Michael Zaslow was one of the many talented actors that started on Broadway, had a few guest staring roles in television, then carved his niche in the often underappreciated industry of soap operas. Anyone that witnessed his portrayal of the villainous Roger Thorpe on The Guiding Light is well aware of the charisma, strength and sheer artistry he brought to that role.
That artistry is mastered when an actor has complete control over the tools they use - their body and voice. Sadly, Michael Zaslow lost control of both of those when he was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, which eventually led to his dismissal from The Guiding Light.
That dismissal gave him the opportunity to perform his bravest, strongest and greatest performance of his career - David Renaldi on One Life to Live. He had played that role before and when the producers heard of his predicament they decided to bring back the character and have him face the same ALS challenges that Michael Zaslow was facing.
The result was a courageous, heartbreaking journey which forced both actor and character to communicate without the normal tools an actor uses. Michael Zaslow is remembered today by the villain he played on The Guiding Light, but those of us that have followed his career remember him as the talented actor he was. And a very brave one at that.
That artistry is mastered when an actor has complete control over the tools they use - their body and voice. Sadly, Michael Zaslow lost control of both of those when he was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, which eventually led to his dismissal from The Guiding Light.
That dismissal gave him the opportunity to perform his bravest, strongest and greatest performance of his career - David Renaldi on One Life to Live. He had played that role before and when the producers heard of his predicament they decided to bring back the character and have him face the same ALS challenges that Michael Zaslow was facing.
The result was a courageous, heartbreaking journey which forced both actor and character to communicate without the normal tools an actor uses. Michael Zaslow is remembered today by the villain he played on The Guiding Light, but those of us that have followed his career remember him as the talented actor he was. And a very brave one at that.
