TV Interview!
Interview with Richard Wharton of “Days of Our Lives” on Peacock by Suzanne 11/13/25
I very much enjoyed speaking with Richard, who plays the “mad scientist” Dr. Rolf on Days of Our Lives. I’ve watched the show off and on since 1992, so I’ve seen his predecessor (Will Utay) play him for years. Wharton is a great replacement. He’s had a long career as a character actor. He’s one of the few I’ve ever interviewed that asked about me, or my work, as well. I hope you enjoy it! Make sure to catch him Mondays through Fridays on DOOL.
MORE INFO: Official Site
Richard Wharton was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Western Illinois University. He stayed at WIU for an additional two years to get a Masters Degree in what eventually became their MFA program. He is most known for taking over the role of Major Recurring Guest Star Dr. Wilhelm Rolf on Days of Our Lives in 2022 and has appeared in over 60 episodes. He can also be seen as Grayson in The Pitt on HBO Max, and as a Pawnbroker on several episodes of The Young and The Restless. Richard is particularly proud of his part in the “Claires sketch” in I Think You Should Leave, as well as his King’s Alchemist role in Dragon Storm – one of two Sci-Fi films he filmed in Bulgaria and directed by the late great Stephen Furst. Richard’s first film role was as Punk #2 trying to rob Billie Crystal and Gregory Hines in Running Scared. In addition to his training at WIU, Richard studied for a summer at The National Shakespeare Summer Conservatory in Woodstock, New York and studied Shakespeare in Chicago with Barbara Gaines, the artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Rep. After college, Richard toured the country for 9 months performing with the Alpha Omega Players eventually returning to Chicago where he spent the next 19 years performing in various theatres. His first paid acting job was in 1976 as the apostle Peter in an outdoor drama, The Smoky Mountain Passion Play. He then got his Equity card working with Chicago’s Free Street Theater directed by Patrick Henry, after which he served as Co-Artistic Director of The Immediate Theatre in Chicago where he was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award for his portrayal of Henry Hackamore in Seduced by Sam Shepard. In his free time, Richard likes to read, hike, do yoga, go to the gym, go to the beach, play golf, watch movies, cook (he is the CDO at home, “Chief Domestic Officer”), and travel. He also loves to take long drives with his wife along the ocean or thru the mountains in his first “fun car”, a 2008 Toyota Solara Convertible which he bought in 2024. He is an on again off again sports fan, liking the 1985 Chicago Bears, The Jordan years of The Chicago Bulls and the Kobe/Shack years of the Lakers (the Phil Jackson years for both teams), The Cubs when Richard lived a block from Wrigley, the Dodgers, The Rams, and his current 
obsession, The Indiana Fever.
Days of our Lives is the multi-award-winning daytime drama that has weathered and reflected political and societal shifts without pause since 1965. Featuring drama, romance, mystery, and suspense, “Days” follows the lives, loves, and conflicts of the Horton, Brady, DiMera, Kiriakis, and Hernandez families and their many friends and colleagues. As one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, it is enjoyed in many foreign territories including Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Israel, South Africa, and Australia. Peacock is the exclusive home of Days of our Lives. Audiences can access the past season and new episodes every weekday. Days of our Lives is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television.
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Proofread and Edited by Brenda
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