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INTERVIEW

B&B's McCook And Lang Reflect On Co-Stars Past And Present

Original cast members Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) and John McCook (Eric) reflect on co-workers past and present.

Executive Producer/Head Writer Bradley Bell

Katherine Kelly Lang: “Brad Bell is very inspiring. Very talented. Such a great boss. And I feel like we’re family because I’ve been working with Brad since day one.”

John McCook: “Brad is a lovely guy. He has huge responsibilities that he stepped into years and years ago, with great success. He’s very calm, he’s very relaxed. I think he’s great, and he’s a good friend to all of us.” 2.

Co-Creator William J. Bell

Lang: “Bill Bell hired me, and so for that, I am forever grateful. I remember him always walking through the halls of CBS and checking on everybody; making sure everybody’s happy and his show’s going smoothly. He always smiled and his eyes would smile; he always had a glint in his eye.”

McCook: “I think the word for him is immersed. He was 100 percent immersed in the shows that he did, the stories and the characters of these shows at all times. I was always amazed by that.”

Co-Creator Lee Phillip Bell

Lang: “She was amazing. She was definitely the strength behind all of this, as well, because sometimes the women aren’t seen as much but they’re there supporting and helping along the way.”

McCook: “Well, Lee, God bless her. She was such a gentle woman, so quiet and calm and such a lady. Her energy was very quiet and very lovely.”

Susan Flannery (ex-Stephanie)

Lang: “She was a hoot to work with! And I miss her all the time. I learned a lot from her. She was kind of my mentor and she would always give me advice; what I should do, how I should act or how I should speak up.”

McCook: “She was a fierce, focused, professional woman and she knew more about being on a soap opera than anybody else ever did, or still does.”

Ronn Moss (ex-Ridge)

Lang: “It was automatic; it was an instant connection with Ronnie, and very easy. He almost felt like my brother, in a way, and then we’d have to get romantic! But he’s a good friend and such a sweetheart.”

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Joanna Johnson (ex-Caroline/ Karen)

Lang: “Joanna and I called each other twins because in the beginning of the show, people said they couldn’t tell us apart. She was just really motivated and she would get everyone else motivated, and she was so serious sometimes. I’d have to lighten her up. But I loved her. We would go out to dinner and hang out a lot in the beginning. And I still talk to her.”

Clayton Norcross (ex-Thorne)

Lang: “He always had a smile on his face, always very positive and upbeat and looking forward to the next day. He was a fun-loving person.”

Jeff Trachta (ex-Thorne)

McCook: “Jeff thought it was a great hoot to be on a soap opera. He really enjoyed it. He didn’t suffer strong personalities on the other side of the coin. He also wasn’t one to stay. He needed to move on and do what he needed to do in his career, and I respect that.”

Winsor Harmon (ex-Thorne)

Lang: “Winsor is a guy’s guy. He’s very macho and he’ll admit it. We used to bike ride together all the time. Winsor is a good friend. He’s very funny.”

McCook: “I love Winsor and Winsor loved being on the show. I think he was a terrific Thorne. He brought a quality to the character that was very RICH MAN, POOR MAN, which is what I think Bill intended in the beginning.”

Darlene Conley (ex-Sally)

Lang: “Darlene was bigger than life. She would come in like, ‘I’m ready for my close-up,’ and she’d be ready for anything that came her way. She was a lot of fun.”

McCook: “Darlene was the epitome of show business. She brought burlesque, musical theater, vaudeville and Broadway. I would sit there and go, ‘Oh, yeah. Darlene’s here.’ ”

Bobbie Eakes (ex-Macy)

Lang: “Bobbie is a dear, dear person. She’s got quite a big heart and she’s very talented. She cared so much about everybody and everything.”

Jim Storm (ex-Bill, Sr.)

McCook: “He was charming and lovely and he was very serious about the work when we first started. He wanted to carry a cane and I thought that was very pretentious, but it was funny and it worked really well.”

Robert Pine (ex-Stephen)

Lang: “Robert was just a sweetheart. He was always so kind and so warm and it wasn’t like he was coming to work; it was more like he was coming to hang out with his family.”

Patrick Duffy (ex-Stephen)

Lang: “He was very dedicated to his craft and got right in there. He was excited to work every day. Very serious, but also very funny and sometimes very sarcastic. Good sense of humor.”

Kimberlin Brown (ex-Sheila)

McCook: “She was very focused, very accomplished and very good at what she did. Very confident.”

Jennifer Finnigan (ex-Bridget)

Lang: “I love Jennifer. She’s just a doll. I was sad to see her go, and I still keep in contact with her. She was very motivated to become a very good actress and she worked hard at it. She was super, super-focused.”

McCook: “Very smart and very talented and very beautiful. Also, she loves to laugh. She always had a lovely, positive attitude.”

Ashley Jones (Bridget)

Lang: “In between scenes, she would just crack me up. She said things that I don’t even think she knew were funny but they were. She has the sweetest personality and the funniest, and she would never hurt a fly. She is a really good friend.”

Kim Matula (ex-Hope)

Lang: “Kim was fabulous to work with. I felt it was so effortless all the time with her. We knew what the other was thinking and was going to say, and we felt like mother and daughter, even off screen.”

Annika Noelle (Hope)

Lang: “I love Annika! She’s wonderful. She’s another one that just came right in and just hit it out of the ballpark, fitting right into that role playing Hope, and also the connection we have is so natural.”

Nancy Sloan (ex-Katie)

Lang: “Nancy was a black belt in karate and that was impressive. Her work ethic, her seriousness, her get-it-done attitude, that’s how she was, even at a young age. That always impressed me.”

Carrie Mitchum (ex-Donna)

Lang: “Carrie was a dear friend. We hung out a lot. She was an interesting character, full of life. She was like 10 people in one. It was this crazy, wonderful energy that took you for a ride.”

Jennifer Gareis (Donna)

Lang: “Jennifer’s like a sister to me. She’s an amazing person to her friends, to her family, to everybody.”

Heather Tom (Katie) Lang: “She’s an amazing director as well as an amazing actress. I’ve always felt competitive with her because she has a competitive spirit. Not in a bad way; it’s more inspired by each other. And I’m in awe of her a lot. And she’s also definitely a fun friend to hang around with.”

McCook: “Heather, wow. Professional. I think she’s great. She’s a lovely actress. She understands acting on a soap opera. I love that she’s directing all around town, not just on our show but all over town.”

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Justin Torkildsen (ex-Rick)

McCook: “He was this new kid and the first day of his work, he was thrown into a serious storyline with Amber. After, he came down the hall and he was almost in tears and I brought him in my room and I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ And he said, ‘This is so hard.’ And I said, ‘It is, but that’s as hard of a scene you’re ever going to have to play on a soap opera and you did fine. You’re going to be fine.’ From then on, I had my eyes open for him and he learned how to do this very well.”

Jacob Young (ex-Rick)

Lang: “Jacob, I love because I’ve known him since he was 17. Fresh into Hollywood, into being an actor, and was cast as my son, so it was showing him the way a little bit, someone he could talk to. He had an amazing raw talent.”

Kyle Lowder (ex-Rick)

Lang: “Kyle is amazing and he’s one-of-a- kind. He has his own walk that he walks and has a lot of drive behind him.”

McCook: “Kyle has the kind of versatility “Kyle has the kind of versatility that I’ve always respected, and that I’ve had in my career, so we connected very nicely.”

Hunter Tylo (ex-Taylor)

Lang: “It was fun to work with her because we always had scenes that were very dramatic, which we both loved. But outside of work, we never really had a friendship. We had more of an aquaintanceship. But that made an interesting dynamic on the show for our characters.”

Don Diamont (Bill)

Lang: “Don is a character. I love Bill, he cracks me up, but the only person who could play Bill is Don, and it’s the perfect match. He’s very smart, very knowledgable. He’s a tremendous father and family man. And then he’s also a great actor. It’s fun to play with him on screen.”

McCook: “He makes me laugh. He’s carved out this great character on our show, so I admire what he’s been able to do. His enthusiasm for doing this work has not waned, and I really like that.”

Thorsten Kaye (Ridge)

Lang: “Thorsten is an extremely serious actor and he’s a lot of fun to act with because he’s just so committed, and he is also funny. He can be lighthearted but at the same time, really serious. He’s a sweetheart.”

McCook: “When everybody said Thorsten Kaye was going to come, the people who knew him told me, ‘You’re going to love him. He’s just like you. He cares about the work and he respects everyone on the set, no matter who it is. He also has a terrific sense of humor.’ He came in and right away, I just loved him. He’s one of the best things about this job for me, working with Thorsten.”

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Alley Mills (Pam)

McCook: “I love Alley. Alley also brings that air of show business coming down the hall that Darlene Conley used to. Alley loves being an actor. She cares about it and she’s funny. She loves to laugh. I love what a good laugher she is.”

Rena Sofer (Quinn)

McCook: “Beautiful Rena. She cares about her work very, very much. I adore her, and I love our scenes together, and it’s wonderful no matter what we get to play. It’s a joy. I really love that I have her to work with.”

Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy)

McCook: “What an energy and what a fascinating, lovely, funny, free-spirited girl. I think she’s wonderful. I think her energy has really enlivened the character that she plays.”

John McCook

Lang: “John is just so much to me. He’s another one I would watch and learn from as far as acting and the business. He’s so welcoming with anyone that comes on the show. He wants everybody to feel comfortable, and know he’s there for them if they need him. He loves his job — this is such a big part of his life, as well — and we’ve grown a lot together. It’s been quite a journey with John. I love [his wife] Laurette and they’re just the sweetest, sweetest people.”

Katherine Kelly Lang

McCook: “I love how calm she is. She’s a beautiful girl. She’s so loving and giving to me. We are amazed that we’re still here and we’re so happy to have each other. She and Thorsten and I had scenes together recently, and afterward we sat far apart in my dressing room, which is big enough to do. It was so lovely to hear her laugh and talk to us and to be easy. I forget how much I adore her. I really do.”

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