June 2006 - The Parklander Magazine

Josh Taylor ...continued from pg. 23What advice would you give to dads abouthow to help kids survive in the 21st century?First, make sure you never, ever have one like Sami Brady,my daughter on Days of Our Lives. She’s always makingtrouble but if it weren’t for Sami, we’d all be out of work.My dad was an extraordinary father and a great football coach.He was a loving, open, tough country boy who always said it’s okayto cry and it’s okay to hug people. He taught me to treat otherpeople as equals, with equal respect, and to be man enough toshow my emotions.Any idea where your character’s going in the future?No, but I just signed a new two-year contract. I have no control overthe storyline so I don’t’ worry about it. It would be fun if Roman dida flip and became a bad guy but I don’t see that happening. He stillneeds to lead those wagon trains. Tell those real men out therethat all of us real men on the show are glad they’re watching.Paul SatterfieldPaul Satterfield attended college on a basketball scholarship andearned degrees in English literature and dramatic arts. He hasperformed in feature filmsPaulSatterfieldincluding Bruce Almighty andCreepshow, TV movies includingHotel Malibu and Family Album, andprimetime and daytime TV in Will &Grace, Just Shoot Me, General Hospitaland The Bold & The Beautiful. He methis wife Elizabeth when she workedat ABC-TV in publicity. They havetwo children, Camron and Chloe.Currently this handsome 6-feet-4actor plays Dr. Spencer Truman onOne Life To Live (OLTL). We askedexecutive producer, Frank Valentini,what he was looking for that madehim cast Satterfield in that role.“We have a talented ensemble,”said Valentini. “Not just prettyfaces. We don’t think only abouthow an actor will work in aparticular role, but how the actorwill work within the ensemble, withthe family they’re involved in andwith other characters. For Spencer, we knew we wanted someonedichotomous. Paul looks like an all-American good guy and heplays a doctor who’s a manipulative bad guy.”Valentini knows real men watch soaps. “Everyone is attractedto a good drama,” he says. “Especially a good drama with lotsof humor and clever sarcasm, like OLTL. Through the years,pro sports figures have visited the studio, very excited to meetthe cast because they watch the show. Yankees pitcher David Wellsis a fan.”Valentine also thinks that in the 21st century, soaps have moregoing for them than raw emotion. “They also have action andadventure that appeals to both sexes. Just as horror movies havebecome the kind of entertainment women enjoy and pursue, soapoperas are now sought out by men.”One Life To Live has been on the air for 38 years and Valentini hasbeen with the show for 21 years. It is a show that’s known for beingthe first to take risks with issues like interracial marriage and AIDsand Valentini promises more surprises are in store. He also saysPaul Satterfield will be around for a while. We were delighted whenPaul agreed to speak with us.the Parklander: How long have you played Spencer,and is this the first time you’ve been a bad guy?Paul Satterfield: About a year. I always play bad guys—at leastinitially they’re bad. I try to find some honest moments that are nottypical of the mustache-twisting villain. There are a lot of layers andit’s written so I can play it that way. As far as soaps go, OLTL isthe best one I’ve ever worked on.What is it about your character that appeals to women?Spencer doesn’t appeal to all women. Some women find him sodetestably creepy that they can’t relate to him at all. But women likethe idea of that moment of danger—and intelligence and power andall the things that go with a charming villain.Why do you think real men watch soaps?Kelly Monaco (Sam on General Hospital). When I was playingcollege basketball, we’d schedule a break around lunchtime so wecould watch soaps. We’d hoot and holler, come up with one-linersand nickname people after different characters. I know a lot of menmy age and a little older who seem to enjoy being able tovicariously act out fantasies—romantic fantasies and power trips—by watching soaps.How did you decide to become an actor?When I was a kid, we put on little performances and my step-dadwould film us. My uncle at the time, Kris Kristofferson, was in amovie called Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid. One of Kris’ acquaintanceswas James Coburn and I was a huge fan of his. These werethe manly guys I wanted to be like. I got a commercial agent inLos Angeles at the urging of a neighbor, Alec Baldwin. He’d startedin soaps. He told me to take some classes. So I moved from thebeach to Hollywood and got serious about it. I got the job on GeneralHospital because of a play I was in.What’s the best thing—and the worst—about on a soap?The best thing is having a steady job, and working with peopleyou like. It gets a little stressful sometimes and it can be a bitintimidating. Before OLTL, I’d never had more to do or moredialogue to learn. I think I hit my stride about five months into it.Now it’s just fun. The bad part is time spent away from my wife andkids because we do work such long hours.Do your kids watch the show?Not really. My wife TiVos it and we catch up with it once in a while.Where do you see yourself in five years?The reasons you start in this business and the reasons you end uptrying stay in it are sometimes so different. I’ve had some successwith primetime and movies but I don’t think I’ll be taken seriouslyas an actor until I’m about 60. Right now I’m just trying to do thebest job I can with this and take care of my family.As a father, what advice would you give about helpingkids survive in the 21st century?I’ve put a lot of thought into that lately. I’m so fortunate becausemy wife is all common sense and old-fashioned values. I was raisedhard-left, liberal and hippie as can be and I’ve gravitated towardsbeing a little more conservative because of that. Kids today arerunning around with tattoos and everything pierced, which is fine;but there’s a sort of defiance that goes along with that. So I’d say,have good family values.24the PARKLANDER