Throughout a profession that has spanned over 30 years, Jack Wagner has confirmed himself to be, not only a triple, however a quadruple risk. Although most well-known for his work in tv, Wagner has achieved nice recognition as an achieved stage actor, musician, and holds the uncommon distinction of being a scratch golfer. He at the moment stars on Hallmark Channel’s acclaimed drama sequence When Calls the Coronary heart.
In 1983, after graduating from the College of Arizona, Wagner burst on the scene as rocker Frisco Jones on the No. 1 daytime sequence, “Basic Hospital.”
Now, he’s going to be the grand marshal of the 2024 Seminole Laborious Rock Winterfest Boat Parade.
Wagner was interviewed by Life-style Group Editor-in-Chief Kevin Gale whereas on location in Vancouver the place his sequence is filmed. The next transcript has been edited for brevity and readability.
How do you go from a child born in Missouri to being well-known?
I feel there’s sure people who come into our lives that permit us to be at some kind of crossroads or fork within the street. A instructor got here in after I was a sophomore in highschool within the mid-Nineteen Seventies and had heard me play guitar. He stated, “I need you to audition for the play that’s arising.” So, that’s how I began doing theater. I used to be an athlete as properly. I pursued a profession in golf, however that first play actually gave me the bug and so I adopted that bug and finally wound up in Los Angeles.
You performed some memorable characters, Frisco Jones, Warren Lockridge, Dr. Peter Burns, and now you’re enjoying Invoice Avery. Do you will have a favourite?
Effectively, folks nonetheless name me Frisco. That is nonetheless most likely the No. 1 factor when folks say one thing. However for me, essentially the most rewarding position I’ve ever performed was Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde on Broadway. That was my position of a lifetime to this point, though I’ve been blessed to have an incredible run on tv to play some characters which have their very own identification. Peter Burns on Melrose Place was form of darkish, however a noble physician who had a variety of feminine sufferers and by no means did any surgical procedure, however actually slept with a variety of ’em.
You have been additionally concerned within the “Marriage ceremony March” sequence movies, which grew to become fairly a franchise.
The “Marriage ceremony March” franchise got here out of my relationship with the CEO and executives at Hallmark. So as soon as I began on “When Calls the Coronary heart” with Govt Producer Brad Kevoy, I used to be capable of formulate a reasonably good pitch for “Marriage ceremony March.” Invoice Abbott (then CEO of Hallmark Channel) instantly liked it and stated, “You’re in improvement.” I obtained ahold of Josie Bissett and requested her if she’d need to soar in and be my co-star. It was nice. I used to be in a position, as government producer and the star, to collaborate with the writers on the scripts and the course of the scripts, together with music, and kind of inform somewhat little bit of my life story by means of this franchise of films a couple of songwriter who had a romance in faculty the place they wrote collectively. He obtained a report deal and that’s how they broke up. After which, 25 years later, they see one another at a marriage lodge that he owns, and she or he’s getting married. And as I pitched it, I stated, “Once they see one another, it’s a drop the platter second.”
You have been additionally a director on Melrose Place for a number of the episodes. Is that one thing you aspired to? Did you take pleasure in it?
Aaron Spelling (the producer) was improbable to the actors. I used to be one in every of a number of actors who directed. I really like directing. I simply adore it. However gratefully, I’ve been on an excellent run as an actor, so I by no means actually pursued directing exterior of “Melrose Place” as a result of the crew had my again. It was very straightforward for actors to transition into directing on “Melrose Place” as a result of it wasn’t like we have been going to a film set the place we didn’t know anybody. And even to right this moment on “When Calls the Coronary heart,” the collaboration with the administrators, with the opposite actors, with the top author, is one thing I’m very invested in and that’s how I prefer to work.
You’ve additionally had a variety of appearances as a visitor star. I learn “Sizzling In Cleveland,” “Citadel,” “Monk” and 16 motion pictures of the week. How do you determine which reveals to do and is there one thing we would anticipate sooner or later?
I’ve had a pair visitor starring issues which have been so enjoyable. “Sizzling in Cleveland” with Valerie Bertinell. You didn’t point out it, however I additionally did “Ray Donovan.” That was improbable to work on that present. I attempt to diversify the visitor star roles. In “Citadel,” I performed an alcoholic golf professional. That’s the enjoyable a part of me for doing any form of episodic present the place I’m not a forged member. However for me now, having been on “When Calls the Coronary heart,” working as we communicate on season 12 and having had a franchise of six motion pictures, after which about 5 – 6 different motion pictures for Hallmark Channel on this run, I actually haven’t spent any time searching for any visitor star roles. I’ve been very content material working for the Hallmark Channel and “When Calls the Coronary heart.”
You’ve clearly had some success as a music performer. You had a No. 2 hit, “All I Want.” I learn that you just began enjoying guitar at 14 after which sung Kenny Loggins’ “Wait a Little Whereas” in your remaining Basic Hospital audition. Discuss your early curiosity in music after which how that a part of your profession progressed.
I’m form of a self-taught guitarist and took a couple of classes early on after which a pair buddies of mine, they have been brothers, performed guitar, and so I form of picked up an acoustic and I simply began to play with them. I simply liked Neil Younger and Seals & Crofts and James Taylor and artists of the early and mid ‘70s. After I obtained out of highschool, I simply continued to play and be taught and train myself. I liked Elton John, that form of solo artist.
So, after I really obtained to LA and got here right down to the wire for Basic Hospital, my fifth display take a look at, they known as and stated, “Do you by likelihood play the guitars and sing?” And I stated, “Really, yeah.” And so they stated, “Effectively, do you suppose you may convey your guitar and do one thing?” So, I simply form of went in and knocked out a Kenny Loggins tune after which went into the audition scene and that’s how I obtained the half.
Inside every week of getting forged, I had to enter the recording studio, which I’d by no means been in. I’d by no means sang with headsets on. I needed to sing a pair songs as a result of my character Frisco was the lead singer in Blackie and the Riff Raff, which was the John Stamos character’s band on the present. It turned out that the lady who simply obtained employed for ABC music had simply left Mercury Information, and her first undertaking was Frisco Jones on Basic Hospital. So, she hears me sing, I knock out these two songs, and she or he says, “Would you be taken with a report deal?” And I stated, “Effectively, yeah!” And so two nights later I had dinner with Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock, and I signed with Quincy and he put collectively a manufacturing and writing workforce of Glen Ballard and Clif Magness. Glen, in fact, went on to do Alanis Morissette, Wilson Phillips and Dave Matthews. Clif Magnus went on to do different issues as properly. I used to be their first undertaking as Quincy Jones’ workers members, writers and producers. They wrote “All I Want” and it got here in simply behind “Like a Virgin” on the pop charts and No. 1 on the grownup modern charts.
My writer on the journal says she had “All I Want” performed at her wedding ceremony. I believed that was enjoyable.
That’s improbable. Makes me really feel good. You’ll be able to simply inform her one thing for me. Simply inform her that (begins singing) You’re all I would like.
All proper, sounds nice! Do you continue to carry out music as of late? Do you do any songwriting?
I nonetheless dabble in songwriting right here or there. I wrote fairly a bit for the “Marriage ceremony March” sequence, however my final album was in 2013 and formulating a workforce, I noticed how a lot the music enterprise had modified. I do 4 or 5 dates a 12 months, possibly somewhat bit extra. I toured all by means of the 80s in my band.
Roseanne Barr was my first warmup comic. So, she lived with us for about three or 4 weeks on the bus.
What was she like?
I might say actual Midwestern, actual genuine, and she or he simply form of would inform it like it’s. She needed to modify her materials lots as a result of my fan base have been teenage ladies, and her materials was fairly raunchy. We obtained on very well. It was a enjoyable deal to satisfy her after which see her explode and grow to be so well-known.
By the way in which, I’m kind of aggravated at Apple. I’ve iTunes and I wished to hearken to “On The Porch,” [his last album] and I couldn’t discover it on there. I like that kind of Americana stuff.
It’s a kind of issues the place I used to be in a spot in my life and I actually variety sat down on the foot of my mattress and wrote this album. I pulled one thing from my previous. I had co-written a couple of issues that have been demos that I punched up, but it surely’s the primary album that I felt I actually took the time and wrote just about the place I used to be and who I’m. And it’s my form of music. I used to be raised with people, Americana music and that’s what that album speaks to.
I’m certain that a number of the followers right here on the Boat Parade wish to hear you sing. Is there any risk you would possibly sing somewhat bit?
Pay attention, if I’ve a mic in my hand, we are able to at all times pull out somewhat acapella “All I Want” for certain.
I’m certain they’d love that. Had you heard about or seen the boat parade earlier than they talked to you about being Grand Marshall?
No, I haven’t, however the clips I’ve seen it appears to be like prefer it’s simply such a enjoyable occasion. I’m wanting ahead to it.
What was your response whenever you have been approached?
Effectively, to start with, I wished to know what it was. And secondly, I’ve created a couple of relationships in Florida in the previous few years which might be actually terrific. So, it’s nice to only kind of present up.
I learn that you just had a really vital occasion in your life down right here reuniting with a protracted misplaced daughter in Boca Raton.
Effectively, that was in 2011, and sure, it was a really unusual factor that occurred. Rick Springfield’s folks reached out to me. I’ve been in comparison with Rick for 40 years as a result of he was on Basic Hospital, had an enormous hit with “Jesse’s Lady,” had left the present proper after I got here on and we had by no means met. So, folks known as and stated, “Hey, Rick does a cruise along with his followers, and final 12 months Richard Marx was the visitor artist and we have been questioning in the event you’d come down and be Rick’s visitor artist. It will entail a live performance along with his band.” Then they stated, “It seems he’s doing an occasion at an amphitheater the evening earlier than the cruise, would you be keen to do an hour set with the band and heat up earlier than Rick goes on? We expect it’d be an enormous occasion for this.” So, I did the amphitheater and it turned out my daughter that I actually didn’t know had discovered me there and she or he went on the large cruise with me. So, it was fairly unbelievable. Rick Springfield was the bridge for my daughter and I to reunite.
That seems like a Hallmark present!
I imply, unbelievable.
Are you wanting ahead to a few of our good Florida winter climate?
Sure. I performed a golf event in Orlando in January and Florida’s winter is improbable — virtually like California.
The theme for this 12 months’s boat parade is kind of an environmental really feel “from sawgrass to seagrass waves of vacation cheer.” What’s your joyful place by way of environments?
I’m from the Midwest. I bailed hay on farms after I was in highschool, so I form of know that world and the desert — I graduated from the College of Arizona, proper in the midst of the desert — from drama faculty, after which I moved to California. I’ve kind of fallen in love with the mountains that California gives in addition to the seashores. If I needed to go on a trip, it will most likely be a seaside. However I obtained to inform you, I’m diversified. I owned a property for 20 some years within the mountains of California, 80 acres that I really bought final 12 months, but it surely’s the place I took the boys, Kristina [his ex and co-star on “General Hospital”] and I dust biking. I really am a person of nature. I really like all diversified types that our planet provides us. I really like the desert. I really like the mountains. I really like lakes. I really like seashores and oceans. However in the event you needed to decide one to go to for a trip, I’d most likely decide the seaside space, plop my butt out on that seaside in a chair and simply chill.
You talked about contemplating a profession in golf.
I’ve been a member of Bel-Air Nation Membership in LA since 1986. I’ve gained seven membership championships. I’ve gained 12 tournaments on tv. I’ve gained the AT&T Nationwide Professional-Am at Pebble Seaside. I’ve gained the American Century Movie star Golf Championship up in Lake Tahoe. I didn’t flip skilled at golf, however that was my intention in going to the College of Arizona. I walked onto the golf workforce and didn’t get a scholarship. I went to the drama division in my junior 12 months and instructed the top of the drama division my story, and he stated, “Effectively, put together a tune, dance and a monologue.” I did, and I obtained a full-ride scholarship in drama in 1980.
So, I stop enjoying golf, which was what I wished to aspire to, to be knowledgeable golfer, and went into performing. However Gloria Monty, the producer of “Basic Hospital,” came upon I performed golf and she or he had her husband take me out to Bel-Air Nation Membership. They wound up sponsoring me. James Garner, who was a membership member, stated, “You must play within the AT&T.” He gave me his professional John Prepare dinner, who has gained a variety of tournaments. John and I are nice associates. I gained the AT&T in 1991 on CBS. From that, got here NBC’s the American Century Movie star Golf Match. I’m one in every of solely two gamers who’ve been enjoying it for 34 years together with Jim McMahon [Super Bowl quarterback for the Chicago Bears]. I’m the one non-athlete who has ever gained it. I’ve gained it twice. Golf has been an enormous a part of my life.
That’s raised some huge cash for charity. Are there different philanthropic causes that you just prefer to assist?
I used to be the West Coast ambassador of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for 9 years. My brother obtained leukemia in 1999, so I fashioned the Jack Wagner Movie star Golf Match. I made a decision it will profit the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. So, it’s at all times been how I give again — enjoying in charity occasions. I play in George Lopez’s yearly. I play in Marcus Allen’s. That’s kind of been my platform by way of giving again.
