Don Hastings

Actor


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his nearly three-hour interview, Don Hastings talks about his early years in theater and radio. He then recalls his television debut on the DuMont network. He describes in great detail his regular role as "the Ranger" on the popular DuMont children's television series Captain Video and his Video Rangers. He discusses his work in soap operas starting with The Edge of Night, where he played "Jack Lane" from 1956-60. He then details his experiences on the series with which he is most associated, As the World Turns, where he played the role of "Dr. Bob Hughes" continually from 1960 until the end of the show in 2010 (eight years after the filming of this interview). For As the World Turns, Hastings talks about the creative team behind the series and working with his long-time co-stars (and their characters' relationships), as well as his then-current shooting schedule and how he goes about learning his lines. He also compares the eras that the show has seen and talks about some of his favorite storylines. Michael Rosen conducted the interview on November 21, 2002 in Millerton, NY.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"We'd always talk so slowly on 'As the World Turns' originally. I can't tell you how many people say, 'I learned to speak English watching your show. Because you spoke slowly.'"  

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Don Hastings on As the World Turns switching from live to tape, on live bloopers, and on the use of cue cards
07:10
Don Hastings on doing a scene on As the World Turns which was preempted by the Kennedy assassination
04:24
Don Hastings on getting the role of "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns, and on the history of the character on the show
04:56
Don Hastings on his stint as a writer on As the World Turns, and on show creator Irna Phillips
03:30
Don Hastings on being cast and co-starring on Captain Video and His Video Rangers
03:04
Don Hastings on how As the World Turns has changed over the years
06:09
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on getting into acting, and on early roles on radio; on appearing on Broadway in the play "Life with Father"
On various acting jobs on radio; on his early impressions of television, and on making his television debut on Magic Cottage; on appearing in various Broadway productions, and on working with Tennessee Williams

Chapter 2

On the Golden Age of Radio; on being cast and co-starring on Captain Video; on the premise of Captain Video and His Video Rangers
On the set and costumes of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the DuMont Television Network; on working with Richard Coogan who played "Captain Video" on Captain Video and His Video Rangers; on the shooting locations of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the crew of the show
On what it was like to act on live television in the 1950s; on on-air mishaps during Captain Video and His Video Rangers; on public reaction to Captain Video and His Video Rangers

Chapter 3

On the fame that came from Captain Video and His Video Rangers; on the villains on the weapons of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the messages of the show; on the end of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the legacy of the show
On the legacy of the DuMont Network and on Allen B. Du Mont; on appearing on Studio One; on appearing on various series after Captain Video and his Video Rangers
On appearing on The Edge of Night; on his Edge of Night character "Jack Lane"; on a typical workweek for The Edge of Night

Chapter 4

On appearing on Chevrolet Tele-Theater; on the cast and crew of The Edge of Night; on his favorite memories of The Edge of Night, and on making the transition to As the World Turns
On appearing on Decoy; on getting the role of "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns; on his role of "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns, and on how the character has changed over time
On how As the World Turns has changed over the years; on originally being a replacement on As the World Turns; on working with Ted Corday on the show

Chapter 5

On various storylines on As the World Turns; on his stint as a writer on As the World Turns, and on show creator Irna Phillips; on keeping As the World Turns fresh
On the process of getting his script and memorizing lines for As the World Turns; on As the World Turns switching from live to tape, on live bloopers, and on the use of cue cards; on the medical accuracy of As the World Turns
On the cast of As the World Turns; on his favorite As the World Turns storylines

Chapter 6

On doing a scene on As the World Turns which was preempted by the Kennedy assassination; on how soaps like As the World Turns are regarded, and how the perception has changed; on his decision not to retire and continue acting, and on his wife
On advice to an aspiring actor; on his mentors and on dealing with fame and celebrity; on career highlights
Shows

As the World Turns

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Don Hastings on his favorite memories of The Edge of Night, and on making the transition to As the World Turns
02:13
Don Hastings on getting the role of "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns, and on the history of the character on the show
04:56
Don Hastings on his role of "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns, and on how the character has changed over time
02:55
Don Hastings on how As the World Turns has changed over the years
06:09
Don Hastings on originally being a replacement on As the World Turns, and on Ted Corday
04:55
Don Hastings on various storylines on As the World Turns
04:00
Don Hastings on his stint as a writer on As the World Turns, and on show creator Irna Phillips
03:30
Don Hastings on keeping As the World Turns fresh
01:39
Don Hastings on the process of getting his script and memorizing lines for As the World Turns
03:08
Don Hastings on As the World Turns switching from live to tape, on live bloopers, and on the use of cue cards
07:10
Don Hastings on the medical accuracy of As the World Turns
01:54
Don Hastings on Helen Wagner as "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns
00:41
Don Hastings on Don MacLaughlin as "Chris Hughes" on As the World Turns
00:24
Don Hastings on Santos Ortega as "Pa Hughes" on As the World Turns
02:15
Don Hastings on William Johnstone as "Judge James T. Lowell" on As the World Turns
00:37
Don Hastings on Ruth Warrick as "Edith Hughes Frye" on As the World Turns
00:33
Don Hastings on Eileen Fulton as "Lisa" on As the World Turns
00:20
Don Hastings on the cast of As the World Turns
01:19
Don Hastings on his favorite As the World Turns storylines
03:11
Don Hastings on doing a scene on As the World Turns which was preempted by the Kennedy assassination
04:24
Don Hastings on how soaps like As the World Turns are regarded, and how the perception has changed
04:24
Don Hastings on the fan base of As the World Turns, and on the then-future of the show
02:31

Captain Video and His Video Rangers

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Don Hastings on being cast and co-starring on Captain Video and His Video Rangers
03:14
Don Hastings on the premise of Captain Video and His Video Rangers
03:51
Don Hastings on the set and costumes of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the DuMont Television Network
02:52
Don Hastings on working with Richard Coogan who played "Captain Video" on Captain Video and His Video Rangers
02:32
Don Hastings on the shooting locations of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the crew of the show
06:10
Don Hastings on on-air mishaps during Captain Video and His Video Rangers
02:29
Don Hastings on public reaction to Captain Video and His Video Rangers
00:52
Don Hastings on the fame that came from Captain Video and His Video Rangers
03:09
Don Hastings on the villains on the weapons of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the messages of the show
06:14
Don Hastings on the end of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the legacy of the show
01:44

Chevrolet Tele-Theater aka Chevrolet on Broadway

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Don Hastings on appearing on Chevrolet Tele-Theater
01:35

Edge of Night, The

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Don Hastings on appearing on The Edge of Night
04:24
Don Hastings on his Edge of Night character "Jack Lane"
03:34
Don Hastings on a typical work week for The Edge of Night
00:36
Don Hastings on the cast and crew of The Edge of Night
04:38
Don Hastings on his favorite memories of The Edge of Night, and on making the transition to As the World Turns
02:13

Magic Cottage

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Don Hastings on his early impressions of television, and on making his television debut on Magic Cottage
02:40

Studio One

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Don Hastings on appearing on Studio One
02:10
Topics

Advice

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Don Hastings on advice to an aspiring actor
02:19

Bloopers

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Don Hastings on on-air mishaps during Captain Video and His Video Rangers
02:29

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Don Hastings on his mentors
01:14

Fame and Celebrity

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Don Hastings on dealing with fame and celebrity
00:43

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Don Hastings on doing a scene on As the World Turns which was preempted by the Kennedy assassination
04:24

JFK Assassination and Funeral

View Topic
Don Hastings on doing a scene on As the World Turns which was preempted by the Kennedy assassination
04:24

Network Creation

View Topic
Don Hastings on the set and costumes of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the DuMont Television Network
02:52

Pivotal Career Moments

View Topic
Don Hastings on his mentors
01:14

Pop Culture

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Don Hastings on dealing with fame and celebrity
00:43

Television Industry

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Don Hastings on the set and costumes of Captain Video and His Video Rangers, and on the DuMont Television Network
01:49
Don Hastings on advice to an aspiring actor
02:19
Professions

Actor

View Profession
Don Hastings on what it was like to act on live television in the '50s
02:29
Don Hastings on the process of getting his script and memorizing lines for As the World Turns
03:08
Don Hastings on advice to an aspiring actor
02:19

Performers

View Profession
Don Hastings on what it was like to act on live television in the '50s
02:29
Don Hastings on the process of getting his script and memorizing lines for As the World Turns
03:08
Don Hastings on advice to an aspiring actor
02:19
Genres

Children's Programming

View Genre
Don Hastings on his early impressions of television, and on making his television debut on Magic Cottage
02:40
Don Hastings on Captain Video and His Video Rangers
24:29
Don Hastings on appearing on Captain Video and His Video Rangers
11:07

Classic Anthology Series

View Genre
Don Hastings on appearing on Studio One
02:10

Daytime/Primetime Serials

View Genre
Don Hastings on appearing on The Edge of Night
08:34
Don Hastings on appearing on The Edge of Night
08:26
Don Hastings on playing "Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns
18:55
Don Hastings on As the World Turns
30:41

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

View Genre
Don Hastings on Captain Video and His Video Rangers
24:29
People

Richard Coogan

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Don Hastings on working with Richard Coogan who played "Captain Video" on Captain Video and His Video Rangers
02:32

Ted Corday

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Don Hastings on working with Ted Corday on As the World Turns
03:08

Eileen Fulton

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Don Hastings on Eileen Fulton as "Lisa" on As the World Turns
00:20

Don MacLaughlin

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Don Hastings on Don MacLaughlin as "Chris Hughes" on As the World Turns
00:24

Allen B. Du Mont

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Don Hastings on the legacy of the DuMont Network and on Allen B. Du Mont
03:54

Santos Ortega

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Don Hastings on Santos Ortega as "Pa Hughes" on As the World Turns
02:15

Irna Phillips

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Don Hastings on his stint as a writer on As the World Turns, and on show creator Irna Phillips
03:30

Helen Wagner

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Don Hastings on Helen Wagner as "Nancy Hughes" on As the World Turns
00:41

Ruth Warrick

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Don Hastings on Ruth Warrick as "Edith Hughes Frye" on As the World Turns
00:33

Tennessee Williams

View Person Page
Don Hastings on appearing in various Broadway productions, and on working with Tennessee Williams
06:15

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