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Interview
with Gedstern's GH News and Scoops website - September 23, 2002
ABC
Soaps In Depth - January 22, 2002
Soap Opera Update
- March 13, 2001 It
was ironic that Scott Egan's GENERAL HOSPITAL character Johnny wasn't with his
boss Sonny Corinthos last December when the mobster was shot on the steps of the
Port Charles police station. After all, Johnny has been a fixture in Sonny's life
since 1997. "I came on around the time that Brenda was getting death threats,"
recalls Egan, who has managed somehow to survive being blown up or otherwise rubbed
out. "Let me tell you, it's a feat," the actor chuckles. In
The Beginning For
Egan, joining GH was a return to his origins. The New Jersey native had done print
and commercial work as a young child. "My 'claim to fame' was that I was the first
'no-pin Pampers (diaper) baby,'" recalls the actor. "I was about one or two years
old." As Egan grew up, he traded in his diapers for baseball cleats. A scout discovered
Egan when he was a high school sophomore. He went on to enjoy stints with the
Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers organizations. An
arm injury necessitated surgery for Egan, however. That, and a trip to Los Angeles
to revisit the acting world, resulted in him making a full-time commitment to
performing. Egan read for a contract role when PORT CHARLES was first being cast.
He wasn't selected for that show, but he was asked to join GH as Johnny. "I'm
around a lot of talented people, like Maurice Benard (Sonny), Sarah Brown (Carly)
and Steve Burton (Jason)," acknowledges a grateful Egan. "I learn a lot by being
on GH." The
actor got to flex his acting muscles in a new way when he and Benard performed
a scene from "American Buffalo" by playwright David Mamet as part of the Los Angeles
Media & Education Center's evening of live theater. "I'd done this play before
and I knew that Scott would be perfect in it," shares Benard. "Our relationship
connected on stage just like it does on screen." Egan
can't rave enough about Benard, his off-screen pal. "Maurice has taught me about
the professionalism behind acting," he shares. "I try and emulate him as a person,
not just as an actor. I enjoy talking to Maurice because he really listens." Goodfella Scott Egan considers
the role of Sonny's faithful bodyguard an offer he can't refuse. For two years,
Scott Egan has played Johnny, the strong, often silent henchman charged with preserving
the lives of gangsters Sonny and Jason. In that time, naturally, the rising star
has gleaned a lot of information from his fellow players, Maurice Benard and Steve
Burton. "They are tremendous actors and people," he says. "They're like my mentors." Egan
is also glad to be able to call Benard and Burton his friends. In fact, after
quitting time the real fun begins. "I play golf with Steve a lot," Egan confides.
"And Maurice and I run [together] every morning." Egan
even would take a bullet for his Mob bosses- on screen, of course. "As long as
I live through it," he adds. Of
course, Egan is well aware few members of Johnny's profession ever make it to
retirement age. "[My predecessors'] longevity hsn't been that long," he observes,
"so I just have to do what I do and hope no mobsters come out of the elevator
and shoot me." He
Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby Prior to joining
the cast of GH, Egan already was on the move in Tinseltown. He's appeared on Just
the Ten of Us and Parker Lewis Can't Lose and in the film, The Other
Sister. But it's possible that he's best known for his debut role as the first
no-pin Pampers baby. "It's kind of like my claim to fame," he says. So,
where was Egan hiding out before joining GH? Let's just say he was covering all
his bases, playing minor league baseball with the Chicago White Sox, then the
Milwaukee Brewers. "Half the season, I had nothing to do," he recalls, "so I took
acting classes." Watch
Your Back, Sonny!
The part of Johnny
originally was supposed to be a one-day gig, but following the casting of Egan,
the role was expanded. "I read for a contract role for Port Charles for Mark [Teschner,
GH and PC's casting director]," says Egan, "and he called me back and gave me
the part of Johnny." The
question now is whether Johnny will develop into a heartthrob. "Having a love
interest would be great," Egan says, "so people don't think Johnny is a monk!"
On screen, we might not see him often enough, but Johnny, Sonny Corinthos' General Hospital bodyguard for the past two years, definitely has a way of making his presence known. "I try to find the camera," laughs his portrayer, actor Scott Egan. "And I get close to Maurice Benard (Sonny)." But seriously, Egan is grateful to the GH powers-that-be for keeping him on screen- and given Sonny's spotty history when it comes to the people close to him, Johnny must hold the record for longevity! Egan could play a key role if his GH castmates should decide to field a softball team. "I used to play professional baseball for the White Sox and Brewers, then I got into acting because I got hurt." Given
his skill with a catcher's mitt, Johnny might be called upon one day to intercept
a bullet meant for his boss. "I'd take a bullet for Sonny," he offers, "but I
wouldn't get in a limo if there were any foreign objects underneath it!" | ||
