One of the joys of my job is getting to interview so many interesting people. For the most part it is one and done. Sometimes an actor is so interesting that you want to talk to them again and again. Joe Mascolo (Stefano "Days of Out Lives" Masimo "Bold and Beautiful") was one of my favorite twice-a-year gab fests. The first time I interviewed him was at Jerry's Famous Deli in LA. He called it our place. We always met there. Every time he saw me he would say, "Not again. Why do you look different every time I see you?" I cut, color and re-texture my hair differently several times a year, and he always noticed. I would respond with, "because I can." He would then let out his hearty, throaty laugh and order his usual — a mile-high corned beef sandwich slathered in mustard.

When it was suggested that he played villains on soaps, he would shake his head and explain "I play men who love their families. Men who would do anything to keep them safe." Mascolo understood family love. Each of his parents lived to be almost 100, and were married 80 years.

When he lost his first wife Rose, he felt he was lucky to have one great love in his life. Love struck again when he met and married Patricia 20 years later who survives him. "My parents loved each other and they loved music." They passed that love of music on to Joe. While studying acting with Stella Adler, he played clarinet with the Metropolitan Opera.

"I hated to choose, but eventually I concentrated on acting." His love for music was carried on by Stefano. "I wanted his feelings for music to show he had a gentle side." When he first joined the show, all of his castmates thought his accent was the real deal. "One day someone heard me talking to someone in the phone without the Stefano accent. I was sorry the ruse ended." The actor suffered a stroke last year, leaving him in a wheelchair. He had battled Alzheimer's for many years. His castmates Kristen Alfonso (Hope) Billy Flynn (Chad) Thaao Penglis (Andre) admired and loved working with him.

Alison Sweeney (ex-Sami Brady) said it best: "Some of my earliest memories of Days are working with Joe... I was really nervous to work with him because Stefano was such a strong, intimidating character and he embodied it so well. Joe was so talented, such a generous actor and always so prepared. I learned so much from working with him. Over the years, I got to know him much better and I stopped being so nervous around him (which probably made it easier for him) but I always had a sense of awe to work with him. There wasn't a day when he didn't give 100 percent to his performance and his character. When I became a director at Days, I remember him being so proud and supportive of me. Joe made a special point of pulling me aside to say that, having watched me on the set, it really meant something to him. He was always such a kind, generous man with a fabulously wry sense of humor and a proud, strong and dedicated actor. He will be greatly missed. #RIP"

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.