(Suzanne Collier on Santa Barbara from 1991 to 1992)
Today I’m presenting to you the interview that Terri Garber has granted exclusively to "Santa Barbara Blog". Terri Garber’ acting debut was in 1982, when she played Allison Linden on the soap opera Texas. Her screen breakthrough was in the 1984 action film Toy Soldiers. After several other, more minor roles, in 1985 Garber landed her breakout role in the miniseries North and South based on the novel by John Jakes. Garber played Ashton Main, a young and seductive Southern belle and sister of Orry Main, played by Patrick Swayze. In 1986 North & South was continued with its sequel Love & War. In 1987-88 she played the role of Leslie Carrington on the primetime soap Dynasty by Aaron Spelling. After Dynasty she landed roles in two other soap operas, Santa Barbara (from 1991 to 1992 as Suzanne Collier) and in General Hospital (in 1993). In 1994 Terri again played the role the Ashton in the last sequel of the North & South trilogy which was titled Heaven & Hell. Terri played the recurring role of Iris Dumbrowski on the soap opera As the World Turns. She began playing the part in 2005 and returned in 2006 and in 2010. She also is a real estate agent.
On “Santa Barbara” you have played the role of Suzanne Collier, a very talented painter. Can you tell us how did you come to SB and all you remember about your audition?
I was asked to test for the part of Suzanne for Paul Rauch who was the producer. It was a very complex scene with many emotions and it was with Cruz. So A Martinez and I did it together. I remember we had to kiss and that was fun!
In 1988, the Dobsons, the creators of SB, were locked out by the studios of NBC. Following a legal battle, they were reinstated in 1991. How was it working with the Dobsons?
I only met the Dobsons once and they were very kind. I don't really have memories of them.
Before joining SB, you starred on another cult show: Dynasty. What differences have you found between the two shows? How were they different?
The differences between doing a daytime soap and a nighttime one are a few...the most important one being that it takes a week to film a nighttie episode and it takes a day to do a daytime episode.. A lot less work on nightime.
I have read in some interview that Suzanne's hairs were actually a wig. Why they chose for Suzanne those long tangled hair?
I had very short hair at the time and Paul wanted long hair but he hired me anyway, thus the wig.
I think you've had the most difficult role in the entire history of SB. That is, try to fill the void left by Eden (Marcy Walker) in the heart of Cruz and millions of viewers. Eden was a character very moody, spoiled, a bit unscrupulous snob, at least at the beginning of the soap. But Suzanne was very calm, sweet and condescending towards Cruz. Cruz and Eden's love was born in a very stormy way: the two of them constantly provoked and a strong erotic tension arose. What do you think? Do you think that the public could so quickly become attached to Suzanne? Or maybe it would be better to wait a while 'before approaching Cruz?
It was very difficult to do Santa Barbara because everyone love Cruz and Eden and no one wanted Cruz with ANYONE. So Suzanne was their attempt but she was not accepted so the role only lasted one year. I received a lot of hate mail! lol.
I found it hard to get attached to Suzanne in the beginning, not so much because I was afraid that she colud take the place of Eden, but mostly because she was too compliant and too little bitch. But then Suzanne changes her way of life: she says goodbye to Cruz because she wants to be totally loved and no longer wants to be a replacement of Eden in the heart of Cruz, she cuts her hair, she begins to paint intensely and precisely when it begins to become a more complete character, Suzanne said goodbye forever to Santa Barbara. It 'was your choice? Can you tell us all what you remember about the evolution of Suzanne and why you left the soap?
It was not my choice to leave. The character wasn't working if she wasn't with Cruz and that wasn't working so there was no where to put Suzanne. They really only had her mixing it up with Ted (Michael Brainard) and Katrina (Maria Ellingsen) and that wasn't enough to sustain a character. I loved working on the show so I wasn't too happy.
In the USA “Santa Barbara” always remained in the bottom of the rankings ratings. In the rest of the world and especially in Europe it has had excellent ratings. Furthermore, despite having low ratings, it has been the most award-winning soap. How do you explain that?
It's always hard being on the bottom. It happened with As the World Turns also when I was on it and it was finally cancelled. So sad, all the soaps are disappearing.
In my opinion SB was, is and will be the best soap opera. Thanks to the sense of humor (even black), the intelligence of the writing, directing and best actors. But I'm not objective. In your opinion, what made SB different from other soaps?
I think one of the great things about SB was the sense of humor. That's what hooked everyone in the first place.
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| Nan Martin |
One of the last scenes of Suzanne: a terrifying old woman (played by the great Nan Martin) chased her with a hatchet to kill her because Suzanne was able to remove stains from a picture that somehow exonerated the old woman's son in law (he was played by Thao Penghils alias Micah DeAngelis). The woman was very old and half-paralyzed. Then suddenly we see her possessed with an ax in her hands. This was very original and shocking for me. Do you remember that scene? What do you think about it?
I have to say, I vaguely remember the scene with Nan Martin as the old lady with the ax.. It was so long ago.
This interview is designed primarily for the Italian public. In our country, “Santa Barbara” was very much loved and followed. You've never been in Italy? What do you know about our country? You want to say something to the Italian public who loved Suzanne?
By the way, I have visited Italy 2 x and if I had my wish I would live there. That's my dream so you never know…
All the best,
Terri
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