When did you get the call that Y&R wanted you to come back?
Redeker: Just recently. “THE GHOST AND MRS. STERLING.” Until this morning in wardrobe, I hadn’t seen Thom (Bierdz, Phillip) in 15 years. Good guy. Nice people here. Good crew. A lot of the camera crew is gone, but now their kids are on the crew.
What was it like getting back into Rex’s skin?
Redeker: The name of this game is to learn and use it. Otherwise, you’re just driving a truck. James Dean said, “Acting is very lonely because all you have is your concentration.” I’d never heard that before. It’s very counter to everything [actors] learn. I tried doing that with these scenes, but Ed (Scott, supervising producer) came out and said, “Come on, pick it up! Tighten it up.” (laughs) [Daytime is] the best workshop in the world. You gotta keep striving. Peter Bergman (Jack) has 12 nominations on the wall [in his dressing room] and there’s a little plaque next to his door that says, “If you’re not practicing, somewhere there is a guy that is.”
Do you think Rex’s visit will affect Katherine’s drinking?
Redeker:I don’t know about storyline. All you can do is take each moment and keep that producer happy.
You and Jeanne Cooper (Katherine) have such great chemistry together.
Redeker: Thank you. We have a lot of fun. This is my fifth time on this show. I remember in ’74, we were walking to our cars one day and stood there in the parking lot for an hour and a half talking. We got along real well, even way back when.
Who were your five Y&R characters?
Redeker: In ’74, I was a lawyer. Rick Jason and I had a courtroom battle for two weeks. Then there was something else in ’75 for one day. Then I came back as Nick Reed, [then Brian Romalotti], then Rex.
What happened to your character Alex Marshall on DAYS OF OUR LIVES?
Redeker: He went to prison because he tried to burn down his restaurant for the insurance money. They didn’t understand. They couldn’t take a joke.
Do you ever see any of the old DAYS gang?
Redeker: Not much, and I live out there. I heard that everyone was leaving DAYS, that Marlena killed them all.
