Jeffrey Byron originated the role of bombastic Dr. Mark Boardman on PORT CHARLES in 1997 and the character crossed over for appearances on “mother ship” GENERAL HOSPITAL. Of course, the soap vet’s (ex-Richard, OLTL; ex-Jeff, AMC et al) real-life connection to GH is a lot stronger: He’s the son of the late, beloved Anna Lee, who portrayed Quartermaine matriarch Lila. Here, Byron fills us in on what’s new (a lot!) and how his mother is still influencing his life.
Soap Opera Digest: Tell us about your mother’s autobiography, Anna Lee: Memoir of a Career on GENERAL HOSPITAL and in Film.
Jeffrey Byron: About three years from the time she passed away, she started this book, so I aligned with author Barbara Cooper and we finished it. We went out and looked for a publisher and found one pretty quickly. We’re really excited because it was really my mom’s last wish. It’s a great book, and I think the fans will really appreciate all the great stories in there about her and her life during GH. But they’ll also learn things about her they never knew — how she grew up, how she got into acting, some really terrific Hollywood golden era stories that she tells from her associations prior to that. It’s a great read.
Digest: What else have you been up to?
Byron: I’ve been doing a variety of things. The No. 1 thing in my life is I’m shepherding the Nathan library. My late stepfather, Robert Nathan, was a prolific American novelist and I control about 50 of his titles, so I’m now developing those works for television and film. We just got our very first deal with New Line Cinema that’s in development right now. They just hired a terrific screenwriter, Deborah Moggach, who adapted the latest version of Pride And Prejudice with Keira Knightley. This particular story is a beautiful romantic comedy. It’s Robert Nathan’s retelling of Romeo And Juliet with a twist — that they never died. It’s called Juliet In Mantua. Romeo and Juliet are about 25 to 26. They’ve been banished from Verona and the joke is that the bloom has come off the rose. They’re not really happy and it’s the story of how they rekindle that magic.
Digest: That’s great. Are you still acting?
Byron: Yes. I did a pilot for Lifetime, a romantic comedy called WOMEN ON TOP. It’s another version of SEX AND THE CITY, but it takes place in L.A. with three very different Hollywood women. I play the ex-husband of the television executive and I’m basically a prototype of Donald Trump. I did it with a combover [laughs].
Digest: You’re also an accomplished artist, as well.
Byron: Thank you. I’ve got this brand-new business, which I love. I’ve always been an avid photographer, so I’ve been shooting over the last couple of years. I’ve been traveling and I took a lot of photographs and I put them on canvas. I hung a lot of them up in our home so when people would come by to visit for a dinner party or whatever, people would ask where I bought that, so I thought maybe I’ve got a business here. I got a commission for La Quinta Resort and Spa [near Palm Springs, CA]. They have a gallery there called The Studio Gallery and they commissioned me to do renderings around their hotel and golf courses, and now I’m commissioned by five other places. It’s very relaxing for me.
Digest: Do you think it’s time for Dr. Boardman to show up again on GH or GH: NIGHT SHIFT?
Byron: I’d love to reappear as Dr. Boardman. It was one of the most fun jobs I’ve ever had acting. I really enjoyed the character. If anyone wants to bring him back, I’m ready and available.
Digest: Jeffrey, is that a wedding ring on your finger?
Byron: It is. My wife and I just celebrated our second anniversary. She’s a wonderful woman and our meeting was very serendipitous. When my mother passed away, I had to put the family house up for sale as part of my duties of the executor of the estate. So, I did that and the very first day, all the realtors came to look at the house. This very attractive woman walked in and, mind you, I’d never seen her. I didn’t see her face. I heard her voice, a very distinct voice with an accent, and I peered around the corner because I was buried in the kitchen because they don’t like the owners to be there, and I saw this very shapely figure from the back. I went to my realtor and I said, “Who is that woman?” and he said, “That’s Lana. She’s fantastic.” He picked up the vibe and said, “Do you want to meet her?” I said, “I don’t know anything about her. I don’t know if she’s married or involved.” He said, “Let me look into it.” Two weeks later, he called me up and said, “I’ve finally been able to track her down,” and he gave me her number. I called her and we had a 45-minute conversation on the phone and, at this point, we still hadn’t seen each other. The very next day, I took her out and from that day forward, we have never been apart. We’ve been together for three years and married for two. I have a fantastic stepson, Dimitri, who’s 22. He’s one of the bonuses of this relationship because he’s my new best friend. He’s a really great guy and I enjoy being around him. I have a fantastic wife and a fantastic life — and my mom brought us together. I have no doubt about it. That’s Mom!
