
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, December 23, 1993                   TAG: 9312220043
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: NANCY REICHARDT
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                 LENGTH: Medium

A MORE EXPERIENCED PENGHLIS RETURNS TO 'DAYS OF OUR LIVES'

Thaao Penghlis likens his return to "Days of Our Lives" as the cool and sophisticated Count Anthony DiMera to Al Pacino's return as Michael Corleone in the sequels to "The Godfather."

"Tony has evolved over the years, because of the trips that he's taken and the many places that he has experienced," explained Penghlis, noting that the "Days" writers actually incorporated his real-life excursions to the Sinai and Tibet into his daytime alter ego.

"It's the same thing that Pacino did in `The Godfather,' " he continued. "He came back [to America] after his trip to Italy and the death of his wife, and looked at life a different way. I think this character does, too. Tony wants to put more good out there than he does bad. I think it's the same parallel. He wants to take over the DiMera family and make them legitimate."

During his eight years away from the show, Penghlis traveled extensively and enjoyed success in the film "Under Siege," and with a starring role in the revival of the nighttime series "Mission: Impossible." In 1992, he had a brief stint on "Santa Barbara" as Dr. Micah DeAngelis.

Talks regarding Penghlis' return to "Days of Our Lives" began this summer, when he met with executive producer Ken Corday and head writer James Reilly. Penghlis decided to mull over the idea while on a trip to Greece.

"I wanted to take one big journey before I started this, so I could come back fulfilled, and, therefore, the character would be a little more complex, bigger and interesting," he said. "That's the only way I can do daytime, because they write such a fine line of nothing," he remarked with a laugh, noting that as an actor you have to "fill that emptiness with interesting clothes, an interesting tone and interesting experiences."

Upon returning to the states, Penghlis made the decision to take "three years of solid work" and signed with "Days." He insists he had absolutely no qualms about returning to the soap-opera medium.

"I didn't come back as an unemployed actor who didn't work again after he left daytime," explained Penghlis. "I came back having done diverse roles. So no one's saying, `Oh, he needed us.' I think in a way that's been very welcoming and embraceful."

Another very inviting factor has been the chance to work opposite good friend Joseph Mascolo (who plays Stefano DiMera) and bring their on-screen father/son relationship back to life again. Penghlis, who sees the DiMera family as "an asset to daytime," admits he has a very special connection with Mascolo.

\ Send your questions about soap operas to Nancy Reichardt, "Tune in Tomorrow," in care of the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491. Questions cannot be answered personally, but those of general interest will be answered in future columns. United Feature Syndicate

by CNB