Soap Opera Digest: Didn’t John show signs of having memory problems a few years ago?
Jerry Douglas: They played with it, but it was never specified. This was very specific, more believable and much more exciting to have done it and worked it. [Getting the wrong dosage] has happened to many people. It’s very real.Digest: It’s interesting because the Abbotts have been concerned about his heart, not necessarily his mind.
Douglas: That’s true.
Digest: Were you surprised when you saw this in the script?
Douglas: The writers mentioned it to me, so I kind of knew it was going to happen, but I loved the way they did it. I thought that what they wrote was better than even the idea that was told to me. It was scary what happened. John was really scary and that’s good because he’s a man who’s always thought to be in complete control, very centered and always has the right advice for everybody but himself when it comes to wives [laughs]. John is the stability in the show. Victor is a more emotional character and John is more of a foundation. So his behavior coming like this was shocking. There were some great scenes with Judith [Chapman, Gloria] and Peter [Bergman, Jack]. Christian [J. LeBlanc, Michael] also did scenes with me.
Digest: It’s always nice to see the show’s vets take center stage.
Douglas: GENERAL HOSPITAL has been bringing back all of the vets to work again and it has been like, “Gee, they work well. This is a good idea!” That’s why Y&R has been No. 1 for so long, because [late creator] Bill Bell knew it was a good idea. It gives the show more balance and is more realistic.Digest: How are things going for you off-screen? How is [wife] Kymberly and [son] Hunter?
Douglas: They’re great. Kymberly is involved in some exciting projects.Digest: You guys have been married for a long time — over 20 years, right?
Douglas: April 6, 1985. That’s 21 years.Digest: Were you involved in any of the planning for your wedding?
Douglas: Kymberly did most of it. I found the place, the MountainGate Country Club in Los Angeles. She came and saw it and thought it was a great idea. It’s my golf club, and they’d built a waterfall in the dining room. We couldn’t find a good spot to get married, but I looked at it and thought it was a good place.
Digest: What did you do for music?
Douglas: Jack Allocco, who was the music director of our show, put together some great musicians and they played live. They were so loved that nobody left the place until after midnight. That was the band that used to play with Michael Damian [ex-Danny] on the show.Digest: Who from the show came?
Douglas: We had half of YOUNG AND RESTLESS there at that time: Eileen Davidson [Ashley], Patty Weaver [Gina], Jeanne Cooper [Katherine], Tracey Bregman [Lauren]. She and her husband, Ron, are close friends beyond the show. A lot of the crew was there … about 200 people altogether.Digest: Since you’re Jewish, did you incorporate any Jewish traditions?
Douglas: No, I didn’t since Kym is Christian and it was her first marriage. I wanted to make her happy, so we had a lovely minister who became a good friend. He did a very beautiful ceremony without accenting any particular religion. It was lovely and made my parents happy. I did step on the glass, so it had a little Jewish touch to it.Digest: Did you include your kids in the ceremony?
Douglas: My oldest son [Jod] was my best man. He was about 14 then. My daughter, Avra, was also there.Digest: Did you smush the cake in each other’s faces?
Douglas: No! She would’ve killed me if I did that. She would’ve knocked me out [laughs].Digest: It’s always interesting to hear how the wedding planning went from the man’s perspective.
Douglas: We actually renewed our vows a few years ago. That was beautiful, too.Digest: It’s nice to hear that things are going so well for you. Hopefully, we’ll see more of John.
Douglas: I hope so, too. We’ll see.
