The Bold And The Beautiful's Don Diamont Weighs In On All His Soap Opera Roles
Don Diamont has been a well-loved soap opera actor for over thirty years. He first began his acting career as Carlo Forenza on "Days of our Lives" in 1984, and hasn't stopped since. In 1985, he joined the cast of "The Young and the Restless" as groundskeeper-turned-businessman Brad Carlton. Diamont remained in that role for the next 15 years, with only one brief hiatus, until his character was killed off in 2009. Following his stint on "Y&R," Diamont was quickly scooped up by "The Bold and the Beautiful" to play publishing magnate Bill Spencer Jr. and he has been a staple on the show ever since.
As all soap viewers know, characters can go through several life transformations over the course of just one year (or month, or week). Thus, after 35 years on daytime TV, Don Diamont has been through a vast amount of trials and tribulations — and some good times too! — with his various characters, both on and off set. He recently spoke to Soap Opera Digest about some of his most iconic scenes and fondest memories. We're here to give some context to some of those moments!
Don Diamont played Carlo Forenza on Days of Our Lives
Don Diamont got his first big acting break when he was cast as Carlo Forenza on "Days of Our Lives." The character was known for having an affair with Liz Chandler (Gloria Loring), daughter of Jabot Cosmetics founder John Abbott, and for the rivalry he had with her husband Neil Curtis (Joseph Gallison), according to Soap Central. Neil and his father had previously supplied evidence to law enforcement that sent Carlo's father Mario to prison and Carlo wanted revenge. Unfortunately, during a physical altercation with Neil, Carlo was accidentally shot and killed.
Though Diamont only spent a year on the show, his time there was a bit of a roller coaster. He expressed to Soap Opera Digest that everyone on set was welcoming to him, especially co-star Gloria Loring, whom he dated for a time. However, things weren't always rosy as Diamont detailed an incident during his first scene on the show where ex-executive producer Al Rabin scolded his performance in front of the whole cast, causing a rift in their relationship.
Don Diamont considers Beth Maitland his biggest soap mentor
In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, Don Diamont revealed that long-time soap star Beth Maitland was his most influential mentor. Though Diamont had previously spent a year on "Days of Our Lives," he still felt that he needed guidance when he joined "Young and the Restless." He said, "I was still really green and [Maitland] really taught me a lot. She was really supportive."
Maitland has portrayed Traci Abbott on "The Young on the Restless" off-and-on since 1982. Traci and Diamont's character, Brad, had a tumultuous relationship on the show in the late '80s and early '90s. They were married and divorced, reconciled and became pregnant, and then lost their unborn child, pushing Brad toward Traci's sister Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson), according to Soaps in Depth. Years later, they rekindled their romance again, marrying and having a child together, though they ultimately weren't able to make their relationship work.
Of the time he spent with Maitland, Diamont noted, "I was absolutely blessed to work so closely with her for such a long time — so talented, so kind and so present. I was incredibly fortunate."
Don Diamont was able to share his Jewish heritage on Y&R
In 2006, Diamont's "Young and the Restless" character Brad Carlton was revealed to be Jewish, much to the actor's delight. Diamont (whose given surname is Feinberg) is Jewish himself, and he was honored to be able to highlight his heritage on screen, according to an interview with The Jewish News. Regarding Jewish representation in the media, Diamont expressed his joy that the ex-Navy SEAL Brad Carlton didn't conform to common Jewish stereotypes. He said, often a Jewish character "is not the guy taking names and kicking ass. [Brad] is not Woody Allen."
Brad was forced to reveal that his real name was George Kaplan, his mother was a concentration camp survivor, and that he was Jewish. His mother Rebecca Kaplan (Millie Perkins) was being targeted by Nazi bounty hunters for her role as a Holocaust art restorer. Diamont relayed to Soap Opera Digest that this storyline was one he was most proud of portraying throughout his daytime career.
Later that same year, Diamont's character Brad openly celebrated Jewish holiday Yom Kippur for the first time and used the holy day as an opportunity to make amends with those he had wronged (via The Jerusalem Post).
Dollar Bill and Katie Logan had one of the sweetest wedding ceremonies on The Bold and the Beautiful
Bill Spencer Jr. was first introduced to the "Bold and the Beautiful" as a womanizing businessman and was quickly nicknamed "Dollar Bill." However, Bill soon met a woman whom he was willing to settle down with — Katie Logan (Heather Tom). In an interview with TV Insider, Tom explained how she sees the couple, saying, "I think they bring out the best in each other to a large extent. She is the moral compass for Bill — for better or worse."
Katie had been raised in San Fernando and experienced issues with self-confidence as a young person regarding her background and her appearance, according to Soaps. When she and Bill fell in love, they decided to hold their wedding at a park in the neighborhood of Katie's childhood home. Diamont credits this wedding as one of his favorites during his time as a soap actor. He told Soap Opera Digest, "She looked up at the window of her old bedroom where she used to pop her zits. For Katie to look up at the popping window and now, here she is marrying Dollar Bill ... that was a big step for both of our characters."
Ridge Forrester is Bill Spencer Jr.'s biggest rival on The Bold and the Beautiful
Bill Spencer Jr. and Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) have long been enemies on "The Bold and the Beautiful." In fact, Don Diamont told Soap Opera Digest that the relationship between Bill and Ridge has been his greatest on-screen rivalry. Much of their feuding can be attributed to their mutual love of Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang), who has been married to Ridge several times and with whom Bill cheated on Katie Logan with more than once.
The two men have physically fought on many occasions — once after Ridge contributed to Bill losing custody of his son and then pushed the other man over a balcony, putting Bill in a coma; once when Ridge falsely accused Bill of assaulting his daughter Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood); and another time when Bill tried to dropped Ridge out of a helicopter in mid-air (via Soap Central). Bill and Ridge have also come to blows many times over business disagreements related to Forrester Creations.
Though the men have been forced to work together to a mutually beneficial end a few times over the years, it doesn't appear that their long-standing hatred of each other will end any time soon — especially since Bill and Brooke have cheated on Ridge once again, just this week!