Your Incredible Neighbors: Drama couple moves on to new days in their lives

In 1974, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, Calif., played the ultimate role of matchmaker for Jim Henriksen and his wife Julie Brady .

She was the director of admissions; he was an acting student in the Academy’s two-year program. Today, the Academy is located in Hollywood and offers a three-year program.

From that fateful meeting, both have gone on to enjoy exciting careers in southern California’s fast-paced world of TV and movie production.

For more than 20 years, Julie was production associate and associate director of two of TV’s all-time great soap operas — “General Hospital” and “Days of Our Lives.” The job titles, Jim says, is phraseology used for daytime TV. Speaking on Julie’s behalf he says, “She was a non-credited producer basically.”

Recently retired, they have moved to Quail Creek and are enjoying new days of their lives.

First airing in November 1965, “Days of Our Lives” was TV’s longest-running daytime soap opera and syndicated internationally. With 60-hour-work weeks, Julie especially enjoyed the creativity in editing; she says she’s been nominated for numerous Emmy’s but unfortunately hasn’t ever won one.

Now in its 42nd year, Julie says the reason for “Days” ongoing success is the viewers.

“The show has a tremendous fan following who live, breathe and support the show. They write letters, offer comments and almost become part of the family.”

But in 1994, TV soap operas took a major downturn. “Ratings for soap operas dropped drastically after the O.J. Simpson trial; they never recovered,” Julie said.

A second factor was cost. “Soaps are very expensive to produce; all actors, cameramen and electricians are union. Reality TV shows are replacing soaps; they’re much cheaper to produce… the days of existing soap operas are numbered.”

Looking back on years of exciting “Days” she says a high point for her was using her maiden name as the genesis for the creation of the Brady family and the characters Bo and Hope, Roman and Marlena on “Days.”

“I was very tight with the writers… the work week was intense… you live and breathe the show. At the beginning, “Days” was in its glory; we went on location to Europe and Puerto Rico,” Julie recalled.

In March of this year with cutbacks in staff and salaries she said the handwriting was on the wall. “It just felt like the right time to leave… I don’t miss the pressure, I do miss the people and the editing,” she says.

How does Julie spend the days of her life now? A new resident to Quail Creek, once unpacked and moved in she’ll get back to oil painting and focus on her interest in astronomy. And she and Jim are both good golfers.

Jim’s stage was live theater; he also appeared in hundreds of TV commercials including ones for Cadillac, McDonald’s and the 2006 Super Bowl commercial for AmeriQuest voted Best Super Bowl commercial.

With his strong, deep voice, he’s done hundreds of “VoiceOvers”; it’s the art of using the voice to sell, inform or entertain on radio and TV commercials, animation and cartoons.

“My acting was more comedic and character acting… My best role? Mugsy in ‘Viewer’s Choice.’ ” Based on a play about guys in an East end restaurant in London who play poker every week the play was the recipient of several Critics Choice awards.

For 23 years, Jim owned The Third Stage, a live theater in Burbank. “It seated about 50; we had lots of good regional actors… I produced and acted; we did a revival of “Glengarry Glen Ross.” A 1992 big-screen movie it starred Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin and Kevin Spacey.

On TV, Jim appeared in many episodes of “Malcolm in the Middle” and acting is still in his future.

“I won’t ever retire as an actor, but I was too old to play dads and not old enough to play granddads. I hit a wall, but the door is open,” he says optimistically.

Julie says he could still do films and commercials without the pressure grind of daily work. “Freelancing now seems more realistic and ideal,” she says of Jim’s future.

Currently enjoying carpentry projects on their new Santa Fe-style home, he’s looking forward to installation of computer capabilities that will allow him to audition for TV VoiceOvers from home.

Of O.J. Simpson’s latest caper, Jim says, “Kharma bit him in the ass.”

Ellen Sussman is a Green Valley freelance writer. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.