Coster brings humor to Santa Barbara
By Nancy M. Reichardt, TV Sign, 1985	Home   Cette page en Français

Like the character, he plays on Santa Barbara, Nicolas Coster has a great sense of humor and is fun to be around.

Coster who plays Lionel Lockridge on Santa Barbara is best remembered by soap opera fans for his role of Robert Delaney on Another World. He came to Santa Barbara directly from his part of Anthony Makana on One Life to Live.

Born in London, Coster grew up in Los Angeles. His father was a journalist from New Zeeland and his mother was an American publisher. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England. He then returned to America, where he did odd jobs before landing small parts in feature films.

Coster believes in getting everything he can out of life. "Life is a banquet and one must eat," he says. "I try to live up that credo as best I can. When I'm acting, I use a little bit of every experience I've had."

Both Coster and Lockridge have had brushes with death. "While crossing the ocean on a tanker many years ago, I was caught in one of the worst storms to ever hit the North Atlantic", he remembers. "I saw 65 foot waves. When we finally arrived inport, the captain told us we could have sunk. "Another time I had some very delicate surgery that was life threatening." Coster says, "I've another close brush with death in the Army when I was nearly blown up by one of our mortars."

Coster's sense of humor comes out in Lockridge, who brings a much needed comedy relief to Santa Barbara.

"I can identify with Lionel," says Coster, "He's got a big appetite for life. Lionel like myself reacts with humor when he's under stress. He's a character that will grow with the series."