T H E JO U R N AL-N E W S, M O N D A Y, JULY 28, 1980
Soaps provide stability in an actor's world by Vernon Scott
HOLLYWOOD (UPI) - While movies and prime time TV are in the throes of a crippling actors strike, daytime soap operas are sudsing along with their large casts intact. Performers in soaps, unlike movie and most prime time actors, work on video tape rather than film Their union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, has reached a contract agreement with daytime producers At least one soap star is convinced that acting in daytime TV, considered by many performers to be the actor's Siberia, has many more blessings than the glamorous, more highly paid prime time shows and movies He's Peter Hansen, who has played attorney Lee Baldwin off and on for 18 years in the “General Hospital" series.
A distinguished looking gentleman of middle years, Hansen dreamed of superstardom as a young man He was. in fact, under contract to Paramount for seven years and had good roles in seven feature films. A World War II Marine fighter pilot, Hansen also played In virtually scores of episodic prime time TV shows. Eventually, however, it dawned on him that he was not destined to become another Paul Newman.“I was out there working in pictures and TV but I was just staying alive,’’ Hansen said, amused "I wasn't a star and. to an extent, I lost the desire to become one. Oh, I'd have liked it. but 1 knew it wasn't going to happen “I’d had my chances I’d done movies, commercials, news, episodic TV shows by the gross. But I found myself still waiting for the telephone to ring. I never knew when a job would end or another would come up. "It's the nature of the business to worry. I rejoined my church and the minister convinced me to tithe 10 percent of my earnings and leave the worrying to providence. And I haven’t worried since. "You don’t have to worry about employment once you join a daytime drama.”
Hansen appeared in "General Hospital" for two weeks when the show made its debut 18 years ago He left the series for two years for the "Mr. Novak" and “Day In Court " series before returning to the soap "I was married and raising a young family,” Hansen said "I wanted to be a working actor. ‘General Hospital' was the perfect solution Things went smoothly until about four years ago. "They brought in new writers with some new ideas and I was fired. Fortunately, I did some voice-over commercials to tide me over. A year later they called me because they wanted to re-establish the character and, happily, because of fan reaction to my absence.” Fan reaction is important to Hansen and all soap stars. According to Hansen, soap fans are the most avid in the country. He says he cannot walk the streets of any American city without being recognized and greeted by viewers. "I never had recognition like this before," he said. "It makes a big difference to an actor. "Men comprise more than 10 percent soap opera viewers now. They aren't closet viewers anymore The college and university courses on soap operas to study their social significance and impact on our times "Certainly, many actors look down on the soaps. But if you're going to be sensitive about not being In prime time, then you shouldn't take the job. "Salaries aren't as high as for nighttime series. But I’ll match my 17-year income with all but a very few of the big network stars. If I’d earned the same amount of money working in episodic TV I still wouldn't be as well known.“The longevity factor is tremendous in soap* The job security is good And the character I play is interesting. He's been married three times but never divorced. He buried all three of his wives.
“Young actors come into soaps and after a year or two they’re anxious to get out. They want to move up to prime time and movies. I tell them to forget about leaving the show to advance their careers. "Most of them are convinced by their agents that they are hot properties with big fan followings. They leave and are never heard from again “Roy Thinnes and Mark Hamill are the only young actors who moved successfully onward and upward from 'General Hospital' in all the years l've been associated with the show "There is a youth movement now on all the soaps. It upsets me somewhat when my character gets put on the back burner while the stories focus in on the younger characters "This especially hurt when I became the first member of the cast to win an Emmy a couple of years ago. But I can’t complain. We're a close-knit family of actors and we enjoy working together every day. "I don't know the details of this strike, but I am grateful the soaps are still In production I hope the strike is settled soon to the satisfaction of everyone involved.”
By
Paul Raven ·
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