♥ Ongoing Days 1996 ♥ 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." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Grand Slam - After Ten Years In The Limelight Drake Hogestyn Is Still A Winner...At Home Plate! This Valentine's Day, when a tuxedo-clad Drake Hogestyn steps out on the stage of the Beverly Hilton Hotel to co-host the Twelfth Annual Soap Opera Awards, he'll look right at home, ripping envelopes and trading quips with FRASIER'S Jane Leeves. But, if truth be told, the Salem superhero would be just as happy - if not more so - spending the red-letter evening at home with his wife, Victoria, and their kids. As he begins his tenth year on DAYS OF OUR LIVE, Hogestyn's television Q-rating, volume of fan mail and popularity in the press remain high. But what is the actor/ex-baseball star/family man really like? In a word: sane. Hogestyn is the ultimate team player, on-set and off. Sensitive and soft-spoken, he'd prefer not to do interviews - he thinks he's done enough of them over the years - but he knows fans want the dish, and hopefully that helps DAYS. And that's what counts. So, he sits with you on a DAYS set for a leisurely chat. No, he's not John Black. But he comes close. Of course, no one could be John Black, and have that many adventures...or close calls...or star-crossed love affairs. But the truth is, Hogestyn defines romantic lead. He's had screen chemistry with every actress the show has paired him with - Deidre Hall (Marlena), Genie Francis (Diana), and Staci Greason (Isabella) - to mention just a few. (OOPS! This is wrong. Sadly, Genie and Staci left the show, so it should be Ex-Diana and Ex-Isabella.) Muses Hogestyn, "The fans say, 'We don't care who John's with, as long as they love him.' That tells me a lot about what women want to see." These days, fans are torn. Some want to see John find happiness with his latest amour, Kristen Blake (Eileen Davidson). The trouble is, her ardor has been wavering ever since John was accused of murdering her ex, Tony. Another segment of DAYS devotees are pushing for John to reunite with his ex-wife, Marlena. Hogestyn views these storm fronts with a calm eye. "My mail's pretty split," he says. "There's always been a contingent that wants John and Marlena to be together; it's something that can always be played. John and Kristen are like John and Isabella were a few years back. When we came back from the Cruise of Deception, they put me in the haunted house and kept us apart (for awhile)." All this fan mania can get fatiguing at times. "When we go back to Indiana, I can't go to the mall with the kids," Hogestyn admits. "When the little girls were younger (his daughters, Whitney and Alexandra, are ten and seven), they would actually stand between me and other people and hug my leg. Or they'd ask for paper and pencil and want me to sign an autograph for them. It was so sweet." A glass-house existence can also be tough on a spouse. "I don't think Victoria is exactly enamored with the fact that a lot of strange women come up and throw their arms around me," Hogestyn says. "But that just tells me she loves me." He pauses, then jokes, "She loved it when John was a priest. Life was perfect for six months." Hogestyn can't wax rhapsodic enough about his marriage. He and Victoria have known each other for twenty-seven years, but he talks about her like a newlywed. (Case in point: Hogestyn recently trekked to Tiffany's in Beverly Hills to buy his wife a gold cross. He describes it as "very Victoria - a lot of style, a lot of class.") When the couple married in 1984, the actor found himself with an instant family. (OOPS! This is wrong. Drake and Victoria got married in 1986, not 1984.) (Victoria had two children, Rachael and Ben, from her first marriage.) But Hogestyn was far from overwhelmed. "If (I hadn't been marrying) Victoria, there would have been a flip-out, but I was so ready," he asserts. "She makes me stronger and better." Because DAYS makes so many demands on his time, Hogestyn grabs relaxation wherever he can. "A big night for Victoria and me is getting Ben and Rachael to watch Alexandra and Whitney so we can steal out for dinner and a film at the Malibu Cinema," he shares. "But outside of that, there's always something really exciting happening with the children. They're a lot of fun to be around." On a more serious note, Hogestyn reveals that he wouldn't mind adding one more son to the mix. "I think about (having another kid) all the time...but girls really take care of their daddy. They touch your face and look into your eyes...it's very special." As he enters his second decade on DAYS, Hogestyn says he's ready for whatever lies ahead. "I'm going through a change right now," he reflects. "I've been on the show for ten years, and I guess what I keep thinking is that the 'leading man' tag is slowly being peeled off. We're constantly bringing new, strong talent on the show. But it's healthy - and it keeps everybody on their toes, working hard, striving to do their best." Just The Facts: Birthday: September 29. Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana. Open Wide: Hogestyn almost became a dentist. Bull Durham: As a third baseman in the New York Yankees Minor League, he earned $500 per month ("but I loved it.") All My Brothers: Hogestyn co-starred with Richard Dean Anderson, Peter Horton and River Phoenix in the primetime series, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. Roberta Caploe, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 2/13/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ NBC Gossip DAYS OF OUR LIVES Love Is On The Air: Instead of wine and roses, Drake Hogestyn's (John) Valentine's Day will be filled with television cameras and award show nominees. Thanks to his co-hosting duties at THE TWELFTH ANNUAL SOAP OPERA DIGEST AWARDS, the actor and his wife, Victoria, will have to shelve the dancing and romancing until later in the week. "We always plan something on Valentine's Day," Hogestyn smiles. "This year, for the first time, the children have that week off from school. After the awards show, we're all going to go somewhere (in California) to ski and sled. It'll be nice..." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 2/27/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Drake Hogestyn Nearly Killed Twice In Real Life Drake Hogestyn reveals that he has twice come close to being a 'dead man walking.' "We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time," is how the actor describes one incident when he and a college buddy were watching a football game in Miami. "My friend was an all-state quarterback, and we'd just left the weight room at Dade Junior College," Drake recalls. They were standing in an area away from the crowd when a car suddenly pulled up beside them and the driver got out and came after them. Drake disarmed him almost immediately, but suffered a deeply lacerated hand that required multiple stitches. During the second incident, Drake was awakened by a noise in the middle of the night. He got out of bed to investigate, grabbed a baseball bat and went into the bathroom to pull a pair of jeans out of the hamper, which he kept in the bathtub. As he pulled back the shower curtain, there stood a man with a knife. "What a wake-up-call!" Drake exclaims, noting that he quickly subdued the intruder. SOAP OPERA MAGAZINE, 2/27/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drake Hogestyn's One Lucky Man: "I've Got A Wonderful Wife And A Great Family" Through his life, lady luck has always seemed to shine her good fortune on Drake Hogestyn (John). Drake's professional career has flowed, like a fine wine, from one peak to another - through "lucky breaks" from college to professional sports. From his first acting jobs to hitting the heels of his tenth anniversary on daytime - Drake is thankful for his life, loves and most of all, the support of the woman that gives his life meaning, his wife Victoria. DAYTIME DIGEST: Do you feel that your life, so far, has been fulfilling? Drake Hogestyn: I'm a very lucky man. I don't know what I did. I know that I have a lot of patience. Maybe that's from baseball and learning that you can fail seven out of ten times as a batter, and still hit three hundred and be in the Hall of Fame! You learn how to handle setbacks. I took a major setback with my wife, Victoria, years ago in losing her because of my career. My choices didn't work into her life plan. There's a reason for all of that. At that point I didn't understand it obviously - but I knew at one point that, when I was sixty-eight and she was sixty-five, we were going to get back together. I was just going to be patient and wait. I tried another avenue. It never seemed I made a conscious choice to what I wanted to do. Things just happened for me. DAYTIME DIGEST: In what way? Drake Hogestyn: I was in a pre-dental program in college and was going to dental school. I had a good season of baseball and I knew the scouts were looking, but if that was going to happen, it would happen. I took my dental board exams and I came out of the testing program and there are the reporters from the Tampa Tribune, telling me that I had just been drafted by the Yankees. They were all asking me what I was planning on doing and I had some choices to make. I couldn't believe it, the New York Yankees - my gosh - I grew up with Mickey Mantle as my hero. My dad came from Upstate New York and was a tremendous influence in my life and he was a big Yankees fan and with the DiMaggio's and all that. That was my chance to give it a shot. But also, I lost Victoria in the process. This thing with the Columbia Pictures contract I got, that came out of the blue! It came during the off-season where I went to Hollywood and went through a three-month workshop. I might be back in time for spring training and they gave me a contract! That was the way I've always done everything - exhaust it to the fullest extent and then have fun! Victoria came back into my life, the show came along, here we are with her two children from the prior marriage and our two children - I'm just a lucky man. I've got a great job, a steady job, and between that and home I'm full! DAYTIME DIGEST: Do you and Victoria work really hard to make your marriage work? Drake Hogestyn: If you're really in love, really in love - I wish that people could experience that...I'm sure that alot do. But divorce rates prove my point. If you're really in love, just love this person, you'll get through any situations that arise. If not for staying in marriages for the sake of children, you are bonded for life. You want to share everything with them. You want to be with them. When you are alone and you experience something, anything, like an animal running across a hillside, you want to share that with her and if she's not there, you can't wait to tell her about it! That type of thing. Our family is very, very close and we are so interwoven with each other's lives. Last night, the phone rang and everyone always says 'That's for Ben!' Then Alexandra says, 'Daddy, you never have anybody call you!' It's like, 'Where are your friends?' I said to her 'You're my best friend.' I would rather be home and watching the kids grow up and making those moments and spending time with my wife than socializing. We've been in our house since 1988. We moved in one week before Alexandra was born, and we've never once had a dinner party in our house. We don't socialize like that! If I ever get any time to go out, I want to have my family with me, or if I'm really lucky, I'll get a babysitter and just have Victoria one on one. That's a big night! If we could squeeze a dinner and a movie out of it, that's a big night! DAYTIME DIGEST: You and Victoria must consider yourselves very lucky? Drake Hogestyn: We do, I'm kind of a fatalist actually! You're always thinking something's going to happen. We've just passed the time of the year when all the insurance policies come up. You have to sit down and do all that stuff, especially estate planning. They say stuff like, 'you're going to die, here's what's going to happen. Do you want your kids to go to college? Will they live in this house right here or are they going to move back to Indiana?' You have to cut this huge check because if you die tomorrow, the house is taken care of, the kids know that they can live on X number of dollars a year and that their college will all be paid for. I'm thinking, 'Okay, that's bad. I'm gone and I think that the kids will need a father figure.' Then, we had to do Victoria's if she died, and I said, 'I don't want to talk about that!' She is the glue of this family and if she were to go, me as a parent - you don't dwell on it but sometimes, you have to think about it. It would just do me in. I would have to have some pretty major help out here with the family to keep me together. I don't know if I could be strong enough for the children when they would need it. DAYTIME DIGEST: Don't you feel you have to confront this more often than not, living in California, where you've had your share of dangerous earthquakes this past year? Drake Hogestyn: We've had the quakes, the fire and the flood - all in the same year. We live overlooking the ocean in Malibu. The two neighbors above me were burned out. The neighbor below me was washed out. To see that happening and the quakes, with all the glassware breaking - I think I had all four kids out of the house and in the front yard in ten seconds! I scooped up the two youngest girls and out they went. I grabbed Ben and he was still asleep, and took him out. Then I went to Rachael's room and she had one of her girlfriends over and I remembered before I went in, I thought, 'privacy!' Then I went, 'Forget that!' and went in and found them, very scared. I was like 'Outta here, let's go!' Those are moments, but the way that Victoria looks at it is, 'We have enough little pebbles in the road of life, conflicts that come up continuously. We'll gladly take those and kick them out of the way in order not to get to the big boulder.' That's the way we approach things. DAYTIME DIGEST: If you had one message to give to DAYS fans, what would it be? Drake Hogestyn: The fans are so kind. To be honest, I get a little embarrassed from the attention. It sounds kind of funny, but I remember being released by the Yankees and I always thought that I was the best until I started playing with the other players. Then I thought, 'These guys are really good!' It's humbling to be released and not do something you want to do. As an actor, it's something I didn't set out to do. I fly by the seat of my pants. I know what is expected in daytime, and you'd be a fool not to. Love in the afternoon and a picture is worth a thousand words. There's a certain way to treat ladies and I try to treat my leading ladies the way I treat my wife. I think that's positive. As for the fans that enjoy Roman, The Pawn, John Black, John Stevens, Forrest Alamain - that enjoy this character, sometimes I wonder if I'm worthy of that and I hope that I don't disappoint them 'at bat' as I like to tell it. You're only as good as your next show and I just hope that whatever is attracting them, I can keep delivering. I do that everyday. I am very appreciative and I don't take it for granted and I know that our names here, they slide on and off the door continuously. I've watched a lot of great talent come on and off the show, people I thought were secure here. If I just keep my nose clean and don't rock the boat like dad said, maybe I can get a few years in. Lucille Giordano-Barilla, DAYTIME DIGEST, THE BEST OF DAYS OF OUR LIVES, 4/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daytime's Sexiest Dad DOOL'S Drake Hogestyn Is Just A Family Man At Heart DOOL's Drake Hogestyn (John Black) has the brooding good looks of a big-screen idol, and exudes a captivating charm and irrepressible charisma that has catapulted him to the top of the daytime charts. Women are attracted to him because of his handsome features, mesmerizing voice and instant likability. Men like him for his easy-going demeanor and outgoing personality. Women fall in love with him. Men want to be his buddy. Talk about a winning combination! For the past ten years, Salem's snow knight has been known as Roman Brady, Forrest Alamain, Father John and John Black. But without a doubt, the name this baseball player-turned-actor likes best is daddy. "Love is what's important. Nothing else really matters, except for my children, to provide for them and open up avenues for them. Let them experience as much as possible in your role as a parent. If you've done that, then they will find what soothes them and what pleases them and that pleases you." Drake and his wife, Victoria, have four children: Rachael sixteen, and Ben fourteen, are from Victoria's previous marriage; Whitney ten, and Alexandra seven, round out the Hogestyn clan. In one sitting, the actor's eyes light up with pride when he tells enough stories of life with his kids to fill the pages of an entire phone book. "Putting my little girls to bed at night, hearing them say, 'Daddy, will you rub my head?' and doing that until they fall asleep, sharing in all of their experiences from their first bike ride to the first time they put their heads under water while they're swimming. Those are just some of the joys of fatherhood." Avoiding the typical glitter of the Hollywood lifestyle, Drake prefers to stay at home with his family. "I don't have a social life outside of the family and work," the actor admits. "I go to work, I come home and it's the family. That encompasses all of my time and that's the way I want it. Of course, when they all move away, I'll be a basket case. But when you have four children, things happen constantly from the minute you wake up until you put them to bed. It's just so rewarding and so rich. I'm a very lucky man." In that sense, Drake and his alter ego, John Black, are like two peas in a pod. Drake will tell you that everything he brings to John, he's lived as a parent himself. The relationship that he shares with his on-screen children is a testament to how he is with his own offspring in real life. And throughout his life as a father, his kids have taught him plenty. "Most importantly, patience and unconditional love. The fact is that you don't have to do anything except be there for them and that's enough. Patience is important because they are going to mess up a lot, and you can't expect anything or you'll be disappointed." When you ask this proud dad what his most prized possessions are, you won't get the typical "bowling trophy from 1975" or the "1967 Mustang in the garage." Instead, it's his "kid art." "You can never have enough kid art," he says smiling. "My dressing room is loaded up with all of their pictures and finger paintings, and I'm real big with buying them art supplies and easels. I'll sit down and do art with them. For instance, we have a fence by the pool that's ten feet tall and runs about fifty feet long. We were going to plant some shrubbery alongside it, but instead, I told the kids that we were going to do some Tom Sawyer work there." After a trip to the hardware store, matching up paint colors and snatching supplies, Drake and the kids got suited up in their old clothes and went to work. "We greenwashed the whole thing and, of course, got more paint on us than on the fence. Then I said, 'Now we're going to paint sunflowers on it' and I just turned it over to them. You should see this fence. It's such a great piece of kid art that I don't want to plant anything in front of it now!" From paintball battles with Ben, to spending quiet time with Rachael in their beach house, to a trip to the mall with Alexandra and her realization that Santa really does exist, to Whitney growing up thinking that her daddy wrote "Surfer Girl," Drake holds a very special place in his heart for those moments that cannot be recaptured. "The whole thing about fatherhood is that you have to appreciate all of those moments," he asserts. "When they talk to you, you have to stop even though you're busy doing something. That doesn't matter. They have so much energy. They give and take. What will help these children turn out to be outstanding human beings is if you give them that time. It's invaluable and precious. I think that if more families, provided that they have a mother and a father, give that to children, we can make a difference. That's the reward of fatherhood." Bill Libengood, SOAP DISH, 6/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drake Hogestyn's Father's Day Food Fest Drake Hogestyn's Salad Pizza: Hunky soap star Drake Hogestyn signed his third four-year contract with DAYS OF OUR LIVES in 1997, meaning manipulable good-guy John Black will be around until 2001. The father of four kids, Hogestyn isn't too handy in the kitchen, but says he can eat about a hundred pieces of wife Victoria's salad pizza. Is it a meal? A salad? You be the judge. 1 unbaked 12-in/30cm pizza crust, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese or 175 ml, 1 cup sour cream or 250 ml, 1 cup chopped tomatoes or 250 ml, 1 cup chopped avocado or 250 ml, 2 tbsps green onions or 25 ml, 2 cups shredded organic salad greens or 500 ml, 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese or 175 ml, and dash of hot sauce, to taste. Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). Cover crust with mozzarella cheese and bake about 15 minutes, until crust is brown and cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven and quickly spread crust with sour cream. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl, adding hot sauce to taste. Spread mixture over sour cream and it's ready. Serves four. CANADIAN TV GUIDE, 6/15/96-6/21/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ A Drake Hogestyn Monster Mash! Party On At This DAYS Superstar's Fan Club Bash! Picture Captions: This year, Drake held a Monster Mash party for his Fan Club - where he acted as a host, dance partner, emcee and even a waiter for a time! If you join his club, next year, you could be doing a dance with Drake too! For more on this fab bash... For the event held at the Radisson Hotel in Southbound, Connecticut, Drake (John) dressed as an airline fighter pilot. He personally greeted and mingled with each and every fan in attendance, some who came from far distances to be part of this great day. These ladies came as two of the great cartoon leading women of our time - Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble. Out of costume, Wilma's name is Stacey Ouellette and Betty is Shannon Grant. Drake felt honored to be in the presence of such great talent. Also serving as a host and waiter, Drake enjoyed this intimate time with some of the most special people in his life - his faithful fans, without whom he wouldn't have the support so greatly needed in this business. His message to all of you - "Thank you all for your support through the years. There will be plenty of exciting things in store for John in 1996, so keep watching!" Is this Drake doing his best Igor impersonation? No, he's just making a fun point during the question and answer session of the day. Other fun activities included a sumptuous dinner, door prizes, dancing, raffles, photo sessions and costume prizes. Join the club, and maybe next year, you too can be thisclose to the object of your affections! INSIDE DAYS OF OUR LIVES, July 1996 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ New Kids On The Block Give These Recasts A Chance! A soap character becomes beloved to us quite easily and is readily identified with the performer who plays them. When that performer suddenly changes, it's understandably difficult to accept someone else in a familiar role. After all, these people enter our living rooms and our hearts on a daily basis. On DAYS, characters are recast more often than not, for the-powers-that-be opt to continue with planned long-term storylines, rather than eliminate a character. (OOPS! This is wrong. Typo alert! This sentence makes no sense. In our opinion it should be "because the-powers-that-be opt to continue with planned long-term storylines" not "for the-powers-that-be opt to continue with planned long-term storylines.") Certain recasts are readily accepted and sometimes, gain equal popularity with their predecessors. For example, Robert Kelker-Kelly is as easily pegged to Bo Brady as is Peter Reckell. In the last year, several pivotal players in Salem have gotten new faces - the most notable being Jennifer Blake and Austin Reed... Of course, there are some actors who would never be given a chance if they took over some ultra-popular roles. There will never be another Marlena Evans or Alice Horton. Deidre Hall and Frances Reid are the only people who can bring these ladies to life. Of course, people felt the same way during Wayne Northrop's original stint as Roman back in the early 1980's. Then Drake Hogestyn was given the role, and when Wayne returned five years later and we were told the man we knew as Roman wasn't really Roman, we were outraged! Wayne was never able to recapture the popularity he gained as Roman the first time around, because Drake was now so recognized in the part, making him the most successful Salem recast of all time. Judging from his fan-following as John Black, it looks like Drake would be accepted in any role they put him in. INSIDE DAYS OF OUR LIVES, July 1996 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES Hard To Cast Drake Hogestyn (John) has reinjured his foot and is now encased in a toe-to-knee cast for at least six weeks. Drake had had a pin inserted in his toe to fuse a bone several months ago after an old athletic injury began to bother him. He'd already been back to the hospital after he stumbled on the set, hitting the pin so hard that it bent. But recently his daughter took a rough tumble and landed on her head while horseback riding, and concerned Dad Drake ran to her side, forgetting about his own problem. Whitney was fine - but his toe came apart. (OOPS! This is wrong. It was Alexandra who fell off the horse; not Whitney.) The latest setback threatens the long-term healing of the toe and foot, Drake reports, but hopefully the cast will make him less mobile - and better protected. Fortunately, he had a week and a half break from work, but now that he's back taping, DAYS is using a body double for his action scenes and to make sure camera angles are from mid-thigh up. Lorraine Zenka, SOAP OPERA MAGAZINE, 8/6/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ People In The News Foot Injury Benches Hogestyn - Again Recurring problems with his foot continue to plague Drake Hogestyn (John, DAYS OF OUR LIVES), and now he's back in a cast. In mid-May, the actor and former professional baseball player had surgery to replace a joint in his foot, which had originally been inserted during his baseball days. Ever the pro, Hogestyn refused to take any time off after the surgery and quickly returned to work. You might recall that he hobbled about on crutches for a few weeks on the soap, and then relied on a walking cast to get about. When his surgical wound got infected, though, Hogestyn went back to the hospital for intravenous antibiotics and was laid up at home during the first week of June. While he missed a week of work, the show went on, and John didn't miss a beat. When Hogestyn returned to work, he post-taped a week's worth of scenes - many of which included the virtual reality goggles. He seemed to be on the road to healthy foot care when, over the Fourth of July weekend, he injured himself, breaking the foot where the new joint had been fused. "His daughter fell off a horse, and it looked like she had landed on her head," says the actor's spokesperson. "Drake ran to help her and hurt himself in the process." Hogestyn will now wear a walking cast up to his knee for at least six weeks, but DAYS will shoot around it. By the way, his daughter was unharmed in the fall. SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 8/20/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Behind The Scene: Paris When Headwriter James E. Reilly pitched a storyline based in Paris, the DAYS execs loved the idea. But instead of calling Air France, they asked Production Designer Chip Dox to reproduce the City of Light in the show's Burbank studio - right down to its spooky underground labyrinth, which served as Stefano's lair. As it turned out, taping in the fake tunnels was almost as complicated as working in the real ones would have been. Originally, Dox sketched an intricate maze of passageways, but that proposal was nixed by his wife, Senior Coordinating Producer Jeanne Haney. "We ended up using two or three of the same configurations and shooting them differently to make them appear like people were in different parts of the tunnels," reveals Supervising Producer Stephen Wyman. "If you saw it in the studio, it was a rather modest set; it was just shot at interesting angles." While the sets were fewer than expected, the hours at the studio certainly weren't. "The issue was not, 'Will we finish by sundown?'" Wyman laughs. "It was, 'Will we finish today or tomorrow morning?'" At times, it got a little claustrophobic, the producer says. "It was pretty unbearable. We felt like we were lost in the caves too." Luckily, Wyman had top-notch professionals like Deidre Hall (Marlena), Eileen Davidson (Kristen) and Drake Hogestyn (John) making the French connection. "They are the best people we have on the show - and the best in daytime," he enthuses. "You are talking about people who throw themselves into this so enthusiastically that they will just sell it." "It was a boy thing," Hogestyn says of the underground dirt. "I know it's not a soap opera thing that the ladies want to see, but it was fun." It wasn't as much fun for some pinch-hitting lensmen. "We had some cameramen who got sick, and new ones had to fill in," Wyman relates. "We would say, 'Take a waist (shot) of Marlena,' and they would say, 'Who's Marlena?' They're perfectly competent; they just didn't know our show." Besides keeping the new guys abreast of who was who, Wyman had to keep everyone away from the guillotine, on which John very nearly lost his head in scenes that aired on August 9 and 12. "The blade was made of aluminum, and it worked," Wyman says. "I wrote a memo to the entire cast basically forbidding them to go near this thing. When you have something novel on-set, it really gets them fired up." Hogestyn, in particular, marveled at John's cutting-edge storyline. "I was telling my wife the other day, 'I could never write this stuff,'" he says. "I come up with stories sometimes, but not like this." Stefano (Joseph Mascolo) also got fired up - literally - when a gun-toting Rachel caused a cataclysmic explosion. But Mascolo took the news of his character's demise in stride. "You can kidnap someone just so many times," he sighs. "It's like an obscene caller. Finally, you say, 'Oh, it's you again.'" Stephanie Sloane, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 9/24/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ What You Don't Know About Soaps' Hottest Stars DAYS' John Black Gets Personal... Last Look: Drake Hogestyn (John Black, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) SOAP OPERA DIGEST: How would you describe John to a friend? Drake Hogestyn: He's lived life. He's an adventurer; he's romantic. He's definitely a man of his word. He will always be there for you and you would definitely want him in your foxhole. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What song makes you smile when you hear it? Drake Hogestyn: There's three: "Hello" by Lionel Ritchie, Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" and "Desperado" by The Eagles. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Drake Hogestyn: I would probably like to be able to live more for today instead of thinking and planning for tomorrow. Or, I would not be a Libra. When I go to the grocery store, I spend too much time thinking and debating over what to buy. My wife cannot understand why I am there so long. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: How do you relax? Drake Hogestyn: I relax by doing mindless things. I like to tinker around on my old cars. That usually takes me into cleaning up something in the garage. I do gardening and yard work. I also go surfing. But I don't surf as much as I sit beyond the swells and watch the horizon. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What's the best part of your day? Drake Hogestyn: Without a doubt, it would be putting the kids to bed at night. Whitney and Alexandra are still young enough. I'll be really sad when they want to stay up later than I do. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: Describe your perfect vacation. Drake Hogestyn: I would like to skipper my own sloop through the Mediterranean with my family. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: Do your kids' friends watch DAYS? Do they ask you about your character? Drake Hogestyn: Yes, they do watch, but they can't talk about it, because in Malibu, it's not cool to talk to actors about their work. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What kind of movies do you like to watch? Drake Hogestyn: I like 'em all. I probably lean more toward the romantic comedy, feel-good film that has a happy ending. Boy has to get girl in the end. I also like the strong, male action/adventure movies of Mel Gibson. I like Mel's work, not just 'cause I know him - I like what he does. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What would you buy on your dream shopping spree? Drake Hogestyn: I would take (my wife) Victoria and the girls to the mall and say, 'Go crazy.' I would get a kick out of watching them shop. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: Do you have a nickname? Drake Hogestyn: People call me Hogey. That would come out through sports, mainly. SOAP OPERA DIGEST SPECIAL, 11/96 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Take Five Another Hogestyn Family Christmas SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What is your favorite part of Christmas? Drake Hogestyn: All of the prelude - shopping for the kids' presents, the decorations and the Christmas carols. It is the anticipation and excitement in the kids' faces that I love. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: Do you buy a real tree or an artificial tree? Drake Hogestyn: I always get a real tree. I do all the lights and the kids do all the ornaments. We don't let them get up on ladders, so the bottom of our tree has about 3,000 ornaments and there is nothing on top. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What was the best Christmas present you ever received? Drake Hogestyn: Alexandra. She was born on December 9, so it was an early Christmas present. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What foods are included in your family's traditional Christmas dinner? Drake Hogestyn: We eat turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, candied yams and all kinds of homemade muffins and biscuits. We also have some kind of vegetable - you have to throw those in for some color. The best, though, are the turkey sandwiches the next day - those are a knockout. SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What is your favorite television Christmas special? Drake Hogestyn: Growing up, I really liked MR. MAGOO'S CHRISTMAS CAROL. One Friday night in seventh grade, my friends and I were planning on going to the youth center and I was all excited about it. But MR. MAGOO'S CHRISTMAS CAROL came on television, and I ended up staying home to watch it. SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 12/31/96