Notable Quotes By and About Stephen Nichols

APPLAUSE FOR HIS WORK

“Nichols is an actor absorbed by his character.”
-Los Angeles Times Review of “The Lizard King” -May 29, 1991

“Nichols is dangerous, threatening and unpredictable. We adore his strut.”
– Soap Opera Digest (editors), June 3, 1986

“That’s where I first saw Stephen. I thought, `That actor was so dangerous’. Stephen was my first choice.”
-Avner Garbi, in Los Angeles Times 4/14/1991 (He first saw Stephen in the play “Delirious” and cast him as Jim Morrison in “The Lizard King”)

“With the ease of a chameleon, Stephen Nichols swiftly shifts gears to project whatever strikes his character’s fancy. He is unpredictable, volatile, intense, even funny. During his tenure as Patch on Days, he’s been a force that demands attention. Viewers alternately want to hate mother, and seduce him. Most of all, they want more. Nichols’ acting range and arresting appearance could translate well to film.”
-Soap Opera Digest, September 9, 1986

“The day came when we decided we wanted some scum bucket to be Bo’s nemesis…and we kinda said ‘O.K, we’ll find a guy and use him 2 or 3 days and we’ll throw him in the river. And this one (points to Stephen) shows up and we decide we’ll put a patch on him, do the whole number, make him look really lousy. And it was amazing because after we saw him like twice, I went to Al Rabin and said, ‘This guy is the new Tony Geary… ”
-Thom Racina, soap opera/screen writer (Days, GH, AW, Generations, among others) “Lunch with Patch” 1987

“Stephen himself began creating a character and we kind of fell in line with him. I hadn’t seen that happen anywhere except with Tony Geary when I did that.”
-Thom Racina, “Lunch with Patch” 1987

“Creating the character of “Patch” was a high point of my days at DAYS. He was a dark and dangerous guy who became one of the all-time favorites. We were helped by the fact that we cast the brilliant Stephen Nichols in the role.”

–Thom Racina, Palm Springs Life Magazine, November 2001

“Cant Get Enough of: Stephen Nichols as Stefan on General Hospital. To think this is the same man who played the dashing, heroic Patch on Days- he is truly what range is all about. (And he even looks better now than he did a decade ago. How does he do that?)”
-Soap Opera Digest’s Alan Carter in “It’s Only My Opinion” (October 13, either 97 or 98)

“Nichols could be the work ethic poster boy. Obviously taking nothing for granted-ever-about Stefan. He molds, chisels, refines, in every scene and never disappoints, even when his character’s actions and reactions have lacked consistency or clarity.”
-Dec, 1998 Soap Opera Weekly Editors. In the article “For Your Consideration”, their recommendations for the year’s Lead Actor Emmy nominations.

“As the antihero Patch on “Days” in the ’80s, Nichols was a soap superstar. But now he’s even more magnetic as the outwardly polite but inwardly scheming villain Stefan. Through skillful underplaying and Zen-like control, Nichols has managed to make the very dark Stefan profoundly powerful -and daytime’s latest sexual sensation.”
-Connie Passalacqua (a.k.a Soap Opera Weekly’s “Marlena De LaCroix”) Newsday, 12-30-1996, pp B21

“Stephen was brought in as a bad guy for a short run- two or three weeks- to kidnap the heroine, Hope, and drip steaming acid on her face. This is something you don’t come back from very easily. But Stephen became wildly popular. Two years after his debut he was the most popular man on daytime.”
-Ken Corday, Days Producer, in Soap Opera Magazine

“Stephen Nichols has an incredible loyalty to and knowledge about his character, so much so that we rely on his input in the writing and development of Patch.”
-Shelley Curtis, ex-Days Producer/Director, Soap Opera Digest, Aug. 22, 1989

“Most actors give 99 percent to their work. Stephen gives 150 percent.”
-Shelley Curtis, ex-Days Producer/Director, Soap Opera Digest, August 22, 1989

“Stephen started as a day player, a short term character, who was discovered by our producer Shelley Curtis, while he was working in an actor’s workshop. Patch was supposed to have a very short run on Days of our Lives playing a bad guy who held Hope hostage while tying her to a chair with a bucket of dripping hydrochloric acid suspended over her head.Patch was not a nice guy but the actor owned the character so much that we kept Stephen under contract for many years after that incident….Stephen Nichols’ quiet surface and long stride are in direct contrast to the volcanic fire that burns in the actor’s proud heart. He is always unpredictable in his working method, and that’s what makes the character of Patch so riveting. The element of surprise! “

– Days of our Lives executive producer, Ken Corday, in his book “The Days of our Lives” 2010

 
RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FROM CO-WORKERS AND FELLOW DAYTIME ACTORS

“Stephen is a wonderful man and the best of what this profession can offer. In spite of his popularity and notoriety, he still works his hardest every day. He’s the first one to say, ‘Let’s work this scene. Let’s make it better.’ He’s not at all the type who sits on his laurels. He’s always working. I keep my eye on him all the time because I know I can learn a lot from him. He’s a master.”
-Karen Moncrieff (ex- Gabrielle, Days, now a director) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“Stephen showed me what it means for somebody to care about you. A lot of the stuff we did in the beginning was about him always looking out for me, and I never doubted him for a second. When I was growing up, I always wondered, “Does this person really have my best interests in mind?” And I’ve learned from Stephen and from Stefan that he will always steer me in the right direction.”
-Tyler Christopher, Soaps In Depth ABC edition September 22, 1998

“What most people don’t know about Stephen, because he never talks or boasts about it, is that he’s a very giving man. He always takes time out for those who are down and out, his friends and society. He’s always got time for people who aren’t as lucky as him. I don’t want to get into specifics, because that’s his own personal business, but I’ve seen him help people many, many times.”
-Marty Davich, August 22 1989 in Soap Opera Digest

“I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a better actor in my life. And not only that, he’s a wonderful person. Very caring, very loving, and wonderfully stable. He’s a very centered actor and person who knows where he’s going and how to get there and he’s just doing it. It’s really neat meeting someone like that and I get to work with him.”
-Judi Evans (Paulina, Another World; ex-Adrienne, Days of our Lives) Soap Opera Digest 8/25/87

“What I like best about Stephen is the way he smiles when he talks about his kids. He just shines. He’s a real heartfelt man. There’s so much tenderness inside him. He really cares. He’s always there to listen, if you’ve got a problem. If you’re crying, he’ll hold you and comfort you. There are a lot of similarities between Stephen and Patch. They’re both serious, but they’ve both got great, big giant hearts. Stephen’s heart shows through more than Patch’s. He’s a wonderful man. I’m lucky I got to meet him, and especially glad I got to know him.”
-Judi Evans (ex Adrienne, Days) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

He’s a terrific actor. All you have to do in a scene with him is react. Unfortunately our paths don’t cross all that much on the show. We do both play on the Days softball team. He’s the pitcher. But there’s this running joke on the team as to who runs slower, Stephen or me. We both tend to go at a snail’s pace. We’re lucky that’s not a criteria for being a good actor. Stephen’s also great with stand-up comedy. There’s a lot of humor in him. I’m very impressed with his dedication to his acting, his family and the rest of the world in general. He really cares.”
-Frank Parker (Shawn Brady, Days of our Lives), Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“We don’t work together as much as we used to, but I always enjoyed doing scenes with Stephen. He’s a thinking actor. I realize that’s shop talk, but so many actors don’t think, and it’s so important. Stephen’s mind is always going before, during and even after a scene.”
-John Aniston (Victor, Days of our Lives) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“As you can tell from his work, Stephen Nichols is a very serious actor- always running lines, re-writing scenes, and rehearsing. But there’s also a zany, unpredictable side to him. I remember last year at Christmas, this man showed up at the studio dressed up as Santa Claus. It took the whole day before we realized the guy in the red suit was Stephen.”
-Peggy McKay (Caroline, Days) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“What I like best about Stephen is his sense of humor. He’s got this great, little dance he does for us in the make-up room, and he also does this great imitation of James Dean.”
-Billy Warlock (ex-Frankie, Days; AJ, GH) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“…And Stephen Nichols is the man of my dreams. He’s a fabulous actor, a creative genius, and wonderful on his feet. Stephen is just brilliant.”
-Deidre Hall, Soap Opera Digest, June 3, 1986

“Stephen really prepares for a scene -mentally, emotionally, and bodily. If he has to go into a scene where he’s out of breath or involved in some kind of chaos, he gets ready by doing pushups first. The cutest thing I ever saw was one day when his son, Aaron, was on the show. Stephen had Aaron right there down on the floor with him. There they were, father and son, doing pushups together. Stephen’s also a very giving human being, but he does it in a very quiet way. He doesn’t have much bravado. He doesn’t look for applause, attention or approval. He’s self approved. The man’s got a lot of integrity, I admire him. I’d stand on my head for Stephen!”
-Patsy Pease (Kimberly Brady, Days) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“His work is like the epitome of what movie actors used to do years ago…He’s so dedicated and disciplined.”
-Jackie Zeman (Bobbie, GH) ABC Soaps In Depth April 17, 2001

“Patch is the character that most appeals to me. It would be a challenge to see how it feels wearing that eye patch all day. It must be so different to view the world that way. Stephen Nichols makes Patch look good. He has the guts to play such an emotionally complicated character. Most actors lean towards simpler roles.”
-In Daytime TV’s January 1988 issue, Frances Reid (Alice, Days) is asked what other role appeals to her

“Stephen is a great actor, and a great person. I’ve learned a lot from him- he’s my mentor.”
-Wally Kurth, Soap Opera Update, February 8, 1988

“He’s very spiritual and has a lot going on underneath the surface, which is always there. He’s always perceptive and insightful, and aware of things that aren’t necessarily spoken.”
-Sydney Penny (ex- Julia, All My Children; ex-BJ, Santa Barbara) in Soap Opera Update

“I’m crazy about Stephen. You know he hardly ever calls me Joy. He always calls me Mama. I’ll see him in the hall, when I get to work and he’ll say ‘Morning Mama’. I’ll say ‘Morning Son’. It’s a habit now. He’s adorable. Stephen’s got a wonderful sense of humor, too, but when he’s working he’s dead serious. He likes total concentration and doesn’t go for any messing around. A while back though, we did have this dance scene. He started whipping me around the floor, and then he threw me into this dip. Thank God I didn’t have any lines to say because I was laughing so hard. The man’s hysterical once he gets started”
-The late Joy Garrett (ex Jo, Days of our Lives) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“I find him to be a very giving actor. He works hard. He puts everything into his scenes. Some actors feel like soap work is the lowest form of acting on the totem pole. They think soap acting is a breeze. Not Stephen. Every day and every performance counts with him.”
-Matthew Ashford (ex-Tom, General Hospital; ex-Jack, Days of our Lives) in Daytime TV magazine

“He’s a serious, sensitive man. He loves blues music, street musicians, that sort of thing. When he knows you, he opens up and can be even silly at times. But he hides that under a serious veneer….He hides his real self sometimes.”
-The late Richard Biggs (Marcus, Days) in Soap Opera Digest (Aug.22, 1989)

“Dedicated. He’s very serious as far as acting is concerned. Every moment counts. Every moment is important.”
-The late Richard Biggs (Marcus, Days) in Soap Opera Update

“From Stephen I learned how to be a professional… He was always on time and in love with the craft of acting. I learned how to appreciate every day the incredible gift we are given to act and get paid for it well. He just really taught me how to appreciate that.”
-Tyler Christopher, (Nikolas #1, GH) TV GUIDE ONLINE CHAT -May 12, 2000

“I’d have to say that Stephen is one of my best friends on the show. I like to sit and chat with him during the day. He’s such a funny guy. He’s always teasing me and really knows how to make me laugh.”
-Charlotte Ross (Ex-Eve, Days) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“…when he first came on the show he was supposed to only be there for two weeks. There weren’t many men on the show at that time, and when I started working with him, I said ‘this guy is great’. I went to the producers and said, ‘Hey, can we keep him?’”
-Peter Reckell (Bo Brady, Days of our Lives) in Soap Opera Update

“Milt, did I tell you about how everyone on the set is just raving about Stephen Nichols? I told Al {Al Rabin, a former Days producer} he ought to beef up his storyline. He’s good and he knows it. Any female on the set would love to play opposite him. I know I would”
-Kristian Alfonso, 1985, quoted in book “It’s a Soap Opera Life” by Elizabeth Simon

“The unique thing about Stephen is that every time there’s a holiday, he dresses up as the resident Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, or cupid. He even turned up as the Statue of Liberty on the fourth of July. He can be very entertaining. And, I’d have to say that he’s the hardest working actor on the show.”
-Charles Shaughnessy, (Ex Shane, Days) Soap Opera Stars, May 1988

“Steve’s got the best legs on Days…He’s an excellent actor. Everyone really respects him.”
-Michael T. Weiss (ex-Mike, Days of our Lives; ex- star of “The Pretender”)

“I like working with Stephen a lot.  He is a good guy and a whole lot of fun to work with.”
-Kristian Alfonso (Hope, Days) Daytime TV – June 1986

“The scenes he played when he revealed he was my father really brought us together as people. When you reach out for somebody like that, even in a scene, it’s just so emotionally bonding. Not only has Stephen become a friend, but he’s truly like a father figure to me.”
-Tyler Christopher upon leaving GH Soaps In Depth (ABC edition, August 10, 1999)

“He’s been a true father figure to me. We care a lot about each other, other than just our work. I’m going to miss that intimate relationship that we had.”
-Tyler Christopher Soap Opera Weekly, July 6, 1999

“Stephen’s been in my life for a long time- he’s like my big brother. We say things to each other that we don’t with anyone else. Sometimes he’s so serious and I’m not. But I always know how to make him laugh. I nicknamed him ‘Stuffy’ because he plays such a serious character.”
-Nancy Grahn (Alexis, GH) in Soaps In Depth Magazine

“Stephen was the first person I worked with here, so I sort of consider him my mentor. We work well together. We have great chemistry, which makes who we are and the relationship between our characters believable. I love the intensity he brings to the screen.”
-Tyler Christopher (Nikolas, General Hospital), Soap Opera Magazine 1997

“Working with Stephen is intense because he is a very passionate person-which comes across in his work. He never does anything half heartedly. He puts his full body, heart and soul into everything he does. That’s why, as an actor, he is very powerful and interesting to watch.”
-Jackie Zeman (Bobbie, General Hospital), Soap Opera Magazine 1997

“Stephen is a great guy. Even though he plays such a serious character, he’s very loose, very funny and always joking around. I love him.”
-Tyler Christopher in Soap Opera Digest

“I know this doesn’t sound right, but he’s–goofy. He’s really goofy and funny.”
-Brad Maule (ex-Tony, GH) in Soap Opera Update

“Stephen Nichols is the least like Stefan Cassadine because Stefan is a serious, serious man, and Stephen is just a goofball.”
-Rebecca Herbst (Liz, GH) answering “who is least like their character”. Soap Opera Digest, March 6, 2001

“He is so strangely, hysterically, funny, and I emphasize strangely. Even better than that, he is an incredibly devoted parent. He’s an A+ in my book.”
-Nancy Grahn (Alexis, GH) Soap Opera Digest 1/25/00

“Stephen is a consummate actor. A joy to work with. Right there all the time.”
-Constance Towers, (Helena, GH) Soap City Chat 6/22/00

I adore Stephen. He’s one of the finest actors I’ve ever worked with. He’s right there in every moment, and he’s a lovely man to work with…He has a lot of style and nobility about him.”
-Constance Towers, TV Guide Online Interview, Tuesday, November 26, 2002

“Stephen is a lot of fun, and he’s a good friend. I would like the opportunity to work with Stephen and to have a chance to rekindle some of our old magic. To this day, whenever we run into each other, we still call each other ‘Patch’ and ‘Frankie’.”
-Billy Warlock (Answering Fan Questions on his official web site:  2/2/01)

“I laugh so much with him! He’s a really, really nice guy.”
-Tamara Braun (Ava, Days) on what it’s like to work with Stephen, Canada’s TV Guide Online, April 15, 2008

“Stephen Nichols doubled as a father figure to me, because I didn’t have any family here in Los Angeles, and it’s nerve wracking enough for a new actor to come into a huge show like General Hospital. I remember sitting in my dressing room and having Stephen come in and run the scene with me. And we finished the scene and he said, ‘You got it, that’s exactly what the scene needs to be’. It gave us an immediate connection that really transcended to the show…because in the beginning that was the whole story, both positive and negative, with Laura, Lucky, Stefan, Helena. The personal connection that Stephen and I established with each other really carried over into the story, and I think that’s why it worked so well.”
-Tyler Christopher, During SoapNet’s “Prince Nikolas Marathon” 11/26/04

“Stephen is going to be greatly missed. Stephen was the funniest guy I ever met in my life. He was the joke of jokes on set but when that tape rolled, boy, whew, he was ready to work. He was probably more serious about his work than anybody on our show. I mean just the way he put into it off the stage. He’s such a well trained actor, and he loves theater and he just loved working. And that was one thing I really admired.”
-Coltin Scott Martines (Nik #2, GH) on Soap Net’s “Soap Talk” (talk show) 6/24/02

“Whenever I was sick or had a day off, I would stay home and watch it {DAYS}…  The person I loved most was Patch–Stephen Nichols.” It took a few weeks after joining the GH cast before Newman connected the dots. “I looked at him and it just clicked. I said, ‘Did you play Patch on Days?  Because I had such a crush on you‘,” Jamie relates with a grin. “Stephen just looked at me and said, ‘Yeah, you and every other 12 year old girl at that time.'”
– Jamie Ray Newman (Kristina, GH) Soap Opera Weekly, November 27, 2001

“I’m going to miss ….Stephen Nichols (Stefan) when he walks in doing his goofy dance.  He was giving, and I appreciated him so much.”
-Tava Smiley (ex-Chloe, GH) upon her exit from GH, ABC Soaps In Depth, October 2, 2001

“Stephen is just so kooky and wild.”
-Tava Smiley (Chloe, GH) in Yahoo/Soap City Online Chat 12/7/00

“Right off the bat, Stephen Nichols was so cool. We bonded right away. ”
-Coltin Scott (Nikolas #2, GH), The NY DAILY NEWS, December 24, 1999

“Stephen Nichols; I think he’s handsome in a different way. In person he is extremely sexual and attractive- on camera he is too.”
-Jennifer Bassey (Marian, AMC) when asked “Who is the sexiest man on daytime (who isn’t on your show)?” Soap Opera Digest, April 30, 2002

“…Stephen Nichols does such brave work.”
-Emmy winning actor Peter Bergman (Jack, Y&R) in a Soap Opera Digest article about the Daytime Emmy Awards (Stephen was among the people he thinks get overlooked in the nominations.) (circa 90s)

“…Stephen fell right in. He’s delivering like mad. He is just a joy to work with.”
-Jeanne Cooper (Katherine, Y&R) on Stephen’s first days at the show. CBS SID, 2/1/10

“Stephen is premier. He’s marvelous,” says Cooper. “It’s a dream when you connect with an actor, because you can go inside of his head and bring stuff out that is so great.” Cooper and Nichols knew one another “through the business, that sort of thing,” notes Cooper. “But it was never, ‘Let’s go have coffee.’ It’s sort of a nice [mutual] admiration club we have going [now].”
-Jeanne Cooper (Katherine, Y&R) on Stephen’s first days at the show. Soap Opera Weekly 1/26/10

“I told him that I like to rehearse and would rehearse as much as he wanted to. He turned to me and said ‘Thank God! So do I.’ From that point on, away we went.  It’s been marvelous. We’ve had some magical moments, because once you get the lines out of the way, you can work on the emotions.”
-Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Y&R) , Soap Opera Weekly, 2/2/10

“He’s rejuvenated the set. It’s a pleasure to work with him.”

– Daniel Goddard, (Cane, Y&R) in the Suds Report 1/29/10

“Stephen is an absolute dream. He loves to rehearse and I love to climb inside his head when we’re doing a real take. Such great things come out. He relaxes and goes with it.”

-Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Y&R) , MSN TV News (online), 1/27/10

“His following will see a new side to his skills and be convinced he’s absolutely Tucker, so they can love him twice as much. They will not look at him and say, “He used to be Patch.” That’s not easy to accomplish when you have a moniker thrown at you that’s so beloved by so many people.”

-Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Y&R) , MSN TV News (online), 1/27/10

“I loved catching up with old friends like Stephen Nichols. Last time I saw him was when I was catering for Rob Reiner! Stephen was very gracious to me because I was a little embarrassed to have lost my fame and fortune at that point and was catering.”

– Thom Bierdz (ex-Phillip, Y&R), Y&R 37th anniversary party report Soap Opera Digest online 3/10/10

“He is a gentleman. A wonderful actor. He’s been nothing but amazing to work with.”

-Eric Braeden (Victor Newman, Y&R), TV GUIDE CANADA online 4/7/10

“Stephen once told me that he grew up as a foster child and that explained a lot about his streetwise, tough exterior. Now as a devoted husband and father, he is a real sweetheart of a guy. As an actor he is always dynamically dramatic and fiery, passionate and perfectly suited to be the one eyed good guy or dark force for good.”

– Days of our Lives executive producer, Ken Corday, in his book “The Days of our Lives” 2010

STEPHEN IN HIS OWN WORDS

“..An actor interprets material the way a musician plays a score. I get excited every time I see a new script; I can’t wait to crack it open and see what’s inside. I’m always hopeful there will be moments where, through the material, I will connect with the character, the other actors, and ultimately with human experience.”
-Stephen Nichols, Soap Opera Weekly, November 9, 1999

“…I had no self esteem until I was on that stage doing that scene and I knew in that moment ‘By God, I can do something. I am worth something. I can give to people. I have a talent. That was a profound moment that I’ve always carried with me”
-Stephen in Soap Opera Magazine, 1997

“I think my fans are intelligent and intuitive people who like good theater.  They just want to see something that is compelling and moving.”
-Stephen, Soap Opera Update, August 2001

“Besides my family, it is the joy of my life to be on stage. I really love it.”
– Stephen Nichols From SoapCity’s coverage of the LAMEC event (January 2001)

“I can vacillate from total nut to kind of withdrawn. I’ve been that way my entire life.”
-Stephen, Soaps In Depth Magazine October 26, 1999

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