Between 1980 and 1988, Terry Lester played Jack Abbott on the daytime soap opera, The Young And The Restless. "...When David Hasselhoff and Jaime Lyn Bauer left the show," Terry recounted in 1982, "my character was back in a big way. Abbott is now the core of most of the current storylines on the show."
On reflection in 1985, Terry readily admitted, "I think Jack has changed in the past 4 years, although every once in a while there’s a tendency to make him the same old circus villain he was in the beginning. Happily the producers, the writers and myself were usually able to keep Jack progressing – never a wonderful person, but not nasty just to be nasty."
From 1980 to 1989 Peter Bergman appeared on rival soap opera, All My Children. After he left All My Children, Peter took over Terry's role on The Young And The Restless.
He made the observation at the time, "Terry Lester is a very crafty actor. You never knew what really went on in the brain of Jack Abbott....I come on the show, and Jack Abbott at 37 falls in love for the first time. No one is more surprised than Jack himself."
Peter also conceded, "I had no intention of replacing anyone on any show. On All My Children they had always been failures."
Terry explained, "When you’re the first to play a character, you can pretty much determine how it’s going to be done. But when you assume a role someone else has played, you are at something of a disadvantage. Essentially, you’re stepping into the second act of a production, and it’s up to you to make the audience accept you as if nothing has changed."
Between 1979 and 1981, Terry Lester and Susan Flannery made guest appearances on the nighttime soap opera, Dallas.
Of television dramas, Susan Flannery made the remark, "It would take an entire year to resolve in daytime what I’ll be doing in 10 weeks of Dallas. I find the prime-time pace more natural, much better."
Of daytime soap operas, Susan pointed out, "When you’re in their homes 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, they start to think of you as either part of the family or the Walter Cronkite of daytime television."
"I've been lucky," Susan acknowledged, "I’ve been able to play strong, liberated women compared to what the average actress gets to play. Even this role on Dallas...(she’s) very much the match for J.R Ewing. You hardly ever get to see women being unethical or cunning on television." Except "if they are they’re psychopathic."
Since 1987 Susan played the part of Stephanie Forrester on The Bold And The Beautiful. "I’m the bad person, I think, I’m the one with the secret," Susan said of Stephanie. Of housewife roles, Susan confessed, "I’m not trying to sound like a flag-waving feminist, but they’re just boring."
In 1976 Terry Lester starred in 15 episodes of the science fiction series, Ark II, which was shown spread out on Saturday mornings between 1976 and 1979.
Set in the 25th century, the series talked about saving the planet by bringing "hope of a new future to mankind."
The narrator told viewers, "For millions of years Earth was fertile and rich. Then pollution and waste began to take their toll. Civilization fell into ruin." In the 25th century, "only a handful of scientists remain. Men, who have vowed to rebuild what has been destroyed...."
On reflection in 1985, Terry readily admitted, "I think Jack has changed in the past 4 years, although every once in a while there’s a tendency to make him the same old circus villain he was in the beginning. Happily the producers, the writers and myself were usually able to keep Jack progressing – never a wonderful person, but not nasty just to be nasty."
From 1980 to 1989 Peter Bergman appeared on rival soap opera, All My Children. After he left All My Children, Peter took over Terry's role on The Young And The Restless.
He made the observation at the time, "Terry Lester is a very crafty actor. You never knew what really went on in the brain of Jack Abbott....I come on the show, and Jack Abbott at 37 falls in love for the first time. No one is more surprised than Jack himself."
Peter also conceded, "I had no intention of replacing anyone on any show. On All My Children they had always been failures."
Terry explained, "When you’re the first to play a character, you can pretty much determine how it’s going to be done. But when you assume a role someone else has played, you are at something of a disadvantage. Essentially, you’re stepping into the second act of a production, and it’s up to you to make the audience accept you as if nothing has changed."
Between 1979 and 1981, Terry Lester and Susan Flannery made guest appearances on the nighttime soap opera, Dallas.
Of television dramas, Susan Flannery made the remark, "It would take an entire year to resolve in daytime what I’ll be doing in 10 weeks of Dallas. I find the prime-time pace more natural, much better."
Of daytime soap operas, Susan pointed out, "When you’re in their homes 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, they start to think of you as either part of the family or the Walter Cronkite of daytime television."
"I've been lucky," Susan acknowledged, "I’ve been able to play strong, liberated women compared to what the average actress gets to play. Even this role on Dallas...(she’s) very much the match for J.R Ewing. You hardly ever get to see women being unethical or cunning on television." Except "if they are they’re psychopathic."
Since 1987 Susan played the part of Stephanie Forrester on The Bold And The Beautiful. "I’m the bad person, I think, I’m the one with the secret," Susan said of Stephanie. Of housewife roles, Susan confessed, "I’m not trying to sound like a flag-waving feminist, but they’re just boring."
In 1976 Terry Lester starred in 15 episodes of the science fiction series, Ark II, which was shown spread out on Saturday mornings between 1976 and 1979.
Set in the 25th century, the series talked about saving the planet by bringing "hope of a new future to mankind."
The narrator told viewers, "For millions of years Earth was fertile and rich. Then pollution and waste began to take their toll. Civilization fell into ruin." In the 25th century, "only a handful of scientists remain. Men, who have vowed to rebuild what has been destroyed...."
