Palm Springs Personalities
Part
2 of 3
20
year Palm Springs resident, film star, daytime television legend and local philanthropist, Tristan Rogers sat down with
the Palm Springs Guru for an exclusive interview.
Palm Springs Guru: Tell us about your hobbies and
special interests?
Tristan Rogers: I was an only child. I learned to
do things alone and enjoy my own company. I am sort of a do-it-yourself guy; so
was my father. I built model cars; I had a designated work area set up for that
hobby. My mother has kept all that stuff.
I’m
pretty good at understanding and doing things mechanical. Model car building
and doing my own bicycle maintenance and repairs led me to doing things with
cars and race cars.
I enjoy
driving race cars. One of my favorite venues was the Palm Springs
Vintage Grand Prix. Famous
race car drivers, celebrities and race enthusiasts came to Palm Springs to
compete.
The Palm Springs
Vintage Grand Prix races
were an annual event usually run around Thanksgiving time. Participants and
spectators had a great time. There were some noise complaints regarding the cars and
the event stopped after its last run in 1996.
I have
always loved cars and I always will; these days I own a 1970 Mustang fastback.
Locally,
I participate in 5K running events and I sometimes participate in the Palm Springs
Tram Road Challenge. http://www.kleinclarksports.com/tram. It is, perhaps, the toughest, 6K,
running event of its kind in the world.
Athletes
come, from all over the world, to participate in this ultimate endurance test and run/walk some 2000 vertical
feet in just over 3.7 miles. All finishers receive a customized finisher’s
medal. This event benefits the United Way of the Desert. http://www.unitedwayofthedesert.org/
I enjoy
riding, my very old and very inexpensive, bicycle in the annual Tour de Palm
Springs, http://www.tourdepalmsprings.com/. That delightful bicycle ride occurs early
in the calendar year.
Palm
Springs is world famous for wonderful weather and magnificent scenery. These two
elements combined with thousands of bicyclists, make the Tour de Palm Springs a
fundraising event like no other. The event raises many thousands of dollars for Palm
Springs area charities.
I like
helping local charities. Sometimes I can help because of my name recognition and
my reputation. That means a lot to me.
I enjoy
fishing and I like skeet shooting.
Palm Springs Guru: When did Tristan Rogers come to
America?
Tristan Rogers: I came to
America in 1979. At that time I was married to actress, Barbara Meale. We
realized that my career, while successful, was not moving forward as we wanted.
It was time for a change. We rented our home and sold our possessions and
headed for Los Angeles.
Palm Springs Guru: What was your first impression
of America?
Tristan Rogers: Smog! I got off the airplane in
Los Angeles and started coughing. I
thought I might not be able to acclimate. However, in just a few days I was
fine.
I found LA
similar to, my hometown, Melbourne,
the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second
most populous city in Australia.
Driving on a different side of the road took some
getting used to. Again, I was just fine in a few days.
I needed
to work and found work as a builder’s assistant. I did some commercial work and
I had a few minor roles on daytime television.
In 1980 I
was hired for a two day role on General Hospital. I played a character named
Robert Xavier Scorpio. He was a spy. He worked for the World Security Bureau (WSB).
Robert
Scorpio is part of television history and that two day role continues to this
day.
Palm Springs Guru: How much of Tristan Rogers is in
the Robert Scorpio character?
Tristan Rogers: A lot really; the General
Hospital writers did not know how to write for an Australian. Executive
Producer Gloria Monty let me
edit and rewrite Robert Scorpio’s role. Her only stipulation was that I did not
change the story line. It worked beautifully. I appreciate the faith that Gloria Monty had in me.
Palm Springs Guru: The Tristan Rogers calendar for the
remainder of 2014… anything you can share?
I am
looking at a number of things. Television is not what it used to be, that is
neither good nor bad, it a sign of the times.
American audiences are
migrating from commercial television. Cable TV, Pay-per-View, Netflix, Hula, YouTube,
Vimeo, etc. have changed television forever.
Palm Springs Guru: Tristan Rogers projects for 2015
and beyond?
Tristan Rogers: I find that I have to consider a
lot of options. The entertainment field is constantly changing; it offers a
wide variety of challenges and options.
People do
not watch television as they did in the past. Young people, the 18- to
34-year-olds prized by advertisers, do not watch traditional television. They are into
different mediums including web television.
The
Internet and the web both have to be considered in any business venture whether
it be entertainment or a brick and mortar business. We are a nation, indeed we
are a world, of the hand held device.
Any Tristan
Rogers venture will include with the “here and now” technology.
In any
aspect of our lives we can look back, reflect upon and celebrate the past. We
can enjoy the memories. We cannot expect to do business like we did. Technology
has moved us forward and, at a very fast pace.
Palm Springs Guru: We conclude Part 2 of our 3 part
interview with this Tristan
Rogers Fact: Tristan Rogers is a true acting professional. His
resume includes television, movies and live theater. Tristan knows his way
around acting venues. Tristan likes to work with an ensemble, a group of actors who perform together.
He finds
that to be enjoyable and rewarding.
Learn
more about Tristan Rogers:
You
can read Part 3 of 3 tomorrow