By Annick Le Floc’Hmoan, Télé Poche, 1988

The machiavelian Mason and Sophia Capwell walking on the quays of the Seine and visiting the Orsay museum. Would they shoot a new episode of Santa Barbara in Paris ? More simply, Lane Davies and Judith McConnell benefit from a few days of holidays to visit the town. Paris made itself radiant for the first stay of the heroes of Santa Barbara in France. "I like to walk in the streets of Paris so much, Judith McConnell exclaims. In Los Angeles, we only move by car, we never stroll like here. Paris is a marvellous city : each house seems to tell a long story. And then people are so nice."

However, at the airport, Lane and Judith had fears to be driven back. The customs officer had examined their passport lengthily then had observed them without saying a word. The heart of Lane and Judith was tightened. Would they be confused with terrorists or dangerous traffickers ? But suddenly the face of the customs officer illuminated. "You are well the heroes of Santa Barbara ? Lane and Judith signed a cordial autograph immediately. Everywhere, they are approached by fans surprised and often shy. "Are you well Mason and Sophia from Santa Barbara ?" they ask timidly before being conquered by the extreme kindness of the actors. Lane Davies is quickly recognized in spite of the beard which covers his cheeks. "I do not have it to walk incognito, he smiles. I have just played two parts of Shakespeare in Atlanta, my birthplace. And I prepare myself to interpret MacBeth on a scene of Los Angeles. The shakespearians heroes must wear beard !"

Shakespeare is the passion of Lane Davies. Between two scenes of Santa Barbara, he runs in his lodge to learn the dialogues of Hamlet or The Taming of the Shrew. He will sign himself the direction of the MacBeth that he will play in October. Single, Lane Davies lives a small apartment in Hollywood where he likes to spend time with friends. "I am not a society man, I go very little to the festivals. The weekend, I take refuge in a wood house that I bought in the forest. I am repairing it. Manual work rests me. I adore to cut wood and to fish." Lane Davies has however another great project : to settle a few years in Europe, in France more particularly. "I like the quality of the life in your country. And then I have a nomad personality. If the French television or cinema makes me interesting proposals, I arrive immediately with my luggage." "I am also ready to come to live in France, Judith McConnell exclaims. For the French, Hollywood represents the dream, the easy life. In fact, when we works, life is much more prosaic there. Los Angeles is not my favorite town."

Born in Pittsburgh, Judith McConnell left to New York after having made solids studies and conquered the title of MissnPennsylvania. It is in New York that she made most of her career, on theatre and television. "I like New York. It is a city that resembles to Paris, with many animation, people in the streets. You never get bored there." Judith left New York when the producers of Santa Barbara asked her to come to play, in Hollywood, the part of Sophia. "My contract was signed so quickly that I packed my bags one day for the following day. I arrived to Los Angeles alone with my two cats, I took a room in a motel, rented a car and bought a roadmap. At once I went to the studios. I liked the part of Sophia as much as I forgot the small material problems of my installation. It was so interesting to disguise me as a man, to become Dominic then to transform me into the journalist Susan Carlyle. I drew myself my costumes". Judith adores to tell the long hours of make-up which metamorphosed her in mysterious characters. "It is what I like in my job : to completely invent some new personalities."

While her role was taking more and more importance in Santa Barbara, Judith left her motel and took along her cats in a beautiful white house with Roman tiles. "Unfortunately, I had to I leave it rather quickly : the owner had sold it." In this moment, Judith lives temporarily a big apartment. "I want to buy a house with a swimming pool. I am looking for a few months the house of my dreams. But in Hollywood, the dream is not always immediately close to your hand." Judith will leave Paris with a pinching in the heart. "I will think a lot of the French televiewers when I shoot new episodes of Santa Barbara." Lane Davies promises to his admirers to come back soon. Will a project of film in Europe be concretized ?