Salem University Hospital will soon be welcoming a new doctor into its fold.
According to Soap Opera Weekly, former As the World Turns actor Shawn Christian has joined the cast of the NBC soap Days of our Lives, taking on the role of Dr. Daniel Jonas. The actor began filming his stint on Monday, February 11.
Christian has graced numerous shows over the years, both in daytime and primetime television. He played Mike Kasnoff on As the World Turns for three years, and subsequently landed guest-starring roles on such notable nighttime series as Charmed, Beverly Hills 90210, Crossing Jordan, Spin City, Shark, Ghost Whisperer, Boston Legal, Side Order of Life, Las Vegas and all three CSI incarnations. He also appeared in several episodes of the ABC daytime drama, One Life to Live.
NBC has yet to announce when Christian’s first air date will be, nor comment on how his character will tie in to the show’s current storylines.
Speaking of storylines, fans have been buzzing about the plane crash that rocked Days of our Lives last week. On their way back to Salem from Ireland, John (Drake Hogestyn) discovered that the pilots have been drugged and that the plane’s controls were sabotaged. The plane went down, taking all of its passengers – which also included Marlena (Deidre Hall), Bo (Peter Reckell), Grandpa Shawn (Frank Parker), Shawn (Brandon Beemer), Belle (Martha Madison), Chloe (Nadia Bjorlin), Philip (Jay Kenneth Johnson), Steve (Stephen Nichols), Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) and Hope (Kristian Alfonso) – with it.
Some the show’s cast members have also weighed in on the storyline. Johnson shared his thoughts via his personal website, expressing his sadness over the demise of Grandpa Shawn.
“It was sad to see Frank Parker’s “Grandpa Shawn” go. He is one of a kind, and will be missed. If you get a minute, try and write him to say “thanks” for all the memories,” he wrote, adding that he, on the other hand, was happy about what the storyline has meant for his character. “I do like the fact that “Philip” is getting the opportunity to interact with many other characters. The crash was an unfortunate situation, but “assuming” we make it back to Salem, I think that interaction will continue.
Actress Rachel Melvin, meanwhile, told fans using her blog that the storyline is “intense and emotional.”
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Soap Opera Weekly, JKJ-now.com, Rachel Melvin Official Blog
(Image Courtesy of WB)
Staff Columnist, BuddyTV
