He has become the poster boy for second chances! In fact, actor David Shark Fralick's THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS character, Larry Warton, has gone from being menacing to tender in the blink of an eye, and fans seem to be cheering for him.
"It's like that old adage: Just 'cause you do something bad once doesn't mean you're bad forever," he explains. "People want to see Warton redeemed. They want to see him get another chance at being a good, productive guy. And with the Newmans behind him, at least getting him paroled, they want to see him get his best shot!"
The actor says he knows people like Warton, individuals who didn't get a break in life. In fact, drawing on that knowledge, he has created in his mind a history for his alter ego. "He's from the East Coast, where he grew up poor. He left an abusive home at 13, and was living on his own on the streets. He had a tough childhood.
"Warton has been dealt cards from the wrong end of the deck, and never had what the other kids had," he continues. "Because of that, he felt shunned."
Which explains his soft spot for Nick and Sharon Newman's daughter, Cassie. "He has a tender side when it comes to kids," Fralick notes. "He sees such good in this little girl. There is some underlying energy; she knows he's not all bad, and he thinks she's special."
The Florida-born actor's own roots aren't exactly set in the richest soil. "No one ever gave me anything," he recalls. "I sort of went to the school of hard knocks, and worked hard for everything I have. But a lot about growing up was great. I've witnessed events and experiences that other people never do. I've seen cultures and tasted food and heard languages from all over. That's been a plus for me."
He's thinks complaining is a waste of time, he adds, "because everything happens for a reason. That's fine by me. My philosophy is that I've just tried to stay centered and focused."
Good motto, and perhaps one from which Warton could benefit, to boot. — Karre Jacobs
David Shark Fralick
