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By Robin Echt
Who is that woman behind the seventh floor nurses station? For twenty years, Jacklyn Zeman has been a General Hospital fixture as teen prostitute-turned-head nurse Barbara Jean Spencer Brock Meyer Jones Cassadine. Here the actress and those who know her best share treasured memories.
1950s: "I had a very happy middle-America childhood," recall Zeman, who grew up in suburban New Jersey. "There were no walls or gates. All the kids played together after school and then we'd come home and have dinner as a family." Dad, an IBM systems engineer, taught his three daughters target shooting and water skiing, while Mom shuttled them from dance to acrobatics to Girl Scouts. Grandpa steadied their bicycles and took them speed boating. Although Zeman excelled in academics and athletics, she was a dancer at heart. According to her younger sister, Lauren Fischetti, young Jackie organized, directed and choreographed the neighborhood song-and-dance shows. "She made sure everyone, even the boys, had a part. Jackie naturally stood out because she was so talented, but she always made everyone else feel just as special."
1960s: At age 15, Zeman graduated high school and accepted a dance scholarship to NYU. Within a year, she turned pro and moved to Caracas, Venezuela with a dance show. Eventually, Zeman returned to New York and bankrolled her dance classes with runway and tradeshow modeling (in a sample size petite and size 5 shoes!) and commercials. "I was the Jergens soap girl for a year - I sat in a bath tub with my hair up. They never sent me a box of soap, but I did use Jergens."
Early '70s: An 18-year-old Zeman returned to NYU as a pre-med major, funding her education by working as a Playboy Bunny. "We had some crazy times," laughs Cheryl Krebs, a co-bunny and Zeman's roommate in a $273 a month New York City studio apartment complete with cats, a dog and an iguana. "[The Bunnies] were like a sorority - we went out to dinner, to the movies and rode our motorcycles. We also had to weigh ourselves in everyday and make sure each other's tails were on straight."
Mid '70s: "My aim was to be on a soap opera," admits Zeman, who began her acting career in feature films. After screen-testing for Ryan's Hope, she was cast as Lana McLain on OLTL. It was a contract role, but Zeman was forewarned that her character would be killed off in six months. "What did I care? Six months on a soap for $350 a day! I would have done it for nothing," exclaims Zeman. She almost didn't do it at all. "On my first day, I had to do all these bedroom scenes with Jameson Parker [ex-Brad]. I was so nervous, I was almost sick to my stomach," she remembers. "I ran to Doris Quinlan [Former OLTL producer] and said, `I'm not cut out for this. Don't make me do it.' She said, `Give it a month.' " Zeman remained on OLTL for two years.
1977: Days before her OLTL departure, GH offered Zeman the role of sexy student nurse Bobbie Spencer. Then GH Head Writer Douglas Marland, who created the part, visited the actress in her New York apartment. Zeman smiles, "He sat in a velvet wingback chair, crossed his legs and told me, `[As Bobbie], you can do horrendous things, but if you have a certain flair about it, people will still like you.' Then he said, `You start on Monday.' " She took the next flight to L. A. "I had no time to book my two German Shepherds on the plane, so I had to pretend they were seeing eye dogs."
1977-1981: A scheming Bobbie tried every trick in the book to break up Scotty (Kin Shriner) and Laura (Genie Francis). After receiving death threats by mail, Zeman was assigned full-time bodyguards. "I lived at the top of Coldwater Canyon in Beverly Hills. It was foggy up there, so you had to drive really slow. Every morning for a year, they'd follow my convertible Corvette all the way down the hill." Co-star and good friend Shriner remembers the early days. "We hung out together all the time," he recalls. "She had red hair, those big eyes and such life in her - she was so vibrant and so much fun. She loved to ride on the back of my motorcycle and always made me these great brownies on my birthday."
1980s: GH mania was at it's peak. "At that time, my whole life was GH," Zeman says. "We worked five days a week until 10 p.m. and then went Disco dancing and drinking at The Ginger Man. I was on a plane two to three times a week doing game shows, morning shows, public appearances and affiliate interviews." In 1981, Zeman took a one year break from the soap. She returned as a more mature and independent Nurse Spencer. "Bobbie is certainly not a heroine - she's not perfect - but she's someone people really like and admire because she's come so far."
1989: Ami Dolenz (ex-Melissa) played matchmaker for co-star Zeman and third hubby Glenn Gorden. Says Zeman, "Her dad, [Monkee] Mickey Dolenz, gave a party, and there was this handsome guy there in a black leather jacket. I said to Ami, `Who's that?' She said, `He's the one.' And that was that." Six months later, they were married. "Jackie is one of the most sensitive, down-to-earth, caring people I've ever met," praises Gorden. "She's the most special thing that has ever come into my life."
1990-1992: Glenn and Jackie welcomed daughters Cassidy (now 6) and Lacey (now 4) to the family. "Your whole psyche changes when you become parents, and sometimes, it can make a relationship stale. But Glenn and I still feel like newlyweds because we have fun in our marriage and as parents," Zeman explains. "My girls are bright, sensitive and creative. I'm so proud of them."
1996: "Jackie is the most kind and giving actress that anyone has ever been lucky enough to work with," praises Brad Maule (Tony). Although Bobbie and Tony divorced last year, Maule insists. "I plan on being back with her again. It took a long time for [the character] to become friends and even longer before they fell in love. But [former GH Executive Producer] Gloria Monty's original plan was for Bobbie and Tony to be together." The two are also off-screen friends. "Brad and I know each other so well," explains Zeman. "I just love him."
1997: Two Emmy nominations and four on-screen husbands later, Zeman celebrates her
20th year on GH. "Over the years, I've received many offers to do different things. I
turned them all down because I was really happy in daytime. I have no regrets," insists
Zeman. "Jackie is consistently straightforward, warm, genuine and positive," shares GH
Executive Producer Wendy Riche. "I love working with her."
"I'm the happiest I've ever been," Zeman enthuses. "I feel like I have everything -
my husband, my kids and a job that enhances my life. I ended up exactly where I was
supposed to be."