John Black
Played by Drake Hogestyn
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Hogestyn graduated from the University of
Southern Florida, Tampa, where he majored in microbiology. He was drafted by
the New York Yankees and played third base for the farm team in Oneonta, New
York until he was sidelined by an injury in 1978.
Hogestyn landed his first acting role almost by accident: A group of
baseball team members responded to a talent search ad that drew more than
75,000 aspiring actors. Hogestyn was one of the 30 chosen for a talent
training program. Hogestyn's first starring role was on the series "Seven
Brides for Seven Brothers." In January 1986 Hogestyn landed the plum role on
Days of Our Lives, receiving the designation "Hottest Male Star" at the Soap
Opera Awards in both 1994 and 1995.
When John Black first came to town, he and everyone else thought he was
Roman Brady. Later it was discovered that he wasn't Roman but he had been
brainwashed by Stefano DiMera, who had kidnapped them both. Still later, he
found out that he was really Forrest Alamaine, the long-lost brother of
Lawrence Alamaine, and he inherited the family fortune.
John took his name from a gravestone. At one time he was known as "The
Pawn" (Stefano's pawn). His memories have been sporadic as he has never
fully regained his memories of the past. He remembered being an art thief
and working for Stefano, and he thought he had been a priest for a while,
too.
Whatever his past, John has been a great hero. He always puts what's
right or wrong above almost everything, except, possibly, his loved ones. He
worked for the police department when he thought he was Roman and for the
ISA (a spy organization), and he still assists both organizations when
needed, even though he is now an executive at his company, Basic Black.
After John found out he was no longer Roman, he couldn't get over his
love for Roman's wife, Marlena; she had trouble forgetting him, too. They
had an affair and eventually reunited in marriage after she and Roman were
divorced. He had also married Isabella, but she had died of cancer. John
treats Marlena's children as his own, but Sami has always resented John for
breaking up her parents' marriage. John has a son, Brady, by Isabella and a
daughter, Belle, by Marlena. John has even battled Satan to protect and help
Marlena.
Roman Brady called Marlena "Doc" so John did, too. He never really lost
the Roman Brady personality. (Roman was also a great hero.) John treated
Roman's family like his own, including his parents and his brother, Bo. John
and Roman both shared the same arch-enemy, Stefano DiMera. John found out
that Stefano's son, Tony, was his half-brother (by their mother). Tony and
John previously fought over the affections of Kristin, who had been adopted
by Stefano, and Tony seemed destined to carry on his father's feud with the
Bradys. Finding out that they were brothers, Tony and John vowed to make
amends, and they did, until Tony was murdered in 2003 by the Salem Stalker,
who was believed to be Marlena. John did everything in his power to prove
her innocence, but she was caught and admitted her crimes, much to
everyone's horror. Marlena was shot while trying to escape prison, and
everyone thought she was dead. All the victims were brought back alive on
the tropical Island of Melaswen (New Salem spelled backwards). It turned out
the killer wasn't Marlena, but Stefano DiMera's nephew, Andre, who had
kidnapped them and made Marlena think she was killing off her friends and
family.
John began seeing Dr. Charlotte Taylor to regain his memories. Marlena
watched as she and John grew close, but it didn't take long for her to see
that something was off about Charlotte. John's son, Brady Black, helped
Marlena discover that Charlotte was keeping him from remembering everything.
Charlotte went to Marlena's apartment and tried to kill her. John burst in
at the last minute, after he discovered what Charlotte was trying to pull,
and she stabbed him with a syringe. Charlotte was arrested while John was
rushed to the hospital, paralyzed. Kayla Brady told Marlena that they
couldn't treat him in Salem. When John woke up, he regained his memory
completely and reunited with Marlena. In 2009, they remarried and headed off
to Switzerland to treat John's paralysis.
Proofread by Laura on
4/5/11
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