Terms Of Service: 1991-93, 1997-present
What was your reaction when your first stint as Michael came to an end and the character went to prison for kidnapping and attempted murder? “[Former Executive Producer/Head Writer] Bill [Bell] told me, ‘You did such a great job, but the audience won’t accept you unless you pay for your misdeeds.’ That was in the day when characters paid consequences [laughs]. But what a great way to be fired! At a party, [Bell’s wife] Lee came up to me and said, ‘Just know that we’ll be in touch.’ I loved the sentiment, but I was like, ‘Thank you, but I’ve gotta pay bills now.’ I knew this business enough not to wait by the phone, so there was a comfort in knowing that I had done a good job and wasn’t fired because of incompetence. Of all send-offs, that was a great send-off.”
What did you do in the three years that you were away from Y&R? “I had never gone to school for acting, so I decided to find a really good acting teacher. I studied with Charles Nelson Reilly.”
Were you ever concerned that Michael would be recast? “I fully expected it. They could’ve gone a different way with another actor playing Michael if they needed the character. It had been three years, which is a long time in acting, and I had moved on.”
What was your response when Y&R wanted you to come back? “The first time, I had to say no because the play I was in was going to Broadway. There was no way I was going to bail out of it so I had to say, ‘No thank you.’ Then I found out that we weren’t going to Broadway for many reasons and I was depressed. I don’t know if Bill knew that, but he called me and this time I said, ‘Yes!’ It was magical how it worked out that way.”
Did you ask what kind of story Michael would have? “No, I was never one to go to the writers’ office and ask about storyline. Bill was the boss. I had enough trouble with the acting angle of it to worry about the writing. Michael was so well-thought-out that whatever came down was always a pleasant surprise. It turned out to be a wonderful story because Michael had to work his way from the ground up again and his inner core is always, ‘I am the smartest person in a stupid town.’ ”
Were you worried about getting back into the groove of daytime? “I had a lot of anxiety about the memorization, but the brain is a muscle and it’s like going to the gym and putting the work in — even though it doesn’t make it any less terrifying. The character of Michael doesn’t allow you to be the stumblebum. You’re paid good money to say these lines and it’s up to you to deliver them. Still, I was terrified in those initial weeks.”
Did Michael feel like second skin to you right away? “Yes, because I had steadily built this character from the ground up for those first two years, so when I came back they took the time to evolve him. My whole first year was the fun of watching Michael struggle to show how important the law was to him, so they made him jump through hoops to get back his law license. So, it wasn’t about finding my character again, it was more like peeling the next layer of an onion to see what’s there. And then we peeled and peeled, and it was like gold coming down the chute.”
What do you remember about the first day of your return? “It seemed so seamless because I went in for a few meetings before coming back to work. Jennifer Johns, who was the head of wardrobe at the time, was my best friend, so during those three years I was away, I would go over to CBS to meet her for lunch, so I was never physically separated from the show.”
Who were you most eager to see? “Lauralee [Bell, Christine], because while I was gone she was so sweet and would say in interviews how much she enjoyed working with me. I could then say, ‘See, I wasn’t so bad, because it says right here on page 5!’ It was nice to get those little pats on the back. And of course I loved working with Doug [Davidson, Paul] again.”
What was the fan response like when you came back? “The fans were lovely. They always have been. I remember an old lady smacking me on the shoulder and going, ‘You are so bad,’ but then she laughed. I think the audience can tell when the actor is having fun on screen.”
