Soap Central Meets The Bold and the Beautiful for Steffy and Carter’s Big Night

The Bold and the Beautiful invited me to play a Forrester Creations maintenance worker on the episode that aired on Tuesday, August 18! Let me tell you, it was great fun getting the perspective of what it’s like to put a show together by being a performer on it!

From Laptop to Mopping Up

Michael Maloney on the Sunset Las Palmas Studios lot | Image: Courtesy of Michael Maloney

B&B has graciously invited me to appear on the show before. In 2003, I showed up as a party-goer at Ozzz, the nightclub owned by Oscar Marone (Brian Gaskill) on that fateful night that Macy (Bobbie Eakes) got conked on the head by a chandelier! The plastic version of the chandelier used for the stunt bounced off Bobbie’s stunt double and actually hit me! And in 2016, I appeared in a police lineup scene.

This time, however, was different in that I had a few lines to speak! Nice!

I have a great fondness for the studio that B&B called home for over 35 years, as it’s where I began my TV career, too, as a CBS Page, but its new home, the Sunset Las Palmas Studios in Hollywood, quickly won me over! It’s a beautiful lot, steeped in TV history as I Love Lucy filmed episodes there starting in 1952!

I went in for a fitting the day before I shot my scenes as Forrester Creations Maintenance Worker No. 1! I was expecting to be fitted for an oversized onesie (like maybe a painter would wear) with a “Forrester Creations” logo (all spelled out) on the back, but much to my delight, I was decked out in a navy short-sleeved polo shirt, dark pants, and dark shoes!

A subtle “FC” logo in white was on the shirt. Simple, comfortable, and specific. Who designed this shirt? Eric (John McCook)? Beau Rivage? (IYKYK).

I made sure I got enough sleep the night before, as I had an early call time (7 a.m.!) I’d been to sets numerous times over the years, but showing up as an actor just felt different. Butterflies? More like bats flying around inside my stomach!

I checked in with the stage manager, went to my assigned dressing room (I think it was the one used regularly by Scott Clifton, who plays Liam! Hey, Scott! I Hope For The Future that I left it nice and tidy for you), and then I went to hair and makeup. My hair was fine (I had gotten a slight trim a few days before), and Christine Lai-Johnson, who’s been with B&B since its debut, did my makeup.

In the makeup room, I ran into a few actors – Tanner Novlan (Finn) and Lawrence Saint-Victor (Carter) – who welcomed me and were genuinely enthused that I had this great opportunity!

And You Are...

Carter and Steffy turned to each other in a shocking twist after their respective marriages exploded | Image: JPI

Later, I bumped into Rebecca Budig (Taylor), and we chatted a bit about SOAPY, her talk show with Greg Rikaart (Leo, Days of our Lives). Psst…Rebecca, I’m still available to be a guest and chat with you and Greg! Have I got stories!

I went to the set for blocking, where I met actress Sandra Aguilar, who was playing Forrester Creations Maintenance Worker No. 2. She’s a delight, and it was great fun having someone to hang with as we waited for our scenes to be shot!

When I was on set, someone very kindly asked me out of curiosity who I was and how it was that so many people at the show knew me. I explained that many fashion shows ago, I had worked on the B&B production staff before I went to work in the fourth estate. Years later, I wrote, with Lee Phillip Bell, B&B’s co-creator, a memoir of her late husband, William J. Bell, titled The Young and Restless Life of William J. Bell. (There is lots of B&B history in the tome, too!)

B&B producer Cindy Popp directed the scenes I was in, which helped put me at ease. I’ve known Cindy for years, have interviewed her, and she greeted me with warmth and professionalism, as did everyone -- especially, executive producer Casey Kasprzyk, who suggested that the maintenance crew have a mop and a bucket! Props help sell your character!

In 5, 4, 3, 2...

Sandra Aguilar and Michael Maloney keep Forrester Creations spotless | Image: JPI

Just before the cameras rolled, I recalled (in voiceover because, you know...) the wise words of my late acting teacher, Lilyan Chauvin (ex-Lil, Y&R; Joey's grandmother on Friends). "Michael! Stop doing schtick!” she would admonish me. Repeatedly. I played my lines as naturally as I could and prayed that they’d save my delivery in editing!

One of the best parts of the whole experience was when one of the producers fed me a line to say (as a joke) after my last take so that it could be used on the show's blooper reel, which will be shown at a year-end party! Comedy’s a big love of mine, so it was fun to get a laugh from the crew!

The maintenance crew never got around to cleaning Eric’s (John McCook) office, as the door was locked because Carter and Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) were, well, you know... Who knows? Maybe I’ll make a return appearance to finish mopping up!

Big thanks to Brad Bell, executive producer/head writer (who made sure I got a close-up!), Casey Kasprzyk, executive producer, Cindy Popp, producer/director, and everyone at the show for making me feel so welcome!

When will it come out that Steffy and Carter turned to each other for comfort? Stay tuned!