DAYS: Behind the Scenes, Articles/Photos

[Contessa Donatella]

Yeah, no surprise. We look at it differently. It was accepted that if someone was hysterical & about to harm themselves that a good slap would bring them out of it. 

What I mean is that we don't know if that was literally 5 years or 7 years or 3-4 years because time is relative & not necessarily one day = one day, etc. 

Just like with the Mike Horton paternity reveal we know that it was 8 years in calendar time while the show was going on day to day, but, it may have been more because it seemed that Mike played by Wesley Eure was SORASed. 

I know I've not seen this scene. 

Roman & Doc had a much more teasing element to their relationship. 

@carolineg   One thing I think is clear & that is that during the childhoods John was much more than a special uncle. You can see in many scenes, to me anyway, he is clearly the parent in charge. The twins were young & might not remember it very accurately but Carrie was older & I think she knew he was "Dad." 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Donna L. Bridges

[Lye-C]

There’s nothing indeterminate about how long John raised the kids. It was five years. We saw the kids onscreen. We could see how old they were. None of them were SORASed. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Okay, but look at what they show the audience. She is hysterical. She's not making sense. She's trying to get out of a moving car. He slaps her, classic style. And, what is the result? She calms down & stops fighting to get out of the car. We have to ask ourselves what story they just told. What was their intention? I think it's clear. 

I don't think that PFS was writing any subtext that came from the Dynasty role. It was her daughter who watched Dynasty & pointed him out to her mother as someone she might want to be in the cast of DAYS. 

 

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I agree that Roman & Marlena came from different backgrounds which included class distinctions.

Of course, it's not like John came from a background like her either. 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Donna L. Bridges
add newspaper article

[Lye-C]

You’re right. As an Alamain, John came from an even higher class than Marlena. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Days of Our Lives: The Complete Family Album by Lorraine Zenka. a 30th Anniversary Celebration.Regan Books. An Imprint of Harper Collins Publications. Copywright @ 1995 by CPT Holdings. Inv. Interview: DEIDRE HALL (Dr. Marlena Evans Brady "Doc") On Days of our Lives since 1976 (with some time out for other projects and trying to become pregnant), Deidre Hall has played Marlena Evans Brady longer than she's done anything else in her life, including being married, having children, going through school, and living at home with her parents. "It's my longest-lived relationship and certainly a home." Deidre points out. In many ways , for the viewers and actors alike, it's a home environment of times gone by. "Salem offered me a multigenerational environment that most people never have because we're now in a community of single parents and latch-key kids," said Deidre. "We're lucky if we ever spend time with one or two of our grandparents. I think that's one of the things that's so comforting about the show." Deidre shared other insights, too. On Turning Down the Role of Dr. Marlena Evans"I thought there had been a mistake, or everyone else turned it down because there was something about this part, the show, or something that everybody knew that I didn't know. So I turned it down. A few months later if was offered to me again. Now I was certain something really must be wrong if they couldn't find anyone to accept the role. Then they made it clear that there was no one else who they wanted and were very surprised by what I had thought. So I came on board. On Working with MacDonald Carey and Frances Reid"Their sense of propriety, dignity, and regard for their profession was so present. I learned stage manners from them. How important it is to come on stage respectful of each other, learning the names of the crew, being courteous, cordial, and cheerful regardless of your mood. That's a great lesson to be learned. I cared about earning their respect, becoming a peer. People say don't take yourself too seriously. I do take myself seriously on stage. I learned that too from Mac and Frances. On John Clarke and Suzanne Rogers"John Clarke was one of my first co-stars, and he's magnificent to this day with even the smallest of scenes. He brings so much value to every moment. He's engaging, entertaining, and captivating as the character. I love him with all my heart. There are reasons he's lived so long on the show. Suzanne is the same way. These four are my heroes." What working with her sister taught Deidre"I worked with my twin sister, Andrea. It was a magnificent time and fun watching her do something she didn't know was hard to do. She had a very difficult scene; a short phone call and burst into tears. You can cry anywhere but on stage... well, she simply said, 'I can cry.' At that point, three years in the show, I could not cry on stage. She hung up that phone, and I'll be darned if she didn't burst into tears. I looked at her and figured, if she can do it, it can't be that hard. After that, I never had a problem crying. I had been making it harder than it really is. It was like when she first came on and I was telling her about all the marks, overlaps, sound, and so many things. Her reaction was, 'I can do it. I've seen you do it. How hard can it be?' We taught each other a lot in those moments." What Deidre taught her sister"Her character Samantha had to testify at her sanity hearing. She had her script, I reminded her to study it. She shrugged it off because it was just one page. Later, she realized the lines 'made no sense.' Of course not. Samantha was emotionally disturbed, ranting, dissociating. I helped her work on that scene. She couldn't memorize it, so we created a dialogue in her head that the audience wouldn't hear. It gave her a subtext to relate to. The next day on the set she was breathtaking. The crew burst into applause, and that only happens about once a year on a set." Why Deidre loves acting and how she does it"I enjoy the exploration of a character, yet I don't give any character a prelife. I find a universal reality. I don't personalize it myself. I know other actors do. If I'm a woman whose husband has left, what are the levels and beats of the emotions I would go through. I sit down and sort that through. For example, on the news, a woman's son has just been killed by a drive-by-shooter. She's not crying, not raising her voice, not looking at the interviewer. She looks at her hands a lot, keeps her eyes away from human contact. I study that emotion completely and go on stage and repeat it in detail without feeling it. I show up in the moment and relate to the person I'm with. The situation will provide the emotion. I want to know how that emotion will manifest. I don't have to imagine that my baby died in order to show you how somebody felt when that happened to them. I don't go there; I think that's too dangerous. About Wayne Northrop"Wayne was even tempered, infectiously gentle, with never a malicious moment. He could tease anyone on any topic because everybody knew that he was completely benign. It never came out of anger, prejudice, rage, or resentment. It came from a place of absolute humor. For example, when we used to share dressing rooms, Jed Allan and Robert Clary shared. One day Wayne went to the prop department and got a doorknob and attached it to their door, two feet off the ground. I laughed so hard I thought I would need oxygen. Robert, who is about 4'7", laughed too because it had been Wayne who did it. And there was the time I had an emotional scene with John around the holidays. Wayne came out in a raincoat and flashed me with Christmas ornaments hanging from every part if his body... he did have shorts on. It was funny, totally goodhearted. We all miss him enormously." And about Drake Hogestyn'I'm crazy about him! He's very bright with a background in dentristry studies before baseball and acting. We asked him about a concussion once and he had chapter and verse. He just knows about many many things. And, he's funny. I love what a great father he is. Of course, he's been taught by a great mother, his wife, Victoria, who is extraordinary." About her favorite story lines"I was particularly interested in Sami's bulimia story. I've been around it a bit and realize it's tough to spot. I've had few stories I haven't loved. I didn't love the Kellam Chandler story. But I did love the Johnny story. And I loved the Mickey-in-the-sanitarium story. But, I did love the Johnny story. It was my first introduction to 'sweet acting,' sitting with a co-star who shows you by example how to communicate real tenderness. John is a very deep-feeling, tender man. It comes through in his work. John as Mickey, sat across from me discussing his son and Laura with such incredible sweetness. I remember thinking, 'I want to be here for you.' He evoked something deep from me. And I loved working with Elaine Bromka. I really love her. The first day we worked together I knew I wanted to work with her, so I went to Tom and asked for a story on grief therapy. After all, Stella's son had died and Marlena's infant son, Don Jr. died of sudden infant death syndrome. Well we got a story together. Stella threw me in a pit!" On the day MacDonald Carey died"When Mac died, I was washing my hair at the studio and felt John walk in. I remember raising out of the shampoo bowl and giving into his arms without much being said. We held each other with water running down my face, down my back, across his shoulders, the two of us just crying, so often after that we spent so much time saying, "Do you know how much I love you? Do you know how much you do for me? Do you know how much I get from you when I walk in and get to see your face here, what a comfort and source of strength you are for me, what goodness you bring to my life?" Those are the important conversations with people. I just love him with all my heart. " What Deidre loves the most about Marlena"I love that she has deep relationships, a fierce sense of loyalty. I love that Marlena is blind to her daughter Sami's deceptions. She loves her so thoroughly. In a scene recently I was emotionally torn between reaching for Sami and reaching for Carrie. The director said reach for Sami and Ali said, of course, I'm her natural daughter, you know. I had to laugh because that is always my natural instinct, to reach for her. I'm mad for her. I think she's an extraordinary actress. What irks Deidre about Marlena"She has no sarcasm, no guile. I think she needs that. In my own life I have plenty of sarcasm, guile, mystery, and raucous, raging humor. I *loved* playing a devil because I got to play that side with Tony, John, my girls, and Celeste. Tom Langan, co-executive producer, had to keep pulling me back. When I first laughed as the devil and I slapped a Bible out of a priest's hand, it shocked everyone. It was a little bit frustrating to hold myself in. I only wish the voice hadn't been computerized." What's sexy...what's not"We did a scene in my office with John talking out all his feelings about Isabella. He took off the collar and left. I said a prayer for his comfort and guidance. Then I took the collar and caressed my face with it and smelled it. I love him so much. That was sexy. Taking clothes off is not sexy. No one really likes it. No one is comfortable doing that. Empathic scenes are sexy because they're so deeply felt. We're grown up. I don't want to see tongues on camera, thighs and breasts and lower backs. " About John and Marlena on the Plane"It was incredibly hard. It was necessary for us to both break down to a point where we were both emotionally out of control. We tried it again and again and again and again. Drake and I don't hold back much. We work with dials on 10 whether fighting, screaming, kissing, etc. Finally after about eight takes Tom Langan came out of the booth and said to me, " I'm sick and tired of you playing safe." I'm sick of it!" He verbally beat me up a bit. "I know you love Drake. I know you love Wayne. If anything ever happened to either one of them you would die a million times. This is goodbye, babe. I want to see some guts! Don't give me this safe stuff. I was so angry and so confused: I *always* give everything. Well, I trust him so much I played it out of me. Afterward I cried so hard I couldn't stop. Drake had just grabbed me, threw me on the conference table, pulled off my coat... really pushing an actress beyond what anyone would dare do to me. I thought the audience would die seeing this. But, it worked. About changes in her character"Until headwriter James Reilly and Tom Langan got together Marlena was never tarnished. They knew they could bring me back from the conference room table, from the airplane and the devil. Jim wrote very cleverly. There's great storytelling and I was in some of it.

[carolineg]

After the Roman reveal.  Not before.  We saw RoJohn with Carrie and the twins in the 80's.  But John really stepped back from Roman/Marlena and the twins and Carrie wasn't in town while he was with Isabella.  John wasn't really back into that part of the canvas until the affair started to ramp up. It all comes back to the SORAS'ing.  If they were in town did John have a relationship with them offscreen?  Early Sami and Carrie seemed to have a fondness to him so I assume so-we just didn't see a lot of it in the 1991-1993 time period.  Hope that makes more sense.

@EdibleFlowers I know when John raised those children on screen, but Sami was born in 84.  In 1993 she's 15.  There are some years unaccounted for.  Sami and Eric did not grow up in real time.

@j swiftRoman absolutely has/had a savior complex.  I don't think I know enough about Anna/Roman to really judge.  I don't know if there was any real love there on Anna's part.  I think Roman was probably sincere.

 

[Contessa Donatella]

But as far as we know he did not live a normal Alamain's life experiences. If he did, he does not remember them. 

[Lye-C]

Sami was 8 when she and Eric went to Colorado in November 1992. When she returned in January, she was 15. John was onscreen in Salem over the course of those two months and the only one who he was raising was Brady.

John raised the twins from ages 2 to 7. It was all shown onscreen. Carrie was 12-16 during that time. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by EdibleFlowers

[carolineg]

Yeah, even as one of the biggest supporters on John/Marlena on this entire board this conversation is not making a lot of sense.  I am just going to tip toe out of it and agree to disagree.

[Lye-C]

Trying to apply real years to SORASing just doesn’t work and can only be messy. Just look at the mess that is EJ’s SORAS. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Yes, you're right. Where I am right now in Dec. '91 Isabella has just finally told John that she's pregnant & right now he has NO involvement with the children & is completely obsessed with trying to find out what has happened to him in his life & resenting that he is not Roman & more or less a loner who is suspicious of most people, etc. He's going through a really rough time. 

When Anna & Carrie appeared Roman was very concerned for their welfare but I don't think we ever saw affection, what we saw was respect & of course at the same time because of his feelings for Marlena he was anxious to acquire a divorce. Sure, in the past Roman & Anna may have loved each other. We really have no basis to judge that. 

[carolineg]

That's what I was talking about John completely steps away from Roman/Marlena and ostensibly the kids and gets lost in the Danielle/Romulus story then the Alamain stuff, and, of course, Isabella's illness/death.  So while theoretically John still could have seen the twins-it just wasn't showed.  Marlena/Roman were also slightly backburnered back then, so it's possible all these things happened off screen.

Agreed re: Anna/Carrie.  I don't think we ever had enough information about Anna/Roman to really gauge.  When Roman told Marlena about their relationship it seemed like there were legitimate feelings there, but Anna was telling several lies at the time so it's hard to tell what was the truth on her end.

[Contessa Donatella]

12-3-91 Day 15 Not a jerk. Roman & John on hands & knees crawl into the Mayan pyramid. Outside Izzy & Marlena are awkward. Bo is mostly running from somewhere to here. Roman & John have to work together, which they do. Just as they finally get somewhere Lawrence & Gretchen catch up with them & hold them at gunpoint. Suddenly Stefano appears only we only hear him & see his shoes. It is not Joe Moscolo. Victor is chained to the wall. Carly finds him & frees him & gives him water. 

[carolineg]

I personally don't think Roman gets to be peak jerk until 1992-94.  There are several scenes where Roman is a jerk to John though and very pushy with Marlena during this 1991 period.  It's all kind of understandable in this story though.  We know RoJohn isn't a bad guy, but Roman just knows this man stole his life for 7 years.    I actually think RoJohn/John treats Marlena pretty badly during this (leaving her in a motel when she first arrives, sleeping with Isabella in Mexico) and you can tell she is hurt by these things.

Roman starts to change for me when he gets really controlling and judge-y with Carrie, extremely jealous of John's relationships with anyone close to Roman, starts butting in with his opinions on Marlena's career, and basically always thinks he's right about everything.  Meanwhile, he goes on undercover cases and does whatever he wants for his job.  There is a clear shift in writing by that point (and it might be BTS stuff) and John is the understanding, helpful one and Roman is the stubborn, out of touch one.

[Contessa Donatella]

This is the best description yet of what people tell me I have to "look forward to". Well, if that's what it is when I get there I will own up to its being crapola writing, since that is what people tell me it was that happened, some change in the writing. We'll see. I'm keeping an open mind. God only knows Wayne had hideous writing when he played Alex North for the show!!!