Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 200

4( Austin American-Statesman' SuhdayrJUne 271 993' This section isrecycable, Qlaytime JPelevision fe-Jt 1 By Nancy M. Reichardt United Feature Syndicate NEW YORK In what is perhaps the latest bid to help raise its ratings, Loving has hired hunky Philip Brown to play rugged Buck Houston. After Brown left his role of handsome Steve Kendall on Search for Tomorrow in 1983, he relocated to California and landed roles in the series The Colbys, Knots Landing and Sisters. Although Brown swore that he would never do another daytime soap again, he couldn't say no to Loving. "I came back to daytime because I'm facing my fears in life," says the California-born actor.

"To me, daytime is the toughest arena to be in because you're doing a show a day and learning all those lines. I believe this job is a God-given gift and that it happened for a reason. It didn't happen for me to say 'no' to it." Although Brown considers his new job a gift, the actor had to make sacrifices. "I had a wonderful life in California that I had to give up to come back to New York to do Loving," he says. "I just bought a house a year ago and I have two dogs, Cassie and Zelda, that are my best friends.

After I was told I had the role, I had a major anxiety attack that lasted all night. I realized I had signed a three-year contract with Loving and that I'm not going to see my house or my dogs or my family. It was not easy to give all that up." Brown was so filled with angst that he wanted to back out of the role on Loving and head home to California. But, as fate would have it, he bumped into the woman who cast him on Loving and she managed to change his mind again. Brown is happy about his decision.

"I'm quite pleased to be with Loving, because they have been very good to me," says Brown. "What intrigued me about the role of Buck is that he's a country-western, outdoorsy kind of character. I've never really had a chance to play that, and Buck is more of who I am. I feel very positive about being on Loving, and I believe we can take this half-hour show and turn it around and put it right into the top. People are going to start talking about Titan model, Brandee, is so thin because she is bulemic.

GENERAL HOSPITAL Lucy convinced Scott to write a letter to Dominique's friend, Katherine Crawford, then was surprised when Katherine showed up at his office. Scott and Katherine reminisced about Dominique after he told her about Dominique's death. Lucy wasn't thrilled with Scott and Katharine's instant rapport. Victoria was upset with Bill, who didn't come home the night after they made love, and she suspected that he was with Holly. Victoria moved out of Bill's place and into the Port Charles Hotel.

Richard warned Victoria that Holly is secure in her relationship with Bill, but Victoria said Bill is trying to let Holly down easy. Tiffany and Sean patched up their marriage. Jessica told Tiffany that she wanted to be her friend, then came on to Sean behind Tiffany's back. Karen panicked when she saw Rhonda with a former boyfriend Ray. Lucy teamed up Brenda and Jagger for a new "Deception" ad campaign.

GUIDING LIGHT: While baby-sitting for Peter, Nick and Mindy shared a passionate kiss. Hart punched Roger's former "business" partner Davis, who was partly responsibb for Hart's grandfather losing his farm. Roger told Jertna his version of how Hart's grandfather tost the Jessup farm. Jenna told Roger he has to decide if he wants to be with her or Holly. Fletcher told Vanessa that he wants them to be friends even though she is remarrying Billy.

Later, Billy and Vanessa's wedding got underway at the country club chapel. To help Nadine deal with Billy and Vanessa's marriage, Buzz took her to the country club, without knowing that the wedding was taking place there. Giliy made up with Hamp, then quit her job at WSPR-TV. Bridget was upset to see Hart kiss Julie when he picked her up at the airport Ross assured Blake that he toves her. Michelle looked forward to spending the Fourth of July with Holly.

LOVING: Dinah Lee and Curtis worked out the details of their wedding. Dinah Lee insisted to Gwyneth that she and Curtis will live in the Alden mansion despite Dinah Lee's past romance with Clay because that is what Curtis wants. At the airport, Ava disguised herself as a nun and attempted to switch her bag for Jeremy's as part of another prank, but she took a bag belonging to the notorious Cesar Faison. Faison plotted to retrieve a valuable stamp that was in the bag Ava took by mistake. Buck returned Stacey's lost wallet to her, but stayed at her place when he suffered an injury.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE: As Marty's rape trial got underway, Nora grilled Andrew and Suede, whose testimony went against Marty. Reminded of her own rape, Luna fled from the courtroom during Nora's questioning. Marty also ran out of the courtroom during the questioning, which cast doubt on her rape story. Later, Marty began to question her belief that Kevin raped her along with Zach, Powell and Todd. When Cain threatened to tell all of Uanview that Angela's faith healing routine is a sham, she threatened to tell everyone that he used to con old ladies out of their money.

Angela was all ears when Cain confessed to inadvertently betraying his friend, Darius, while they were held prisoner in Jaba. Cord also admitted that he escaped and returned to Uanview without trying to find Darius' daughter, Fila, like he had promised. Al and C.J. teamed up to rid Serenity Springs of a ghost Viki spent time with Sloan. THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Jack and Brad are both intent on taking over Newman Enterprises.

Jack told Ashley that there was a codicil to Victor's will that states the Abbott family would regain control of Jabot in the event of Victor's death, but Ashley was skeptical. Brad asked Ashley to support his takeover of the business. When Jill had Braxton-Hicks contractions, she convinced her doctor to admit her to the hospital for a few days rest, then let John think her condition was worse than it really is. Jill was thrilled when John said he is now ready to be a father to their child. Hope's neighbor, Cliff, warned Victor that Hope is off-limits because he plans to marry her.

Victor told Cliff that he will work for Hope until she asks him to leave. Everyone gathered for the reading of Victor's will. Victoria and Cole wondered why Victor gave Cole a job and asked him to live at the ranch. By Nancy M. Reichardt United Feature Syndicate ALL MY CHILDREN: Jack planned to run away with Laurel before Trevor could arrest her, then was devastated when Laurel left him a note saying she was splitting without him.

Natalie didn't want to believe Trevor, who said Laurel stole the $1,000,000 check that Adam donated to the community center. Later, Natalie picked up Adam and they went after Laurel, but Natalie, who was driving, crashed her car. Gloria and Brian later found Adam and Natalie, who were seriously injured in the crash. Trevor told Timmy about Natalie's condition, but the boy refused to go to the hospital to see her. Erica and Dimitri were married after she smoothed things over between a feuding Bianca and Kendall.

After visiting Michael at the hospital, Dixie insisted to Tad that it is too soon for Michael to learn that he is the long-lost Ted Orsini. ANOTHER WORLD: Loma burned the first photo she was convinced Carl had sent to her, then hid a second photo she received. Cass and Frankie learned that they are going to have a baby, but decided to keep their news a secret for now. Ian was pleased when he found the mysterious key that Alii put around her doll's neck. Donna caught Ian and Joy, who were searching Fran's apartment for a third key.

Paulina asked lan.questions about his past and wanted to know who he really is, but Ian said that he was leaving town. Grant made Ryan leave when he found him sitting in on Vicky's hypnosis session. When Donna told Ryan about Ian, he realized the description matches that of the man in Vicky's nightmares. Later, Vicky identified Ian as the man in her dreams. Iris moved in with Hank and Tommy.

Kelsey admitted to Brett that she is afraid of being compared to John's deceased wife, Chariene. Loma broke up with Kevin. AS THE WORLD TURNS: Lucinda told a shocked Lily that Royce is Lucinda's half-brother and Neal was her half-sister. Lucinda was reminded of painful things that happened in her past Damian ordered Eduardo to keep Patricia Kings-ley busy in Rome. Cynthia quizzed Royce about the blonde (Emily) who was clutching his arm during Neal's funeral.

Royce went to Neal's grave and vowed that he will find out who killed her. Susan is apprehensive about Emily marrying Royce before Neal's killer is found. Caleb gave Julie an engagement ring. Iva was upset when John advised her to let Holden be a part of Aaron's life, and then Lily wanted to know when she plans to tell Holden that he is Aaron's father. While Hal was at the police station getting the low-down on Neal's murder, Barbara was telling Nancy, Lisa and Julie that she wants Hal to get out of police work.

An upset Kim learned that Damian plans to open a casino at his club. THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Brooke was devastated when Ridge told her that he is staying married to Taylor because he loves her and made a lifetime commitment to her. Stephanie taunted Brooke about how Ridge tricked her into signing the Belief patent over to Forrester, but later panicked when she learned Brooke had the paper she signed. Stephanie insisted Ridge get the signed Belief patent papers from Brooke because he took the unsigned papers by mistake. Connor and Brooke realized Ridge took the wrong patent paper.

Keith and Sally talked about using "intervention" to help Macy deal with her drinking problem. DAYS OF OUR LIVES: The Brady clan said good-bye to Kimberly, who left to join Phillip in Hollywood. As Kimberly was boarding her plane, Caroline collapsed in pain. At the hospital, Cariy arranged for Caroline to undergo tests. Carly released Abigail from the hospital again after the child's high fever broke, but told Jack and Jennifer that the baby must undergo more tests to find out what is wrong.

While disguised as a nurse, Vivian was required by the police to tend to an accident victim, who turned out to be Lawrence. Carly told Lawrence his belief that he saw Vivian at the accident scene was probably due to the mild concussion he suffered. Vivian plotted to kill another one of Carry's patients. John talked about a paternity test after Marlena admitted that she doesn't know if her baby was fathered by him or Roman. Sami learned that Philip Brown, who left Search for Tomorrow in 1983, recently returned to daytime television to play Buck Houston on Loving.

this soap that you just have to watch." The show's low ratings don't worry Brown. "I don't believe that Loving has an ax hanging over it," he says. "As an actor, you can't worry about things like that. You just go in and do your best and whatever happens is going to happen. You can't control it." Since the character of Buck is somewhat mysterious, Brown has no idea what Buck's future holds.

"I don't know what direction I want to take Buck in yet all I know is that I want him to be honest," says the actor. "I want him to say what he feels, stick by it and take some chances. Since I was brought up in a family where we weren't taught to express how we feel, I think playing Buck will be therapeutic for me, a kind of catharsis. I think it will be a freeing experience for me. I'd like to see Buck always have an edge, but I'd like to see him progress into a nice guy and see him struggle with it.

It would be interesting for the audience to see him striving to be a better person." McCall a soap veteran Soap notes Knight-Ridder Tribune News Service Qa Is the person playing Michael Bald- win in The Young and the Restless the same person who, some years ago, was on As the World Turns as Kirk McCall? He was very young then. A. Soap fans have amazing memories for actors. Christian Le Blanc played McCall, 1983-85. He was not long out of Tulane University where he'd studied pre-med before deciding to be an actor.

The son of a career Army man, Le Blanc was born in Fort Bragg, N.C., and grew up in Germany and around the U.S. before settling in New Orleans. He made his stage bow in You 're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and has worked on stage and prime-time TV as well as singing and dancing. He joined in August 1991. Qi I wonder every time I see the cred- its of All My Children if Frances Heflin, who plays Mona Kane, is the widow of actor Van Heflin.

Aa This Frances is Van Heflin's sister. But Van Heflin was married briefly to actress Frances Neal. They were divorced at the time of his death in 1971. Send your questions to Soap Stars, Detroit Free Press, 321 W. Lafayette Detroit, Mich.

48226. Volume of mail prohibits personal replies..