Premiering in 1987, The Bold and the Beautiful stands out as a quintessential soap opera, boasting a complex web of relationships and intrigue. At the center of a lot of these relationships is Eric Forrester, played by John McCook. But even as one of the show’s longest-serving actors, McCook has done extensive work outside of the CBS program.
John McCook was born on June 20, 1944, right in the tourist hotspot Ventura, California. He initially started in theatre, performing in a production of West Side Story, where he was discovered by film executive and Warner Bros. Studios president Jack Warner. Just as he was signed to Universal Studios, McCook departed to spend two years in the U.S. Army.
From stage to television
When McCook returned to acting, he started again with his beloved theatre before he transitioned from stage to television, first with small roles in Mister Roberts, CHiPs, and The Love Boat. This continued through the ’60s and ’70s, with the ’80s proving the most defining time for McCook’s career.
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Although, his career did enjoy a kickstart in ’76 when The Young and the Restless recruited McCook as the romantic leading man, Lance Prentiss. This put McCook on the map and The Bold and the Beautiful would cement his place as a household name. He was very convincing, even though he was just seven years older than his on-screen son Ronn Moss. But McCook’s experience helped him thrive on B&B, to the point that series executive producer and head writer Brad Bell never felt he had any additional feedback to give McCook. “Brad appreciated my experience on the shows, and he did the same with Susan Flannery [ex-Stephanie], and we were very appreciative to have that,” said McCook.
Even with the titanic fame that The Bold and the Beautiful gave McCook, so he might not want for another project again, he frequently returned to the stage, appearing in productions of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, A Fiddler on The Roof, Peter Pan, Oklahoma!, and The Pirates of Penzance.
Who is John McCook’s wife?
McCook’s work as Eric Forrester has been ongoing since ’87. But he also brought Eric to The Young and the Restless from 1996 to 2001. He can also be seen in Arrested Development and even Jeopardy! as a clue-giver. For his work on television, McCook has won multiple awards, including the Soap Opera Update MVP Award for Best Actor, and – most recently – a 2022 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
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He was also jointly nominated for a Soap Opera Digest Award with Katherine Kelly Lang, also for The Bold and the Beautiful. That’s just the way he’d want it, since although Lang admitted to feeling extremely nervous during her audition, McCook said “I knew then and there she had the part.”
His family life has been just as prolific. For a time, McCook was married to actress and dancer Juliet Prowse, with whom he had a son named Seth. In February 16, 1980, he tied the knot with Laurette Spang; together, the two share children Jake, Rebecca, and Molly. Molly has followed in her father’s footsteps, appearing prominently in Last Man Standing. The two also got to work together in 2021’s Candy Coated Christmas, the first-ever scripted program presented by the Food Network.
“We were so excited because we knew Molly always wanted to do a Christmas movie,” said John, who is today 79 and still working. He added, “She and I have been wanting to do something since she was 3 years old.” The two got to fulfill a dream of theirs at different but equally meaningful stages of their careers!
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