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Often actors who gain notoriety on daytime television find the transition to prime
time and film fraught with frustration and woe.
Former Santa Barbara star Lane Davies beat the odds. In July 1989, Davies left
the pivotal role of Mason Capwell, the sardonic witted alcoholic with a penchant
for quoting Shakespeare at the drop of a dime.
"I was just exhausted," says the actor. "I had been keeping an unbelievable
schedule between my theater work, the soap and some recording I was doing."
So Davies took seven months to "goof off" and travel the word.
The first stop on the journey was France, where he cut a record. "Not a huge
hit, but I made a little money," says Davies, "and got to meet a bunch of
interesting people (among them Rod Steward, Paul McCartney, and Neil
Young). The [Hollywood] scene had never held much attention for me, but it
was fun to play that game for a while."
Then it was on to Switzerland and other points in Europe, where he connected
with former cast mate Todd McKee (ex-Ted Capwell; now Jake on The Bold
and the Beautiful). The two joined forces and visited Kenya, Israel and Egypt,
later traipsing back to Europe before heading to India, Nepal, Thailand,
Singapore, Tahiti and Australia.
"I've yet to find words to adequately describe it," Davies says of his adventure
abroad. "It got me centered and gave me a much broader perspective on the
world in general and my life in particular."
He also said it was something that he had to do before committing to a wife and
family. "Before I left, I sensed I was getting ready to settle down, but there was
just stuff I wanted to do and see and get out of system. So I did."
Back in the United States, he took on the job of artistic director of Santa
Susana Repertory Theater Company, a non-profit professional theater which he
co-founded, in Simi Valley, Calif. In addition, Davies nurtured his own theater
career in an Atlanta-based production of Macbeth. He also got married (he and
wife, Holly, are now the parents of an 8-month-old son, Thatcher Lee) before
landing a starring role in the Good and Evil pilot.
The half-hour comedy, to air on ABC, is about two sisters. Davies' character,
Eric, is a cardiologist who is romantically involved with 'good' sister Genny
(Margaret Whitton) but physically dallying with 'evil' sister Nicole (Teri Garr).
For Davies, the series not only represents a shot at mainstream stardom, but,
since it's taped in front of a live audience, he gets to have his cake and eat it
too.
"The theater is my first love, and it touches me in a place that working in front of
a camera never quite did." Which is why fans of SB will remember Mason
turned up missing in action many summers, while the actor headlined at the
Georgia Shakespeare Festival.
Davies says he thrives on a live audience, and the sitcom is really the best of
both worlds. "I've got new material every week from some of the best writers in
television and I have a live audience on the weekend. For me it's the perfect
combination."
For Davies, the transaction from daytime to nighttime was relatively painless.
Except for his international vacation, he worked steadily (guess-starring on
Dear John and Married With Children) until the series came along. "Leaving a
soap can be scary and hard on your ego," says Davies. "It's difficult because
once you get out in prime time you realize your daytime credits don't really
mean that much to producers and directors who are working in nighttime.
"The toughest part," he says, "is realizing you are just one of 70,000 actors in
Los Angeles and not the big star you were two weeks before when you were on
daytime."
If Good and Evil is a hit, Davies plans on thoroughly enjoying himself and all the
attention. "I am a bit apprehensive about the loss of privacy but when you
intentionally get into this business you know about the drawbacks."
And if the series doesn't take off, he has no qualms about returning to daytime.
"I like the nature of the work too much to say I would never do a soap again,"
says Davies. "I would hope that people who liked me in daytime will follow me
into nighttime, and then follow me back. I never say never."
time and film fraught with frustration and woe.
Former Santa Barbara star Lane Davies beat the odds. In July 1989, Davies left
the pivotal role of Mason Capwell, the sardonic witted alcoholic with a penchant
for quoting Shakespeare at the drop of a dime.
"I was just exhausted," says the actor. "I had been keeping an unbelievable
schedule between my theater work, the soap and some recording I was doing."
So Davies took seven months to "goof off" and travel the word.
The first stop on the journey was France, where he cut a record. "Not a huge
hit, but I made a little money," says Davies, "and got to meet a bunch of
interesting people (among them Rod Steward, Paul McCartney, and Neil
Young). The [Hollywood] scene had never held much attention for me, but it
was fun to play that game for a while."
Then it was on to Switzerland and other points in Europe, where he connected
with former cast mate Todd McKee (ex-Ted Capwell; now Jake on The Bold
and the Beautiful). The two joined forces and visited Kenya, Israel and Egypt,
later traipsing back to Europe before heading to India, Nepal, Thailand,
Singapore, Tahiti and Australia.
"I've yet to find words to adequately describe it," Davies says of his adventure
abroad. "It got me centered and gave me a much broader perspective on the
world in general and my life in particular."
He also said it was something that he had to do before committing to a wife and
family. "Before I left, I sensed I was getting ready to settle down, but there was
just stuff I wanted to do and see and get out of system. So I did."
Back in the United States, he took on the job of artistic director of Santa
Susana Repertory Theater Company, a non-profit professional theater which he
co-founded, in Simi Valley, Calif. In addition, Davies nurtured his own theater
career in an Atlanta-based production of Macbeth. He also got married (he and
wife, Holly, are now the parents of an 8-month-old son, Thatcher Lee) before
landing a starring role in the Good and Evil pilot.
The half-hour comedy, to air on ABC, is about two sisters. Davies' character,
Eric, is a cardiologist who is romantically involved with 'good' sister Genny
(Margaret Whitton) but physically dallying with 'evil' sister Nicole (Teri Garr).
For Davies, the series not only represents a shot at mainstream stardom, but,
since it's taped in front of a live audience, he gets to have his cake and eat it
too.
"The theater is my first love, and it touches me in a place that working in front of
a camera never quite did." Which is why fans of SB will remember Mason
turned up missing in action many summers, while the actor headlined at the
Georgia Shakespeare Festival.
Davies says he thrives on a live audience, and the sitcom is really the best of
both worlds. "I've got new material every week from some of the best writers in
television and I have a live audience on the weekend. For me it's the perfect
combination."
For Davies, the transaction from daytime to nighttime was relatively painless.
Except for his international vacation, he worked steadily (guess-starring on
Dear John and Married With Children) until the series came along. "Leaving a
soap can be scary and hard on your ego," says Davies. "It's difficult because
once you get out in prime time you realize your daytime credits don't really
mean that much to producers and directors who are working in nighttime.
"The toughest part," he says, "is realizing you are just one of 70,000 actors in
Los Angeles and not the big star you were two weeks before when you were on
daytime."
If Good and Evil is a hit, Davies plans on thoroughly enjoying himself and all the
attention. "I am a bit apprehensive about the loss of privacy but when you
intentionally get into this business you know about the drawbacks."
And if the series doesn't take off, he has no qualms about returning to daytime.
"I like the nature of the work too much to say I would never do a soap again,"
says Davies. "I would hope that people who liked me in daytime will follow me
into nighttime, and then follow me back. I never say never."