase which was either non-stop fighting or non-stop loving. What's changed? "I think Roman realizes that a lot of the reasons he's been pushing her away, and the combative mood he's had towards her, have been because of a lot of fear in his life of letting himself be close enough to someone other than Doc. In that particular moment, when Diana was close to death, he realized that he does truly love this woman. I think that was the turning point in their relationship." It would seem inevitable that the lure of films or primetime would strike Drake Hogestyn, who has in a relatively short time as an actor, done remarkably well. "I was involved in a series on CBS called SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. That was my on-the-job training role. Prior to that my first piece of film was opposite Kim Basinger and Don Johnson in a scene (on MIAMI VICE) which I can say I stole hands-down. (OOPS! This is wrong. It was a scene on a TV series called FROM HERE TO ETERNITY with Kim Basinger and Don Johnson who previously starred on MIAMI VICE, not a scene on MIAMI VICE.) My line was, 'Hey, what the hell is going on here?' And a star was born." But when asked if he longs to leave daytime and move away from the soaps, Drake Hogestyn is both cautious and realistic. "I haven't really thought too much down the line. People are asking me that all the time, and people are suggesting different things, people are coming up with offers. It's easy to get offers when you're locked into a contract, 'cause you're unavailable, you're very attractive, but as soon as I'm out of this contract, my phone will get a lot of cobwebs. But there's a lot of offers right now that are coming in and I'm flattered by that, but I hope it's because they take me as a serious actor." "I'd like to keep doing DAYS; I like it. I like hard work. I've always been a creature of that. I like getting up at 4:30 in the morning and coming home at 8:00 (at night), put in the hard work if only I get one good scene a day, then that'll make it worthwhile. It keeps me going. That's nice, but I'd also like to work in a feature, but not just any feature. I want to work in a ten minute scene with a really good director. I'd just like to get some good direction, a couple of good scenes in a real good feature. Good solid scenes and some good direction. I'm not so interested in doing a lead in a film, that kind of stuff, although I do have one that's been offered to me and it may materialize." The sun is red, painting the sky a myriad of colors, as it fades into the horizon behind Drake Hogestyn. I wondered if he has any regrets, is he ever sorry that his professional sports career didn't work out? Drake Hogestyn fields the question cleanly, and answers sincerely, "I played professional sports for three years with the New York Yankees, in the minor leagues. Nonetheless, it is professional baseball. To put it all into perspective, I had a hard time. I didn't go to any ball games for six years after I finished playing, 'cause it was hard to watch guys I had broken in with who were making it to the major leagues that I thought had a lot less talent than myself. There's a number of players now that are still in the big leagues, but at this point they're thirty-two, thirty-four, in that age, and that's an old man in professional sports. They're calling me now that they're out of the game wanting to know how to get out to Hollywood and get an agent because they miss performing in front of people. It's performing is what it is." Performing is what it is, and it's what Drake Hogestyn obviously loves to do, whether in the ballpark or every afternoon on your television screens. The New York Yankees' loss, it would seem, has been daytime television's gain. Allison J. Waldman, SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 9/5/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drake Hogestyn Shares His Happy News It's no secret that Drake Hogestyn (Roman, DAYS) wanted another child. In fact, he told DAYTIME TV that he hoped to make an announcement soon regarding a new addition to the family. "We've been talking about having other kids," admitted Drake recently to Janet Di Lauro, DAYTIME TV'S West Coast editor. "So stay tuned, it could be soon." Well, Drake got his wish, but in a most unusual way. His wife Victoria sprung the news on the new daddy-to-be rather sneakily. "On April 1, Vicky told me she was pregnant. Of course I was positively thrilled," said Drake. "Then she told me to look at the calendar and see what day it was. It was April Fool's Day. Of course I was disappointed. I had really believed her. Then Vicky came through with the clincher. She told me she really was pregnant! No fooling!" he laughs. Victoria is due December 4, which is only a few weeks from the Hogestyns' wedding anniversary on December 31. When the new arrival makes her debut, she'll be welcomed by their first child Whitney Nicole, who's three, and Rachael eight and Ben six, Vicky's children from a previous marriage. Is Drake hoping for a little slugger this time around? "You know, it's kind of funny. I was kind of hoping Whitney would have been a boy up until the second she was born. I thought it would have been nice to have a little Draker to play baseball with. Then the moment I saw Whitney, I was thrilled to have a daughter. So, I wouldn't mind another little girl or a boy. Either way would be okay with me. I love kids. The important thing is that the baby's healthy!" DAYTIME TV, 10/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ The Drakester Is Wild Quick-Takes With DAYS' Roman We asked Drake Hogestyn, DAYS OF OUR LIVES' stalwart, fearless, and romantic police chief, Roman Brady, to tell us some things about DAYS, the show and the people, that we may not know. (OOPS! This is wrong. He's police commander, not police chief.) We think you'll find his thoughts fascinating - or at least fun. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: Exactly where is Salem? Drake Hogestyn: Salem, I think, is Cincinnati. Even though we have a seaport and an international airport. Abe's favorite team is the Reds - he's mentioned it twice since I've been there. One time when I was John Black and I was running from Doc, she thought I was Stefano, and I was taking off to the Bluebird Inn in the mountains or something in West Virginia and I called back to Doc and told her I was on the run and was three hours out of Salem heading southeast and I should be in West Virginia in approximately two hours. So, I got the map out - ah ha! Cincinnati! So that's where I think it is. Of course, we have mountains and a ski resort. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: Would he like to do more scenes like the one recently where he did a wild send-up of Clark Kent? Drake Hogestyn: I love that stuff. Roman is such a structured cop anyway, not so much now that he's working with Diana, but when he was working with Marlena, hell. Any moments that they can give me to lighten up, I can always give them more and they can ask me to pull it back. I can always blow it out, and with that one (the Clark Kent bit) they said, 'You can't be big enough.' And so, that's fun stuff. The New Year's Eve show, where I got to play drunk, you know at Kiriakis' house, that's fun. And they saw that I could do it and experience some success with it so they're not afraid to write something like that. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: Do the Bradys give enough attention to their youngest daughter Kayla? Drake Hogestyn: No, I don't think so. I think the Brady family is practically non-existent. No one dropping anything, you know, and Mom and Pop, for all the problems the Bradys have, every child is in peril, you know the Bradys should be used a lot more, much more. Just with Kayla, with her circumstances alone, right away, Pops should have stepped in there and said, 'Hey, listen girl, you're married. Don't give us any of this Jack stuff, you shouldn't have been messing around while you were married.' If for no other reason than for a little bit of conflict, a little pebble in the path, another stumbling block. The whole show is about conflict and overcoming conflict and so they've just disintegrated the family down to nothing. I don't know of any problems in the time that I've been on the show that Mom and Pop have dropped anything for Roman. They're just Moms and Pops, on ice in the fish market. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: What kind of crazy things happen on the set? Drake Hogestyn: Every once in a while, I'll be doing a scene and Roman's always got his gun out and he's... SOAP OPERA UPDATE: Drake acts out loading his gun, adding the appropriate sound effects. Drake Hogestyn: Well, there was one the other day, where I'm having a scene with Genie and I got the gun and I'm getting ready to go out on the big drug bust. The scene starts and she thinks I'm on the take, so she comes in there, and I've got the gun out - if you watch that it's so bogus that stuff with the gun, 'cause I'm jamming in the clip, and I'm snapping all the parts are flying all over the place and the gun is cocked anyway. (OOPS! This is wrong. Typo alert! In our opinion it should be "I'm snapping all the parts and they're flying all over the place" not "I'm snapping all the parts are flying all over the place.") People don't see that stuff but it looks good. So anyways, I'm being real butch and jamming it in the holster when she's talking and suddenly, pa-toom! And this is during tape! So that'll be on the out-take reel. It's like I blew my arm off and I flop on the desk and Genie's like, 'Oh my God,' 'cause she's so into the scene. Allison J. Waldman, SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 11/28/88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Casting Coups Changes: Sometimes recasting a favorite character is a necessary evil that becomes a blessing in disguise. Stepping into another star's shoes isn't easy, but the rewards are great for those who can make the roles their own. Landing a leading role on a soap opera isn't always so wonderful. Not if you are a victim of the dreaded "replacing a popular star" syndrome. Soap fans hold a strong allegiance to their favorite performers. They exalt their very being and look forward to seeing them every day. But when these viewers tune in to discover their favorite hero or heroine is vamoose, and some newcomer, some "nobody" in their minds, is now in their cherished star's place, they get real mad. Many an actor or actress has suffered from this "filling in for the famous" curse. Look at all the Ninas that have traipsed through Cortlandt Manor. Or the seemingly infinite number of redheads who have tried to find their niche as the fiery Siobhan Ryan Novak Dubujak Novak. The soap landscape is littered with fill-in acts that just couldn't quite cut it. Many have fallen completely on their faces. But once in a while a substitute wins over the audience with a brilliant debut, crafting that difficult transition to perfection and capturing viewers' hearts. Jess Walton (Jill, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) is at the top of that roster. Other not-so-recent but equally successful notables include Holly Gagnier (Cassie, ONE LIFE TO LIVE); Anne Heche (Vicky/Marley, ANOTHER WORLD); Hillary Bailey Smith (Margo, AS THE WORLD TURNS) and her castmate Scott Holmes (Tom Hughes); Mary Beth Evans (Kayla, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) and her castmate Drake Hogestyn (Roman)... The pressures come from a number of directions and not just from fans who have invested their loyalty in a particular actor or actress. Mary Beth Evans may have been welcomed with open arms when she replaced Catherine Mary Stewart as Kayla on DAYS in l984, but she vividly recalls a not-so-warm reception during her stint on the now-defunct soap RITUALS. "They'd just fired the actress I was replacing (Claire Yarlett) and the cast was allied with her. So for the first couple days, everybody sneered at me like I'd just slept with their husbands. It was awful," remembers Evans... Most of the performers who have successfully taken over an existing role acknowledge that it is a Herculean task to try to step into the shoes of an extremely popular soap personality. But they say they try to ignore the high expectations thrust upon them, instead carving their own claim to fame. Some, like Drake Hogestyn, who replaced Wayne Northrop as DAYS' Roman Brady, prefer not to discuss it at all. Others are more open about how they met the challenge... Mary Beth Sammons, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 12/27/88