I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Eric Martsolf, who plays Brady Black on Days of Our Lives.  Not only was he generous with his time, but completely entertaining.  He drew laughter from several of his amusing responses while, throughout, being candid and genuine.  It is no wonder Eric has a huge fan following from not only DOOL, but his previous roles on several series, including the retired soap, Passions.

Without further ado, please enjoy!

Carolyn Topol Talk:  What was your first professional acting job?

Eric Martsolf:  I guess if by ‘professional’ you mean being paid for your services [chuckling by all], my first professional job would’ve been as a singer at Hershey Park.  As a singer in their summer show, “Legends of Rock and Roll”, in which I wore orange biker shorts, orange Converse, a green tank top, and held a microphone that was like three feet long—like that Price Is Right, Bob Barker microphone.

CTT:  Who songs did you sing, or what did you sing?

EM:  I sang everything.  Every rock and roll song you can possibly think of.  It was a medley smashed with like 1000 songs done in a half hour.  I did that five times a day for the entire summer.  I did that for four years, actually.

CTT: You obviously enjoyed that.

EM:  I did, I did.  It was great—I was singing “The Mashed Potato” and getting paid for it.

CTT:  And you still go back there — to Hershey Park?

EM:  Yes, I did a reunion show this year.  They invited me back and I did a little show for them.

CTT:  Where do you see your career in 10 years; what would you like to be doing?

EM:  As long as I’m working, and able to make a dime doing what I love to do, then I’m going to be happy — whatever context that may be in.

CTT:  Do you prefer being on the stage and screen as opposed to being behind the scenes or camera?

EM:  Either form is fine with me.  I don’t discriminate between stage or screen.  I’m partial to the stage because that’s where I grew up.  But unfortunately, in today’s day and age, making a living on the stage is incredibly hard to do, especially when you have a family.  It just simply doesn’t pay what it needs to pay.

CTT:  What about producing or directing, as opposed to acting?

EM:  I’d rather be the player.  I don’t want to produce; I’d rather create.  I’ve seen what producers have to deal with on a day to day basis.  I wouldn’t want to have to make those allocations.

CTT:   What was your favorite Days storyline?

EM:  Brady’s substance abuse.  As tricky a subject as it is to play, it was the most rewarding and most challenging in so many ways.

CTT:  As someone who watched, it was brilliantly done, thank you.

EM:  Thanks, thank you.  I’ve never worked harder at something in my life.  I worked to make it interesting and subtle at the same time—trying make an impact, so it was realistic.

CTT:  It didn’t seem fake at all.

EM:  It was a lot of fun.  I know that sounds strange for such a storyline, but it was fun.  I loved coming to work and doing it.

CTT:  If you could play any role in theater, film, or television, who would it be?

EM:  You always want to do what you’re unable to do at the time.  With soap operas, they don’t allow you to be funny.  I yearn to do something comedic — something satirish and something romantic.  I guess, if I could go back and take Billy Crystal’s role in “When Harry Met Sally” —I would love to do “When Eric Met Sally”.

CTT:  That would be fun.

EM:  Anything Tom Hanks has ever done in that vein too; I could just throw myself in that.  I would love to be able to smile and act at the same time. [all laugh].

CTT:  If you had no career restrictions, and could move anywhere in the world, even for a short period of time, where would it be and why?

EM:  I haven’t been to a lot of the world.  I’ve never been to Europe, which is ridiculous.  I’ve been to every city in Canada and every city in the United States, as a result of touring with a Broadway show for four years, but I’ve never been to Europe.  So just pick a spot over there and stick me in it.  I heard the Amalfi coast is lovely.  I could hang out there for a year… or twenty.  That would be nice.

Geography is almost irrelevant for me; home is where your family is.

CTT:  If for some reason you could no longer be an actor, what alternate career would you choose?

EM:  [Expletive!]  I’ve always had a tough time with this question cause I was never the guy with the ‘B-plan’.  I want to play pretend for the rest of my life.  It’s what lights me up; it’s what’s interesting to me.

I suppose I would lay back on the education my father so generously gave me in law, and I would probably be a lawyer in some aspect, since I already had a head start on the education.  Being a lawyer isn’t that much different than being an actor anyway.  Either way you’re just trying to create — lawyers are just trying to convince people of what they’re saying and so do actors.

CTT:  You’re so good to your fans, and participate in many events — what drives you to continue to do these events?

EM:  It’s for very selfish reasons actually.  I get a high flying back on the plane and remembering all the comments and all the things that the fans tell me as to how it effects them; how the show keeps them going… How they look forward to it; how it means something to them.  So often we forget, going to our little warehouse in Burbank, what an impact we actually do make on people and how important the show can be.  Some of the stories about people [fans] who’ve been confined to a hospital bed for months and it was the soap that created that one hour that they weren’t in pain was the hour they dove into their soap opera. That’s special, that’s interesting.  Sometimes I find it frivolous and silly—what I do for a living.  I play pretend for a living.  I’m doing the same thing I did when I was six years old, when I was running around in my underwear playing cowboys and indians.

But it’s not the same; it does have value.  It does make people happy and sometimes it gives people great escapism out of their dark worlds or atmospheres — whatever they’re dealing with at the time.  That’s what fan events make me remember about what I do.

CTT:  As one of the fans I have to say thank you to both of you [Rob Wilson was interviewed at the same time].  I’ve watched Days for over 45 years.  It’s nice and generous that you touch base with fans.  Thank you from one of those who has been entertained.  And when I can see that you have problems [on the show] that I will never have to deal with, it’s a comfort.

EM:  If you think you’re problems are weird — turn on channel 4. [ pause as all laugh]

CTT:  What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

EM:  That’s a great question.  Coconut — nutty coconut. And I’d stick my face in any Baskin Robbins bin — it doesn’t matter which flavor.

CTT:  What is your favorite sport to watch and which one is your favorite to participate in?

EM:  My favorite sport to watch is football and my favorite sport to participate in is probably tennis.  I like tennis.  I like one-on-one.

CTT:  So singles tennis then?

EM:  Yes, yeah… And Corn Hole! [Eric then explained the game to me — I knew it only as bean bag toss — as both he Rob reminisced about playing in the hallway outside the Days’ dressing rooms.

*****

Thank you to Eric Martsolf for sharing his time, along with Rob Wilson, to sit with me for this fun and informative interview session!  I was truly privileged to get this opportunity!

I hope you will all keep following as the interviews will continue next week.