♥ Ongoing Days 1990 ♥ 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." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Roman Finds A Lasting Love... All My Lives! Drake Hogestyn Has No Regrets About The Road Not Taken: "Rob Lowe is one of my best friends," says Drake Hogestyn (Roman) the other day. "I don't think all of his recent scandal will hurt his career, but it certainly gives Hollywood its kinky image. When I go on personal appearances in the Midwest, people are always asking me the most bizarre questions about that sort of Hollywood life. But," Drake reveals, "that is somebody else's life, not mine. I don't know about things like that. As for me, I come home from work and my wife hands me the diapers..." If Drake Hogestyn is a settled family man, it wasn't always so. He has lived many lives before settling down to the one he really wanted. "I've had my moments to sow the wild oats when I first came out here," Drake confesses. "And I also did that in baseball, too. After a while you say, 'enough is enough.' You know when to draw the line. I was ready for a big change. When I got off of SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, I had gained a certain notoriety and a bit of money. But something was missing. I knew what it was so I went back in time a bit and started working on my relationship with Victoria. Fortunately, it worked out this time." If it took Drake and Victoria a long time to make the real commitment, they certainly had a lot of time to consider it; they met when he was fifteen and she was twelve. You could truly call them childhood sweethearts. "I went to school to be a dentist," Drake explains, "but baseball paid for that. I even came out of college with money in my pockets; I turned down the Orioles out of high school and went on to junior college and was drafted real high by the Cardinals in the second round. I turned it down because I was serious about my school. Victoria liked that because she thought I was dependable and that she didn't have to take second place to my baseball. She got involved in a dental hygienist program. I went on to the University of South Florida and the day I took my dental exams was the day I was drafted by the Yankees. When I told Victoria that I was going to be a baseball player instead of a dentist, she was furious. We didn't speak again for seven years. That was it." Drake kicked around in the minor leagues for three years to test his talents. "Maybe I really needed a break," he reasons, "a break from all the intense discipline of school. I pushed so hard. But it nearly cost me Victoria. After the first year of pro ball, I was so worn out from playing year-round that I needed to relax. That was when I came to Hollywood and did SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. Victoria and I finally got it back together after that and the rest is history. I was going to go to Tufts up in Boston. It would have been a completely different lifestyle." These days, Drake spends a good amount of time pondering how different his life would have been if he had followed any one of the many different paths that have been open to him as he has made his way. "I was up in Boston last weekend for a baseball charity game, and I drove by the school I would have gone to. I couldn't help but thinking what a change in my life it would have been if I had gone to dental school. What would I be doing now? And where would I be practicing? You never know what would have happened." In spite of the unanswered questions, Drake has no regrets about the road not taken. "I'm doing fine," he says. "The show is providing me with a paycheck; that's the way I look at it. I've got a lot of buddies in Hollywood who aren't working actors like I am and they've been out here longer than I have. Maybe it's clean living, I don't know. But I am knocking on wood all over the place. So far, my kids are turning out okay, and I know that's going to be a chore when, as years go on, I am trying to keep their heads on straight. With all the things going on in the world these days, it is a very strange time to be raising children and trying to prepare them for this crazy world. How do you do it? "I am going through that storyline with Carrie on the show. On the…last taping, she wanted to emancipate herself and drop out of school. I hear all these stories from businessmen when I'm traveling. They've got teen-aged daughters now and all of a sudden, nothing they do is right. Nothing they can wear or do is right. I talked to some other guys whose daughters are in their early twenties and they say, 'They leave for a while and alienate themselves from you. But then they slowly come back again.' But I am sure that when you've got to go through it, you're not going to be so certain in thinking, 'Oh, they'll come back in five or six years.'" While trying to keep a sane, relaxed, and philosophical attitude about child-raising, Drake has the same calmness in his approach to DAYS OF OUR LIVES. "I'm not one of those actors," he reports, "who goes into the producer's office to ask what is going to happen on the show. I've always operated on the theory that, well, they've been on the air for twenty-five years and they must know what they are doing. They must be doing something right. There's nothing to be gained if I go in there and say something. I figure that there is a game plan in the works. If there is not, what's the difference. My contract will run out eventually and then I'd just move over to where I want to go." His only regret is losing Genie Francis (Diana). "I didn't feel that our two characters had gotten over the hump yet, really solidified their relationship. They were real close, but they needed something extra. And they didn't get it. That is basically up to the writers. They needed something to really bring them together. I was surprised that Genie left when her contract was up. I thought she'd stay around. I hoped so because I loved working with her." Is there hope that Marina, the new girl in town, will be Roman's new, lasting love? "It looks pretty good," says Drake. "Hunter Tylo is a lovely actress, gorgeous to the eyes. I could see some interesting things happening between us. You just never know." In soaps, just as in real life, you can never tell what's down the road until you start to travel it. Freeman Gunter, THE BEST OF DAYS OF OUR LIVES, 2/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Why DAYS' Drake Hogestyn Is Almost Perfect... Practically Perfect - Drake Hogestyn's Life Couldn't Be In Better Shape: Being a rough, rugged soap opera sex symbol is a tough job - except, maybe, for DAYS OF OUR LIVES' Drake Hogestyn (Roman), who rises to the task with relative ease. After all, Hogestyn is obsessed with keeping his well-toned body in tip-top shape anyway. So flexing his muscles onscreen doesn't rattle the handsome actor in the least. "I work out two hours everyday," he announces quite matter-of-factly. "We (Hogestyn and his wife, Victoria) have this detached apartment upstairs in our house. It's supposed to be the maid's quarters, but I've transformed it into my workout room and office. "I always start out with forty-five minutes of cardiovascular (activity)," Hogestyn continues. "There are different ways to achieve that. I have this forty-five-minute aerobic program I've set up. The whole house quakes when I'm doing it. I put the music blasting, and my kids usually come upstairs and mimic me. "It's healthy for them to see their old man keep physically fit. They know that's important. My kids are already in good shape. They don't need to work out with me. They have nothing to worry about. It's just us old guys that gotta keep it together," he laughs. When he's not exercising at home, Hogestyn is usually working AND working out at DAYS OF OUR LIVES. He has even moved his own set of equipment into the show's Burbank studios, since he doesn't have the luxury of a gym nearby, like he did at DAYS' old complex. "I bought a three-year membership at Holiday Health Spa, right around the corner from the old studio in Hollywood. Six months into it, I found out we (the DAYS company) were moving to Burbank. I've still got two years left on it. Hey, do you want a membership?" he asks with a smile. While moving may have taken the man away from the gym, it by no means took the gym away from the man. "I was told they were going to put a gym in for me at the new studio," says Hogestyn. "But they didn't. So I just moved a bunch of equipment into one of the lounge areas. It's where I work out when I'm at the set." Exactly what has he moved in? "A 220-pound weight set, a rowing machine, a bench press with all the basic apparatus..." he explains. "I've got a complete workout I do with dumbbells. I work out different muscle groups every other day." Hogestyn more than reaps the benefits of his daily rituals. He is unquestionably the best built man on the show. Yet in spite of his Adonis-like physique (and looks to match), he's plagued with what may be the worst love life in daytime. As Roman Brady, he's been loved and left more times than Zsa Zsa Gabor. It might make a weaker man wonder if he's jinxed, but certainly not Hogestyn! "I don't think I'm jinxed. Not really," he says. "But then again, this hasn't happened to anybody else on the show. Patch has had Kayla the whole time he's been on (the show). Shane has had Kimberly. Roman and Marlena were strong for a long time before I came on the show." (At that time, Wayne Northrop was portraying Roman.) Throughout Hogestyn's tenure as Roman Brady, a beautiful array of women have waltzed in and out of the character's life. There's been Deidre Hall (as Marlena), Leann Hunley (as Anna), Amy Yasbeck (as Olivia), Genie Francis (as Diana), and, most recently, Lori Hallier (as Yvette). "Now, I'm back to square one, again," says Hogestyn. "I don't see it as being jinxed. A challenge is what I see it as. I suppose if there are supporters out there, the writers will let Roman have another chance at love. Although I don't know how many times you can fall in love on a show. I don't know that. "How long do you have to wait before you bounce back again?" he continues. "There's got to be a certain period of mourning. You can't just keep jumping from one major love to another." Hogestyn admits he was sorry to see his last screen romance end so abruptly. It seemed that just when the Roman/Yvette coupling was gaining momentum, the writers decided to abandon it. "Lori (Hallier, who played Yvette) was fantastic to work with," he confides. "We had a good time. She was very conscientious about wanting to work...working scenes out. That was so refreshing for me. She gave a lot. You can't ask for more than that. "I read all the mail that came in," Hogestyn says. "I like to keep a barometer on my storylines, to know how people are feeling about it. Actually, I would say about eighty percent (of the fan mail) was in favor of the Yvette/Roman storyline. The chemistry was there and Lori is a wonderful actress. About fifteen percent of the fans are still holding out for Marlena or Diana to come back." The odds of that happening look rather slim. So for the time being, Hogestyn will just bide his time until a new leading lady and storyline are presented to him. In a recent meeting with Al Rabin, DAYS' Supervising Executive Producer, Hogestyn was assured that "something substantial would be kicking in after the first of the year." Now that that time has come, it looks like Isabella (Staci Greason) may be the new love in Roman's life. How does Hogestyn feel about getting back in the limelight? "I don't have a problem with (not having) front-burner storylines," he says. "Roman is a character on the show. Whatever happens, happens. I just do my scenes. I like to equate everything to baseball. I'm not out there every day to knock runs in or hit home runs. Sometimes, I'm just bumping people over...setting up the bases for someone else to drive in the runs. I'll get my chance, when the bases are drunk. (That means loaded, for all you non-baseball fans!) I know a storyline will be coming my way. I know the formula of this show, because I've been through it twice." "First, there was Roman and Marlena. Then, they (the writers) threw in Olivia. Then, there was Roman and Diana, and they threw in Yvette. I've gone through two major love interests, both of whom left for various reasons. Now I guess I'll be gearing up for a third." With any luck Roman Brady won't "strike out" the third time around. What advice would Hogestyn offer his Salem counterpart about getting his love life together? "I'd probably tell him: 'Even though you may fall madly in love with a woman, don't let her feel it all the way. Keep some mystery there and some apprehension on her part. Let her know things are fine, but the relationship could dissolve at any time. Don't jump in right away and pour your heart out. Don't vow to be steadfast to the very end. Always keep her guessing.' I think it adds excitement to things if the woman is always wondering, 'Will he (stay) or won't he?'" Of course, in real life the happily married Hogestyn would never adhere to the same theory. Would he? Hogestyn laughs aloud as he ponders his response. "I don't keep too many secrets from Victoria. My God, she's known me since I was fifteen years old. But Roman...well, he's got to do things differently." Ultimately, Hogestyn wouldn't mind if Roman Brady someday achieved the same kind of happiness that he's found offscreen. "That's what daytime is all about, isn't it?" he asks, with a smile. "No man stands alone on our show." At least not for long! Janet Di Lauro, SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 2/20/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drake Hogestyn, AKA Roman, Is A Nice Guy Actors often comment in interviews that their characters bear little resemblance to their actual personalities. For example, Larry Hagman, the actor who portrays DALLAS villain J. R. Ewing has little in common with his on-screen persona. The same cannot be said of Drake Hogestyn. Better known as DAYS' Roman Brady, Hogestyn is apparently just as appealing in real life as his popular character is on screen. In fact, Hogestyn seems so nice it's almost too good to be true. On screen Hogestyn has all the poise of a veteran. Surprisingly, he has only been a big name for a few years. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Hogestyn's initial aspirations extended no further than dentistry. Teeth were not the only interests displayed by Hogestyn, however. Drake is a talented athlete, and he was an outstanding college baseball player. While pursuing his pre-dentistry studies at the University of South Florida, Hogestyn was drafted by the New York Yankees for one of their junior farm teams. Even though he was drafted in the second round of the major league's amateur draft, Hogestyn never made it to the majors. Torn knee cartilage in one of his amateur games spelled the end of that. He still has fond memories of his ball playing days, however. Perhaps the best of them involved a game in which he was called to bat in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded, when his team was behind 7-4. In a lengthy interview with soap writer Anne Marie Allocca, Hogestyn explained what happened next. "The opposing team put in a new pitcher. I played against him in junior college, and I always hit him like I owned him," he said. "The first pitch was fouled off. The next pitch was the farthest I ever hit a ball in my life. It went past the scoreboard and over the lights of the ballpark." With baseball out of the way, it was back to dentistry for Hogestyn, until he was unexpectedly discovered by Joshua Shelley, a talent agent for Columbia Pictures Television. Out of a roll of over seventy-five-thousand aspiring actors, Hogestyn was one of only thirty who were chosen to go to Hollywood for a special training program. Though he wasn't used to the stage, the former baseball star was used to being in the spotlight, and the handsome actor easily found enough small parts to keep him going. Hogestyn's first major role was in the otherwise forgettable series SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, in which he had a role as the brother who hardly said anything. While a part like this kept him in business, it couldn't do much for his career. His only other stand-out part came in the television mini-series FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, where he played opposite the likes of Kim Basinger and Don Johnson. After almost ten years of bit parts and forgettable roles, Hogestyn's big break finally came; he was tapped to fill the plum role of Roman Brady, one of the long-running characters on the most popular soap opera in history. Although he was an unknown as far as soap fans were concerned, it didn't take long for Hogestyn to win their hearts. His calm appearance and likable character soon became a regular on the show, and Roman Brady has been an integral part of the storyline ever since. Backstage Pass: On screen, Roman Brady is known as an incurable romantic involved with a series of changing women. Off stage, however, Hogestyn prefers to keep out of the limelight. Rarely does he go to parties, preferring instead to stay home with his wife and family. Hogestyn married shortly after he won the Roman part, and his new family has kept him pretty busy in the intervening years. In fact, the recent birth of a daughter was a major event in Hogestyn's life, one which unfortunately coincided with a particularly heavy period on DAYS. "My wife Victoria woke me up at about 1:30 AM and said 'I think it's here.' I told her it couldn't be, because I have thirty-five pages of dialogue to learn," he told writer Allocca. "We got to the hospital about 4:00 AM and the baby came at 6:04 AM. I didn't know my dialogue and I had a 6:00 AM call. Victoria was going through contractions and I had the script on her stomach. I was holding her hand and turning pages." Lest you think Hogestyn is a complete cad, it is worth noting that it was the second time he had gone through the birth experience, so it was old hat to him and Victoria. Baby Alexandra will not be lonely, however. Hogestyn's wife brought with her two children (a son and a daughter) from a previous marriage, and the couple have another daughter, Whitney, who is now four years old. Such two-family marriages often lead to severe difficulties, but Hogestyn seems to have been able to establish a solid relationship with his two stepchildren. "Ben said to me, 'I think that you are the coolest dad that anybody could ever have,'" he told DAYTIME TV magazine. "He sees other dads with kind of a different type of relationship. The parents are older. They waited longer in life to have children. I can relate to my kids real well. Maybe I am just a big kid myself." Even though he is a totally devoted family man, none of the above should be taken to mean that Hogestyn is a bore. The birth of Alex was a great time of stress, but even then some of that Roman Brady romantic flair managed to get through. "The first night the hospital presents you with a meal in the room," he told Allocca. "I came in wearing a tuxedo with a little AM/FM radio under my arm." That's more like it. THE NEWFOUNDLAND HERALD, 3/10/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Intimate Interview Dishing With Drake: Having A Chat With Drake Hogestyn Is A Fun-Filled Experience Drake Hogestyn was given a tough job four years ago. He replaced fan favorite Wayne Northrop in the role of Detective Roman Brady. While some die-hard fans didn't take to Drake at first, after a few months he was able to call the role his own. Interviewing Drake is a fun experience. He has some hysterical stories in his past. He can be poignant at times as well as amusing. We thought we'd share some of Drake's more unusual quotes with you. Enjoy. His Favorite New York Yankees Memory: Drake Hogestyn: The memories came almost back-to-back. I was having a really bad game. I had struck out three times looking at all three pitches. In the eighth inning, there was a ball hit down the third base line, and it was a major league pop up in foul territory. I just blanked out. The ball was thirty feet left of me and ten feet behind me. I was pretty defeated. Mike Ferrera (the coach) came over to me and said 'I can't figure you out.' (OOPS! This is wrong. Typo alert! The coaches name is Mike Ferraro, not Mike Ferrera like this article states.) 'You look like a ball player...you wear the uniform right. You can chew, get up in the batter's box and you know how to kick the dirt and scratch in all the right places...but you don't play like one!' The next game was a doubleheader. I didn't play in the first game, but in the ninth inning, we were down seven-four. They have the bases loaded and Ferrera said 'Hogey, swing a bat.' (OOPS! This is wrong. Typo alert! LOL! Look at what we typed above and it is identical to what we're typing now. The coaches name is Mike Ferraro, not Mike Ferrera.) I went in to pinch-hit and they took out the left-hander and put in a right-hander, Greg Eaton. I played against him in junior college, and I always hit him like I owned him. The first pitch was chest high. The next pitch I fouled off. Then I hit the next pitch the farthest I ever hit in my life. It went past the scoreboard in centerfield, past the fir trees and lights. I looked over at the dugout and said 'See ya.' It's the only bat that I've saved from my professional career. His Start In Acting: Drake Hogestyn: I was a waiter at the Sand Castle for a Christmas party. At the end of the night a psychic that the restaurant had hired came up to me and said 'Why haven't you seen me?' She said 'You're an actor.' I said 'No, I'm a waiter, that's why I'm here at the Christmas party.' It was December 21st. She said I would be doing a play at the first of the year, but the play wouldn't be completed because I would be doing a television movie and then go on to work the rest of the year in television. The next day I got a call from a guy who was the producer at the Cast Theatre. He said he was looking for a guy to play opposite Diane McBain. He said he was going through some pictures from the Hollywood Allstars (Drake has played in the games), and I was in the background in all of the photos. I auditioned and I got the role. Halfway through the run I got front-page coverage. I stopped in to see a friend, Tim Wood, and he asked me to go on an audition for SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. A few weeks later I was doing a series. It was my first on-the-job training. Unusual Job: Drake Hogestyn: I trained guard dogs. I was the dummy. I was all loaded up with cotton. I wore fifty pounds of cotton padding, a steel brace and a helmet. The dogs would charge at fifty feet. The first thing you throw out is your forearm. The job lasted for three weeks. Most Embarrassing Moment: Drake Hogestyn: Kristian (Alfonso, Ex-Hope) and Holly Gagnier (Ex-Ivy) came in one time while I was taking a shower, and I thought it was the wardrobe woman going to hang up my clothes. All of a sudden a flash went off. I'm all soaped and I went 'What's going on?' So I threw on a towel and ran outside. The people in the make-up room were laughing like mad. Greatest Joy: Drake Hogestyn: The birth of my daughters (Whitney Nicole, four-and-a-half and Alexandra Lane, one) by far. Incredible Experience: Drake Hogestyn: One night I was leaving the studio and traffic was stopped because a girl was perched on the roof of a bank building. I decided to go home the other way, but then all of a sudden I turned around. I don't know why I did it, but I drove back there like I was invisible. I drove through the police barricades, got in the elevator and went upstairs. There were cops and psychiatrists up there. I said I wanted to see if I could help. This was on a Monday. That Sunday Victoria (Drake's wife) and I had been looking at a beach condo. This woman walked up to me (she was the real estate agent I had seen the day before) and said her daughter was the girl up on the ledge. She told me her daughter watched the show all the time. She'd been in and out of hospitals and she was on medication. I went out and she knew who I was. I played it like I was Roman Brady. We kept drinking tea and that put the thought in her mind that she had to go to the bathroom. Finally, she came in and they grabbed her. Future Goal: Drake Hogestyn: If I'm lucky enough to become financially secure, I'd move into a more realistic environment. I'd grow a beard and sit on the back porch and whittle. I know it's a far-fetched dream, but it has to have a body of water and fir trees. DAYTIME DIGEST: INSIDE DAYS OF OUR LIVES, 5/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wait 'Til Your Mother Gets Home Fatherhood in the nineties has come a long way from what it meant a generation ago. No longer is it just the moms who bone up on the pros and cons of cloth versus disposable diapers, practice their "huff-puff-blow" Lamaze breathing techniques and, in some cases, juggle work schedules to accommodate day-to-day parenting responsibilities. Soap stars, in large part because of their flexible work schedules, very much epitomize the changing role of fatherhood in America. "They call me Mr. Mom," laughs DAYS OF OUR LIVES' Drake Hogestyn, who, on his days off, equally shares childcare responsibilities with his wife Victoria. "I take the kids to school and then hurry home for my harried homemaker duties, just like the moms at school. They get a big kick out of it. Seriously, though, taking the kids to school, going to the doctor's office with them, all that's real important to me and I really make a point to do it when I'm off so my wife can take a break for a while. Four kids can be overwhelming, and sometimes we'll lay in bed at night and think, 'How do we do it?'" "There's nothing in the whole world like being a dad. I come home after a hard day and see all these little faces. The outpouring of love is so great. Then they all jump on top of me and I'm holding four kids and trying to kiss their mom. Hell, I just love them more than anything in the world." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 6/26/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Behind The Scene: Lost At Sea DAYS OF OUR LIVES Characters Jump Ship In this column, we give you backstage accounts of how soaps' most intriguing scenes come to life. A storm raged. A bomb exploded. The cruise ship Loretta was sinking. As water furiously poured through the port holes, Jack, Jennifer, Bo, Hope, Victor, Julie and Roman desperately searched for an escape route. Left with no other choice, the passengers jumped into the churning sea - one by one - and scrambled into a lone life raft. Through the magic of television, that's what DAYS OF OUR LIVES' viewers saw on their screens during the recent "Cruise of Deception." What they didn't see was the twenty-four-foot swimming pool, Hudson sprayers, Ritter fan, trapeze, human wave-makers and long hours needed to shoot this complicated scene. Taping of the water-logged adventure began at 5:30 on a Sunday morning and didn't wrap up until 12:30 AM the following day. "It was much too involved to tape on a normal workday," says Senior Producer Becky Greenlaw. "It took all day Saturday just to load the sets and fill up the swimming pool that we used to simulate the ocean." To be exact, the pool, which measured four feet deep and twenty-four feet in diameter, was filled with a whopping 16,000 gallons of water. To transform this ordinary backyard swimming pool into an ocean, the crew masked the blue vinyl liner with black draping so that viewers wouldn't be able to tell how shallow the water was. They also draped the walls around the pool in black to simulate the night sky. Since a storm was raging at the time of the detonation, Hudson sprayers positioned over the pool were used to create rain. A Ritter fan added winds of thirty to forty miles per hour to the scene. "When the sprayers were put in front of the fan, it really whipped the rain around," Greenlaw recalls. The powerful fan also created some ripple and chop in the pool water. But since the scene required rolling waves, two prop men hopped into the pool, out of camera range, and agitated the water with boards. "One of the prop guys is rather round, and with his wet suit on he looked like Baby Shamu," jokes Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie). When the explosion literally rocked the boat, the crew simulated a tidal wave of sorts by emptying two fifty-five-gallon drums of water through the ship's portholes and onto the unsuspecting passengers. "Believe it or not, I volunteered to stand in front of that wall of water," Hayes recalls with amusement. "They needed someone to do it, and I said I would, although I don't know why." To stage the characters' dramatic jump from the ship, DAYS used - of all things - a trapeze. "We needed a straight down angle which we couldn't get if they had jumped off a platform," Greenlaw explains. One by one, the actors climbed into the pool and mounted the trapeze, which was then raised a dizzying twenty feet above the surface of the choppy water. On the count of three, each actor dropped into the churning "sea" as overhead cameras tracked the action. "From the overhead angle, you can see their actual momentum. They went flying down into the water," Greenlaw says. Fortunately, the pool water was heated so that no one would catch cold, especially the pregnant Kristian Alfonso. (For the actual jump, DAYS used a double for Alfonso.) Before taking the leap, a stunt coordinator showed the actors how to land safely in the relatively shallow water. "It was like diving into a three-foot puddle from a height of twenty feet. We had to tuck in our legs when we went under so that we wouldn't hit bottom," Hayes says. Because of the complexity - and wetness - of the scene, the actors didn't get a chance to rehearse prior to taping. "We dry blocked it outside the pool, and everyone did it in one take," Greenlaw says. Just in case an actor had to make the jump a second time, duplicates of all the characters' clothes were standing by, including two more of Hayes's red dress. What was it like perching precariously on a trapeze and plunging into a pool of water? "By the time we got to the water scenes, it was 10:00 PM and we had been working since 5:30 AM. We had all gotten very tired from doing the play and ballroom sequences, so jumping into the water actually lightened up the day. It woke everybody up," Hayes recalls. All in all, the entire shoot went smoothly - sans any major problems, according to Greenlaw. What would have happened if a problem did crop up? "I don't know, because we didn't have a backup plan." Carol Bialkowski, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 9/18/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'd Like To See Wayne Northrop Return" Drake Hogestyn is not just another pretty face. He's an intelligent, honest, family-oriented man. With his career sailing smoothly and a wonderful family to come home to, he's never been happier. He recently took the time to tell us about DAYS, his family, his fans, and his passion (exercise). DAYTIME DIGEST: How has Roman changed, since you joined the cast of DAYS? Drake Hogestyn: The major change in the four-and-a-half years I've been on DAYS is the women in Roman's life. First there was Deidre Hall as Marlena, and then a little girl named Olivia. Genie Francis (Diana) came on and played her contract out. Then the character of Yvette came in, but was short-lived. Now Staci Greason is Isabella. It's been four-and-a-half years of lots of ups and downs. Right now the Roman/Isabella storyline seems very positive; it seems to be picking up some momentum. DAYTIME DIGEST: Is there one person you especially enjoy working with? Drake Hogestyn: I enjoy working with Staci (Greason). I work with her more often than anyone else. She's got a lot of energy. She reminds me of me when I first started on the show...I had no soap opera experience, and my energy was boundless. Deidre (Hall) used to say it was infectious to work with someone who was so eager to work; now I'm feeling the same thing. I feel like the old timer on the show. DAYTIME DIGEST: If you could write Roman's storyline, what would you do? Drake Hogestyn: Somewhere down the line it would be nice to see Wayne Northrop (Ex-Roman) come back and realize Roman was not Roman, after all. Then you could start a whole new character out of that complication...which would be very interesting. DAYTIME DIGEST: What do you like best about Roman? Drake Hogestyn: I think what I like best about him are his convictions and his honesty. Every character has to stand for something. It's not always easy to play the hero. Truth, justice and the American way are pretty boring. People like the anti-hero, and the off-centered character. To keep Roman interesting, you really have to keep enough different sides to him. It's up to the actor to make that happen. DAYTIME DIGEST: Have you done any other work, while doing DAYS? Drake Hogestyn: No, I haven't had the time to do other projects. Right now I'm getting a lot of offers to do a lot of things - I believe it's only because I'm unavailable. If I were to get off the show, I'm sure the phone would collect cobwebs. (We doubt it!) DAYTIME DIGEST: Has having a family changed your life? Drake Hogestyn: I was never a party animal, so it hasn't changed it in that way. The best part of my day is when I first get home from work and there is a good hour of just bonding with the family. I also love it when we get the kids off to bed, and I get my wife alone for a while...we're tired by then, but it's quiet and nice. DAYTIME DIGEST: Do you enjoy meeting your fans? Drake Hogestyn: Yes, I have a great rapport with them. I am happy to say I have a tremendous fan club, and I always have time for fan club members. Every May, for the past three years, I've had a big fan club gathering. The first year it had a 50's and 60's theme; last year there was a Western theme; and this year it's a Malibu beach party. I've cut it down from 300 people to 150, so I have a chance to meet everyone. It's always lots of fun. DAYTIME DIGEST: Are you still exercising and taking your protein drink? Drake Hogestyn: Yes, my workouts are forty-five minutes to an hour of cardiovascular exercise, then another hour of heavy weights - every day. And I drink my protein drink; it's nuclear stuff. The NY Giants tested the drink, and it passed NFL standards. It's a concentrated blend of all your amino acids plus all the vitamins and elements and a lot of herbs. My major in college was microbiology, so I'm interested in the body's reaction to the drink. This drink can lower your percentage of body fat and at the same time lead to muscle growth. DAYTIME DIGEST: What else do you like to do in your free time? Drake Hogestyn: Lately, I've been surfing my brains out. I started last June. I always wanted to try it. It's a good one-on-one sport. It's great to get out there for an hour and paddle around; it gets exciting when the waves are big. There's an element of danger. DAYTIME DIGEST, 11/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ The Gossip - East Coast, West Coast Juicy Tales From All Around The Towns It was a public appearance Drake Hogestyn (Roman, DAYS) won't soon forget. It happened in Nashville, while Drake was visiting L.A. Joe's Department Store. Things started out calmly enough, when the spiffiest limousine Drake's ever laid eyes on picked him up to begin the day. "This car was absolutely gorgeous...presidential quality. It had about eight coats of wax on it," he recalls. But as the day wore on, the wax, among other things, wore off. After Drake appeared at Store Number Three, he noticed a mob had assembled outside along with eight Nashville police officers, who were summoned to escort him to his limousine. With their help, Drake fought his way through the crowd and crawled into the car. Then, the real fun began. The overzealous fans began rocking the limousine, climbing all over it and pressing their faces against the windows. "I couldn't believe it," says Drake. "I felt I was all the New Kids on the Block." Finally, the limousine driver made his getaway. When he and Drake arrived back at the hotel, they inspected the car together. The panels were dented, the fenders were bashed and there were fingerprints everywhere. "The car looked like it had gone through a war," says Drake. "I felt sorry for the driver. He had to explain the car's condition to the boss!" Janet Di Lauro, SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 12/4/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Last Licks Portrait You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why...Okay, okay, dying to know who Santa Claus is? (Obviously someone else is, too!) Here's a couple of hints. He stars on a soap known for its romantic couples, but ever since his wife went away (died?), he's had lousy luck in love. He's one of the few success stories in the replacing-a-popular-star-and-becoming-a-star-in-your-own-right department. Before becoming an actor, he had a promising career in sports. And he has a terrific sense of humor. Wouldn't it be great if this Santa came down your chimney on Christmas morning? Stranger things have happened. (Picture Description: The Santa Claus in this picture in SOAP OPERA DIGEST is our very own Drake! It is forbidden to scan the material from SOAP OPERA DIGEST, so we'll instead draw a picture for you regarding how precious this picture is. Drake is dressed as Santa Claus, and he is sitting in a chair in front of his fireplace at home. His baby daughter, Alexandra, is standing next to him on the floor wearing just a diaper and Santa hat and she is tugging on Drake's Santa beard to reveal her daddy's gorgeous face, much to the shock of our fun-loving and boisterous Drake!) SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 12/25/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lights, Camera, Laughter (Part 1) Poor Drake Hogestyn. He has fallen victim to a syndrome suffered by innocent actors who sometimes have more to contend with than viewers would think. Besides the sensation of having about thirty people watch their every move when they do a scene, some jokesters like to see if they can trip them up and make them laugh - at the most inappropriate times. Hogestyn is no stranger to this condition. As righteous Roman Brady, Drake has had to watch his step, due to a member of the crew whom Hogestyn refers to only as "Tommy, a prop guy." A few weeks ago, relates Hogestyn, "I had to come in to my office with a handful of notes. And I'm supposed to be going through them. Anyway, I pick up a note, and it says, 'To: Roman Brady. From: Marlena Evans Brady, in Limbo. Work's good, but no one like you here, baby. Ciao.' The next one is from Alamain: 'Got brother and sister. They're yours. Send oil.' Or, 'From: Abe Carver, GENERATIONS. I hate it! I hate it! Roman, they're making me eat ice cream!' I was reading these notes and I almost lost it in the scene. So I crumpled them and threw them to keep it together." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 12/25/90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pumping It Up (Part 2) Drake Hogestyn (Roman, DAYS) loves to work out. Good thing, since his role calls for him to reveal his physical assets now and then. When Tommy's not testing Drake's limits, Hogestyn can be found in DAYS' newly minted exercise room. After initial blocking and rehearsing Drake is sure to spend a couple of hours working out, sweating, panting, and dripping with perspiration. Trust me, I've seen it. And now, for those of us who count running from the refrigerator to the couch as our daily exercise, Drake will outline his regimen. (He'd probably find boot camp a snap.) "I do forty-five minutes of aerobics, and that really gets the heart rate up and breaks a good sweat," Drake explains. "I've got a routine I've designed for myself. It's twelve minutes of low-impact and stretching, about fifteen minutes of high impact and stretching, and about five minutes of cool-down. Then I go into the abdominal work, which is fifteen minutes of abs (check out the lingo here), and that covers all the muscle groups. Then I stretch for about three minutes and go right to the weights. That eliminates any muscle pulls or snaps. Then I shower and work on my lines for about fifteen minutes to make sure I know what's happening. I get out for dress (rehearsal) and I feel pretty fresh." In addition to the stress reduction that exercising provides, Hogestyn offers a much more pragmatic reason for his regimen: "It's not in my contract," he admits, "but, for some reason, the job description for this character includes having him take off his clothes every once in a while, so that's also a motivating factor. But what's paramount to me is that I enjoy the workouts." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 12/25/90