Up Close with Mark Derwin  

Who would have thought this ex-carpenter, ex-telemarketer, ex-janitor, ex-college student, and ex-IBM "suit" would have ever made it into show business? Certainly not Mark Derwin, at least not at first. After high school and leaving his hometown in Brewster, New York, Derwin went on to college at State University of NY at Cobbleskill, but was "booted" out just one semester later. Derwin held various jobs including mopping floors at a nursing home, carpentry and landscaping, and had even joined the corporate world at IBM, where is father, sister, brother, and sister-in-law worked. Derwin admits he hit some low points during this time, and was not always motivated to get up to go to work much either. It wasn't until Derwin realized what his "calling" was, when his motivation in his life finally hit. 

"I visualized my future. I visualized getting a soap and getting a lot of experience and learning..."

Derwin got the chance to study with actor Michael LaGuardia, whom he credits with helping him overcome his shyness, and develop his confidence to become an actor. Shortly after, Derwin headed to the big lights of Hollywood, California. He was able to land a few commercials, including one for Nike, Toyota, and his most "famous" role as the "Fiesta Man" for Mexico's Fiesta Cigarettes, which only aired on Mexican TV. Derwin was searching for something more; something bigger. According to a Soaps In Depth article, this is how Derwin's plan came to be, "I visualized my future. I visualized getting a soap and getting a lot of experience and learning. And then the next step, it's tough to say, is features. You probably hear that from every actor, but its true; its the ultimate goal. And if you're just patient, and keep doing the right things, it'll happen. You know, I mean like sleep with the right people, whatever it takes." quoted Derwin.

Derwin landed his first soap role for six episodes of Days of Our Lives. He then went on and was cast as bad boy Adrian Hunter on the Young and the Restless, which he played for eight months. After Y&R, Derwin landed a role on Guiding Light where he was cast as Detective A.C. Mallet. During his work on GL, he had the opportunity to work with Jill Farren Phelps, who is currently the executive producer of One Life to Live. After leaving GL, Derwin negotiated with As the World Turns, but lost the part to someone else at the last minute. Next stop for Derwin....Llanview!

"She's incredibly sweet--I've got the hugest crush on her" Derwin on Erika Slezak (Viki)

It was the day after he lost the part on ATWT, in which Derwin focused in on the role for OLTL. He met up with his old boss Ms. Phelps, and Angela Shapiro, ABC's Daytime President. After a brief interview, Derwin was offered the part on the show just one hour after his meeting with them. Playing Ben Davidson certainly has had it's benefits with the pairing of his character with Llanview's First Lady, Victoria Lord Buchanan, played by the quintuple Emmy-winner Erika Slezak.  "She's incredibly sweet --I've got the hugest crush on her," Derwin was quoted on saying in a Soap Opera Digest article. It's now apparent the magic between these two stars have reflected in their outstanding work in their on-screen characters, Ben and Viki.

If anyone asks who is the hottest couple in Llanview, most fans will probably answer Ben and Blondie. ("Blondie" was the nickname given to Viki after meeting up at Crossroads.) The pairing of these two lost souls sparked a romance which fans have cheered for from the start. According to one OLTL fan,  "...he is a woman's dream of what a man should be.  He is not judgmental and has integrity." Another fan writes "He is simply a remarkable actor, and his scenes with Erika Slezak are exceptional. His subtle yet emotional performances keep me tuned in every day." Mark Derwin has many devoted fans across the country, and they are growing by leaps and bounds. He has no doubt proved his incredible acting abilities, and he continues to astound us with his terrific portrait of the new Buchanan heir to set foot in Llanview, Pennsylvania.

Here are two great web sites for Mark Derwin/Ben Davidson fans:

Cross X Roads - Home of Ben Davidson
A dedicated fan site to Ben Davidson, portrayed by very talented Mark Derwin. Site includes great pics of Ben and "Blondie", plus the latest scoops, news, storyline pages, and more. Site is updated regularly.

The Ben and Blondie(Viki) Fan Posting
This is a great site to see some terrific photos of the cast from various fan events, including the fan luncheon held in NYC.

NOTE: I'm pleased to announce there will be live chat session with Mark Derwin to be held at the end of July. So please join my chat host, Caboose, every Wednesday to gear up for this unique opportunity to chat with him. Weekly chats start at 8pm EST, or enter chat room anytime 24 hours a day.

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Katherine Thurston
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All graphics used on this site have been used with permission from ArtToday.com
Mark Derwin's picture is copyrighted, and full permission has been granted for it's use by ABC.

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Copyrighted July 10, 2000 by Katherine Thurston, and