High School Days
John McCook – Ventura High School, Venture, CA
What type of student were you?
“I was a really good student. I was in student government; I was a popular kid and all that crap.”
Favorite subject?
“Definitely my choir and drama classes. By senior year, I wanted to be the next Troy Donahue.”
Least favorite subject?
“Algebra tripped me up a little. It was a real surprise to get into high school and realize there was something that was going to be hard for me”
What extracurricular activities did you participate in?
“I was in a local amateur theater group called the Plaza Players; I sang in the church choir every Thursday night and Sunday morning. I had also been studying piano from the time I was 7 years old.
Did you ever get into trouble?
“When I was 14, a buddy and I would sneak out in the middle of the night, find a car with the keys [in it] and go joy riding. We’d always put the car right back where we got it. One night, we found a pickup truck and only drove maybe two blocks when there were three black and whites on us. The truck belonged to the chief of police. He happened to see us steal his truck, so we were picked up in no time. We spent a couple of nights in juvenile hall.”
Exceptional Educator
“We had a powerhouse choir director named Mrs. Imogene Berkaw, and she’s about 300 years old now. She had power and energy and she was a wonderful teacher. Through the years, my mother had brought Mrs. Berkaw to see me in different musical productions I was involved in. She’s wonderful and I owe her a great deal for her enthusiasm and her guidance.”
Soap Opera Digest, 9/5/200