♥ Exclusive:
Drake Hogestyn -
His Unauthorized Biography
The Un-Authorized Biography Of Drake Hogestyn!
John:
While the life he leads as John Black on DAYS OF OUR LIVES is full of intrigue and mystery, Drake Hogestyn finds peace and pleasure in the quieter things in life, such as his family, his work, and the love of baseball. It has been a long road for this Fort Wayne, Indiana native to the top of the daytime heap in the role fans long to have continue for years.
Since 1986, Drake has been one of the stars of this leading daytime drama, and has garnered a fan following unlike any other actor on television. He is now considered the quintessential soap super hero, a title he does not take lightly.
"I want my work to get to that woman in Kansas who is ironing the clothes and watching the show," states Drake. "In my scenes, love scenes in particular, I want her to burn a hole in her husband's shirt. I want her to be riveted to the scene."
Donald Drake Hogestyn was born on September 29th as the second of four children born to manufacturing executive, Bill, and a homemaker, Shug, and led what you would call a typical childhood. His dreams were that of any other boy, to be a success. First, his priorities lay with becoming a dentist, an interest that may surprise some, considering the path his life has followed. He then found that his love of baseball overrode all his other desires, and he pursued that dream wholeheartedly.
A gifted athlete, Drake's early years were spent in the Midwest where he played the sport throughout his tenure at North Side High School and after graduation, was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, but chose to attend college on a baseball scholarship.
After graduating from the University of Southern Florida, Tampa in 1976 with a degree in microbiology, Drake was drafted by the New York Yankees, where he played on their farm team in Oneonta, New York. This aspiring third baseman had a promising career in the majors, until he was sidelined with a knee injury in 1978, thus ending his major league career. His love of the game continues to this day, and he has passed that passion on to his children, particularly son Ben.
A passion he also, regrettably, left behind when he signed on with the Yanks was the love of his life, Victoria. The two met when he was fifteen and she was twelve, on a baseball diamond of course. She rode past on her bike, and he admits, "It was love at first sight for me. I knew then that there was only one woman for me." He admitted to leaving love notes for Victoria in her mailbox for her to find first thing in the morning, by using his pole-vaulting pole to sneak out of his window in the middle of the night.
Their love has endured many obstacles and deterrents. The two were separated after high school and Victoria married another man, a union that did not last. Some five years later, the two reunited after Drake called her on Valentine's Day, 1983. They were married in 1984 and went on to form a family that consists of Rachael, Ben (Victoria's children from her first marriage), Whitney and Alexandra. (OOPS! This is wrong. Drake and Victoria got married in 1986, not 1984.)
Rachael, the oldest, is a straight-A student and excels in dance, where she and all her friends work just as hard as her daddy does, practicing about twenty-one hours a week!
Next in line is Ben, the only male in the brood. Drake is proud that, although a preteen and at an age when grades tend to slip for boys, Ben has maintained a steady average, while continuing to be a 'ladies man,' just like dad's character on DAYS.
Whitney, whom Drake lovingly calls 'the sweetest girl in school,' has a personality very much like his wife Victoria. Whitney also takes dance lessons, but it is acting that has this young girl all abuzz. She's already worked with dad on the annual DAYS Christmas episode and has designs on a future in the business.
Finally, Alexandra, who is the youngest in the family, has a knack for a field that is unlike her brother and sisters' interests. This young girl loves animals and has taken horseback lessons for some time.
With four children, a wife, a bustling career, and personal appearances to boot, Drake seems to be in the center of the storm, but it was a road he chose carefully, or rather, chose him, after his baseball career came to an untimely end. (OOPS! This is wrong. Typo alert! This sentence makes no sense. In our opinion it should be "but it was a road he chose carefully, or rather, it chose him, after his baseball career came to an untimely end" not "but it was a road he chose carefully, or rather, chose him, after his baseball career came to an untimely end" like this article states.)
Drake was discovered by Joshua Shelley, head of the Columbia Pictures National Talent Search Program, and was among thirty (out of seventy-five-thousand) who were chosen to fly out to Los Angeles to participate in an intensive, three-month training program.
After completing this course of study, Drake appeared in the CBS television show, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, as well as a pilot called GENERATION, which highlighted the adventures of a typical American family in the year 2000. Drake's character, Jack Breed, was one of the sons of the family, who would be a gladiator in a sport like Rollerball.
Right after a stint as a waiter, Drake landed what he thought would be a short-term role on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, beginning on January 10, 1986. Introduced to viewers as The Pawn, a mummified mystery man covered from head to toe in bandages, Drake quickly found an identity for his character, and DAYS viewers, as the elusive John Black.
He then (and to this day) has taken an extensive search for his true identity that led him through the experience of living Roman Brady's life as well as the lives of Forrest Alamain and John Black, lover and father. (Please Note: In our opinion this would sound better if it said "has undertaken an extensive search for his true identity that led him through the experience of living Roman Brady's life as well as the lives of Forrest Alamain and John Black, lover and father," not "has taken an extensive search for his true identity that led him through the experience of living Roman Brady's life as well as the lives of Forrest Alamain and John Black, lover and father.") Now, he is John Black, priest.
To further investigate his past ("I don't think John has run his course yet", he explains), Drake has re-signed with the show until 1998. He explains his reasons. "I love it here! I enjoy the work. It's a lot like baseball. I can think of so many analogies to that crazy game! You might have a day where you are all over the place in your scene. But the next day, you always have a chance to be better. So that's the way I approach it all. I am a realist. Although I signed back to back four-year deals, I am not under the delusion that they are more than eight, twenty-six week contracts. So, at any time, they can tell me that I am outta here! I consider DAYS a book you can sit down with an hour each day, and it is a never-ending story. I've got a good working relationship with everyone on the show here. I'm lucky. I'm blessed."
Picture Captions:
Although this spot is usually reserved for DAYS Producer, Ken Corday, Drake feels comfortable enough to 'park' in this exclusive spot, at least for awhile! (Picture Description: It is forbidden to scan the material from ANY soap opera magazine or newspaper, so we'll instead draw a picture for you all regarding how adorable this picture is. This photo has always cracked my partner and I up. You know the expression, 'when the cat is away the mice will play,' right? Well, just like this caption says, Drake feels comfortable enough to "park" in Ken Corday's spot, so you're imagining Drake's beautiful 1961 Corvette or 1957 T-Bird in Ken's parking spot, right? Nope, instead, we see Drake SITTING on the name plate that says in big letters, "KEN CORDAY." ROTF! Drake is clad in sweat pants, T-shirt and running shoes, so it looks like he was maybe going for a jog around NBC's Burbank studio when he stopped for a breather. The only disappointing thing about this photo is that it is in black and white, AWW SHUCKS!)
On the television show, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, Drake starred with actors such as Peter Horton (from THIRTYSOMETHING), Richard Dean Anderson (MACGYVER), and a very young River Phoenix (seated, center). (This gorgeous SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS photo of the whole cast is absolutely breathtaking. It looks like it was maybe from an official press release for this show. The reason I'm chuckling is because every time I see this picture, I suddenly take off singing a rendition of the song "One of These Things Is Not Like The Others," HA! Oh come on now, you all don't watch SESAME STREET?! You know, "One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn't belong, can you tell which thing is not like the others, by the time I finish my song." LOL! I've come to the conclusion that Drake was hired to star in this show simply because he is an extraordinary actor, handsome beyond belief, sexy, funny, has a mesmerizing voice, can not only ride a horse but also pony a horse, roundup stray cattle and is an instant hit with the ladies. Some of his castmates, on the other hand, I think were hired because they LOOK like they could be siblings in real life. Drake is the ONLY McFadden brother that has very dark hair and blue eyes. His castmates either have blond hair or very light brown hair, and it tickles my funny bone. Anyway, if you'd like to see what I mean, click HERE to see the same photo that I'm describing so you can see for yourselves why I'm laughing. You're very welcome in advance for putting that SESAME STREET song in your heads. *evil grin* HEE HAW! RIDE 'EM COWBOY!)
(Left-right) The Hogestyn family (circa 1994) - Rachael, Whitney, Victoria, Ben and Alexandra are a close-knit bunch. You can regularly find them attending sports events, as well as dance recitals for Rachael and Whitney!
Drake, Victoria, and his parents, Shug and Bill Hogestyn took an Amerikamis Boat Cruise to benefit the Starlight Foundation, a charity which grants wishes to terminally ill children, in 1988.
Lucille Giordano, INSIDE DAYS OF OUR LIVES, 7/95
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♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES
Hot-Dogger Hogestyn
Drake Hogestyn (John) and his thirteen-year-old son Ben have found a great way to bond with nature and each other at the same time - they go surfing! "We have friends in the area of Little Dume where you need a key to get onto the beach," says Drake. "It's got a pirate's cove beach, little breaks (in the surf) and no attitude." Attitude? "Vals (people from the San Fernando Valley) come out with a territorial attitude. They'll surf right over you if they think you're in their space. I'm too competitive, so I find places where we can just relax and do our thing." Drake says his favorite time to surf is around 7:30 in the evening, when "all the old surfers are out and the youngsters are gone. The old Malibu crowd, now in the work force, are out there with all the sea lions and pelicans. We talk about the way life used to be when we were single, we surf and enjoy the sunset."
SOAP OPERA MAGAZINE, 9/5/95
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♥ Scene Around The Set
DAYS OF OUR LIVES
The Great Escape
As you've read on these pages many times before, soap weddings and parties take the longest amount of time to tape, sometimes stretching into the wee hours of the morning – good news for the union crews, not so good for the actors who get paid the same whether they work one hour or twenty-four. The taping of DAYS OF OUR LIVES' recent Gala Night of Magic benefit took two of those long days.
About twenty regular cast members worked together for the taping, something that Melissa Reeves (Jennifer) enjoys. "I like the storylines where everyone is here at one time because it gives you a chance to work with people you usually don't," she says. The shoot started off as a mini-party with everyone catching up, gossiping, heading off to lunch together, but as time wore on (and on), the actors would find their own little corner of solitude to rest their eyes or read a book.
The benefit's big finale was Houdini's Great Escape. Tony convinced Vivian to let John perform the underwater stunt…and rigged the gear so John would die. With the recent Houdini homage on THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, and the departure of Sheila, SOAP OPERA UPDATE thought what a trip it would be if, instead of John, Sheila herself emerged from the water tank. Alas, Austin and Lucas saved John from a perilous death – but not until hours of complicated water shots kept Drake Hogestyn (John) immersed for most of the evening. Drake, in good spirits, didn't seem to mind, though – he's a Malibu resident/beach bum/surfer and is used to the water. Still, the WATERWORLD references were running rampant, but we have it on good authority that the DAYS stunt was a lot cheaper to produce than the Kevin Costner film.
Picture Captions:
The Gala Night of Magic benefit aired over two days - which actually means that it took two days to tape. But the "perilous" water stunt was taped all at once to save time and money...and so the prop department didn't have to refill that big tank!
Kristen (Eileen Davidson) worried about John (Drake Hogestyn) performing the trick successfully, but in real life, Davidson knew that the stunt was a piece of cake. Actual magicians trained Hogestyn on how to free himself from the tank.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES rented the water tank from an actual magician – and Drake Hogestyn (John) became privy to Houdini's secret. But don't ask the actor to tell: A good magician never reveals how a trick is done. And there's no doubt that Hogestyn is now a good magician.
Believe it or not, that really is Drake under all that water. Another actor might have asked for a stuntman for the underwater antics, but not our Drake! For the record, actors – even those as well paid as Hogestyn – get paid extra for stunts like this!
SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 10/3/95
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♥ SOAP OPERA UPDATE
Exclusive Interviews
The Descent Into Hell
Drake Hogestyn
(John, DAYS OF OUR LIVES):
Sure, you thought you'd seen it all on DAYS OF OUR LIVES - and with good reason. But wait! There's more! Drake Hogestyn (John) tells SOAP OPERA UPDATE in our Feature Interview how and why he's bracing himself for yet another intense storyline that will surely keep viewers on the edge of their seats for weeks and months to come. If you thought fighting the Devil was hard work, wait until you read what's ahead for this daytime hero, as well as all of the beautiful women in his life...page twenty-four.
To Hell And Back - John Changes From Saint To Sinner, But Will He Also Change Lovers?
Drake Hogestyn may have taken pride in the recent possession storyline, but he's relieved that the story came to an end. Not because he had a problem with its content, but because it was the most grueling work he's ever done. And thankfully, with its conclusion came the end of John the priest.
"As far as I'm concerned, I don't know how much more mileage there was to get out of the aspect of being a priest," he confides. "Being a leading man, I don't know where else they could have gone with it. Hey, come on, he's a leading man - and the situations that he must be in usually aren't found in the priesthood. I'm confident that they probably could have come up with some other ideas, but I believe the end result was Marlena's exorcism. I think that was the whole reason they made me a priest. Someone was going to have to exorcise Marlena, and I looked like the logical candidate. I'll tell ya: I don't know if I could survive another storyline like that. I finally wondered aloud, to (his wife) Victoria, 'Is this what they call burn-out?' I personally was glad to finish that storyline. It was very difficult, the hardest one that I've been involved with. It drained me emotionally and physically, and I am just now bouncing back."
As maybe only Drake knows how. He's been doing it since he was released by the New York Yankees, putting the brakes on a baseball career.
"That was a real love of mine, and I strove hard to be the best," he remembers. "It's a humbling experience. That was hard to face. But in reality, you're only as good as your last game. And the same thing here: You're only as good as your last show. My name on this door here slides on and off. And the day will come when that name will slide off. Until then, I'll just keep doing the best I can do. I never feel that I'm secure here. Never do. Maybe because I've watched things happen on the show; other actors that I believed were secure here are no longer with us. That tends to ground you, and it keeps your perspective that everything can change. My dad always said, 'Don't rock the boat and keep your nose clean,' and that is something that has always been very important to me."
This from the first daytime performer ever to be signed to an unprecedented four-year contract.
"Okay, you know what?" he asks with a smile. "Here's the way I look at it. Not that I'm insecure - I believe in myself and I know what my shortcomings are and I know what my strengths are, but you say a four-year contract, that's basically a twenty-six-week contract...and you have eight twenty-six-week contracts. Now if you're not pulling your load or if the audience shifts their interest to another area, then at any point in those twenty-six weeks they can say, 'Look, it's been nice,' and your name slides off the door. So I always keep that in mind, and approach each day as though my career depends upon these particular scenes."
Like the scenes he faces in the coming weeks. Targeted for murder...but will the murder be his own? "From a survival standpoint, I hope it's not me. Guessing along with the writers, perhaps a scenario will play out that Tony is going to kill himself. He will do that in such a manner - in front of people, in front of Kristen at least - that she will have to be the material witness or whatever. It will look like (John's) the one who did it. It's his gun, fingerprints...and if she happens to pull away, well that would leave (John with) the one person who had always been there (for him): Marlena."
Which obviously brings up the controversy surrounding who John Black should be romantically involved with. SOAP OPERA UPDATE will tell you it's split between Marlena and Kristen. Drake explains that he wins working with either leading lady: Kristen and John are creating history with their characters, where Marlena and John have already created history. But "there will always be this undeniable bond between John and Marlena - that's always going to be there. It is played in every scene that we play. It doesn't even matter what we're doing; there's just always an underlying current that is there, and there is an undeniable attraction. And I think that conflict is healthy for the fans - the ones that want us together. They see that and it teases them, and makes them more ardent to have us together."
Bill Lieberman, SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 10/31/95
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♥ Thank God For His Family
Drake, wife Victoria, and their four children reside in Malibu. Daughter Rachael and son Ben recently appeared as day players on their dad's show, but do they plan to follow in his footsteps? "They have no desire," says Drake. "They were just there because it was summertime and they were bored. The only one I would have to worry about, I think, is Whitney. She's ten, and she's so sweet and tender and vulnerable and trusting, and she has kind of indicated that she may want to try it at some point. But it would be a very, very difficult decision. I wouldn't want to deny my children anything, but I don't think for young children that it's the healthiest environment to be in."
Bill Lieberman, SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 10/31/95
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♥ Take Five
Drake Hogestyn
(John, DAYS OF OUR LIVES)
SOAP OPERA DIGEST: How has stardom affected your family life?
Drake Hogestyn: Show biz is all my (four) children have ever known, so they don't understand what the big deal is when their friends and strangers act goofy around me. (My wife) Victoria would probably prefer that I was a dentist.
SOAP OPERA DIGEST: Do you admit when you are wrong?
Drake Hogestyn: Yes. It's amazing how often I'm not right.
SOAP OPERA DIGEST: Who do you dream about?
Drake Hogestyn: Pleasantly enough, my wife.
SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What is your biggest vice?
Drake Hogestyn: Eating ice cream before bed.
SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What was your most embarrassing fan encounter?
Drake Hogestyn: A lady was jumping up and down yelling for me to take my shirt off. Without thinking, I said, 'No, you take yours off.' And she did.
SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 12/5/95
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