♥ Home Run 2006 ♥ Note on soap magazine publication dates and content of articles/interviews regarding multiple soap stars: Many of the monthly or every other month (and sometimes quarterly) magazines back in the 1980's would be on the newsstands a long time before the date on the actual magazine. We've noticed, for instance, that DAYTIME TV magazine did an interview with Drake in late 1986 about his upcoming wedding, which was scheduled for December 1986, yet the interview didn't appear until the July 1987 issue several months later. Therefore, it might be a bit confusing to read about his "upcoming" wedding in an interview dated July 1987 when you happen to know he was married in December 1986. We've tried to date the articles to match the date on the magazine, regardless of when the events talked about took place. Hopefully it will make sense as you go along! We've also edited some of the articles/interviews to just include John's storyline, since this is a Drake/John website. We've left out comments and sections about other actors or storylines unless they're involved with John's storyline. This too should be very apparent and clear when we've done that so it makes sense and you don't have to skim through a long article to find the "John parts." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Who Makes Your DAYS? Find out how your fellow fans feel in this once-in-a-lifetime (well, every four decades or so) poll. Favorite Actor EVER 1. Drake Hogestyn (John) 2. Peter Reckell (Bo) 3. Jason Cook (Shawn) 4. Stephen Nichols (Ex-Patch) 5. Matthew Ashford (Jack) Most Romantic Couple Of All-Time 1. John and Marlena 2. Bo and Hope 3. Patch and Kayla 4. Jack and Jennifer 5. Lucas and Sami 6. Shawn and Belle 7. Brady and Chloe 8. Roman and Marlena 9. John and Isabella 10. Shane and Kimberly Most Memorable Wedding 1. Jack and Jennifer 2. Bo and Hope 3. John and Susan 4. Patch and Kayla 5. Austin and Sami Wildest Storyline 1. Marlena's Possession 2. The "Alien" Twins 3. Kristen/Susan 4. Swamp Girl 5. Princess Gina Hottest Hunk 1. Drake Hogestyn (John) 2. Peter Reckell (Bo) 3. Bryan Dattilo (Lucas) 4. Brody Hutzler (Patrick) 5. Jason Cook (Shawn) DAYS OF OUR LIVES FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE, 1/30/06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Star To Watch In 2006 DAYS' John, Drake Hogestyn What would you like to see happen to your character in 2006? Drake Hogestyn: Our show has been famous for supercouples over the years. I'd like to see a return to that. Is there someone that you would like to see John get more heavily involved with in 2006? Drake Hogestyn: I've had a wonderful time working with Lauren Koslow (Kate) this last year. I don't know where they're going with the story, but I hope we continue to work together in 2006. I think we bring a different element. It's an against-all-odds story. You have a hero and a devious woman. Their respective spouses are presumed dead, Tony DiMera's evil men are injecting John in the hospital with drugs, and then the devious woman in the story is showing a compassionate side and pulling John through the drug addiction. It was interesting for John Black to expand himself in a different area. Is there a character you would like to see return in 2006? Drake Hogestyn: Stefano DiMera. He has been a formidable adversary for John. There's a huge love/hate relationship that we never got to finish out. There's so much back story. I had a wonderful time working with Joe Mascolo. We never had a chance to have closure with the relationship of those two men. Would you like to see John find happiness in 2006? Drake Hogestyn: Happiness is a scary word in the town of Salem. Conflict is really good. Do you have a wish for DAYS in 2006? Drake Hogestyn: I'd like to see the show continue to take chances in 2006. THE YEAR IN SOAPS, UPDATE YEARBOOK, Spring 2006 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ The Best Of The Best (And The Rest) Your Picks For The Year's Hits And Pits The verdict is in: GENERAL HOSPITAL declared a mob war on its rivals, landing on top for the second year in a row with its stories of maudlin mafiosos and their bulletproof molls. The crime drama got stiff competition from THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; however - fans agreed that Cassie's death really brought that show to life. Best Soap 1. GENERAL HOSPITAL 2. THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS 3. DAYS OF OUR LIVES 4. THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL 5. GUIDING LIGHT Once again, Maurice Benard made fans an offer they couldn't refuse: Vote for him. Period. But by heaping calamities on their characters, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS and THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL gave a fighting chance to Joshua Morrow and Ronn Moss. Best Actor 1. Maurice Benard (Sonny, GENERAL HOSPITAL) 2. Drake Hogestyn (John, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) 3. Joshua Morrow (Nick, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) 4. Eric Braeden (Victor, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) 5. Ronn Moss (Ridge, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) And they say romance is dead. In the last twelve months, your favorite duos have dealt with everything from rape and murder to drug addiction and prison time. Yet we - like them - keep coming back for more. Most Romantic Couple 1. Sonny and Reese, GENERAL HOSPITAL 2. Gus and Harley, GUIDING LIGHT 3. Nick and Bridget, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL 4. Nikolas and Emily, GENERAL HOSPITAL 5. John and Marlena, DAYS OF OUR LIVES Since soaps can only tell so many stories at a time, that means that not every actor or character can be on every day (or, in some cases, at all). But this logic held little weight with you, as you sounded off on some of the goings-on. Craziest Waste Of Talent 1. GENERAL HOSPITAL doesn't nail shut Tamara Braun's dressing-room door to prevent her from leaving her role of Carly. 2. DAYS OF OUR LIVES keeps John and Marlena apart for so long that viewers start to forget what they look like together. 3. THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS writes off Bobby before giving him the fling with Nikki that fans had been waiting for with bated breath. 4. In honor of GENERAL HOSPITAL's big new storyline for Felicia, the show replaces Kristina Wagner. 5. THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL puts its cutest couple, Thorne and Darla, on the backburner. Actually, they fall off the stovetop altogether. THE YEAR IN SOAPS, UPDATE YEARBOOK, Spring 2006 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Hit...Or Miss! Hit - DAYS' Marlena Reunites With John After Marlena's long battle with amnesia and the interminable separation of one of DAYS OF OUR LIVES' most beloved supercouples, fans got a loving reunion to remember. Marlena remembered her past with John (for keeps), and Alex met his demise. The reconciliation was set in motion when John asked Alex's new bride for a dance. Seeing Marlena in John's arms was as rewarding for viewers as it was for them. This being DAYS, things got a little far-fetched when John injected her with a hypodermic needle through her evening gown instead of in the arm. And how on earth did John know he had the antidote to the mind-controlling drug when he didn't have a clue what the devious doctor was giving Marlena? But we digress. (This is a Hit...) Thanks to John's miracle shot (and Drake Hogestyn's fierce commitment to his character), Marlena's memory returned, treating fans to some loving flashbacks of Marlena and John dancing at their wedding and roasting marshmallows by a fire. Deidre Hall sold the moment with Marlena's teary-eyed proclamation that she loved John and only John, but the sweetest touch came when John called Marlena by her nickname for the first time in months. "Doc...you called me Doc," declared a downright giddy Marlena, echoing fans' swooning sentiments. But viewers would not be satisfied until Alex was vanquished. John got his chance after Dr. Evil held Marlena at gunpoint on a cliff, setting up a raucous confrontation that sent Alex (Wayne Northrop) plunging to his doom. It was a sly wink to longtime fans, who know that Roman (also Northrop) "died" when he fell off a mountaintop in 1984. Tying John and Marlena's romantic future to their past made this a true affair to remember. Janet Di Lauro, SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 6/13/06