Earl Hindman
Where Are They Now?
Soap Opera Digest, February 13, 2001
Article Provided By WandaWhen actors exit soaps, a lucky few move on to high-profile careers (hello, Meg Ryan, Ricky Martin and Sarah Michelle Gellar). Some performers are successful, just not as visible, while still others leave show biz altogether. Find out what happened to 11 former daytimers.
ROLE: Bob Reid, RYAN'S HOPE (1975-84; 1988-89)
Though never front-burner, earnest Bob was a fixture at Ryan's Bar because he was Frank's best friend (and one-time brother-in-law). Bob spent a lot of time trying to keep his devious sister, Delia, out of trouble - to no avail. Post-RH, Hindman landed on the hit sitcom HOME IMPROVEMENT as Wilson, the neighbor whose face was never seen during the show's eight seasons.
How did you feel when you heard Soapnet was airing RH?
"I was shocked. It's frightening because you see yourself a quarter of a century ago; then you see yourself age on a daily basis. The very first show I did was so bad; we had to do my scene four times. I was so bloody nervous. The first few years, I was a nervous wreck."
What's your favorite memory from RH?
"That bar, the centerpiece of the whole show. Almost anybody who went through that show went throught that bar at some point [laughs]. In the early days, they actually gave us real beer, but after about three years, they changed that. One of our actors actually got a little tipsy [during] one show, and I took over his lines."
How did your exit come about?
"It was a case of 'we decided to go a different way,' but they were intending to go younger. As I recall, they made a huge youth movement, and a lot of the older regulars were let go. I did have a job at the time. I was going to do Silverado [starring Kevin Costner and Danny Glover]."
Have you kept in touch with your RH co-stars?
"Absolutely. During HOME IMPROVEMENT, the cast had an impromptu get-together in Marina del Rey. I got to see Ilene Kristen [ex-Delia], Malcolm Groome [ex-Pat], Ron Hale [ex-Roger; Mike, GENERAL HOSPITAL], Geoff Pierson [ex-Frank] and Cali Timmins [ex-Maggie]. We did have quite a time."
What have you been up to lately?
"I do a lot of voiceover work. I did spots for KFC for two years. I recently started an affiliation with Home Depot. I also did a BBC radio dramatization of The Handmaid's Tale."
You're living on the East coast. Would you return to daytime?
"It isn't in the cards right now. Financially, it's not a requisite for me, and the work grind....I don't know if I'd be willing to do that. Possibly as a guest, but I'm not actively pursuing it. I'm getting older. My wife's getting older. We've got a grandchild. Acting is still my priority, but there are many other aspects in life."
