WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
The stars of Capitol 20 years after
Part 1

Nicholas Walker
(Trey Clegg, 1982-87)

Walker is candid about CAPITOL’s cancellation. ”It was politics,” he theorizes. ”John Conboy had worked for (YOUNG AND RESTLESS head honcho) Bill Bell and you never leave (Bell) without getting buried by him (Conboy left Y&R in 1982 for CAPITOL). So what did Bell do? He went and created BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL, which was not only in CAPITOL’s time slot, but used the same studios! It’s kind of ironic how it was: the behind-the-scenes politics did us in.” Still, as one of the few cast members (in addition to Farentino) who was there for the show’s entire run, Walker only has good things to say about his experience. ”I’ve done six soaps [THE DOCTORS, 1980-81, as Brad; Y&R, 1988, as Jason; GH, 1989- 90, as Jimmy ; OLTL, 1990-92, as Max and SANTA BARBARA, 1992, as Frank] and CAPITOL was the best,” he praises. ”The best cast, the best show, the best everything. I think it was unlike any other soap opera on the air. It was in a real city, it dealt with very interesting issues of American politics. It had all the sex, scandal and heart and soul of the Kennedys. It's a shame that some of its actors have passed away. I still keep in touch with Richard Egan's (ex-Sam) family. I tried to help Leslie Graves (ex-Brenda) with her addiction and rehab, but unfortunately, she died.” Off-screen, the actor enjoyed himself, as well. "We'd do prank things like throw stink bombs,” he confesses. ”We'd do scenes and we’d have a water pistol ... okay, I’ll come clean: I had a water pistol [laughs] and I’d shoot it up in the air and people would say, ”Why is it wet here?’ My target was anybody and everybody. I was an equal opportunist.” Walker went on to guest star on several popular series, including SEINFELD, FRASIER, THE X-FILES and MELROSE PLACE, where he played Ken in a 1993 episode. His latest endeavor is working with model Kathy Ireland on her Jardin Du Jour line of garden products (available at www.kathyireland.com). ”I was one of those weird kids who used to play with plants,” he explains. ”I’ve been very fortunate to do my two loves, which are landscape gardening and design and acting.” When it comes to show-biz, he doesn’t see a bright future for soaps. ”I think soaps are a dying medium,” he sighs. ”I hope it turns around soon.” Walker has two children (Ian and Olivia) from his previous marriage with Wendy and is expecting a baby with with wife Tamara.

Jess Walton

Peter Lochran
(Prince Ali, 1986-87)


Peter Lochran was born in Queensland (Australia) and ditched plans to go to university to become a model. While working for Vogue he was spotted by Reg Watson and invited to do a screen test for THE RESTLESS YEARS. Peter wasn't keen on the idea of acting, preferring the big money and travel opportunities modelling could bring, but when his screen test led to the offer a part in THE YOUNG DOCTORS, his agent convinced him to give it a go. Peter soon became the show's hottest star and received sack-loads of fan mail. He left the show after 18 months to study acting in the US, but returned to the Albert for another stint in 1981. After leaving the show for a second time, Peter eventually settled in New York and began appearing in US daytime soaps ANOTHER WORLD (ex-Daniel Gabriel, 1985) and CAPITOL, even being nominated for a Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1987, and in a movie, THE PLATINUM TRIANGLE. A notoriously press-shy actor, he refused a Soap Opera Digest interview and a cover in 1986. He has since returned to Australia.
 

 Marj Dusay



Constance Towers



Lana Wood

 

Debrah Farentino
(Sloane Denning, 1982-87)


”[In 1987], your magazine [Soap Opera Digest] gave me one of the greatest honors,” chuckles Farentino. ’You guys named me the most improved actor in the history of daytime [laughs]! I loved that you wrote that because it was so true. I was terribile coming in, and I was so happy to see that you thought I got better. I actually studied biology in college, so, no, I didn’t really know what I was doing.” Farentino, who had the first and last scenes on CAPITOL (”It was a nice way to bookend my experience”) went on to star in a number of TV movies and series, including GET REAL, EARTH 2 and STORM OF THE CENTURY. Recently, however, she has put acting on the back-burner to return to school. ”I’m getting a degree in molecular biology.” she shares. ”I’ve always been a scientist at heart, so I decided to just do it, Also. when you do TV, it’s long hours and I wanted to be around for my kids (MoIly, 11. and Sophie, 8). I’m still acting [she appeared on CSI: MIAMI in 2003 and JAG in 2002], but after doing GET REAL, I needed a break.” When it comes to her CAPITOL experience, Farentino finds it difficult to choose a favorite memory. ”I guess if I had to pick anything. it would be when Sloane was with Prince Ali [played by Peter Lochran]. I liked all the scenes we did in the desert. We were supposed to go to Morocco on location, but [the powers-that-be] were worried about us going to that part of the world at that time. Instead, we filmed in Yuma, Arizona! Still, I got to ride a camel, which was fun,” she laughs. ”I’d never done that before.” Now that she’s earned Digest’s seal of approval, would she return to soaps? ”Never say never,” she states. ”Right now. I’ve got my plate full, but who knows what’ll happen in the future?”

Soap Opera Digest (January 13, 2004)