«I prefer to smile»
By Enrico Mutti, Beautiful, 1993	Home   Cette page en Français

The host of Telesveglia on Retequattro, Enrico Mutti, was an actor on the set of Santa Barbara. In Los Angeles he met some of the protagonists. This week he talks to us about Jed Allan.

"Friday, January 15, the last working day for all Santa Barbara actors. As I'm on my way to studio 11, I see Jed get out of his car at NBC. We sit at the self-service, and, enjoying an excellent hamburger, we talk about him, the patriarch of our soap."

Jed, you are the fifth actor to play C.C. Capwell in Santa Barbara...

Exactly, and I have been on the soap for 7 years, almost from the beginning. Among other things, the last C.C. is a dear friend, and for this reason it wasn't too pleasant to take his place, especially for him. I had to forget the previous four C.C. Capwell ! That is not easy but essential to avoid appearing like a copy, then he is more like me, with his somewhat grumpy character, witty on occasion and understanding. Like me, he doesn't like to sulk and knows how to forgive.

Is there an event in your career as an actor that you like to remember ?

It's not easy, given that I have shot several films, however there is one that I remember in particular. In Love American Style, I acted with Michele Lee, and, in one scene, she had to take off everything she was wearing. However, she was accused because she absolutely didn't want to take off her gloves ! Everyone was trying to convince her even though, after all, it certainly wasn't a detail that mattered !

Jed, you were born in New York. Don't you ever miss the "big apple" ?

I have lived in Los Angeles since 1967 and I don't miss New York at all. Unfortunately, it is a partially rotten "apple", have you seen it recently ? Not that it is much better here in terms of crime and pollution, however I prefer stay here.

Is it true that you are "a singing actor" ?

Yes, I've done a lot of musicals on Broadway, regional theater, and a lot of summer shows, although I haven't sung since 1985. I only sing on special occasions while I'm an actor full time.

I know you participated in the show Cooking With the Stars : are you a cook ?

Actually, it was the celebrities who learned to cook from an excellent chef... I couldn't cook a hard-boiled egg ! In fact, my wife and I go out to dinner every day and we really spend a fortune on restaurants. I'm crazy about meat with peppers and pasta, the real Italian one.

Have you ever been to Italy ?

Many times, although I have never managed to go there free, that is, not for work.

There is a question I ask all actors. Have you ever done anything special in life before becoming an actor ?

Do you really want to know ? OK. I was a thief, but obviously I can't go into details. Then I was a taxi driver in New York, an accountant in a department store and many other things. Of course I was joking. About what, though, I don't know. I say !

Can you point out an actor among your colleagues with whom you get along particularly well ?

Judith McConnell, for example, as well as Gordon Thomson : with the two of them, one look is enough to understand us immediately.

Do you have any hobbies ?

Yes, I sail and play golf.

What do you intend to do now that Santa Barbara in America is over ?

I don't get stressed at all. Like you, Enrico, we pay agents to find us work, right ? And mine is very good !