Jack Abbott (The Young and the Restless)
| Jack Abbott | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The Young and the Restless character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by |
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| Duration | 1980–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | July 22, 1980 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | William J. Bell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by |
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| Crossover appearances | The Nanny (1997) The Bold and the Beautiful (1998) The King of Queens (2001) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Terry Lester as Jack Abbott | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Jack Abbott is a fictional character from the American
Casting
The role of Jack Abbott was written into the series on July 22, 1980, being portrayed by
In 1997, Bergman appeared as Jack on an episode of the popular CBS series The Nanny entitled "The Heather Biblow Story". In the episode, he shared a kiss with fellow guest star Pamela Anderson. Bergman also guest starred as Jack on another of the network's comedy series' The King of Queens; he appeared in the episode "Inner Tube" along with fellow cast members Melody Thomas Scott and Scott Reeves (who portrayed Ryan McNeil).
In December 1998, Bergman’s character appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful in a crossover event. Bergman’s appearances on the show were December 24 and 28, 1998.
In 2006, Bergman stated: "I love what I do! I get a new script every day, and I can't wait to find out what happens next. I've been doing this for 18 years, and I still can't wait to see what Jack has in store for us next."[12]
Development
Characterization
Jack is very passionate about everything. He doesn't do anything in a small way. This also goes with how he falls in love. These were all really clear choices I made with Jack. I have learned over time that there is a kind of snide nature to Jack. He felt himself above everybody, smug.[9]
—Bergman on his portrayal of Jack.
While he was in the role, Lester stated that Jack was a villain, but not entirely: "I think Jack has changed in the past four years, although there's a tendency to make him the same old circus villain he was in the beginning. Happily the producers, the writers and myself were able to keep Jack progressing - never a wonderful person, but not nasty just to be nasty."[3] Of the character, Bergman stated that: "Jack goes from tender, loving scenes at the beginning of an episode with Nikki, where he's so pathetic and loving and sincere, to taking someone's head off by Act 5. Jack is mercurial that way. He can be in a perfectly good mood and you scuff his shoe and he wants to kill you. I don't have any problems supporting that with real emotions."[13]
According to Bergman, "Jack is not annoyed by the 'little people' ever." Though Jack is a villain, Bergman "wanted Jack to have Achilles heels."[9] Jack spends majority of his life longing for "a solid happy family."[14] Bergman's first lines as Jack on the show were "Smiling Jack is back. No more Mr. nice guy."[6] Jack has always had trouble finding and keeping the right woman. When compared to his former alter ego Cliff Warner, Bergman explained: "It is quite the contrast, the guy who found his one true love, followed by the most unlucky-in-love guy out there, someone who can't seem to hold on to it. Love is just out of his grasp." During his 20th anniversary reflection, Bergman described Jack as "a reckless, selfish, uncaring cad" changed by love. Jack's playboy issues stem from missing his mother. Bergman stated that Jack's unfaithfulness was a way of unconsciously punishing all women for his mother abandoning him.[9]
For Bergman's portrayal of Jack,
Relationships
Your original question was there one true love. There are three. Each of these three women were the loves of his life, and he is never completely comfortable if he is standing in a room with any one of them.[9]
—Bergman on the loves of Jack's life (2009)
Bergman stated that Jack's three most significant romances with Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) and Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) helped to reform him.[9] Jack goes after Nikki initially for business and revenge. He intends to get Nikki to fall for him and then use her to get Jabot Cosmetics back from Victor. Jack's plan to bargain for the company by using Nikki backfires when he falls for her. Jack falls hard and is at "his most vulnerable" with Nikki.[9] Though quite a few women fall victim to Jack's philandering ways, Nikki forgives him. When they lose their son in March 1993, Bergman said that, "Jack learned empathy for the first time in his life." Jack usually has a lot of control over his life, but he cannot save Nikki from her addiction; in fact, he makes it worse. By the time the relationship does fall apart, "[Jack] is still a cad, but not as bad as before."[9]
These two people should have never been left in the same room together! They were perfectly wrong for each other, and yet both came out of the relationship as better people. Here's a situation where two people, who are truly, deeply in love with each other and can't make it work.[9]
—Bergman, on Jack and Phyllis (2009)
Jack has a long-standing relationship with Phyllis Summers. Bergman described Jack and Phyllis's pairing as one of his "least likely pairings", stating that Jack and Phyllis are the complete "opposite of star-crossed".[9] Despite divorcing after only three years, the couple remains close. Phyllis ends up having an affair with Nicholas Newman (Joshua Morrow), resulting in a pregnancy. Bergman said that, "It truly hurts him. He's in pain" when he sees Phyllis pregnant.[12] Following Phyllis's betrayal, Bergman felt Jack changes again, "in a big way", and that he becomes very "complex".[9]
Jack then begins a romance with Nick's ex-wife, Sharon Newman, who was also hurt by the affair.[12] Of the decision to pair the characters, Bergman said that it may have been an "ill-conceived last resort" after the Phyllis and Nick pairing. The co-stars decided to make the relationship work. Bergman revealed that he and Case made the "concerted effort to turn this relationship into something".[9] Of the relationship, Bergman said: "It is only appropriate that Jack and Sharon found each other. Wherever Sharon goes, she is embarrassed. Will Phyllis come walking around the corner? But Sharon doesn't have any reason to be embarrassed with Jack."[12] However, Bergman also noted that his intimacy with Sharon "all happens so quickly. Jack is doing something manipulative."[12] He also noted that Jack is attracted to Sharon's "simple honesty". The only thing Sharon wants in return is honesty, and Jack cannot give it to her. Sharon is the closest Jack's ever come to having a solid family unit. Though the relationship only last three and half years, Sharon is there for Jack during the death of his father and his niece, Colleen (Tammin Sursok).[9]
Jack has had other various romances. In 1994, Jack became romantically involved with newly introduced character
Rivalries
Following a 2006 storyline which saw the Abbott children team up against their late father's wife
Doppelgänger
Can you imagine what it feels like to get out of jail and suddenly be Jack Abbott? Life with the beautiful Phyllis. The luxury. The expendable cash. It's a candy store! And he can't get enough of it fast enough. And unlike Jack, who is the ultimate in restraint when it comes to clothes, this guy likes things loud ... Fake Jack has a very large appetite for life. He's very careless, but even when he makes a mistake, he's confident he can fix it.[16]
—Bergman on Fake Jack,
In April 2015, it is revealed that there are two Jacks, one being Jack himself and another being
Storylines
Backstory
John Robert Abbott, Jr. known commonly as Jack, is born on June 29 1954 to
1980–present
In the early 1980s, Jack begins working alongside
Next Jack has an affair with his now-stepmother Jill. Jack's ex-girlfriend,
Problems arise early in Jack and Nikki's marriage, and Nikki soon develops addictions to painkillers and alcohol. Following an argument with Victor, Nikki's child, to be named John Abbott III, is stillborn. Victor offers Jack a chance to regain control of Jabot if he leaves Nikki, to which Jack agrees. Victor helps Nikki deal with her addiction, and they reconnect. By 1994, Jack and Nikki divorce but remain close friends. Shortly after the divorce, Jack marries
Meanwhile, Jack plots with Brad Carlton to take over Newman Enterprises while Victor is being held captive in New Mexico, and succeeds. When Victor returns, Jack offers to return Jabot in exchange for Newman. Victor counters that Jabot must be purchased to close the deal, and Brash & Sassy would stay with Newman. The Abbots try to raise the funds, but Jack has to accept a loan for the remainder. Victor buys all the Abbott loans and is about to control Jabot again, but backs down due to his renewed involvement with Jack's sister Ashley. However, Victor still plots revenge against Jack and Brad.
In 2000, despite Diane's divorce from Victor, she remained affectionate towards Victor, and she
Cosmetics War between Jabot and Newman Enterprises began. Jack was from Jabot and his wife, Phyllis, worked for the rivals Newman. Phyllis decided to side with Victor and Newman, ending their marriage. Jack was fired from Jabot as a result of a lawsuit against the company. He was once again single, and briefly romanced Jill again. Jack and Ashley are against their father's new wife
In prison, John began going off the rails. Jack took this opportunity to make John cut out Gloria from his will, making John believe it was Dina. John was released early due to being ill, but was rushed to hospital and died. Jack and his siblings manipulated the funeral's time so that Gloria wouldn't be there. They also kick Gloria out of the mansion. It is discovered that John actually left Gloria fifty percent of his billion dollar estate. The Abbotts were livid when Gloria continued to climb up the corporate ladder at Jabot. Jack begins dating Nick's ex-wife
Aided by
Jack had to undergo another risky surgery to remove the bullet which was still inside of him, which made him temporarily step away from Newman and give Adam the position in his absence. He rekindled his friendship with Phyllis, leading to a kiss. Jack continues to struggle with his pains from the surgery, and became dependent on pain killers. In a bid to gain his company back, Victor fed information to the Genoa City Chronicle about Jack's pill addiction problems, further distressing him. Jack relapsed and woke up New Year's Day to find a dead prostitute, and the daughter of a congressman, on his floor. Adam got rid of the body, a setup by Victor, and Jack went to rehab. Phyllis helped him get through withdrawal.
Nikki told Jack about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis and he encouraged her to share the news with Victor. Later, Congressman Wheeler put a hit on Victor, so Jack and Victor worked together to prove Wheeler was involved in the death of Belinda Rogan.
Jack and Phyllis moved in together. Phyllis revealed to Jack that he was Summer's real dad and all three grew closer. After a fall at the MS Gala, Phyllis needed brain surgery, but was never able to tell Jack that Sharon had switched the results and Nick was really Summer's father before she slipped into a coma. Jack put a ring on Phyllis' finger and considered them engaged. Summer and Jack began to connect.
Jack regularly flew to Georgia to be with Phyllis, who was still in a coma. He also kept everyone together when his niece Delia was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
Jack and his team realized a Chancellor subsidiary was illegally selling pills online, which put Summer in the hospital. Jack was able to get an investigation launched.
Adam asked Jack to be his son Connor's godfather. Jack agreed. Adam admitted Victor was blackmailing him but wouldn't tell Jack why. When Adam was thought to have been killed, Jack urged Chelsea to keep Connor away from Victor.
His assistant Hilary Curtis spontaneously kissed him at the Delia Project Valentine's Day Benefit, but he seemed more intrigued with Kelly Andrews. A hostage situation arose at the gala and he was able to negotiate Chelsea's release. After he learned Kelly slept with his brother Billy, he offered her money to leave town. Insulted, she tore the check up in his face. Jack began running into Kelly around town and eventually she softened toward him and they began dating. Summer was initially upset that Jack was 'giving up' on her mom, but she eventually came to accept that Jack couldn't be expected to wait for something that might never happen. Jack and Kelly weathered Summer running off with fugitive Austin, and later marrying him. Jack, who had seen Kelly hugging Ben, learned that they were siblings with a family secret. When Jack decided it was time to move on with Kelly officially, he paid the comatose Phyllis a visit to say goodbye. Jack and Kelly later told Summer together about their decision and that Kelly had moved into the Abbott mansion. She was accepting, but vowed never to give up hope for Phyllis' recovery.
Jack and Kelly were attending Nick and Sharon's wedding when Phyllis appeared dressed in a white dress in the church. Jack rushed to her side as she collapsed and went with her to the hospital. Jack arrived at home to find Kelly moving out. They made love, but she left in the morning. Jack then brought Phyllis home from the hospital and due to the doctor's warnings, elected not to tell her about Kelly right away. Phyllis brought out the truth about Summer's paternity, and she and Jack told Summer that Nick, not Jack, was her biological father together. Jack was angry with Phyllis for not telling him before luring Sharon back to the scene of the crime for a public reveal and took up with Kelly at the club for comfort. Resigned to telling Phyllis he and Kelly were now together, Jack headed home to find Phyllis, who had discovered the truth on her own after stealing Jack's phone, wanting to cement their commitment. Jack proposed and made love to Phyllis, who declared she would have Kelly Andrews plan their engagement party. Jack prepared to tell Kelly he was engaged to Phyllis, but her mother had a heart attack. Kelly assumed Jack had told Phyllis about them.
In 2016, Phyllis cheats on Jack, with his half brother, Billy, leading them to divorce when Jack learns of this in September. After his divorce, Jack finds ways to get back to Phyllis, but focuses his attention more on getting back at Billy, such as raising the rent of the company he works for, Brash & Sassy.
Jack spends up to a year showing disregard and dislike to Billy, although Billy tries numerous times to get his relationship with his brother back to where it used to be. However, Jacks attention shifts, when his mother,
Reception
Bergman said that his initial casting was met with criticism when compared to his portrayal of the "nice guy" Cliff Warner on All My Children. Bergman however was able to win over majority of Lester's fans within the first six months of his tenure. He stated: "The All My Children fans were the hardest ones to win over because Cliff was such a nice character."
Terry Lester earned four Lead Actor Daytime Emmy nominations for his portrayal (from 1984 to 1987). Peter Bergman has been nominated for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series 21 times between 1990 and 2019, winning in 1991, 1992. and 2002.[22]
In 2022, Charlie Mason from
References
- ^ Cooper, Mary Ann (April 22, 1984). "Speaking of Soaps". Reading Eagle. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
- ^ William J. Bell and John Conboy (Executive producers); William J. Bell (Head writer) (July 22, 1980). The Young and the Restless. Season 8. Episode 1869. CBS.
- ^ St. Petersburg Times. Times Publishing Company. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
- American Media, Inc.(published July 13, 2020). July 20, 2020. p. 65.
- ISBN 0-520-07763-6. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Gannett Company. p. 3.
- ^ William J. Bell and Edward J. Scott (Executive producers); William J. Bell (Head writer) (September 1, 1989). The Young and the Restless. Season 17. Episode 4182. CBS.
- ^ Fairman, Michael (December 7, 2009). "The Peter Bergman Interview- The Young and the Restless". On-Air On-Soaps. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Special Features: Peter Bergman Reflects On 20 Years". The Young and the Restless. Sony Pictures Television. November 2009. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ "Behind the Scenes: Special Features: Jack Abbott: 1989 - 1993". The Young and the Restless. Sony Pictures Television. November 2009. Archived from the original on November 10, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- American Media, Inc. Archivedfrom the original on October 9, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- ^ Jamaica Gleaner. Gleaner Company. September 9, 2006. Archived from the originalon February 21, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
- ^ Tribune Company.
- ^ Lions Gate Entertainment. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Reichardt, Nancy (August 14, 1994). "Jack Abbott is finding love again on 'Young and the Restless'". The Tuscaloosa News. Halifax Media Group. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- Michael Fairman On-Air On-Soaps. April 14, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ^ Kerr, Luke (April 21, 2015). "Will the Abbotts Oust Jack's Doppelganger From Jabot on Y&R? (Promo)". Daytime Confidential. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ^ a b "Famous Love Stories: Jack and Luan". The Young and the Restless. Sony Pictures Television. September 2003. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2013-02-04. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ Waldman, Allison (February 9, 2010). "Eric Braeden Marks 30 Years on 'The Young and the Restless'". AOL TV. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- SheKnows Media. Archivedfrom the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ "About Y&R: About the Actors: Peter Bergman". Soap Central. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- She Media. Retrieved 27 July 2023.