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 completed 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, “Common Hospital.”
Now, he’s going to be the grand marshal of the 2024 Seminole Laborious Rock Winterfest Boat Parade.
Wagner was interviewed by Way of life 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 folks that come into our lives that enable us to be at some kind of crossroads or fork within the street. A trainer 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 effectively. 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 could have a favourite?
Nicely, individuals nonetheless name me Frisco. That is nonetheless in all probability the No. 1 factor when individuals 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 so far, though I’ve been blessed to have an amazing 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 numerous feminine sufferers and by no means did any surgical procedure, however definitely slept with numerous ’em.
You have been additionally concerned within the “Wedding ceremony March” sequence movies, which grew to become fairly a franchise.
The “Wedding 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 fairly good pitch for “Wedding ceremony March.” Invoice Abbott (then CEO of Hallmark Channel) instantly cherished it and stated, “You’re in improvement.” I bought ahold of Josie Bissett and requested her if she’d wish to leap in and be my co-star. It was nice. I used to be in a position, as govt producer and the star, to collaborate with the writers on the scripts and the route of the scripts, together with music, and kind of inform a bit of little bit of my life story by means of this franchise of films a few songwriter who had a romance in faculty the place they wrote collectively. He bought a file 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 among the episodes. Is that one thing you aspired to? Did you get pleasure from it?
Aaron Spelling (the producer) was unbelievable to the actors. I used to be certainly one of a number of actors who directed. I really like directing. I simply like it. However gratefully, I’ve been on an excellent run as an actor, so I by no means actually pursued directing outdoors of “Melrose Place” as a result of the crew had my again. It was very simple 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 immediately on “When Calls the Coronary heart,” the collaboration with the administrators, with the opposite actors, with the pinnacle author, is one thing I’m very invested in and that’s how I prefer to work.
You’ve additionally had numerous appearances as a visitor star. I learn “Scorching In Cleveland,” “Citadel,” “Monk” and 16 films 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. “Scorching in Cleveland” with Valerie Bertinell. You didn’t point out it, however I additionally did “Ray Donovan.” That was unbelievable 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 solid member. However for me now, having been on “When Calls the Coronary heart,” working as we converse on season 12 and having had a franchise of six films, after which about 5 or 6 different films for Hallmark Channel on this run, I actually haven’t spent any time in search of 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 simply began enjoying guitar at 14 after which sung Kenny Loggins’ “Wait a Little Whereas” in your remaining Common 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 cherished Neil Younger and Seals & Crofts and James Taylor and artists of the early and mid ‘70s. After I bought out of highschool, I simply continued to play and study and educate myself. I cherished Elton John, that form of solo artist.
So, after I truly bought to LA and got here all the way down to the wire for Common Hospital, my fifth display screen check, they referred to as and stated, “Do you by likelihood play the guitars and sing?” And I stated, “Truly, yeah.” And so they stated, “Nicely, do you suppose you can 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 bought the half.
Inside every week of getting solid, 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 girl who simply bought employed for ABC music had simply left Mercury Information, and her first venture was Frisco Jones on Common Hospital. So, she hears me sing, I knock out these two songs, and she or he says, “Would you be eager about a file deal?” And I stated, “Nicely, 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 crew 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 effectively. I used to be their first venture as Quincy Jones’ employees 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 up to date charts.
My writer on the journal says she had “All I Want” performed at her wedding ceremony. I believed that was enjoyable.
That’s unbelievable. 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 want.
All proper, sounds nice! Do you continue to carry out music nowadays? Do you do any songwriting?
I nonetheless dabble in songwriting right here or there. I wrote fairly a bit for the “Wedding ceremony March” sequence, however my final album was in 2013 and formulating a crew, I noticed how a lot the music enterprise had modified. I do 4 or 5 dates a 12 months, perhaps a bit of 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’d say actual Midwestern, actual genuine, and she or he simply form of would inform it like it’s. She needed to modify her materials rather a lot as a result of my fan base have been teenage ladies, and her materials was fairly raunchy. We bought on rather well. It was a enjoyable deal to fulfill her after which see her explode and turn out to be so well-known.
By the way in which, I’m kind of irritated 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 type 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, nevertheless it’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 among the followers right here on the Boat Parade wish to hear you sing. Is there any chance you may sing a bit of bit?
Pay attention, if I’ve a mic in my hand, we are able to at all times pull out a bit of 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 prefer it’s simply such a enjoyable occasion. I’m wanting ahead to it.
What was your response while you have been approached?
Nicely, initially, I wished to grasp what it was. And secondly, I’ve created a couple of relationships in Florida in the previous few years which can be actually terrific. So, it’s nice to only kind of present up.
I learn that you simply had a really vital occasion in your life down right here reuniting with a protracted misplaced daughter in Boca Raton.
Nicely, that was in 2011, and sure, it was a really unusual factor that occurred. Rick Springfield’s individuals reached out to me. I’ve been in comparison with Rick for 40 years as a result of he was on Common Hospital, had an enormous hit with “Jesse’s Woman,” had left the present proper after I got here on and we had by no means met. So, individuals referred to as and stated, “Hey, Rick does a cruise together 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 might entail a live performance together 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 predict 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 massive 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 unbelievable — nearly 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 glad 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 course of the desert — from drama college, after which I moved to California. I’ve kind of fallen in love with the mountains that California affords in addition to the seashores. If I needed to go on a trip, it might in all probability be a seaside. However I bought to let you know, I’m diversified. I owned a property for 20 some years within the mountains of California, 80 acres that I truly bought final 12 months, nevertheless it’s the place I took the boys, Kristina [his ex and co-star on “General Hospital”] and I filth biking. I truly am a person of nature. I really like all diversified varieties that our planet offers 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 choose one to go to for a trip, I’d in all probability choose 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 Seashore. I’ve gained the American Century Celeb 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 crew and didn’t get a scholarship. I went to the drama division in my junior 12 months and informed the pinnacle of the drama division my story, and he stated, “Nicely, put together a tune, dance and a monologue.” I did, and I bought a full-ride scholarship in drama in 1980.
So, I stop enjoying golf, which was what I wished to aspire to, to be an expert golfer, and went into performing. However Gloria Monty, the producer of “Common 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 need to play within the AT&T.” He gave me his professional John Prepare dinner, who has gained numerous tournaments. John and I are nice buddies. I gained the AT&T in 1991 on CBS. From that, got here NBC’s the American Century Celeb Golf Match. I’m certainly one 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 simply prefer to help?
I used to be the West Coast ambassador of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for 9 years. My brother bought leukemia in 1999, so I shaped the Jack Wagner Celeb Golf Match. I made a decision it might 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.
