What a difference a Daytime Emmy makes. Long-time Guiding Light star Jordan Clarke (Billy Lewis), who earlier this year picked up an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor, has gotten his wish - he has been offered and signed his name to a long-term contract with the CBS soap.
"It would be nice," Clarke responded backstage at the Emmys when asked if he would be interested in being put on contract. "I'm ready to go back and make some real money."
Clarke made his Guiding Light debut in May 1983 and remained with the show through January 1987. After a two-year break, he returned in June 1989 and stuck around Springfield for the next five years. Not counting a brief return in 1996, it was a full ten years before Clarke would next be seen on-screen.
With his Emmy win in April, Clarke had the distinction of being a rare type of Emmy winner: he was not a contract player with Guiding Light -- and had not been on contract for nearly a decade. Clarke had been on recurring status with Guiding Light since his return to the show in 1999.
Clarke was also awarded a PRISM Award for his portrayal of Billy's battle with alcohol addiction and his subsequent falling off the wagon.
The role of Billy Lewis was not the first time Clarke stepped into the Light, so to speak. Back in the 1970s, Clarke appeared briefly as a gynecologist.
The terms of Clarke's contract were not made public, per show and network policy.
Photo: Robert Milazzo
RELATED STORYRead more of Clarke's backstage comments from this year's Daytime Emmys. [Apr 28, 2006]
