Jackie Zeman Recalls Going from OLTL to GH 45 Years Ago

Jackie Zeman found out that she had more than one soap opera life to live.

This month, Jackie Zeman celebrates 45 years as General Hospital fan favorite Bobbie Spencer, R.N. Before arriving in Port Charles to play an ex-hooker who was searching for a better life as a student nurse, Zeman first had to say goodbye to her One Life to Live character. Zeman chatted with Soap Hub about leaving Llanview’s Lana to become GH’s Barbara Jean ‘Bobbie’ Spencer.

Jackie Zeman – Loving Lana McClain

When Lana first appeared on “One Life to Live” in September 1976 as a waitress, “Lana wasn’t intended to stay on [that show] for long,” Zeman recalls. Doris Quinlan, the producer, called and informed me that Lana would be remaining around because of her growing popularity.

Waitress Lana McClain was madly in love with blond bad boy Brad Vernon (Jameson Parker). Brad lusted over Lana, but he only had eyes for the virgin Jenny Wolek (Kathy Glass). Zeman remembers saying, “James was a doll. “We filmed these private scenes when I wasn’t wearing a lot. Scenes back then, in my memory, were much longer. Being still for so long used to result in Charley horses for us.

Leaving Llanview Behind

Lana wasn’t always treated well by Brad, but Jameson and Zeman got along great. We studied karate together, Zeman claims. “In the morning, before coming to the studio, we’d run ten miles. Those are the recollections I had from then.

Zeman recollects leaping up and down with delight when she heard from Quinlan that Lana’s stay would be prolonged because this was her first contract job. Sadly, Lana’s story had to come to an end. She unintentionally overdosed on sleeping pills, and Brad, who saw Lana as a barrier to his relationship with Jenny, stood by and did nothing as she passed away.

Of course, Jackie Zeman’s career on ABC Daytime wasn’t quite over. She saw Beatlemania performed while finishing off as Lana. Murray the K [Murray Kaufman], the actress’s then-boyfriend and future husband, worked as a special consultant on the musical with a Beatles theme. A renowned TV executive approached Zeman at the performance because he thought she was hilarious and asked her if she wanted to be on a sitcom. Zeman retorted, “I said, ‘No, I’m on a soap opera. Later, she discovered who her ally was. She screams, “It was [President of ABC Entertainment] Fred Silverman.” Next, Zeman got a call from ABC Daytime president Jackie Smith, who told Zeman that the network had been trying to cast the part of GH’s Bobbie Spencer but hadn’t quite yet found the right actress.

Joining General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ head writer Douglas Marland wanted to meet with me to explore the job, Jackie informed me,’ Zeman adds. She thought the conversation would last for around 15 minutes, so she invited the scribe to her lavender-decorated New York apartment. He stayed for hours, says Zeman. “We had a great time. Jackie contacted me later and said, “We’re offering you the job of Barbara Spencer!,” so I think he liked me.

Older GH viewers may remember that Bobbie tried her best to snag Scotty Baldwin (Kin Shriner) away from Laura Webber (Genie Francis). She hatched a plot to send Laura to a reform school, but she was unsuccessful. Thanks to Zeman’s passionate portrayal of the have-not, audiences both loved to detest and just plain liked (and still love) Bobbie Spencer.

For both Zeman and Kaufman, relocating to the West Coast made perfect sense because Beatlemania was about to premiere at a theater in Century City, California. Actors are occasionally allowed a break when they finish a role on the same show or network if it is known that they will return in another role, but Lana and Bobbie’s situation was different.
As Lana was passing away [on OLTL], Bobbie suddenly appeared on General Hospital shortly after in her blue student nurse outfit, according to Zeman. They cried out, “Oh my gosh! We had no idea. However, I found it to be amusing! 45 years later, here we are.

Jackie Zeman is honored by Soap Hub for 45 years as General Hospital’s Bobbie Spencer Brock Meyer Jones Cassadine!