BEN THERE, DONE THAT

To read the July 16th, 2002 Issue of Soap Opera Digest's In Depth Article with Mark Derwin on his newest opportunity in primetime on "Life With Bonnie" and what it means for OLTL's Ben and Blondie
Click Here.
It's a must read for all of Mark Derwin's fans.

SOW 7/30/02: Mail Call:
OLTL: Double duty for Mark Derwin, readers are begging. They're thrilled that he's got a co-starring role on the prime-time sitcom Life With Bonnie , but they don't want to miss a minute of Ben's co-starring role in "Life With Blondie."

Casting News from 7/1/02:

SOU COMINGS & GOINGS:

Goings - Will Viki … be minus a daughter and a husband soon? As Update first reported months ago, Erin Torpey (Jessica) was seriously considering leaving the show when her contract expired, and sources are saying that she has officially told OLTL she's leaving to concentrate on her music. Her exit is like saying goodbye to a member of the family.

As for Mark Derwin's (Ben) OLTL future, he's just landed a role on ABC's fall primetime show on LIFE WITH BONNIE, but OLTL's stance is that "he's still under contract."

Mark Derwin (Ben) has been cast in ABC's and Touchstone Television upcoming comedy show, Life with Bonnie, starring Bonnie Hunt. Derwin will be playing Hunt's TV husband. Although not confirmed by ABC, the role of Ben Davidson will remain open for the actor and a recast is unlikely at this point.

Soaps In Depth, July 9th, 2002, Vol. 6, Issue 28

Will A New Blondie Split Ben & Viki?

PSSST: Is a primetime sitcom going to steal away Mark Derwin (Ben) from OLTL?

The In Depth Story: A rep from Touchstone Television tells Soaps In Depth that Derwin has been tapped to replace Brian Kerwin (Beggars & Choosers, Ex-greg, The Young & The Restless) as the male lead in LIFE WITH BONNIE, the ABC sitcom slated for fall starring Bonnie Hunt. This is the second time that Derwin has worked opposite Hunt, the first time being on the funny woman's 1996 series, THE BONNIE HUNT SHOW.

But what does this show--which beings production in August in LosAngeles--mean for Derwin's day job, which tapes in New York City? A rep for OLTL says the actor, still under contract with the soap, will continue to appear as Ben while working on BONNIE.

New York Daily News Column Friday, June 21st, 2002
By CAROLYN HINSEY

HE'S A WHIRLING DERWIN!

Mark Derwin, who plays Ben on "One Life to Live," has nabbed the role of Bonnie Hunt's husband in her new ABC prime-time series launching this fall, "Life With Bonnie."

Mark Derwin

"I'm under contract to ABC to both shows now," Derwin says. "As of now, I'm going out to Los Angeles to do 13 shows with Bonnie. When that's over, someone is going to tell me where to go. Literally."

Derwin played Hunt's boss on her last prime-time effort in 1995, "The Bonnie Hunt Show," and they stayed in touch.

"She is very loyal to the people she's worked with before," Derwin says. "A lot of people working on this show were on the last show. It's an ensemble cast, and she wants people that work well in an ensemble. That would define me. I've never had a problem talking about story line or shooting a cover, but I'm not into promoting myself. I think she was looking for those kind of actors."

Derwin is leaving "OLTL" at a critical point in the story line. Ben's beloved wife, Viki, who long has battled multiple-personality disorder, has secretly become bad girl Niki and will try to kill him next week.

"I don't want to leave anyone hanging," Derwin says. "We're going to figure out a way to work this out so that Ben and Viki will be together again. A lot of viewers like us together, and they've been very supportive through my 3 1/2 years here. Often when you do a sitcom, you do three shows and then get a week off. If ["OLTL"] says, 'We need you in New York,' I'm on a plane."

Derwin will be one of the many soap stars at the Celebrity Bartending Benefit for Engine 40/Ladder 35 and Engine 74 at Blondies Sports Bar on Thursday at 7 p.m.

"Anything for the cause," he says. "Anything to help the Police Department and the Fire Department. And I'll recruit as many actors as I can to come with me."

Soap Opera Digest, July 2nd, 2002

OLTL's Derwin Hits Prime Time

Mark Derwin will be leaving the role of Ben on OLTL - at least for the time being - to play Bonnie Hunt's husband on an ABC sitcom debuting this fall titled LIFE WITH BONNIE. "I'm so grateful to ABC, [Executive Producer] Gary Tomlin, [Former President of ABC Daytime] Angela Shapiro and everybody who made it possible," smiles the actor. "It's not every day that you're allowed to leave a show for a while to do something else."

Derwin, who worked with Hunt on her previous sitcom, THE BONNIE HUNT SHOW, in 1995, says the call came out of the blue from the actress herself. "I got a message from her that she got a new show, and she wanted to run some things by me," he says. "I was at work. The first thing I did was tell Erika [Slezak, Viki/Niki]. I talked to Bonnie that evening, and she told me about the character, the show, how much she thought I'd love to do it and how much she'd love to have me. They originally had someone else…., but it didn't work out, so she was trying to get me."

It remains to be seen how Derwin will juggle daytime and prime-time on two different coasts, or what OLTL will do with Ben while Derwin is in L.A. "I'm not sure how that's all going to work," he admits. "I am just so thrilled to have the opportunity. But I'm going to miss Erika. I have such love and respect for her. We have fun every day we work together - even when she's Niki trying to stab me with a letter opener."

Soap Opera Weekly, July 2nd, 2002

Stop The Presses
Derwin Off OLTL For Now

Mark Derwin (Ben, One Life To Live) has nabbed the role of Bonnie Hunt's husband on the new ABC sitcom Life With Bonnie, which airs on Tuesday nights this fall.

"I'm so grateful to ABC for letting me do this," he enthuses. "The show has been picked up for 13 [episodes], so we'll see what happens. It's very charming. Bonnie plays Bonnie Malloy, and she has got this local morning talk show called Good Morning Chicago. It's funny and clean. There's nothing racy or anything like that on it. I'm a doctor - I can't get away from that! Thank God it's a comedy."

The chance to work with Bonnie Hunt again (Derwin played her boss on the 1995 comedy The Bonnie Hunt Show) was too good to pass up. "She's the funniest woman that I have ever, ever worked with or met," he marvels. "She's an amazing writer and director, too. We have a good working relationship. I learned a tremendous amount working with her. And she's so sweet and loyal - she doesn't forget people."

Obviously not. Actor Brian Kerwin had played Hunt's husband in the pilot, but the powers-that-be decided they wanted to go a different way with the character for the series. So Hunt called Derwin directly to ask about his availability. "There were some problems because I'm in a contract," he notes, reiterating his gratitude to OLTL for letting him out of said contract to pursue the opportunity.

As for his character, "Ben is going to have to go away for awhile," says Derwin, adding that he has no idea how OLTL will make that happen. "I hope there is some kind of closure for the Ben /Viki fans, but I can go back and forth if they want, too," he points out.

Derwin reports for work at his new job in Los Angeles in early August, and he'll be joining someone from the competition" Passions Marianne Muellerleile (Norma/Peggy) is another regular on the show. She'll play Malloy's housekeeper, Gloria. Unlike Derwin, Muellerleile does not have a contract with Passions, but she s expected to do double-duty as needed.

*--CH

FROM TV GUIDE June 14th, 2002:

Dr. Ben Davidson (One Life To Live)
& Dr. John Molloy (Life With Bonnie)

DERWIN BACK IN PRIMETIME

The second time's the charm for One Life to Live's Mark Derwin (Ben). The actor is pairing up once again with film and TV vet Bonnie Hunt to star in the new primetime sitcom, Life with Bonnie, slated to roll out in the ABC fall lineup. They first appeared together on CBS's The Bonnie Hunt Show. "I worked with Bonnie back in 1995, and we had a really good relationship," Derwin tells TV Guide Online. Derwin is stepping in for Brian Kerwin (Beggers and Choosers). "The gentleman cast in the role didn't work out," Derwin explains. "[Bonnie] called me to see what my situation was." Determined to bring Derwin back to her canvas, Hunt convinced executives to let Derwin test for the show. "She got the ball rolling," he says. "It happened really fast. I didn't have time to think about it."

Life with Bonnie, which will be shot on the West Coast, calls for a change of address for Derwin, who will take a hiatus from One Life to Live to shoot the Bonnie pilot. "[ABC Daytime president] Angela Shapiro and everyone at Disney was so kind to allow me to leave [OLTL] to do this," he gushes. Derwin will shoot his first show in August. Ben may be departing Llanview for now, but Derwin wouldn't mind returning to the set on a dual work schedule. "I don't know what their plan is or what they want me to do, but I'd be willing to do anything," he shares. "My mother reminded me that I've always wanted to be bi-coastal."

On Life with Bonnie, Derwin will portray John Molloy, Hunt's husband. "I play a surgeon, I can't get away from the doctor thing," he muses. He's pleased to be teaming up again with his former primetime co-star. "I was so grateful the first time she hired me; she has my complete loyalty and trust. I was so flattered that she thought of me, let alone fought to get me."

Derwin joins cast of 'Life With Bonnie':

Mark Derwin has been cast as Bonnie Hunt's TV husband in ABC's upcoming "Life With Bonnie," the Touchstone Television comedy on which Ms. Hunt is star, writer, executive producer and director. Brian Kerwin played the doctor-husband role in the pilot, but he was recently cut loose.

Mr. Derwin, well known to CBS daytime audiences for roles on "Guiding Light" and "The Young and the Restless," co-starred with Ms. Hunt on her self-titled 1995 CBS comedy and has a number of prime-time guest-starring roles to his credit. He is represented by Innovative's Adena Chawke.

From Daily Variety, June 7th, 2002:

Derwin subs for Kerwin
'Hunt Show' thesps reunite as husband and wife

By MELISSA GREGO

It's Derwin for Kerwin: Actor Mark Derwin ("One Life to Live") has joined the cast of "Life With Bonnie," the new Tuesday night ABC/Touchstone laffer starring Bonnie Hunt. He replaces thesp Brian Kerwin ("Beggars and Choosers") as the husband to Hunt's character, a talkshow host. Derwin, whose credits include "The Minus Man" and "The Guiding Light," and Hunt worked together on the short-lived CBS laffer "The Bonnie Hunt Show."

In that series, which aired during the 1995-96 TV season, Hunt portrayed a TV reporter and Derwin a news exec.

Date in print: Fri., Jun. 7, 2002

Bonnie Hunt has signed on to make a TV series with ABC!
ABC is planning to unveil the show during the fall 2002 season.

On the show, Bonnie would play a TV host and working mom living in a small town. Bonnie will create, write and produce the series along with Don Lake for Touchstone Television. She may also direct the pilot. The series received a premium commitment from the network with a significant penalty attached should they decide not to pick up the show.

Page Created 7/28/02 by VtBnBFan