Peter Bergman On His 'Young & Restless' 30 Year Anniversary: 'A Powerful Personal Experience'
The Young And The Restless is airing a special tribute to one of its most integral characters this Monday as the show celebrates the 30th anniversary of Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott. Throughout the course of three decades, Bergman has been a mainstay on the program and today viewers will get a chance to look back at some of his greatest moments and memories.
CBS Local's Ryan Mayer spoke with Bergman ahead of tonight's episode to look back at 30 years, discuss some of his most cherished cast mates and what to expect from tonight's special.
RM: Peter, thanks so much for the time. First off congratulations three decades on The Young And The Restless. What's it been like to have this kind of a sustained career on such an iconic program?
PB: You know it's an amazing thing, Ryan, there are times it seems it was a few weeks ago that I started and times it seems a life time ago. But it adds up to my daughter's entire lifetime, she was four weeks old when I first started this show and she's a 30-year-old woman with a career.
RM: Now looking back on all of your time here on the show, what are some of your favorite Jack Abbott moments?
PB: I think any of the gatherings of the Abbott family are just my favorite scenes to play, but story wise Jack's never easy relationship with Phyllis was always a joy to play. My endless enmity with Victor Newman has been something I've been very proud of; those are the highlights to me.
RM: Yeah you mentioned some of the people that you've been able to work with here on the screen on the show, some incredible names sprinkled throughout your tenure. Who are some of the cast mates and may be guest stars that stick out the most in your mind?
PB: You know, frankly, we've had guest stars and we're always happy to have them, but the really important people to my life on the show have been the regular characters, the Melody Thomas Scotts, the Eric Braedens, Michelle Stafford, Eileen Davidson, Beth Maitland, these are critical people to my success on the show and people I enjoy working with.
RM: The last question I have for you, next Monday The Young And The Restless airs a special episode celebrating your 30th anniversary with the show. What does it mean to you to get recognized in this way, what are you looking forward to the most moving forward?
PB: It's funny Ryan, when they first talked about making a big deal about my 30th anniversary, I kind of tried to talk them out of it and then they said they were going to write a show, that was all of Jack Abbott's memories and that seemed strange to me too. And it really turned out to be a powerful personal experience walking, retracing 30 years on the show. Looking forward I see Jack as the head of one of the two families in town, the Abbotts and the Newmans have long been the two central multi-generational families and I think I'm at the top of the generational scale now 30 years later.
RM: Well Peter, thank you so much for the time today and enjoy the 30th anniversary episode coming up next Monday.
PB: Thank you Ryan, a pleasure talking to you.
Catch a very special episode of The Young And The Restless this Monday, November 25th. Check your local listings for more information.