We Love Soaps traveled to Peapack, New Jersey before the show finished taping to speak with the cast of GUIDING LIGHT about their experiences on the legendary soap and what the future might hold. These interviews will be published over the next several days as fans prepare to say goodbye to the series on September 18. Frank Dicopoulos shared his thoughts on "good guy" Frank Cooper, how he has dealt with the loss of the show and what he has learned from his character over the years.
We Love Soaps: Frank has been typically get the short end of the stick for 20 years now. How has that been for you?
Frank Dicopoulos: His heart’s in the right place, he’s a good guy. I think what happens , when mom and dad abandoned me as a kid, and I had to raise Harley myself, I lost my childhood. I had to become an adult immediately and from that point on I’ve always assumed the parental adult role. I’ve been like that forever, I mean, I’m the quintessential father, big brother, police chief, always trying to make sure everyone else is okay. And in that process, he loses a sense of himself. He forgets [to take care of himself], he gets distracted by everybody else.
We Love Soaps: Has that gotten in his way to be able to hold on to a relationship or a marriage?
Frank Dicopoulos: Absolutely. With Eleni he was so into his job and everything. He was so driven to the right thing, to be a good cop. He didn’t pay attention to Eleni, he was trying to make money for the family and get health insurance and benefits and all that. He was just glued and driven to his job. He lost the romance, and over time that took it’s toll. Eleni wanted something more exciting, she wanted to go to Hollywood and do this whole thing. And she did! [referring to Eleni’s former portrayer Melina Kanakaredes].
We Love Soaps: What was like to get the news that show would not be continuing?
Frank Dicopoulos: I was not prepared. I actually got a phone call from Ellen Wheeler. And when she told me that I was like, “Come on you have to be kidding.” Because we were just coming off that amazing trip down in Orlando and we were all flying higher than a kite. There were fans there by the thousands, they had to cut the lines off. It was a hugely successful trip, we were there the whole week, we heard P&G had invested more money into the show, So when we got this word, it just didn’t match. It didn’t make sense. It was devastating, absolutely devastating.
We Love Soaps: How are you dealing with that devastation?
Frank Dicopoulos: I go in and out. I have a good days and I have bad days. I’m not one to sit there and watch the clock, but it’s hard not to. I would have started my 23rd year on the show. It’s killing me. It’s sad, just sad. This is my family away from my family. I have a lot of good friends here, a lot of friends for a lot of years. But who knows? I’m one of those ones who never says never. I personally believe that in some capacity this show will continue. I’ve never been a quitter. I’ve always kind of been a cheerleader for the show and will continue to be so. Never say die.
We Love Soaps: Are the actors supporting each other though this?
Frank Dicopoulos: We’re all stealing from each other now [laughs]. Yeah, we see each other, as we’re starting to wind down we realize that certain characters are not on the show anymore, they’re stating to drop off one by one. They’re like, “Frank this is my last day with you,” and I’m like, “What”? Rob Bogue and I had that last week and hit me really hard. Not only was the person leaving but the character was leaving as well and those scenes were very tough, very dramatic. He’s walkin’ out on my daughter, he’s walking out literally from the show. It was tough, it was hard, it was sad.
We Love Soaps: I imagine this might be hitting you in a way that’s different someone who hasn’t been here as long.
Frank Dicopoulos: I feel sad for the kids. Like I said, 22 years, almost 23, has been a great run. I have been part of the show when it was number one, when soaps were king. If you were a soap actor, you pretty much wrote your own ticket. I was going out on two different destinations each weekend for years of doing appearances where you walk in and crowds are there and the fans are there. You’d get bumped up to first class, every one is watching GUIDING LIGHT, there were wonderful perks in this business. So I lived it, I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I feel sad for the kids because they never knew that time. It’s still exciting for them to be part of this show. It’s a great show in my personal opinion. They lucked out getting to know a really good cohesive solid group of really good people and hardworking people that really do get along. You hear horror stories about other shows, you hear,”Oh the people are so dead there and so mean and it’s not really a happy environment.” That’s not the case here. I’m sad they’re not going to get that long run. We have great actors, I’m sure they’re going to be fine and find other shows.
We Love Soaps: What do you plan to do if this ends?
Frank Dicopoulos: I’m practicing a new line every day, “Would you like fries with that, sir?” “Do you want to super size that? Can I get you anything else? Thank you.” No, you know what, I believe that the show will go on in some capacity. I’m not going to put 200% into that, but I believe, I can’t help it. I think it’s too great a show to let this thing die. There’s such a loyal audience. So who knows, maybe a half hour show, maybe cable. I don’t know, but I’d like to still be part of the show if that happens. But life goes on, I have to protect my family, and here we go again. I’ve got to protect my family, I’ve to got to make an income.
We Love Soaps: You’ve mentioned many similarities you have to Frank Cooper. In what ways do you see yourself as different?
Frank Dicopoulos: Frank Dicopoulos wears a size 13 shoe, Frank Cooper wears a [size] 12 shoe. Frank Dicopoulos, according to my wife, is a much better kisser. I can honestly say Frank is Frank. I have to say, I don’t really know of....I think Frank Dicopoulos is a little sharper than Frank Cooper.
We Love Soaps: How so?
Frank Dicopoulos: Maybe not so, I don’t want to say gullible or naive, but I think Frank Dicopoulos asks more questions. Not much gets by Frank Dicopoulos but I think things get by Frank Cooper a little bit.
We Love Soaps: It seems that way. It seems Frank Cooper is often in a supporting role, and not exactly in the know. In the most recent Otalia storyline, the viewers were privy to what was happening with Natalia, and Frank was left to bump his head around town wondering what had happened. What was that like for you to be on the outside?
Frank Dicopoulos: I think they did a brilliant job writing that story. I’m glad they took their time with it. The family is always the last to know. Anybody really close to something is always the last to know about it. So it did make sense, I didn’t feel I was bumbling or stupid or an idiot. Frank was madly in love with Natalia. You have blinders to that. You look at the person you want to be with and everything else is superfluous or peripheral. I was blind to other things because this is the next level of my life after Eleni. That was a big step for Frank. So he’s trusting, he’s loving, he’s supportive, he’s trying to do everything. So even she walks out he’s still trying to make it work. Until after she tells me, it changes. That really stings, to be left at the alter. It wasn’t a gay thing, it wasn’t a lesbian thing, it was a trusting thing. Like, “Why did you take it so far, why didn’t you just tell me? Why did you let me jump in 200%?” And with Olivia, especially, I felt more betrayed by Olivia that Natalia because Natalia was just trying to figure it all out. Olivia was trying to make sense out of it too, but she was kind of driving it. I don’t feel she was honest with me either. In the end she came clean but it was too late, everything had already happened.
We Love Soaps: And Frank had been interested in Olivia at one point.
Frank Dicopoulos: Yes, but got burned by that too. By my father and Olivia. So it’s this whole trust thing too.
We Love Soaps (Newcomb): That week of the shows was one of the best week of shows this entire year. All five days it built slowly, it was such a payoff.
Frank Dicopoulos: It was a huge hugh payoff. And it was really important that Frank Dicopoulos made sure that Frank Cooper wasn’t judgmental, or made it a straight gay thing or whatever. That it was about love, and that was the beauty of it. It was about two women who really found out that they love each other. I hate when people put stigmas or labels on it. I hate that. Why can’t people just be people? Other people should be able to respect what other people have. I think that’s very much Frank, he’s a very loving trusting person. He puts it all out there on his sleeve and he always gets stepped on. I think it’s just the nature of the beast. I’ve known people like this, they’re really good people but they always just seem to end up on the short side of the stick.
We Love Soaps: Why does Frank keep coming up on the short side of the stick for the past 20 years?
Frank Dicopoulos: Because he always puts his heart way out there on his sleeve. And he really wants to believe in the perfect utopic society in life, and life just isn’t that way. It can be at certain times, but it’s not 100% of the time. People are going to let you down, people are not going to be there for you, people are not perfect. It’s beautiful, there should be more people out there [like this]. You know, that’s what children do. Children, when they’re born into this world, think life is beautiful. Until time after time they’re met with all these examples of “life’s tough.”
We Love Soaps: What have you learned from Frank Cooper?
Frank Dicopoulos: That’s a really good question, no one has ever asked me that. What I’ve learned from Frank Cooper is that it’s a beautiful thing to want to believe in the pureness and the beauty of life an to put 200% into it. I’ve never had to think about this. Frank really is a good guy. It’s unfortunate sometimes that he comes off angry or mad but it’s because of all those experiences. I mean how many times can you get kicked in the face and pushed down? But I draw this analogy all the time about climbing that latter. And how somebody seems always ahead of you kicking you in the face. But you just want to keep climbing. No matter how many times you get kicked you still have this force or ability to want to keep climbing. That is Frank Cooper. He really thinks that there is something up there to get. He really believes that no matter how many times he has been burned. And that is beautiful. It’s sad, but it’s a beautiful thing.
We Love Soaps: What would you say to our readers and listeners who are going through their own grieving process of losing GUIDING LIGHT?
Frank Dicopoulos: You should never give up. Never ever give up. Just like Frank Cooper never ever gives up. Believe the show will continue, put that energy into it. Always believe. That’s the message that should be sent. No matter where you are in your life, no matter what relationship or job. If it’s not going so well, believe it will be better or there’s something else out there for you. Never ever give up.
A Soap Star's Tragic Flight