TERRY LESTER JOINS "SANTA BARBARA" AS A FAN

Orlando Sentinel - October 13, 1989

NEW YORK — “I feel about unemployment the way a cat feels about a dip in the pool,” says Terry Lester, about his decision to join the NBC soap Santa Barbara as Mason Capwell after vacating his role of Jack Abbott on CBS sudser The Young and the Restless in August. Lester created the role of Abbott in 1980 and played him for the past nine years, although he left The Young and the Restless briefly in 1985.

“I love to work,” says Lester. “Santa Barbara was the best offer I had at the time. Besides, I always believe in having another job before leaving the last one.”

Lester was approached about his new role as Mason Capwell on Santa Barbara shortly after his predecessor, Lane Davies, left the role last July. According to Santa Barbara producer Jill Faren Phelps, Lester was the only real candidate for the job. In fact, he was hired solely on his previous credits after the usual audition and screen test processes were waived for the daytime veteran.

“It was one of those nice times to be an actor,” says Lester.

One reason Lester joined Santa Barbara was the multi-faceted character he is portraying.

“I always said that the character I had been playing (Jack Abbott) was one of the greatest roles in daytime,” says Lester. “Now, I'm playing the other one. Mason is in many ways more suited to me than Jack was. I feel like I have more in common with him personally. Privately, I read a lot and I'm a musician. Those were things Jack never got around to doing. I'll probably be able to use more of myself in this role than I've ever been able to do before.”

Lester is also a great fan of Santa Barbara and thrilled to have been granted the chance to work with its talented cast.

“I’ve been watching Santa Barbara for the past year,” says Lester. “I think it’s going to be the next great show on daytime as soon as the word gets spread a little further and more people become aware of it. Some of my favorite actors are on this show including Nancy Grahn (who plays Lester's on-screen wife Julia Capwell), A. Martinez (Cruz Castillo), Marcy Walker (Eden Castillo) and Robin Mattson (Gina Timmons). I could go on and on. What actor doesn't want to be on a great show with great actors and great writing?”

“Several months ago, I heard from Lane through a mutual friend,” says Lester. “He was doing the play, Man of La Mancha at the time and needed some relief. Lane sent word to me asking whether or not I might want to step in for him. It was just about the same time we the Santa Barbara producers and Lester had started talking about my coming over to Santa Barbara. It’s pretty ironic how the whole thing worked out.”