50 Greatest Soap Actors: #31 Peter Simon

NAME: Peter Simon
RANK: 31
SOAP ROLES: Ed Bauer, GUIDING LIGHT (1981-1984, 1986-1996, 2002-2004, 2009); Ian McFarland, AS THE WORLD TURNS (1979-1980); Scott Phillips, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW (1968-1977)

AWARDS:
1995 Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor
1994 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
1994 Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor
1993 Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor

COMMENTS FROM THE PANEL:
Nelson Aspen: Mart Hulswit's "Ed" was indelible for many GL fans (including me), so bringing in a more mild-mannered version via Peter Simon was no small task. He made the role his own with his quiet vulnerability and ability to LISTEN. You don't see a lot of actors do that and it's one of his greatest talents. Although his stint on SFT was before my time, Mary Stuart always raved about his work and he remained one of her favorite actors for the rest of her life. That is saying a lot!

Patrick Erwin: Simon’s got a long list of credits, but his portrayal of GL's Ed Bauer – an intrinsically good man with a host of flaws – was pitch perfect.

Roger Newcomb: GUIDING LIGHT was blessed with several wonderful actors playing the character of Ed Bauer, but Simon definitely left his mark. He made the relationships from the past work, especially with Holly, as if he had always been there. GUIDING LIGHT missed his consistent presence in its final years.

Lynn Liccardo: I was in St. Louis last week for the soap opera panels at the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association conference. At dinner we talked about the list, and several people expressed hope that panelists would include not only actors who give the big, flashy performance, but the subtle, nuanced actors, as well – the kind of acting Peter Simon embodies. See my comments on Jerry verDorn for one example. When he returned to GUIDING LIGHT last year, I wrote “even something as simple as Ed pulling out his wallet to show Phillip pictures of his granddaughter – ‘isn't she pretty?’ and Phillip's agreeing, ‘uh huh’ – spoke volumes about what had transpired between these characters over the decades – a master class in what it means to be in the moment.”