A Martinez's Last Cruz through Santa Barbara

by Tony Rizzo

1992

Thanks to Anne in Australia!

Even though it was A Martinez's last official day on the Santa Barbara set, the cast and crew seemed to know instinctively that he didn't want a big deal made about it.  In fact, there was hardly any mention of it at all, nor any signs of people bidding him farewell.

    He took his place in the makeup room beside some of the same actors he'd been working with for the last eight years as if this was just another day.  But the very next week he would be reporting to a new set, with new actors and technical people to work with when he joined the cast of LA Law.

    The silence in the make-up room was deafening until one of the crew brought up the significance of the day, to which A, without even opening his eyes, responded, "I can't believe this day is finally here.  I'll always be grateful for my days at Santa Barbara because this show gave me the chance to be a leading man."

    The producers of Santa Barbara were faced with a dilemma when A signed on with LA Law.  Not only would they be losing one of the greatest assets the show has had in its time on the air, but they hadn't been able to move the storyline along fast enough to phase him out gently without creating a post-A crash in the ratings.  Ever the gentleman, A agreed to three weekend shoots that would enable them to shoot all his scenes and cut them into later shows when he was no longer available.

    There was a little surprise party planned on the set; it wasn't for A, but instead for a new member of the cast, Sydney Penny, who was turning 21 that day.

    Still, you could see how hard it was for A to smile and make merry on what was truly a sad occasion for him.  Always the trooper, he kept up appearances to make his fellow cast members feel comfortable as they cut the cake and served it out to the cast and crew.

    Finding A alone, eating a small piece of cake in a dimly lit portion of the soundstage, I asked him if it would be possible to record, for history, his last day by taking a picture of him packing up his dressing room.  He looked up at me with a solemn expression of his face and explained, "I can't deal with that at all," he admitted, "it's all I can do to get through this day... I may have to come and get someone to do that for me!"

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