Eric Martsolf Talks Filming John Black’s Tearful ‘Days’ Funeral: ‘It’s Going to Fill Your Heart Up’
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Grab your tissues, Days of Our Lives fans. John Black’s (Drake Hogestyn) funeral begins on June 9 and is sure to be a tearjerker.
Saying goodbye to the popular character was an emotional challenge for the cast on multiple levels. Not only had Hogestyn been a beloved presence on set for nearly 40 years, but in real life, he was quietly facing the final stages of pancreatic cancer.
“It felt very unnatural to film a funeral of a character and a man who you knew was still with us,” says Eric Martsolf, who plays Hogestyn’s on-screen son, Brady Black. “It was extremely hard, primarily because we were all holding out hope for Drake to beat this awful illness that coincidentally had taken Isabella Black, my fictitious mom, and also took my biological mom four years ago. So, I was ready for pancreatic cancer to just be eradicated from the planet. This disease really took a chunk out of my world.”
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Martsolf reports that the cast banded together to navigate their way through the painful episodes. “I’ve never had a mountain that high to climb as an actor before in my life,” he reveals. “We realized that we were all going to have to do this together. We’re asked every day to bring some reality to these fake circumstances on soap operas, but when the circumstances are very real and just heart-wrenching, it makes it that much more difficult to do it. So, it was a team effort that day, and we all just held each other’s hands so tight. Everyone’s knuckles were blue from holding each other, and we all just kind of got together and said, ‘We can do this. We can all get through this.’ ”
But in many instances, it was easier said than done. “We didn’t keep it together all the time,” Marstolf relays. “There were a lot of takes. There was a lot of apologizing. There was a lot of inability to continue. So, we would stop tape, and people would get their composure, and they’d come back to the table and do what they knew they had to do and get those words out. People that have been working with Drake for decades, we were bawling like school children. As hard as it was to do, it was necessary. And Drake, above all, loved telling stories, and it was just beautiful to witness all the stories that each character had about Drake and John Black, and I was very proud and honored to be a part of that group. It was a beautiful two days.”
Despite the heaviness of the task at hand, Martsolf previews that there’s also some levity to the proceedings. “I was so thankful to the writers because they did bring a celebratory sense to it that I believe honored Drake,” he praises. “I know he wouldn’t want all of us to be sitting around bawling our eyes out with our heads down. He would have wanted us to lift everything up and celebrate his life and celebrate what he brought to the canvas of the show, and we did that.
“My speech in this particular funeral sequence is funny,” Martsolf continues. “Without giving away too much, it’s a giant tribute to his eyebrow, which will probably go down in soap history as a very iconic mannerism for a character. It was hard, though. It was hard through it all. There was an equal amount of tears and laughter that day.”
Martsolf, who joined the soap in 2008 after a six-year run as Ethan Winthrop on Passions, cherishes the connection he had with Hogestyn. “It was very much like a father-son relationship, honestly,” he reflects. “He showed me how to have fun here, but he also showed me how to work hard here. I think that’s the secret to longevity in this business and enjoying your job. I think that’s the difference between people that do soaps for six months and people that do it for 40 years. They find that beautiful balance between enjoying it here and not taking it too seriously.”
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Hogestyn’s professionalism was evident until the end, Martsolf reports. “The last week Drake was here, he didn’t have an iPad, he didn’t have a script in his hand,” he recalls. “He knew [his lines] before he walked in the doors, and we don’t always see that work ethic these days from actors. He educated everybody on how to do their job well around here. But he was also just a jokester and a goofball.”
Their final moments at the studio are memorable for Martsolf, where they alluded to Hogestyn’s real-life plight. “He wasn’t really forthcoming with what was going on with him, but I’d heard rumblings in the halls,” Martsolf relays. “I remember we were [on set]. They took a short break for like a minute, and he just kind of stood there at the table, and I looked at him and said, ‘How you doing, man?’ and he just looked at me and said, ‘Dude, I’m on a mission. I’m just on a mission.’ He was just a pillar of composure through the whole thing. Strong ’til the end.”
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And Hogestyn’s legacy still looms large in the Burbank studio. “He was one of our best,” Martsolf sums up. “He was a beautiful dude that really loved this place. There’s a giant hole between John Aniston [Victor Kiriakis, who passed away in November 2022] and Drake Hogestyn. Those were two monsters that loved the genre and gave so much to these hallways. They’re a little empty, but day by day, we’re filling it up and trying to honor his work. Brady references his father a lot in the upcoming months, and he and Marlena [Evans, Deidre Hall] have a lot of chat, so his spirit is still threaded through the dialogue, and that’s terrific.”
While the funeral might not be the easiest watch, Martsolf encourages the audience to be a part of it. “Don’t be afraid to tune in,” he says. “Don’t think it’s going to be a giant black cloud of despair. Give him the honor of taking it in and soaking in the memories and the good stuff, because there is a lot of that. It’s going to fill your heart up. It really will.”
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G
These kind of stories are what soap operas do best, and "Days of Our Lives" in particular as one of the longest running fictional shows on television. The history is so rich and the characters have been on screen for literally years.
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Yes sir I was little looking at it
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G
Days of our lives has lost too many great actors recently. Victor, Doug, John and Wayne when he use to play Roman back in the days, each one of them brought some joy to us fans. How John would say that's a fact, to Victor's one liners, or Doug's songs. Too much sadness 💔
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Ethan forgot to mention Bill Hayes, who passed away only a few months before Drake. Rest in peace Victor Doug, and John. I’ll be sure to have a box of tissues with me when I watch.
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Bill Hayes passed away 9 months before Drake did.
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R
I have watched dool since I was a little girl and I have already cried so much but I will be watching 🥰
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Ive also been watching DOOL since I was a little girl too. Cried my eyes out & will do the it again Monday.
Take care.
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O
I didn't realise that Drake was still alive when these episodes were taped. They must tape at least 10 months in advance. I still can't believe Drake passed away last September. John's been away for months, perhaps they could've waited a bit longer to tape these episodes. It's all been very sad
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What would be the point of waiting longer? And they're actually had in taping by 9 months.
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P
Watching John pass away and Bo’s triumphant return had me so emotional 😭…. I literally eat sleep and breathe DAYS OF OUR LIVES 😍🩷💯
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Continuing to pray for Drake's really family, and his TV family. May you rest in peace. We will always love ❤️ you and miss you very much 💓
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I'm so sad we list a great actor. I met him in person and he was just like the days of our life character. He was so real and kind to my great neice an nephew. I did not get to watch his funeral on Days but I know the show was sad saying goodby. I feel for his family and the people he worked for. He was truly loved and as a big fan. I loved him to. My prayers are with his beautiful family.
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They haven't had the funeral yet. It's coming up this week. This is just previous of what's going to happen.
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O
I keep thinking that I'm gonna wake up and Drake would be there on my TV with Deidre. I'm gonna miss him....have missed him .... I hope he's "swinging for the fences" up there in heaven. R.I.P Drake. R.I.P also to John Aniston and Bill Hayes.. you two will be dearly missed as well.
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That had to be so hard for them all , i appreciate all these actors and their professionalism and love for each other.
Drake ( john ) will be missed,sending love to all who miss him. I have been watching days of our lives & not missing an episode since 1986.
It will be sad days for me when it stops.
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M
They better not have Paul and Andrew’ wedding the day of his funeral in the cemetery. Talk about tone deaf and an agenda they want to keep pushing. I’m fine with it but not during his funeral. That would be so gross and disrespectful.
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Why would you possibly think that they would have a wedding on the day of a funeral?!🤔🤔🙄🥴
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R
I’ve been watching since 1973 and I had a messed up childhood and back then I was quite young but I was drawn to this show that helped me feel better about the shit show my life was at that time which lasted way too long, I would watch Days and love the family love between the Hortons and all their traditions as well as the action and the places that they traveled and adventures the foundation that Tom & Alice began all through the trials and tribulations of John & Marlena, some of Roman & Marlena, Beau & Hope, Steve & Kayla, Doug & Julie, Jack & Jennifer and these years throughout all I loved the way it was all depicted and shown to us fans!!!
Victor’s “one-liners,” and Fantastic acting by the majority of all of them, I greatly miss Victor, Doug and quite clearly John as they were one of a kind!!!
Sad to see all of them go and I pray that they’re all in heaven and at peace.
All three were magnificent but I must communicate that John is my favorite with his intensity and passion and profound way of completely embodying his character that left you without a shadow of doubt as to who he was a greatly Gifted Actor and the world lost one the elite; I am saddened for his family, friends, co-workers and last but not least us Longtime fans!!!
A great fan of Days.
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G
I’m upset how the writer just toss John Character out the window. I know Drake died from Cancer but they could have cast a new John instead of just having him dies on Days. With all the actors from All My Children, The Guiding Light, One Life To Live, Heck! Don Diamont could have played the new John Black since he is leaving The Bold and the Beautiful. What about Marlena now what is she going to do? I hope they don’t hook her up with Roman or Steve that would be just awful. I hope the writers will turn this around and have a story line that John is alive that someone put a dying medicine and he wakes up in the lab where Stefano daughter has in him. Steve, Bo, Roman, Abe, Brady, Eric, Paul, Shawn Brady finds out abd they go and try to save John and bring him back but he is a new actor replace Drake. I hope that happens really I do.
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Don't replace legendary actors like John!🙄 Just like they didn't do it with Stephano,, Victor or Doug!..ALSO Why would Marlene hook up with Steve when he's married to Kayla for years just like Roman has been married to Kate for years! Marlena will be fine alone, just like Julie!
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Lynda, Drake Hogestyn was very involved in how his character, John Black, should be written from the show. The writers and other actors are honoring his wish. We should respect him also.
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C
Dont forget Joseph Mascolo ,
He was a great villain on
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That was sooo beautiful 😍 ❤️
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I'd like your job
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I agree Matthew Flynn
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