'Days Of Our Lives' Takes Stage in Suwanee

Some have said that events at City Hall in Suwanee are like a soap opera. Monday, they were right.

In what undoubtedly was a one-day record number of people for Suwanee's 2-year-old City Hall, fans of "Days Of Our Lives," a daytime television institution, came from as far away as Alabama and North Carolina to see cast members and purchase books. The event, coordinated through the Gwinnett County Public Library, was in conjunction with the show's 45th anniversary and a book to commemorate that date.

The cast members present included one of Gwinnett's own, Norcross High grad Chandler Massey, who plays Will Horton.  Among those attending were Massey's parents, Lewis and Amy, his brother and sister, and his grandparents.

The fervor was that usually seen for concert ticket lines and Black Friday specials. Two lines, one solely for purchasing books, began forming in midafternoon and were stretched around the building and to the back parking lot as late as 7 p.m.

The signing began at 6 o'clock and was to run until 8, but a city spokesperson said people were still in City Hall at 9:30. Crowd was estimated as high as 2,000 people.

For instance, the Champion sisters were outside City Hall in midafternoon. Donna Champion came from Montgomery, Ala., and Lisa Champion Legear came from Prattville, Ala., to meet up with sister Jan Champion Seay of Snellville for the event. Not satisfied, they plan to head for the New Orleans area for the "Days" signing there Thursday. "(Mother Edna) hooked us," Lisa Champion said.

"I don't see any changes (in the show)," said Donna Champion, a 25-year viewer. "They hook up, divorce ... I've watched them grow up, basically."

Then there's Cheryl Collins of Jonesboro, whose showbiz scrapbook includes many "Days" items. "I love Melanie," she said.

Another who made an interstate trek Monday was Tammy Holland of Franklin, N.C. She also has visited the "Days" set at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. "Never underestimate Victor," she said of "Days" plot developments.

Cast member Suzanne Rogers, who plays Maggie Horton, has been to the area before; she's a Virginia native. A plot tip for viewers? "Victor and Maggie will be getting closer," she said.

Once the signing began, Chandler Massey was as busy as any cast member, posing for pictures and signing. He called his character "the rock" to family and friends. "He's there to pick them up."

Favorite actors? Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Colin Firth. Shows? "The Office" and the now-cancelled "Lost."

Massey himself wasn't lacking for family support Monday. So what does his mother think when things get steamy on "Days?"

"So far it's innocent," Amy Massey said. "It's a lot of teen love. It's changed a lot since I watched it as a teen."