Geraint Wyn Davies' chat on Prodigy
April 18, 1996
Many thanks to Nancy A Hill, Allison Percy and Rosemary Shad for their help!

Moderator (Speaker)
Born in Swansea, Wales, to a Welch congregational preacher father and a school teacher mother, Geraint was 7 when he and his family moved to Canada.

Moderator (Speaker)
Geraint's professional debut was at 19 when he performed in Quebec City, appearing in "The Fantasticks," "Red Emma" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

blue (Member question)
How do you feel about having so many fans?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
... I think it's wonderful that people enjoy a program that much. I am having difficulty however with the small percentage that take things too far and have trouble differentiating a character from the actor and that causes me concern. But in general, fan support has been fantastic!

Moderator (Speaker)
Performing for 8 seasons in both the Shaw and Stratford Festivals in Canada, Geraint gained a fine reputation as a result of his thespian skills and talent for his many roles which included, Fitzambay in THE MUSIC CORE, Marchbanks in CANDIDA, Christian in CYRANO DE BERGERAC, Nicky Lancaster in THE VORTEX, Pericles in PERICLES, Malcolm Lowry in GOODNIGHT DISGRACE, and many more.

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
(cont...) ... also, my father wanted to be an actor. My father also preached joy, so if the show can bring joy to viewers... It's just storytelling. And indeed the vampire is the evil spirit doing well, but it's a classic tale.

Lichn2aStone (Member Question)
Tell us about what you're working on now -- we've heard something about "Trilogy of Terror 2" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." What were these roles like, and do you know when these shows will air?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Actually, it wasn't "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", it was "Outer Limits." And it's I believe a Showtime show, and it airs in June. "Trilogy of Terror" I finished last week, and it's a Halloween show for the USA network and I was a real slime in that one. And I was a midwestern sheriff in the Outer Limits. The roles couldn't have been further apart.

iX weed Xi (Member Question)
I want to know if you have ever sky dived?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
It's something that I've always wanted to do, because one of my biggest hang-ups is a fear of heights. So, jumping out of planes seems one way to maybe overcome it.

ABABABABABA (Member Question)
Do you feel that there are any possibilities of "Forever Knight Movies?"

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
There are very remote possibilities. There is an interest I think more from our production team side than from our distribution side. I really don't know how far it's gotten. Most of us have been too busy to think about anything. Most of us are kind of stepping back from it for awhile.

SusanG2522 (Member Question)
Now that you're in CA, will you be concentrating on directing, film and TV acting, theatre, or whatever comes along?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
It actually is going to be an interesting year in transition. I don't really know the answer to that. I think I need to figure out the thing that I really enjoy the most. I think I have to start doing things more for quality than for its rumination. I find it very difficult to say no to anything. That's my challenge now.

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
Why was the show 'Forever Night' canceled?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I would say that it's because it was aired simultaneously on USA network and first run syndication and the numbers individually weren't strong enough. I think it's called cannibalism. In a way, the audience ate itself!

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
I heard that you did a stint on Highlander: TV series; do you have aspirations of working with the Highlander series again?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Yes, I did. We had a great time doing that. Well, honestly, it was a fun show but I probably wouldn't do it again.

iX weed Xi (Member Question)
Your name is cool.

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Oh, Yeah? You're cool for thinking so!

Lichn2aStone (Member Question)
We'd like to hear more about your upcoming performance in "Taming of the Shrew." It sounds like it will be a lot of fun for you and the audience!

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Well, I don't know how much fun it will be for me...! We don't rehearse together as a cast until the day of the performance. This is unlike anything else I've ever done. Normally, you build on your rapport with other players. We are having a lot of fun with the "Coordinator" (he doesn't call himself a director.) It really is an experiment and I'm enjoying it.

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
What do you think of the latest trend toward Sci-Fi television shows?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Well, I think people are just basically interested in good stories and don't want to just see what's going on in their kitchens anymore. And it's also the unknown, trying to second guess where we're headed. And it's the turning of the millennium, so I think sci-fi is "what will happen in 2001," By the way, FK is showing on the sci-fi channel on Mondays at 8 and 12.

Myra63 (Member Question)
Hi Ger!! It's great to see that you are appearing in "Taming of The Shrew" next week at the duMaurier. My question is..."Do you have any future plans on doing more stage work in the future?" And, by the way...two friends in Virginia say "HI"!!!

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Yes, and unfortunately I have to quite often turn things down. I had to turn down a play in London that started rehearsals Monday. Also, to be quite honest, I've spent too much time away from my family. I'll do it if it's great. I was going to be doing the play version of "Double Indemnity."

Moderator (Speaker)
Other commercial stage performances include, "My Fat Friend" in Los Angeles and "Sleuth" with Patrick McNee in Toronto.

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
What are some of your hobbies, besides acting, what type of things do you like to do in your 'spare' time?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Golf. Tennis. Skiing. Travel is definitely one. I can't stay still for too long.

ABABABABABA (Member Question)
What are some of the other projects we can look forward to seeing you in?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Not a clue after this "Taming of the Shrew." Except for a film called "Conspiracy of Fear" which might come out this summer.

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
What are you favorite types of books and music?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Anything that I can finish! No, I like a cross-section. Music? Well, right now on the CD player I have Natalie Merchant, Miles Davis, Alanis Morrisette, the Cranberries and an Elizabethan lute CD and a band from out-east Canadian, Rawlan Craus. So, to answer the question, anything I guess.

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
Do you actually study vampire material, i.e. books, movies, articles, and so forth?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
No. To be quite honest, when you're so involved in the theories, the last thing you want to do on your weekend is to stay in. You want to go out and do other things.

Pat0001 (Member Question)
How well can you see through those contact lenses? And do you get to keep them now that the show has been canceled?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I wouldn't keep them!!! The yellow ones - fairly easily. The red ones - not at all. You couldn't see anything through them! And they sucked the air out of your eyes!

SusanG2522 (Member Question)
We've seen the final script and we've spoken to people who have viewed the filmed episode. Are we hated that much, to have the series end this way?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
It doesn't end the way it was scripted. We got a phone call on the last day to change it.

xRavenx (Member Question)
Hi, Geraint, So what is your favorite episode of Forever Knight?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Ooo. Acting - the Fix, I guess. And the one when I got to out with "Yankee" in the daylight. I guess "Curiouser and Curiouser" was fun. Oh, and the last one last year, "Blood Money." The shooting of it was the most fun I'd ever had. And the first two because we didn't have a clue what we were doing and it was exciting.

Moderator (Speaker)
Geraint continued his stage career when he relocated to England by joining The British Actors Theatre Company as the lead in their production of "The Last Englishman."

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
Do you and Adrian Paul know one another well?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
We spent some together, yes. I like Adrian very much

Lichn2aStone (Member Question)
Not a question, but... Happy Birthday (2 days early) from some of the members of your fan club!!! Hope you have fun!

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Thank you. I will. I'll be working.

Libur (Member Question)
Hi Ger, FK has been a wonderful show and you and the rest of the cast are extremely talented. Do you have any plans for hitting the big screen?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I don't know. Unless the big screen does something evil to me... I don't know if I'm really wanted on the big screen. I like doing everything, so I might regret it if I don't.

xRavenx (Member Question)
What made you decided to accept the role of Nick Knight?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I'd finished doing Hamlet for five months in England and I'd made, I think 350 pounds a week... and I thought, gosh, I'd like a TV series right now! And FK came around and I liked the dark individual with the inner search and the theatricality and I liked Jim Perry who created it. So a lot of reasons. The theatricality and the blind faith of Jim really appealed besides the paycheck!

UTBALLET (Member Question)
Geraint how much are you into the character of Nick? Do you go home and bite your wife's neck...?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
No, I am an actor. Nick gets to stay at the studio. Except for the clothes, I get to wear those.

Myra63 (Member Question)
P.S.~~~Happy Birthday~~~ on Saturday!!!! :) :) :)

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Oh, yes. Well, thank you very much!

xLyonyssa (Member Question)
Are the episodes of your show airing on the Sci-Fi channel going to be new, or are they going to rebroadcast what has already been shown ?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
It will be what we shot up to February and there are no news ones after then. So it will be from the 70-odd shows that we did.

ABABABABABA (Member Question)
Just wanted to let you know that the 1000+ people on the FK list would have loved to be here to chat-however many of us found it difficult to log on and find the auditorium. What was your favorite episode and why?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Well, I'm informed that there will be a transcript of tonight's proceeding available after tonight's chat. Thank you for persevering to log in!

Pat0001 (Member Question)
Did the actors get much input into the episodes - dialogue, staging, etc.?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Lichn2aStone (Member Question)
How is GWD enjoying life in California? Using up lots of suntan lotion???

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I've not been there for more than 4 days in a row. It takes me longer to find the suntan lotion even!

GillianE (Member Question)
What do you think of the campaign by the fans to stop Forever Knight being canceled?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Well, I think it's incredible and I'm flattered!

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
Where did you receive your training as an actor? And had you ever thought that you would wind up being cast as a vampire?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
On the stage, I received my training while working. And no, although I've played a vampire three times now!

SyberSuzy (Member Question)
Please educate this Southern belle who took Spanish in high school - how is your first name pronounced?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
"Gar" as in "hair" and than "pint" with a stress on the "hair."

GillianE (Member Question)
Are you planning on attending any conventions in the near future?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Not in the near future except with a small group of my fan club in the summer.

UTBALLET (Member Question)
Are personal questions allowed? As in are you married, for how long and how many children do you have?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I am married. I don't know for how long and yes, I have two children, Galen and Pyper. Names that are Gaelic, but easier to say than mine!

xLadyCaveatx (Member Question)
So did you start out as a Shakespearean trained actor?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I certainly started in the theater, but I've been very lucky to do all the media, all the time. So I haven't just done one thing.

Coltish (Member Question)
I've never seen Forever Knight, what's it about Wyn?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
It's about a vampire cop, a 13th c. vampire who's a 20th century cop who's trying to atone for his sins by doing good now.

UTBALLET (Member Question)
Why was the role of Janette removed from this season? Will she be back for the final show, or before?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
She was back this year. Politics... and a change of network.

Moderator (Speaker)
For television, Geraint Wyn Davies dug deep into his reportorial reserve for parts in movies and series alike. He had the lead in the series "Airwolf" and "To Serve and Protect" with guest appearances in the films "Ghost Mom," "Hush Little Baby," "Other Women's Children," "The Return on the Six Million Dollar Man," "Ikwe" and the Clive Donner film, "For Better and for Worse."

SusanG2522 (Member Question)
Which of the many episodes on Forever Knight was your favorite to direct? (If it counts, I think "Baby, Baby" was your sharpest, but "Black Buddha" was one hell of an effort--the direction was invisible.)

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I got to direct on the CN tower in Toronto, which was pretty cool. And the second show I did, I got to blow up two cars. Then I got to blow up a plane. Unfortunately, I get the really depressing ones - I have to have John kill everyone, or... by the way, Deb Dushane did not die, she is still out there somewhere... The last one was really cool, because we only had two days. Each one presented an entirely different challenge. But I like Black Buddha number one, I think.

UTBALLET (Member Question)
You have an accent, but it is not really Welch or Canadian, how did you arrive at this sound for the character of Nick? Or is that your actual accent?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
It's what I'm born with. It's being a Welch guy asking people to pass the puck when I moved to Canada. It's really a pompous Canadian accent, more than anything. Although Nick was breathier than I am.

SyberSuzy (Member Question)
I adore Forever Knight! It's such a refreshing twist on the old vampire crap. I have, however, been having trouble finding it on USA. I think it used to air on Tues. or Wed. night, where are you now??

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
In limbo! I guess we've been put over to the sci-fi channel.

Moderator (Speaker)
FOREVER KNIGHT is a portrait of your average vampire turned cop. Well, not all that average when you consider the leading character played by Geraint was supposedly born in the 13th Century and has a heavy hemoglobin habit!

UTBALLET (Member Question)
Since your father is/was a preacher, how does he feel about your acting as a vampire in the series?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
He's got a great sense of humor.

UTBALLET (Member Question)
What role did you play in the "Fantasticks?"

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Matt, twice.

SyberSuzy (Member Question)
I have always loved this whole genre, but I think Forever Knight is great because it's different - not all vampire characters with dark hair and widow's peaks. There's a new show, "The Kindred," on Fox now and it's not half as good.

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Oh, I haven't seen it.

Libur (Member Question)
Will you be doing any theater productions in NY in the near future? We'd sure love to have you here!

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I don't know. If they ask me, I certainly would consider it.

Moderator (Speaker)
FOREVER KNIGHT gained a tremendous cult following despite its insomniac hour. In the role of Nick Knight, Geraint is cast as a police officer on a big city force. He is fighting crime to "atone for 800 years of evil living." Despite the vampires and the villains in the series, it has its share of whimsicality and humor.

mlla (Member Question)
Geraint, it's Michael Levine stopping by to say hello!

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Oh! Come up to visit me! Which show are you working on and have you cut your hair yet?

xRavenx (Member Question)
What to you think of your cult status?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I don't quite know what it is, so I'm far less aware than probably most as to what's going on out there, really. I'm not on the internet and I don't read a lot of press, so I don't really know.

ABABABABABA (Member Question)
Speaking of clothes - Did you have any say in Nick's wardrobe??

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Yes, but fortunately or no, we had four different designers. That and the Police Captain seemed to be the most difficult jobs to maintain on the series. The first year there were more colors, though black seemed to be the favored choice. Black and textures.

Moderator (Speaker)
Geraint says, "I like the uniqueness of the show and the challenge that comes with it." Regarding the role of Nick Knight versus his stage roles, he believes, "the role has some things in common with 'The Melancholy Dane.' Knight and Hamlet share intelligence, self doubt and degrees of compassion. Plus, both men are certainly surrounded by action."

SyberSuzy (Member Question)
Where is the show taped? I have often thought it must be rough filming when it is cold so much of the year. I'm in Georgia and winter is long gone.

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Toronto, and it was cold filming here.

mlla (Member Question)
Will you come down with me to New Zealand and do a Hercules?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Only if we can play golf! Mike was one of our major directors on FK for the first two years, before he got too busy. Maybe we could do "Nick meets Hercules"!

SyberSuzy (Member Question)
The actress who plays Natalie looks familiar. What other work has she done? She's great as is all the cast. I was sorry to see Schancky (sp?) killed off. I like the transition to the Tracy character, though.

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Catherine Disher is her name and she was on "War of the Worlds" as well as many sort of episodic series. Also, she was on something on TNT for a year, I think. So was I sorry to see John go and it took a good 7 or 8 episodes for me to get used to not seeing him there.

GillianE (Member Question)
If you could perform with any actor of your choice, male or female, who would it be? What role have you never played that you would like to play?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Richard III, I'd like to play... Many actors I like watching, that I might not like to work with. I like generous actors who like to take risks. I admire Steve Buscemi, Anthony Hopkins, and if they were fun and generous, I'd love to be around them. I don't think acting is a battle between actors, which is one of the reasons I loved FK - it was a real give and take.

UTBALLET (Member Question)
Nick is actually a "superhero" do you think that is why the show has had the success to this date..Beside, of course YOU.

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I don't know if he's so much a superhero. I think he's actually kind of an everyman hero.

SusanG2522 (Member Question)
What do you think the pluses and minuses are in the Canadian industry as opposed to the US entertainment machine?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
The pluses are, it's a smaller group of people. We know each other. There's less money involved so it's more about the work. I don't know enough about the American industry to really say.

UTBALLET (Member Question)
Which do you enjoy more, stage, or TV acting?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I do like the combination because both take their own different forms of concentration and they provide different challenges and unfortunately, theater is being supported enough to be able to support a family on. So TV is very practical. I played Hamlet for a hundred and something performances and not as many people saw me as saw me on FK! I'd love to do plays on TV or on film. It would be nice to figure out a way to introduce more people to the classical theater.

Libur (Member Question)
You have played such diverse roles. Can you see yourself doing an action film?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Oh, sure! Heck, I'd be great, as long as I could close me eyes when I shoot a gun. I'd love to do "The Saint." That was a great TV show. Or a buddy show, like the "Persuaders" or something. "James Bond" and everything is always exciting. When I did "Airwolf" for the last year, it was sort of action, I guess. I got to play the "atmosphere" as one magazine said.

ABABABABABA (Member Question)
Hi - I just heard your piano playing in the CD. When did you learn to play and what types of music do you like to play?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
I learned to play... my mum and dad encouraged me when we were back in Wales. Unfortunately, I've forgotten more about playing the piano than I remember. Now, I do it just totally for my enjoyment. On the CD, I went over to our FK music producer... I like simple melodies. I wrote a musical once that was performed at the Shaw Festival in Canada.

UTBALLET (Member Question)
If you like skiing, come to Utah!!!

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Where in Utah?

ABABABABABA (Member Question)
Happy birthday by the way - Do you want to continue directing?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Yes, very much so. It's a pleasure working with other actors.

Pat0001 (Member Question)
If the rights to FK were purchased by another company, would you be willing to come back?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Someone tried to do that and I gather what happened is that it fell apart because of previous ownership. Yes, I would under the right conditions. I wouldn't want to take steps backward, I'd want to have control over stories. I'd much prefer doing that kind of show than a show that isn't out there. I'd make the flashback shows much darker, I liked the flashback ones. I'd make it more whimsical, more witty. Anyone whose been around for 800 years has a much better sense of irony.

Myra63 (Member Question)
HI GER!!!! How are you tonight...or this afternoon where you are. My question is... "Besides doing "Taming of The Shrew" next week at the duMaurier, do you have any plans to do any more plays this year?" R&G in Virginia say--"HI & Happy B-Day!

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
R&G - I have been asked to do something in Sept/Oct. but I can't really say much about that far in advance.

ABABABABABA (Member Question)
There will be about 100 of us from the internet list coming to see you in the "Taming of the Shrew." How do you prepare for a role when you only rehearse with the director? Do you feel there will be a difference in the three night performances?

Geraint Wyn Davies (Speaker)
Oh, totally. Yes, I think there will be a difference from the beginning of the performance to the end. There is every expectation and there are none. We can't fail because we don't know what we're doing. It's almost like seeing a work in progress. It's essentially like doing a rehearsal for the audience. It's seeing the actors without a whole lot of intervention from the director. Right or wrong, at least the performances will be honest.

Moderator (Speaker)
Thanks for joining us on-line and for all the great questions! Goodnight!

Moderator (Speaker)
Mr. Davies wants to thank everyone for coming online and says "Let's do it again when I get another job!"