FAN STORIES
Kris Explains How Stephen Drew Her In:
I have never met Stephen Nichols. I do remember when I saw him for the first time in May of 1987. In fact, it was his unique appearance that captured my attention in the first place. After all, how many people on television actually have a patch? At first, I wondered what kind of guy this "Patch" was. Was he mean? Evil? It took me all of a minute to realize that his rough appearance hid a tender heart. The first day I watched him, he ran into a collapsing building to rescue a woman (Kayla, played by Mary Beth Evans) from an explosion. Over the next few days, I saw this fellow treat the woman with great gentleness and care. It was obvious he was in love with her, though he would not admit it TO her. It was also obvious that she WANTED his love, and that she valued him a great deal. I thought, "This is a story that I can get into" and get into it I did.
Over the years that I watched Days of our Lives, I grew to admire Stephen Nichols tremendously for his talent. He could stir my emotions. His character, Steve Johnson, could make me laugh or cry with equal ease. My favorite scene involving Stephen had to be one in which he (as Steve) was forced to admit that the man he'd pushed Kayla to marry was his dying brother, Billy. His feelings...the depth of his pain, his desperation, his great need to make Kayla understand..It was just an awe-inspiring scene. There are many, many scenes that stick in my mind involving Steve Johnson. There are scenes of fun and laughter and teasing, and there are scenes of great drama and deep feeling. It doesn't matter what type of scene it is, Stephen shines.
Since I have followed Stephen's work so much over the years, I didn't think he could surprise me anymore, but I was wrong. When Stephen took the role of Stefan Cassadine, he shocked me. Stefan Cassadine is as different from Steve Johnson as it is possible to be. I thought perhaps Stefan would remind me of Steve, but he doesn't. The character is Steve's complete opposite. Yet Stephen plays Stefan as easily as Steve. What versatility!
I have heard many things about Stephen and Mary Beth over the years. Each thing I hear about them is positive. They are said to be very nice people, very warm, and each gifted with a tremendous sense of humor. They are great friends behind the scenes, and I hope they can work together again someday so that I might have the privilege to see them.
Becky's Story of Seeing Stephen For the First Time:
The first time I saw Stephen Nichols was on Days Of Our Lives. He had just begun his run as Steve "Patch" Johnson. At that time I had stopped watching Days to watch The Young and the Restless. My best friend was still a DOOL fan and phoned me one day at lunch to tell me I should check out the new man in Salem. She said he was blonde and mean and carried a knife. Just the '"bad boy" type I liked. I resisted for a while, but one day I finally changed the channel to check out this guy who my friend kept talking about. I realized the second I saw him that he was different from any character I had ever seen. What a cocky dude he was. But, there was something about him. That laugh and those endless tunes on the harmonica. I knew from the first that this was a man I wanted to know more about, and needless to say, I was hooked. I watched over the next few weeks as Steve, through Stephen's masterful portrayal, began to change. In only a few months he was transformed from a slimy sleaze ball into a man who you knew had been hurt and carried a lot of pain inside. A man you could care about. Steve Johnson totally captured my imagination, and I give total credit for that to Stephen. He brought Steve to life and gave me someone to pull for, someone I hoped would come out on top. I followed Steve's storyline until he left Days in 1990. Not since then have I found another character who has struck in me the chord that Steve Johnson did. Thank you Stephen Nichols. You were, and you still are, brilliant!
Phyllis Recounts Her First Time Actually Meeting Stephen:
I had been to some stage events that Stephen had done during his Days time, but I had never met him so I was very nervous, but excited too. Sitting at the Lakeside/TCT tables was the best! It was terrific to share the excitement with other fans of Stephen's. I have to say it was everything I hoped it'd be and more. Stephen was gorgeous (those eyes--close up!), fun and kind. I shared a story with him about how he had helped me meet my best friend (I overheard this stranger talking to someone else about the "guy with the patch" and joined the conversation). He said he hears stories like that a lot and he appreciates that he indirectly helps people connect. Then we posed for a picture and he was very patient while we worked out the kinks with my camera. I was really nervous and in sort of a daze but everyone said I did OK. I was impressed with Stephen's recall of names and faces, his playfulness and his honesty. He truly cares about his fans--how many other actors would go table to table to speak to everyone in the room? I started saving my pennies for the next event!
Liz Explains What Makes Stephen's Work So Special:
Like so many, the first time I saw Stephen was when he played Steven Earl Johnson on Days of Our Lives. From the first show he was in, I was awestruck. I rooted for the angry, patched man I saw despite the fact tht he was definitely not a hero, and certainly not the clean cut boy next door. What drew me to him? Little moments. The little moments that Stephen Nichols made into momentous, revealing insights to the heart of his character. When I first saw Steve, he was far from being a central character; Steve Johnson was hired for two months as a day player. But Stephen made that character come alive. With his passion for the craft of acting, he rose above the simplest of material and created a character that still lives on in the hearts of daytime viewers, over a decade after his onscreen *death*.
They say lightning like that can't strike twice, but he made Stefan Cassidine equally as enchanting, complex, and unique. Stephen didn't- and doesn't- simply rely on the scripted word, and simply say his lines. He reads the character; he has the courage to give that character a heart and a humanity beyond the spoken or written word. He takes the character into his own heart and consistently strives to see the real man revealed on camera.
Stephen is unlike any other actor. What he does in front of a camera, and on stage, is an inexplicable kind of magic. The energy of any scene, moment - of an entire room at times- completely changes from the moment he enters the spotlight. Whether that appearance in a scene is for 20 seconds or 5 minutes, this remains true. I have never seen another actor able to convey all emotions, whether it be vulnerabilty, strength, humor, or love, as powerfully as he does, and all with equal conviction and credibility. His range is unparalleled. I treasure being able to watch this man at work, and I thank him for the passion and vigor he invests into his art. We are all the richer for it.
Andrea describes how Stephen's work first touched her.
Back in High School in lunch period, my friends would talk about Days of our lives and their favorite couple Bo and Hope. Not having a VCR at the time I would just sit there and listen. Well, in January 87 as a belated Christmas gift I taped Days with my new VCR. I wanted to see what Bo and Hope were all about. Bo and Hope weren't on that day but Patch and Kayla were. From the first time I saw Patch I was hooked. He was dressed in a leather jacket and was unlike any soap character I had ever seen. I started to cry after the first scene I had watched, Kayla holding Steve in the ally telling him "Love doesn't always have to hurt". Stephen left a memorable mark on me with his performance that day and I have been following his acting ever since.
Stefanie describes how she first discovered Stephen
My first exposure to Stephen and Mary Beth was the scene when Katherine and Stefan first kissed on General Hospital. At the time, I was working for a real estate company and I was always really bored there. On a break from work, I went to the breakroom to watch tv. I happened to be flipping through the channels and I caught GH and I saw this beautiful lady with ultra blond hair and a very attractive looking man being really intense with one another. I loved the way they looked at each other, the intensity was amazing. When I saw Stefan run and kiss Katherine passionatly on the lips, I was hooked. I thought, I’m definetly going to start taping this show. I was also mad that I could not watch that kiss again. I was left hanging and I wanted more.
After joining TCT, I got Patch and Kayla tapes from another fan. I was completely fascinated!! This couple has hooked me after only one scene!! All I had to do was watch the very first initial scene and they blew every other couple I had ever loved in soaps out of the water. Other couples were no competition. I had been watching soaps for seven years and liked several different couples , but I did not discover the quintessential couple until 7 years into my soap viewing. I started watching soaps in 1990 and I didn’t get my first Steve and Kayla tape until 1997. It was like I was falling in love with something completely new and wonderful. I was holed up in my room and I'd come out for snack breaks in this wonderful mood.
I remember the very first scene I saw of Stephen playing Patch (on tape). The very first scene I saw when Stephen came on the screen as Patch and started talking, I was thinking, “ Oh my gosh, that's not the guy that plays Stefan, that can’t be the same guy. He looks so different and acts so different. " I could barely believe it was the same person. I kept freaking out and tripping out over that. I was really amazed by how different Steve and Kayla were in comparison to Stefan and Kat. To see the guy that plays uptight Stefan in the role of Steve, a rough around the edges sarcastic anti-hero was so cool. It was unbelievable. I kept watching certain scenes over and over. I loved the way Patch would look at Kayla. I have to say that the number one thing that draws me into liking a particular soap couple is the kind of looks that go on between the two and how good the actors are at conveying the tenderness and Stephen and Mary Beth could do this very well. It was very believable to me that Steve and Kayla would be in love.
I kept looking at Stephen playing Patch, then I'd grab a picture of him as Stefan and think wow. I think I was just shell-shocked. I also remember comparing Steve to the other vanilla guys on the show at the time, I thought Steve is interesting, sexy, sarcastic,dangerous yet vulnerable,edgy, forget Roman and Bo, those guys are boring man. Well, Bo had a little bit of that edge but he didn’t come close to Steve for me. I had never seen a character like this in my history of watching soaps and Stephen had "it",whatever it was,raw sex appeal and he was a great actor. It’s rare you find someone that not only curls your toes but is also a really good actor. Usually you get one or the other but not both.
I could probably ramble on for several more pages but I will leave it at that. I continue to be amazed by Stephen and Mary Beth. Even though I’ve never met them personally, I already have complete faith that they are as wonderful as others have said they are.