Lynda Hirsch on Soaps

Q: Has James Franco been doing much since he finished taping on "General Hospital"? — Callie, Youngstown, Ohio

A: Franco is never not doing things. The actor, who got his first major job on the TV show "Freaks and Geeks," is always working and studying. He is featured in the Julia Roberts movie "Eat Pray Love." In the film, he plays the Roberts' rebound lover after her divorce.

He also just finished up production on "Howl," the story of famed poet Allen Ginsberg. Ginsberg reached fame during the Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs era. While Burroughs and Kerouac died startling and sad deaths at early ages, Ginsberg lived until age 70 and was a college professor. "Howl" is taken from one of Ginsberg's most famous poems.

Franco said that he has been preparing for the role and then spending every waking hour listening to Ginsberg recite his poems. "When you play a character that people know, you can create but must stay within the guidelines of the character," explained Franco.

One of the interesting things was that when he starred in "Milk," Franco played a gay character. Ginsberg was also gay. Being gay in the '50s was to feel isolated. Even among the avant-garde, being gay was kept secret except for a small inner circle.

Franco is headed to Yale, where he intends to get a doctorate in literature. The actor already has a master's in writing from Columbia University. He believes that having one career isn't enough.

He reminds me of a woman I sat next to many years ago. She was receiving an award for all her life's work, which included being a nurse, doctor, social worker, horticulturist and — believe it or not — an architect. I was stunned by how much she had done in a lifetime.

She was disappointed that she had not done enough. She felt like every 20 years everyone should change what he or she does for a living. She explained that what you want to be when you are 24 is really not what you want to be when you're 44. "Don't lose anything by learning new things. Keep the old, but the new is more exciting."

My introduction to Franco came before his soap opera career, hosting "Saturday Night Live" or his Golden Globe-nominated role in "Pineapple Express." When you write about "celebrities," you try to think about them in the oddest places. I have gotten scoops from a bakery clerk, publicist, dental hygienist; you never know when you learn something and, of course, you always check it out. These unexpected sources are serendipitous.

My introduction to Franco was when I went to his grandfather to have four impacted wisdom teeth removed. Franco's grandfather, Dr. Verne, was a well-known oral surgeon in Cleveland. When he wasn't working in private practice, he volunteered on the Ship of Hope, a ship that provided medical attention to those who could not afford it. The floating hospital is now called the City of Hope.

For insurance purposes, I needed an oriental screen appraised. Verne's wife, Mitzy, appraised Asian artwork. She came to my home, looked at the screen and made me feel like one of those people on "Antiques Roadshow." They are certain that they have the Hope Diamond, but instead are informed, "What a nice piece of glass you have there!" Mitzy looked at the screen and said it is only 200 years old; that's nothing.

Before she left, she told me with great excitement that she was going to Hollywood to attend a ceremony for her grandson. His name is James Franco. Without sounding too much like a grandmother, she said that he was going to be a star. Soon after that, Franco has his first major role in "Spider-Man."

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.

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