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Second Look with B&B's John McCook

John McCook JPI LARGE

John McCook (Eric) has been with B&B since its March 23, 1987 premiere, and he's collected many memories over the years! Digest caught up with the star, who recalls his favorites.

Eric Is Bridget's Father, 1996
"This was such a classic, soapy bombshell. For four years, everyone believed that Bridget was Brooke and Ridge's child and then all of a sudden, this mysterious letter is found that says it might not be so … and it turns out to be right: Bridget is Eric's daughter. That was a surprise for us and a lot of fun to do. I always enjoyed playing the dynamics between Brooke, Ridge, and Eric, which is just this really messy triangle involving a father and son. I like that their history with Brooke is still coming up today! It's like something you'd see on THE JERRY SPRINGER SHOW, but it works with the history of BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL."

Eric "Romances" Sally, 1996
"There was a brief storyline where Sally copied the latest Forrester Creations collection and Eric dated her, and then proposed to her, in order to get her to pull the line. Stephanie was, of course, furious, until Eric explained that it was just a scheme. Poor Sally was hurt, so it wasn't the nicest thing he did, but I always loved working with [the late] Darlene Conley [ex-Sally]. She was one of a kind and it was a joy to do those scenes with her. It means even more to me now since she's no longer with us. I still have those memories of when I worked with her."

Eric's Business Storylines
"Even though Ridge is now in charge of Forrester Creations, I'm glad that Eric is still a part of it. I'd be worried if they didn't call him to the meetings [laughs]. But what I've loved about the whole Forrester history is that is not just about the fashion shows and the designs; it's more about the family working together in this company, and how it's affected all of them. Eric and Stephanie and Ridge, and now Thomas, have gone at it with each other so many times over stuff that's gone down in the company. I think it's been a pretty realistic portrayal of what would happen if a family worked together, and there were all of these stakes. By now, Forrester Creations is pretty much a character in itself."

Eric And Stephanie's Relationship
"This is another storyline that's been going since the show began. I like it because we've gotten to see a very real, gritty relationship with its ups and downs. Stephanie and Eric haven't always been on the best terms, but they share all of this history and in the end, they love each other. That's why they've always come back into the other's life. Even when he's been with other women, like Brooke and Donna, he hasn't stopped caring for Stephanie. In real life, Susan Flannery [Stephanie] and I are really close, so at this point, doing the scenes involving our characters' relationship is like second nature. I think that a big reason why the scenes work is because our friendship, and that warmth we have between us, comes across. When Eric shows affection for Stephanie, it's real for me because it's a reflection of how Susan and I feel about each other."

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