Even decades after his time on General Hospital, actor Jack Wagner says that fans still instinctively call him by his iconic soap character’s name, Frisco Jones, whenever they recognize him in public. The reaction, he explains, is not just a casual quirk but something that feels deeply real to longtime viewers of the classic daytime drama.
Wagner, now 65 and starring on the Hallmark Channel drama When Calls the Heart, recently spoke about this enduring connection on the Still the Place podcast. Recounting his early years, he said that General Hospital was “my big break,” and that the fan base he built there never really went away. Even after moving on to other roles, including Dr. Peter Burns on Melrose Place and Nick Marone on The Bold and the Beautiful, it’s the name Frisco that often greets him first.
Wagner first took on the role of Frisco Jones in the 1980s, playing the charismatic rock singer-turned-spy in one of General Hospital’s most beloved storylines. He appeared on and off from 1983 through the mid-1990s and even returned for a short arc in 2013. Despite the many characters he has portrayed since, Wagner says the attachment to Frisco remains remarkable. “I still get called Frisco probably more than anything,” he shared, adding that when a fan base falls in love with a character, “It’s very real for them.”
That sentiment points to a larger truth about soap opera fandom: these stories unfold over years or even decades, and audiences develop deeply personal attachments to characters as if they were real people. For many fans who grew up watching General Hospital, Frisco was part of their daily routine, a hero whose music, romance, and adventures provided a sense of comfort and continuity. Wagner’s own career trajectory reflects that impact, with his identity forever linked with a character that helped launch his success.
Today, Wagner balances his legacy role with current work, most notably as Bill Avery on When Calls the Heart, a show with its own devoted fan base. He’s noted that fans’ investment in both programs shares a similarity: viewers fall in love with familiar characters and the worlds they inhabit. For Wagner, that connection is both humbling and enduring, reminding him that the art of television, especially serialized drama like General Hospital, can create lifelong emotional bonds between actors and audiences.
In a world where actors often struggle to escape past roles, Wagner’s experience stands out. Rather than resenting being identified with Frisco, he seems appreciative of what the character represents to fans who grew up alongside him. As he puts it, when someone calls out “Frisco!” decades after the character first appeared, that reaction reflects something genuine in the hearts of viewers, and Wagner clearly recognizes the power of that legacy.
