Man Laid Off From Job Finds Gig On Soap Opera

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Man Laid Off From Job Finds Gig On Soap Opera

POSTED: 1:56 pm CDT March 26, 2007

UPDATED: 7:44 am CDT March 27, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Just a few years ago, Jason Gerhardt was working for Sprint in Kansas City. Now, he's appearing on ABC's "General Hospital."

Gerhardt plays Cooper Barrett on the popular soap opera.

"A few of the 'General Hospital' fans have been saying, 'Hey, you're the new guy,'" Gerhardt told KMBC's Jere Gish.

It is Gerhardt's first big break in television.

A few years ago, Gerhardt was working at Sprint, but what he really wanted to do was act.

"I just could not shake it. I just couldn't shake it. But I also couldn't get up the guts to just jump ship and do what I wanted to do," Gerhardt said.

Gish reported that changed when Gerhardt was laid off. Gerhardt decided it was his chance to go after his dreams. He started out modeling in Kansas City, then lived in New York before packing up his soon-to-be growing family and heading to Los Angeles.

"We packed up a moving truck, our three dogs, my pregnant wife, who was sick. (There was) a lot of pulling over. That was quite the road trip out to L.A.," Gerhardt said.

Gerhardt said he worked several jobs for years, waiting for a break in show business. Eventually Gerhardt landed a screen test for "General Hospital."

"They told me, 'You didn't get that role, but we've got this role for you and here it is. Can you be in wardrobe at 2 o'clock?,'" Gerhardt recalled.

The rest has been a whirlwind.

"The dreams that you get that are put on the heart that maybe you're here for a reason, you can't ignore those. You've got to do everything and anything you can to pursue them," Gerhardt said.

Gerhardt was in Kansas City over the weekend to attend a friend's wedding. He said soap opera fans can expect some fireworks soon with his character.

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