Antony Alda (Johnny): "I started watching Days when my dad was on and, over the years, I've had other friends on it, so I've seen it pretty consistently. I love the character. I've been very fortunate that the producers and writers are letting me go with him."

Denise Alexander (Susan): "When I think of Days, my memories are very warm and filled with a very familial kind of feeling, more so than any place else I have ever worked...I loved doing it so much that I didn't feel the need to take a vacation...It was a most wonderful experience."

Victor Alfieri (Franco): "It was great. Fran Bascom, who was the casting director back then, she’s the one who really discovered me because she got me that job and she thought I had talent. Days was huge back then, it still is. I was so excited I got the role because it changed my career and my life."

Krista Allen (Billie): "It was a blessing to be on Days. I loved the cast and crew, and it was on those stages at NBC in Burbank that I was given the tool of learning mass quantities of lines to perform the next day...Days was and always will be where I hypothetically took off my training wheels and learned to ride the acting bike....sometimes with no hands! Weeeeee!"

 

Kristian Alfonso (Hope): "Without sounding soapy about it, "Days" is home to me and always close to my heart...I'm honored and incredibly fortunate to be working with such a great ensemble of actors and such an incredible production crew...I feel very honored to be a part of this...legacy. Days gave me my first shot and believed in me enough to hire me the first time around. The show has brought a tremendous amount of happiness and enjoyment to my life."

 

Jed Allan (Don): "I didn't want to be under contract. So when I came on the show, I only came on to do four days as Julie's divorce lawyer. Twelve years later, I was still on the show...My fondest memory is of the time when Marlena and I got together when she first came on the show. We had a great rapport and great comedy sense...Those five years were quite wonderful, and stand out as one of those better times in my career...Don Craig was a fun role to play...it was enjoyable and charming...The overall picture was total joy, and I had a great time."

 

John Aniston (Victor): "Why has this show endured? If I could answer that question, I'd bottle the formula and make a fortune."

 

Matthew Ashford (Jack): "What I realized is that where Days' strength lies is in the families who watch us. People have welcomed us into their homes for [over] 40 years. In that time, they've had generations of their own family grow up, live and die. It's the same thing that has happened on the show. The audience continues to watch us. So basically, I say thank you to the fans for staying with us."

Tanya Boyd (Celeste): "It's such a positive environment, so I feel really lucky. Joe Mascolo is the best...I also like that the show is daring and bold enough to just go for it."

Kyle Brandt (Philip): "I love it here...Everyone from the directors to the custodian are people who I know by name and talk to every single day...I thought the other actors would have bigger egos, which I was pleasantly surprised wasn't the case...I will miss how much we laugh...It's the most fun job in the world."

 

Tracey Bregman (Donna): "I was hired for three days, which was actually the only reason my mother allowed me to do it. And, two years later, I left. I grew up a lot in those two years. I learned a lot there...It was a lovely experience, and I still watch the show to this day."

Elaine Bromka (Stella): "Loved every single day I worked -- each was a unique challenge..Tom Langan had a brilliant eye. After my dress rehearsal, sometimes even after my first take, he would add the one suggestion or tweak to knock the next take out of the ballpark.  It is very rare to have that keen and quick an eye under time pressure (or even the freedom to do such a thing anymore) and I am forever grateful to him.  We really, really cared about doing the best work possible...Daytime is certainly, hands down, the most stressful work of all the above.  I have tremendous admiration for the actors who continue to master scripts in such short order and deliver day after day."

 

Joseph Campanella (Harper): "I'm very proud I'm a part of the show's...legacy. I loved the steady work, the hours, the exposure and the fans. I thought the actors were unusually talented people. ..It was a marvelous atmosphere of friendliness and creativity...People like the villains, and I got nominated for the Emmy, which was delightful." 

 

Macdonald Carey (Tom): "Ted Corday called me and I wasn't getting any movies. He said 'Listen, I have a job for you.' He told me about the part, that the story would be about me and my family. He said 'I warn you. You're liable to be doing it for ten years.' The rest, you could say, is history...That's how it started and it just went on and on and on...thank God."

 

Matt Cedeno (Brandon): "It's been great to be on a show where you don't have to worry whether you will be cancelled tomorrow."

 

Judith Chapman (Anjelica): "There was something magical about Days. It was such a wonderful group, and that encompassed the fans as well. I had so much fun playing Anjelica...God gave me a goody with Anjelica...There was so much humor, and I really enjoyed doing that."

 

Crystal Chappell (Carly): "It was my first big job, so I got to learn most everything there. Meeting my husband [Michael Sabatino] was the most special thing I took away from that. I remember the fans being incredible. They were very vocal and supportive. Days was just this wonderful ride." 

 

Marie Cheatham (Marie): "Beverly Sills, the opera singer, was standing next to me at some charity function and we all sang 'The Star Spangled Banner.' I remember turning to her and saying 'I can't believe I sang with Beverly Sills!' and she graciously responded 'I can't believe I sang with Marie Horton!"

Shawn Christian (Daniel): “The show has done a great job throughout history of tapping into that fantasy world of that high-arc romance and drama and still having a grounded storyline and relatable storylines to people, which is very hard to do...Days has always remained true to its family root storylines, which is a testament for how many generations watch...It’s a great tradition, and I’m proud to be a small part of it.”

 

Eric Christmas (Father Francis): "I was the exorcism expert when Marlena was possessed by the devil. That was quite amusing for me since I'm not particularly religious and certainly not Roman Catholic. When the scripts called for me to say the Lord's Prayer in Latin...that was really tough. I had to do it in a way that suggested this character had done it for many, many years, the biggest single challenge possibly of my entire career."

Christie Clark (Carrie): "There is a good feeling at the show...The cast and crew at Days really want it to succeed. It's a fabulous place to work...So many people say, 'I started watching Days with my mom and my grandma.'..[I love] that warm, fuzzy tradition where our fans are getting the next generation hooked."

 

John Clarke (Mickey): "It's been such a wonderful growth experience, and not just in acting...The biggest reward has been the encompassing friendships that I have with so many people. It's like a family...When the show began, Ted Corday told me that Mickey is the character who is the most real and without any problems, so when we got into the situation in the loony bin, artistically that was a highlight for me, and very memorable...Being challenged by, and happy in, the same role for [over] 30 years is a big reward."

Jason Cook (Shawn): "From day one, the thing that always stayed true is the cast and crew, which have been amazing. I [played Shawn] for seven years and it's a part of me...I'm very close with this place and the people here. I've never been in one place for seven years. I didn't know what that felt like...It's amazing."

 

Barbara Crampton (Trista): "Days was the soap opera that got my feet wet and got me started...I've been fortunate to have been able to work on a lot of shows and have some great characters, and Trista was certainly one of them...It's quite an honor to be a small part of something that is such a success."

 

Roark Critchlow (Mike): "I'm a little bit in awe of something that can last that long and have that sort of appeal. In terms of the job, experience and the people I work with, they're all fantastic. There's no egos and there's no hierarchy...I'm happy to be able to work with people like that, and to be part of a class organization."

 

Patrika Darbo (Nancy): "The warm and fuzzy thing is very real, and it makes me love being on this show even more."

 

Bryan Dattilo (Lucas): "It makes me feel better knowing that I'm involved with such a long-running and respected show. Days has been doing it for so long, so well, and it makes me feel good that I can say it is the soap opera I'm on."

 

Eileen Davidson (Kristen/Susan): "The cast and crew are fantastic and, given what they are up against and how quickly they work, their attitudes and their commitment to doing a great job is unparalleled. And that has helped me do some of the best work of my life. It's been a real privilege to be there."

Casey Deidrick (Chad): "I will always cherish the time I had on Days and the people I got to work with. It really is one of the best families out there and I wish everyone the best. I am very thankful for this once in a lifetime opportunity."

 

John de Lancie (Eugene): "Of all those endless leading men who have gone through the halls of daytime television, a lot of them are pretty much forgotten, but people around the country still recognize me as Eugene because he was so different. I enjoyed Days. I particularly liked working with Arleen Sorkin, and so it was a very enjoyable time and a lot of fun."

Mark Drexler (Roger): "I think it is cool that the fans are multi-generational, and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of "Days of Our Lives." I am glad the show has [been on so long], and if they want Roger back . . . . just call!"

 

Michael Easton (Tanner): "It's funny. Every so often I think 'Where would Tanner be today?' That was a great experience. The time I spent with Macdonald Carey was the highlight. I got to spend some time talking to him and I learned a lot from him. He was a great guy."

 

Jane Elliot (Anjelica): "It was lovely being there. I couldn't have been happier, to tell you the truth. It was a very well-run show...It was a very sensible, hardworking and successful show, and I'm very glad I got to be a part of it. Anjelica was a wonderful character...It was fun, fun, fun. I was really happy there and everything was just very lovely and very enjoyable."

 

Wesley Eure (Mike): "Days was a very good place to start. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The show was pretty much an ensemble of people who genuinely socialized with each other outside of work. I met some of the nicest people...We loved each other for real; it was like having a second family...I love the show, I miss it, and I'm just thrilled and honored to be a part of its legacy."

 

Judi Evans (Adrienne): "I really loved that show, and it was always enjoyable and memorable...Adrienne was a great role, and the writing was always top-notch...I grew up on Days, and I feel very fortunate and very proud to have been a part of that show."

 

Mary Beth Evans (Kayla): "I look back on Days with such fondness., because I really grew up at that time. It was my first contract role, and it was very family. Stephen Nichols was great to work with. He's a wonderful guy, so supportive and sweet, and we really cared about each other and I think that came across on screen...It's great that the show is...a part of television history, and that's wonderful."

Farah Fath (Mimi): "You know, this is just the best job ever...I've cherished every moment."

 

Susan Flannery (Laura): "I'll never forget...Betty Corday came over from the production office. We were all surprised to see her. She sat down and said...'We're now the No. 1 show in the Nielsen ratings.' We were absolutely thrilled, so happy about the news. And we were No. 1 for a long, long time."

Don Frabotta (Dave): "I truly enjoyed working with everyone over the years. I was just so happy, and lucky, to be working as much as I did. I looked forward to getting up at 4AM to head to the set, why would I not be?...Betty Corday, in the early days, would come in to watch the dress rehearsal to give the final okay on how the show would be done. And no one would change a comma after that because the taping was viewed. She was truly a business woman and an Earth Mother. She truly cared about the performers in the "Days of Our Lives" family and was always so very kind."

Genie Francis (Diana): "I hope that Diana entered into the hearts of the audience as much as Laura from [General Hospital] did. I hope that they liked her, and that I did some good with the part...The working relationships were good and everything was very smooth. I was very happy there."

 

Joseph Gallison (Neil): "Days was a great experience for me...Gloria Loring and I had a very good working relationship. That was a terrific time, and I really enjoyed it."

Joy Garrett (Jo): ""You forget when you get in your car and you go to work and you go home, you forget how much people care about your character and about you as a person...It never occurred to me in a million years that I would play a mother because I've never been one...I'm not terribly family-oriented, so I think that's why this whole experience has affected me so much. I've just taken to my Days family...Most important of all, which we all know, are the fans. Without you there would be no soaps, there would be no Days of Our Lives, and there would certainly be no Jo Johnson."

Galen Gering (Rafe): "I am so fortunate. Having this job has really been a Godsend in that, because of our shooting schedule and the fact that we have 16 or 17 weeks off a year, I’m able to spend time with my family. All of those things are so great, and they make this job one of the best jobs, in my opinion, that one could have, certainly in the entertainment industry. And the people here are so nice and cool. It’s a win/win.”

Regina Gleason (Kitty): "In general, I’m still astounded and honored that after all this time I will be somewhere, (like of all places the restroom of The Louvre in Paris) and have someone say: “Kitty Horton!”...Please continue to love and support the best soap opera ever on TV! And always remember to take a moment to listen to the beautiful beginning theme song…I love that hauntingly melodic theme to "Days of Our Lives"…so glad they never changed it."

 

Staci Greason (Isabella): "For me, it was a really loving, hardworking, warm experience. I have very good feelings about that time in my life. When I was there, it felt like a family; we were all striving to create something together. I had a good rapport with Drake Hogestyn...I feel I was really lucky to have worked on that show...Playing Isabella helped me grow up. I was young, naive, shy and anxious to please."

 

Ivan G'Vera (Ivan): "It's always nice to feel that you're around when a celebration of such importance happens, because most shows come and go. I am glad to be a part of it because this show has a great amount of talent associated with it...and I enjoy all the people...This show is outrageous and unusual at times, but I'm proud to be a part of a show that stands out."

 

Deidre Hall (Marlena): "Marlena has been a role model for American women from the first time she appeared on television...She was one of the first single moms, and a career woman. The fact that she became kind of a phenomenon and a heroine surprised me as much as anybody else...The work has been a great source of pride and satisfaction, and it's also nice that the audience loves it."

 

Bill Hayes (Doug): "When I started on the show, I knew nothing about soaps. I only knew that they were bad...but I found out that bad was all wrong...they were fabulous! Doug was an exciting character, and they built on him and gave me more and more exciting things to do. To have Doug and Julie fall in love...as well as Susan and Bill fall in love...was a really memorable, wonderful time."

 

Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie): "I loved it all. I loved working hard, and working with people who cared...They cast the man who became my husband...I've had Emmy nominations and a lot of exposure, so I'd be a fool to complain. From that core group of the originals, it has always continued to be a very tight and loving group...I have never had anyone come up and complain. If they watched, they remember with love, and what on earth more can you ask out of an entire life than to be remembered with love? That's what I think is our legacy."

 

Rick Hearst (Scott): "I have a lot of memorable Salem moments...My goodbye scene when Scott was going off to med school, with Mac Carey and Frances Reid. I will forever hold that as a benchmark for my whole career, having worked with Mac Carey before he passed away."

 

Wayne Heffley (Vern): "It was an easy job because the character was so close to who I am. It was likely the best job I had in 45 years and more enjoyable than the over 600 films I've done. I really liked the quick pace and fairly regular job."

Shelley Hennig (Stephanie): "I just know that I'm very lucky, and my co-stars are amazing, so I really have nothing to complain about...I am thankful for this role that Days has given me and will miss playing this character. I am forever thankful for the fans and this wonderful gift that was given to me. It’s been a lot of fun to play and I wouldn’t change anything.”

 

Drake Hogestyn (John): "The show is like a book you pick up and read a chapter a day. You lose yourself in it and get away from whatever madness is in your life...The audience really wanted to see Roman Brady resurrected. I happened to be around at the right time."

 

Billy Hufsey (Emilio): "I had no intention of coming back, but the fans made me really want to do the show again, so it was because of them that I returned. Emilio was a character I immensely enjoyed playing...I loved being a badass. I liked mixing it up with Jack and Jennifer. I also liked when he started to mature a little bit."

 

Leann Hunley (Anna): "I had some good times on the show. It was almost otherworldly to be in this reality  that was Salem. We were just all so close-knit. It really was a family...Being part of the show's legacy is a testament to the fact that they're doing good work, and I'm grateful I had the opportunity to do that. Every day was a treat, and it was fun to go to work."

 

George Jenesky (Nick): "I've been very fortunate because the two leading ladies I worked with, Charlotte Ross and Lisa Howard, were really talented and a lot of fun to work with, and Antony Alda was a delight. Even when Nick was at his sleaziest, I think viewers had a sense that the guy wasn't bad through and through...I had a good run on the show...People who are into Days are really into Days. They have the most dedicated fans of any soap."

Jay Johnson (Philip): "I'm very happy where I'm at. I have been working, and I have had a lot of fun doing it. Days is good."

 

Renee Jones (Nikki & Lexie): "I remember being a kid and Days being my grandmother's favorite soap. When I first started on Days as Nikki Wade, it was heaven for me because I had watched all these actors on television as I was growing up. Everybody's great...Being a part of history like this is incredible and indescribable...To know that this will be around for so long, with such incredible actors surrounding you, it's just very, very humbling."

 

Stanley Kamel (Eric): "I had gone to a burnch in Malibu and Betty Corday happened to be there...A few weeks later, I auditioned for Eric. I'm sure I wouldn't have gotten the audition if it hadn't been for that luck of meeting Mrs. Corday that day."

 

Lauren Koslow (Kate): "Days means home to me. I've been on other shows, and this one has not only been the longest run, but it's the place as an actress where I've been continually and terrifically challenged. I'm still blown away anytime a fan comes up and says they have seen every episode."

 

Wally Kurth (Justin): "Days was my first professional television gig...The people at Days were nice...The opportunity that I got to sing at Days was amazing, and the people really enjoyed that part of Justin...and I'm glad I got to do that."

 

Thyme Lewis (Jonah): "That's the magic of it; to enjoy what you're doing and to be able to be on a show with a wonderful cast and crew, and people who support you and what you're doing. You realize how lucky you are."

 

Gloria Loring (Liz): "Days was one of the most important periods of my life. It was my first acting job....It was a time of tremendous growth, and I learned so much and met such wonderful people...The strength of the personalities of the actors, and the acting technique and the way we interacted was really extraordinary."

 

Kyle Lowder (Brady): "Getting the job in the first place would have to rank right up there as No. 1 for me. It was so overwhelming...It's a cliche but there really is a family feeling on this set."

Edward Mallory (Bill): "It was a memorable 14 years. I liked Bill because he was expressive and he had a lot of levels. Susan Flannery and I had just a great professional relationship, which really worked well for us and the show...My memories are very fond, and I think of that show only with love."

Kate Mansi (Abigail): "I was so fortunate when I came on the show. Everyone was so generous and kind and welcoming. They took me under their wing. If I can return the favor, of course, I want to be the same way."

Eric Martsolf (Brady): "I feel like I have grown a lot and I think that's just reflected in the work and that's a result of surrounding yourself with strong people. Days has done a great job in recruiting actors from our genre that are strong. When you're around strong people you simply become a manifestation of everyone around you. So that's always a wonderful thing when you have a great community around you that cares about the work as much as you do."

 

Gregg Marx (David): "It was my first real job as an actor, so it was a heady time for me, but I look back on it very fondly. I enjoyed playing David...It prepared me to play Tom Hughes on As the World Turns...It was just a nice group of people...It is nice to be a part of something larger than yourself...That's a nice legacy."

 

Joseph Mascolo (Stefano): "I've loved every minute of playing this man. [Stefano] could have died [in 1983], but look at him. Nothing can kill him. He can do it all...It's been of the most ideal situations ever. I take a lot of pride in being part of Days, and my pride is really founded on the fact that they gave me the opportunity to create a character like Stefano. He seems to have resonated out there with the people, and that's one reason I've constantly come back to play the role."

Margaret Mason (Linda): "When I left, the people on the show were so kind. They're lovely people who called and cared."

Chandler Massey (Will): "I'm going to miss everyone like crazy. I had so many incredible mentors at the show and made so many great friends... It has been such an amazing journey, and I am so grateful to have shared these four years with you all. As I move forward from Days, I will never forget the laughs we shared, the tears we shed, & the love we spread."

 

Peggy McCay (Caroline): "I've been associated with the show [for a long time], and I hope it goes on for a long time for everyone's sake...When you first come on the show, you kind of inherit generations of viewers. I think that's wonderful to have generations of viewers out there, still watching."

 

Karen Moncrieff (Gabrielle): "I liked Gabrielle very much, and I enjoyed playing the character for as long as it lasted. The fan reaction was very nice."

Julianne Morris (Greta): "There's a real sense of belonging at Days. I'm more comfortable here...I'm having a wonderful time...They are absolutely wonderful to work with, and I feel privileged to be [here.]"

Casey Moss (JJ): "My mom was ecstatic when I got Days, because she loves Missy Reeves. She used to watch the show all the time. Then, I found out that my grandparents watch, too. They've watched for 25 years, and I had no idea...I love working with Missy Reeves and Kate Mansi. They're always emotionally available... Missy is very motherly. She's very caring and has always been very supportive. Kate's been very friendly and nice too. I really appreciate that.”

Patrick Muldoon (Austin): "I was at Days at the beginning of my career for three years. It’s kind of a marriage, when a character is being created. The writers write it and then kind of tailor things to the actor. At the time they borrowed things from me and incorporated them into Austin and the story -– the boxing, the music ... Those were Patrick things that played to my strengths. I don’t have that with any of the other characters I’ve played in my career. There’s no other character in my career that I have this much of an emotional attachment to...I really love it. It’s great. Austin Reed is the most favorite character I’ve ever played."

 

Wayne Northrop (Roman & Alex): "It was a great experience...The job happened to be one of those magical meldings of the right time, the right characters, the right writing. I am grateful and surprised by [Roman]'s popularity, and the experiences I had with that character are irreplaceable. Deidre Hall's a hell of a lady and I love her dearly. It's a fond memory...and it will always be a positive part of my life."

 

Frank Parker (Grandpa Shawn): "This show is about people, real people and their problems. And the people who play those parts are the best actors in the world...Every scene with my daughters Kayla and Kimberly was always special to me. Even when it's your make-believe kid, you can't help but feel the dear, love, and it's as real in your scene as it would be in your real life."

 

Patsy Pease (Kimberly): "I had a lot of fun, and [it got better] with each return...Kimberly was a good, solid daytime character, but with her multiple personality storyline, I got to go outside the boundaries of Kimberly, and that was a lot of fun. I was grateful for the new opportunity...You always want to feel part of something bigger than yourself..and I was graced the privilege of beng part of the greatest soap on the planet!"

Austin Peck (Austin): "Days has given me so much. They gave me that break...I love Austin and I have playing him. I truly do."

 

J. Eddie Peck (Hawk): "My son, Austin, came down to visit the set when he was only 2, and not long after that, Tom Langan told me 'We're adding a new character to the show, and we're going to give him the same name as your son. [Jason47 note: Although Patrick Muldoon played the first Austin, the second actor to play the role ironically had the same exact name as whom the character was named after...Austin Peck!]

 

Thaao Penghlis (Tony & Andre): "I was just blessed that they brought a woman [Leann Hunley] for me on the show that, still today, is one of my favorite human beings...I love this group. I think the actors here are wonderful and very embraceful."

Julie Pinson (Billie): "I'm really happy. I like my job. I hope everybody likes this Billie...Everybody here has been so cool...This is the best I've ever had it...This show is so much fun."

 

Elaine Princi (Linda): "When I was at Days, I was playing one person posing as two people...For six months no one knew it was the same person, and that was the challenge of the whole thing. What more joy could an actor have than to do those wonderful, dramatic, bizarre things?...That was the most exciting role any actor could have."

 

Peter Reckell (Bo): "To be part of an institution like Days, and have a major impact, is an awesome responsibility. I feel I'm in a very special place to have been acknowledged in that way, and it's quite an honor...[To work in] a place that I consider home is a very soothing feeling. I feel like I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

Quinn Redeker (Alex): "It's the best of both worlds. You've got the longevity of a play, but it's new every day."

 

Melissa Reeves (Jennifer): "Working with Frances Reid and learning so much from her is what stands out to me...It's also been fun getting into all the catastrophes Jennifer's gotten into...When I started, it was a standard three-year contract with 13-week cycles. I thought 'Okay, I'll just take three months at a time. I'll pretend that I have just three months, and if it goes another three months, great.' I never imagined that it would go on for years and years. To have a part on a television show that has so much history is such an honor...I think of all the things I have had in my life because of this one show...It's just done so much for me personally. Ken Corday is such a family-oriented man, I think he really roots for all of our families, above everything else."

 

Frances Reid (Alice): "I thought, if Days goes one year, I'll be happy. The time has kind of slid by. Where has the time gone?...I don't know how anyone can ask for a better thing. It's been a positive experience from an actor's point of view. I've been very lucky, and I hold Mac responsible for that. He had a wonderful way of being able to extend himself to everyone, and that worked very nicely.,,Most of my professional life has been as Alice Horton, and I have no regrets."

 

James Reynolds (Abe): "I've been involved in many storylines that have been very exciting, and a lot of fun. I've always felt in some way that Abe is a central character in Salem because he has such good relationships with almost everybody, and offstage it's very close to the same thing. I think we have some of the best people around...It's been more than a positive experience, it's been wonderful."

 

Lisa Rinna (Billie): "Playing Billie was a magical time in my life and my career. The day I got the role was the day I could say 'I am a working actor.' I will be forever grateful for that."

 

Suzanne Rogers (Maggie): "When I started, I thought it would be three years and then I'd leave. But the audience took Maggie to heart and liked her...I owe a lot to the Cordays, and to some very good people I've worked with over the years. I feel so honored and privileged that I've been a part of this show. I've just been very lucky here, and I've had some wonderful storylines."

 

Charlotte Ross (Eve): "The best thing about working on Days was learning about working with other actors. I loved the high pace of it, the 40-page days and being able to take the character full circle. It was fun playing a vixen. I loved it and I got my aggression out...All in all, I had so much fun."

 

Michael Sabatino (Lawrence): "I had never done a daytime soap before, and I didn't know the grind, the quantity of material that you had to absorb and perform. Days has that amazing fan base. They adore the show and the characters, even old, evil Lawrence. And, of course, I met [wife] Crystal Chappell, so that's really the up side."

 

Philece Sampler (Renee): "I loved playing Renee, and it was a lot of fun. I know there were lots of letters when my character was murdered, which was very rewarding...I was very touched and very flattered that these people cared so much."

James Scott (EJ): "There are times when you really have the opportunity to delve deep and the work can be very rewarding. I work with an incredible group of people. It's a very enjoyable experience...I love what I do and I think what they say is that if you do something you love , you'll never work a day in your life. It certainly feels like that. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity that Days of Our Lives has afforded me."

 

Charles Shaughnessy (Shane): "The cast and the crew were the nicest, easiest and most group of people to work with. It was never a great effort to come to work, and that's the biggest compliment you could give to the show. It was great working with Patsy Pease, who's a wonderful actress...It was exciting to work with someone with whom you really felt things were happening."

 

Louise Sorel (Vivian): "The madcap things I did with Ivan G'Vera were outrageous and ended up being quite fun. As insane as I thought that buried-alive story was, I thoroughly enjoyed playing it because of the commitment that we all made to do it."

 

Arleen Sorkin (Calliope): "I immensely enjoyed working on that show, and the relationships I formed with the actors, producers and writers. I knew when it was happening that it was the best working experience I would ever have...When John de Lancie and I were onstage, it was electric. It was the kind of experience you only expect to have in theater, doing full scenes at full throttle, which was exhilarating and something we'll never forget...Being part of the show's legacy makes me feel like as long as that show's running, someday when I'm old and gray, I'll come back as Grandma Jones."

 

Kevin Spirtas (Craig): "I'm grateful that I had the goods to deliver and I'm grateful that the show feels I'm capable and they're going to take that chance with me...Working with Patrika Darbo has taught me a lot about who I am as a performer and as a person...I'm just so lucky...It's the best gig I've ever had."

Chrishell Stause (Jordan): "When they asked me, I said that I thought this [role] would be more interesting just because creatively it was something I hadn’t done before...I got really lucky, because Galen Gering and I get along so well. Like me, he’s a goofball."

 

Christopher Stone (Bill): "I've done two series of my own...but Days was my first soap. I was floored because the amount of work was triple that of a nighttime show. I don't think that I could have found a better group of actors, producers, etc... to work with. It was a really creative atmosphere."

Kirsten Storms (Belle): "Having been there for five years during my teenage years. I got attached to some of the people that I worked with. Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn felt like my second set of parents. Even now, when I see Drake, I cry, run up to him and hug him...I spent a lot of time on a good show and learned a lot."

Shannon Sturges (Molly): "I sort of treaded water on Days...They were lovely people...Michael Easton is one of my favorite people. He's such a neat guy...such a great actor."

 

Alison Sweeney (Sami): "I have enjoyed every minute of it. We're still a family and we still have many of the same values, beliefs and traditions that I'm sure they had when they started. The cast and crew are just sensational. Deidre Hall and Wayne Northrop are fantastic people to work with, and I feel I benefitted so much from having my first storyline on the show with them...I never really imagined my future on the show, or my career at Days."

 

Josh Taylor (Chris & Roman): "Days really gave me my first break, and Chris Kositchek was one of the first earthy kind of leading soap characters...The best thing is that I have been able to be a part of this show for [so many] years, and have been fortunate to play two major characters. I would never have come back here if I had not liked being here in the first place."

Tammy Taylor (Hope): "I think the thing that keeps Days on the air is that the basis of the show has always been the family. As crazy and off-the-wall the plots have gone (and there have been some doozies!), the foundation of the show really is the love of family and everyone can relate to it. Even if a viewer doesn't experience that same closeness with his/her own family, it's that desire to connect that we all have that keeps viewers wanting to be a part of the Horton Family and to care about the generations beyond the original family of Alice and Tom's...I will just always feel connected to the show and want to thank all the Days fans for being so loyal and committed, and for supporting what is now an iconic television jewel, sure to go down in broadcast history as the best of all the daytime dramas. It's because of the fans that the show survives and thrives to this day!"

Lisa Trusel (Melissa): "I started watching the show when I was 8. It was my mom's soap, so I watched with her...I've made so many good friends on the show."

William Utay (Dr. Rolf): "Fran Bascom liked my work and cast me on a few shows over the years. I have her to thank for [Days]. I was only supposed to be on for a handful of episodes. Then they kept bringing me back and it turned into a much bigger part...As an actor, I've been very satisfied."

 

Mark Valley (Jack): "Missy Reeves is wonderful. I really like her instincts as an actress...Days does some really groundbreaking storylines, but it's also one of the shows that's not afraid to take chances. I'm expecting it to continue to get better and better."

 

David Wallace (Tod): "I had a good experience on Days. When I came to the show, I didn't know a whole lot about the character. Tod was a hell-raiser."

 

Billy Warlock (Frankie): "It was always a great place to work because of the people. There were never any egos...Melissa Reeves was always a pleasure to be around; a pro. We had a great thing and those kinds of things don't come around very often, where you just click with someone like that. Days of Our Lives opened many doors for me, and I have nothing but great thoughts about the show."

 

Patty Weaver (Trish): "I would never have been known as a singer had it not been for Bill Hayes. I was off somewhere in a rehearsal hall with pianist Marty Davich, and Bill heard me and went to the producers and said 'This chick can sing.' The next thing I knew, I was singing on the show...It was a wonderful, wonderful experience, and there are times when I wish we could go back...I give thanks to Days, it was my first big break."

 

Victor Webster (Nicholas): "After my first day of shooting was completed, Drake Hogestyn gathered everyone around to welcome me into the Days family. I'll never forget that."

Michael T. Weiss (Mike): "I've been there for five years and I've loved every minute of it. It's really been incredible. It's just been a great job...It's like a baseball team - the players change but [fans] still go to the game."

 

Valerie Wildman (Fay): "I was a big fan before I started working here. This show has always believed strongly that true love always conquers all. How could you not watch that?"

Eric Winter (Rex): "I had a thousand laughs with everyone...I'm going to miss the fans and seeing the people who supported my career for three years and have been there every step of the way. They really make you feel confident in what you are doing and that is a priceless thing to get from somebody."

 

Arianne Zucker (Nicole): "it's a fun show, and it seems to me, people must have as good a time watching it as we have doing it. We have fun here. I think that translates to the audience."