Hop To It

Four vets share their soap-hopping experiences.

don diamont (Bill)

Hopped From: DAYS (Carlo, 1984) to Y&R (Brad, 19852009) to B&B (Bill, 2009-present)

When I first walked into the DAYS studio ... "it was nerve-racking ... SO nerve-racking. For the screen test, I felt inappropriately confident because I didn't know what I was doing. I remember I was introduced in a group scene and was just nervous and tight. I was 21 and had no acting experience to speak of and Al Rabin [then-executive producer) pulled me off the set and in front of everybody, said, 'I can take an actor who is nervous. I can't take an actor without energy. Now, get it together!' He was very stern, and everyone could hear it. I played a lot of sports so I could certainly be coached but I did not appreciate that in front of the cast and crew, and it set the tone for the rest of my relationship with him during my time there.”

When I joined DAYS, I got the warmest welcome from ... “I suppose Gloria [Loring, ex-Liz, who he dated] was most welcoming [laughs]. That’s the funny answer but on DAYS, everybody was really cool.”

When I joined Y&R, I got the warmest welcome from ... “Wes Kenney [former executive producer] and Ed [Scott, then-producer]. They were both incredibly warm and welcoming.”