KRISTINA WAGNER
OUT AT GH

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL has enticed daytime and prime-time star Jack Wagner (ex-Jack, TITANS; ex-Peter, MELROSE PLACE: ex-Frisco, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Warren, SANTA BARBARA) back to the medium that made him famous—and the actor is thrilled.
     "I couldn't have had a better first day," laughs Wagner about his character's dramatic entrance. "I was dunked [in water], tarred, bruised, battered and tattooed. But I didn't go to bed with anybody. On MELROSE, if you got bruised, beaten and dunked, at least you'd wind up in bed. Am I doing something wrong?"
     Hardly. B&B is so hyped about its newest cast addition that it persuaded CNN to feature a crawl across the screen to herald Wagner's arrival. ("How many actors can say they made the ticker on CNN and ESPN on the same day?" grins the avid golfer.) Here's what we know so far: The actor comes on-board B&B later this month as Dominick "Nicky" Payne, a mysterious sea captain with questionable ties to the Forrester clan.
     "He's the captain of an oil tanker," reveals Wagner of his new alter ego, "an old salt who just can't accomodate the 'real world.' He's a contemporary pirate, but not someone who pillages and walks guys off the plank. He's a man's man."
     So, why the return to daytine after a succesful run on nighttime TV? "If you had to summarize why I came back, it's because of these words: 'Brad Bell' and 'collaboration,'" smiles the actor, referring, of course, to B&B's executive producer and head writer. "When I first met with Brad, we locked right into each other. I started watching the show and found myself challenged."
     As for the question of why B&B and not GH (where Wagner played fan fave Frisco Jones on and off from 1984-95), Wagner simply states, "GENERAL HOSPITAL has never called me. Ever. It's not that there wasn't any attraction. There was never interest."
     Wagner adds that after releasing the single "All I Need" in 1984, doing a stint on Broadway in the musical Jekyll & Hyde in 2000 and taking on a slew of independent film roles and various TV guest spots, "I want the steady gig. I'm not an on-location film guy. Kristina [Wagner, GH's Felicia] and I are still married. We have two children, 12 and 8, and since I finished the [Broadway] situation, I've coached every team they've been on and have been at every game. I hated being away. My kids are at that point in their lives where I'm a moral compass for them. God help them both," he laughs.
     For now, Wagner is getting used to the daytime drill again when it comes to taping scenes. I saw some [behind-the-scenes] people reading magazines, and it's not good to be the new guy who's holding up everybody else's scenes," he smiles. "I felt like a little boy going to a new school. Fortunately, I know a few of the other actors here, so I was welcomed with open arms. I went home with gifts from people. As I tried to find my parking spot, I looked up at the CBS sign and thought, 'My new home.'"
     Wife Kristina, however, has opted to leave her home at GH, where she has played heroine Felicia Jones since 1984.
     "In the last five years, my character has faded significantly," the actress tells Digest. "I don't think it's going to be a big blow [to viewers]. It won't be a big surprise. My time is done for now. I feel a finality to it."
     Wagner stresses that all the changes at GH over the years had no influence on her decision to not renew her contract. "It's hard to sit back and feel bitter about something when you know that there are other fine actors doing really great work and delivering the material," she notes of her back-burner status. "I'm not trying to sound like a Pollyanna, but I feel passionate about certain things, and now I'm exploring my passions. I'm ready to try something else, and I've never had the opportunity to do that."
     Setside sources say that there are no plans to tape a finale for the character, and the question of a recast is still undecided. But, as Wagner puts it, she's done. "I miss [my co-stars] already," she sighs. "I'll miss seeing them on a daily basis, so that is going to be hard. And I'm so grateful to the fans for their loyalty. There are a handful of people who've been really good to me over the years."
     "I'm in full support of Kristine leaving GENERAL HOSPITAL," chimes in her admittedly biased husband. "In my opinion, she was underused and underappreciated. Now, she has a new life ahead of her. Kristina is a funny person, and she always makes the crew laugh," he adds. "As much as she misses them, I think they'll miss her."

HISTORY OF THE WAGNERS, PART I

•1984: Jack Wagner joins GH as rock singer Frisco Jones. Kristina Malandro comes on-board a few months later as the mysterious Felicia Cummings. Romance blooms between the two characters, although it's unclear if the same is occurring between their portrayers. •1988: Jack leaves GH, returning periodically over the next seven years. •1990: The real-life relationship between Jack and Kristina is confirmed. Their first son, Petey, is born later that year. •1991: The couple splits, and Kristina leaves GH. •1992: She returns to GH in May. •1993: Jack and Kristina resolve their differences and wed secretly in Lake Tahoe in December. Kristina takes the name Wagner. •1994: The couple's second son, Harrison, is born. •2001: After seven years of marriage, Kristina files for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. No finalization of the divorce proceedings is announced. •2003: The couple confirms they are on the road to reconciliation. Jack joins B&B; Kristina quits GH after almost two decades with the show.