Nancy's Dream Home
Soap Opera News Daytimers Magazine, October 1982
Article Provided By WandaNancy Addison, the actress who portrays Jillian Coleridge on Ryan's Hope, sits curled up on her sofa as content as a Cheshire cat. Fresh-faced, wearing no makeup, she simply glows. Her clear green eyes seem as radiant and refreshing as the Caribbean waters where she and her husband, ABC news producer Daniel Goldfarb, spent an idyllic honeymoon at the Barbados hide-a-way of movie great Claudette Colbert. Marriage definitely agrees with her.
"Yes, I'm very happy. I love being married to Daniel," she says, her cheeks blushing a becoming shade of rose which complements the lively pink motif of her apartment. We're still living out of crates," Nancy smiles, indicating unpacked cartons hidden discreetly behind sofas and chairs. "I haven't even had a chance to hang my pictures."
The apartment where she and Daniel have recently moved, smells of fresh paint. It is airy with high ceilings and boasts a fireplace. At a writing desk in the hallway sit two life-sized ragdolls, threatening to come to life as soon as one's back is turned. Scattered about on coffee tables and chests are photographs of family and the actress herself. One particularly striking set shows Nancy during an emotional scene with James Coburn from the critically acclaimed mini-series, The
Dain Curse. There is, in short, a comfortable elegance about this home; a mood suggested by its mistress, Nancy, and by two rather regal-looking canines named Max and Malcolm who have the run of the place."I love elegance. I really get into it," the actress admits. "I come from a family where my parents dressed up every Wednesday and Saturday and went to a night club." Following suit, the Goldfarbs, too, enjoy that occasional spiffy night out on the town or just having friends over for drinks in what must look like a scene right out of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novella. Adding tone to the portrait is the fact that Nancy and Daniel are still newlyweds. Married last February 14th, Nancy admits that she feels 'really good' about the marriage.
"For me to make the complete commitment of marriage, the person had to be very special, and Daniel is very special; it's just so easy.....such an easy relationship."
It all began late last spring when Nancy was involved in her first Broadway play, A Talent for Murder, in which she co-starred with Claudette Colbert and Jean-Pierre Aumont. "When Daniel and I first met, I was working every day on Ryan's Hope in addition to doing the play. He was terrific; so understanding; I may have been a little difficult to date in the beginning" she reflects, alluding to her chaotic schedule, the results of being involved in two full-time projects. "The first two or three months were very slow; very tenuous. We'd see each other for an hour at lunch and then I'd be running off, because besides the TV work and the play, I was also still involved with my business (hair ornaments and accessories) at the time."
Happily, their eat-and-run relationship finally had its chance to sit back and relax a spell when coincidentally, both Nancy and Daniel were in Washington, D.C. at the same time - he for a news story and she for a month of rehearsals for Talent at the Kennedy Center. "That's where it really happened," Nancy confides. "Being there together gave us time to be sort of isolated." At the same time, it gave Daniel a chance to see the actress 'under the gun'. During the month in the capital,
Nancy was at her busiest, having to get through seemingly endless hours of rewrites and rehearsals. "He knew then what he was in for with an actress," Nancy laughs.After their winter wedding, the couple spent some time basking in the West Indian sun as guests of Miss Colbert. "It was wonderful," the actress says of the honeymoon. "The house sits right on the ocean. It's very private and lovely. There were two people serving us wine and champagne with meals every night." In short, a lover's paradise. And did the Goldfarbs 'dress' for dinner? "No, Claudette's very casual. She's always wears silk pants and caftans. It was a casual kind of elegance."
Now that they're back in New York and reality, do two high-powered careers in the same family present a problem? "Well, Nancy laughs, "right now I'm going crazy because I'm only working on Ryan's Hope one day a week. But I'm usually very busy. In fact, this is the first time in a long while that I haven't been. And Daniel is as involved in his work as I am in mine. But there's no competition between us." She pauses for a moment, reflecting. "I think it's harder with two actors. But I don't think I could have ever married anyone who wasn't in a creative field. I think it works better when the careers complement each other; you're more compassionate; more understanding of each other then." But what happens when careers play havoc with personal life? It's not a problem, Nancy insists. "Even though our work can be demanding and the hours long, it makes the time we spend together even more special."
With such a busy career, would she consider having children? "I don't think so," Nancy says thoughtfully. "I just don't think I'd have the patience." At that moment one of the actress's adorable dogs presents himself for a little attention. Nancy smiles, giving him an indulgent pat on the head. "It's not that I don't like children; I do. I have a niece and nephew. But I think I'm a little selfish in that respect."
Moreover, at this point in her life, the actress has two very important priorities: her marriage and her career. "I guess I could never be happy without a career. I also think a relationship is very important. So right now, they're about equal with me. One without the other would be sad. If I didn't have a career, it would be extremely difficult, and if I didn't have Daniel, it would be difficult too. Right now I have both and it's a real nice feeling."
With her storyline on Ryan's Hope ebbing more than flowing of late, Nancy has more time on her hands than she'd like. She hopes by fall, however, her part as Jill will be expanded. "I think they're looking for another Frank Ryan," she notes. Although the actress has played lawyer, Jill Coleridge on Ryan's Hope since 1975, she doesn't find the role tedious or stagnating. "Of course, I'm totally unexcited about it now. But if they give me something to do, it will re-charge my energies. If they give me something that has emotional impact, something I have to dig down emotionally to play, then I can get excited about it. It'll challenge me all over again."
Somewhat of a compulsive worker, Nancy had no trouble last summer doing both the play and the soap. "It's terrific," she states emphatically. "It made me stronger and better in each thing. I was so filled with energy and adrenaline that I was really sharp. I loved to bounce back and forth like that."
Even though the actress considers the Broadway run a high point in her career, she points out, "I like doing television an awful lot. It makes me feel protected. On the other hand, out on the stage, you get really nervous for weird reasons - most of the time you don't even know why." A nostalgic glimmer lights her eyes. "Some nights funny things would happen. People would make mistakes and you'd have to cover. It's just unbelievable to be out there."
Unlike where a scene can he re-taped, on stage there is no such opportunity. When something goes awry, an actor must be ready to keep the pace going as though nothing had gone wrong. "It's sheer panic when that happens," Nancy says wistfully.
"Of course afterwards, backstage, we all laugh about it, but at the moment.....!"In view of all the pitfalls, would she like to do another Broadway play? "Would I!" she half-shouts excitedly.
Performing in the company of A Talent for Murder not only provided the actress with her Broadway debut, but also presented the opportunity to work with the legendary Claudette Colbert whom Nancy now regards as a close personal friend. "Working with Claudette was fantastic, just sensational. I learned so much. She's very professional; very disciplined. She's tough, she's bright; she's brilliant and knows a lot about so many different things. We were all young actors in the play, and she was a like a mother to all of us."
The actress leans back and takes a long, deep breath, as if assessing the last hour. A strong, quiet, confident young woman, she looks the epitome of success and fulfillment. To an observer, this winning role was written expressly for her. But for Nancy Addison, there are still miles to go, just how many, she isn't sure. "When I can really look at myself and say, 'hey you're successful,' when what I've done is enough for me, then I'll feel my own sense of having accomplished what I had to do."