Indeed, Michael Zaslow's incarnation of Roger Thorpe was romantic, vengeful, frightening, infuriating, and sympatheic. Roger Thorpe was a three dimensional villain, a character with a great capacity for evil, but also a character with a tremendous zest for life and reserves of love. There was always a reason for Roger's treachery, whether it was his primal hunger for power, or his paranoid view that the world was his enemy. Yet, even as ruthless and arrogant as Roger could be, there was a soft and vulnerable side. He was the first, and arguably the best, "complex villain", who transcended the typical literary standards of black and white. A perrenial outcast perpetually looking for the rusted brass ring, he was a tragic figure of almost Shakespearean proportion. He was a survivor and a moral lesson, at times heroic, at others cruel and manipulative. He was the ultimate mass of contradictions.

The reason for Roger Thorpe's longevity and appeal was undoubtedly his creator, the man who inhabited the role for 17 years, Michael Zaslow. Zaslow instilled in Roger such complexity it was impossible to completely hate him regardless of his sins. Zaslow's impassioned portrayal won rave reviews from the beginning and from 1992-1995, Zaslow received 4 Emmy nominations in a row for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama. Zaslow won the coveted award in 1994, yet it wasn't merely the critics who lavished praise, it was the fans as well. This is exemplified by Zaslow's winning the 1991 Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Villain, an award that is decided by the fans.

Unfortunately, Zaslow's 17 year reign as Roger Thorpe came to an end in 1997 when the powers that be at GL forced him off after he began exhibiting symptoms of Lou Gehrig's Disease. However, instead of giving up, Zaslow, in a testament to his strength and character, has valiantly tried to raise awareness for his condition. We can all only wish Michael Zaslow the very best and remember him in our prayers.

This web page is dedicated to Michael Zaslow. By following the links on the page, you can find two great Roger pages that aren't my own, but are quite wonderful. You are also welcome to answer my poll, quiz yourself on the character's history and read the complete storylines from his introduction in 1971 to his final exit in 1997. Welcome and thank you for coming here to relive the greatness of the one and only Roger Adam Thorpe.

Greg Lawson

clawson977@aol.com