Former 'All My Children' star Walt Willey reprises character for guest role on 'General Hospital'

LOS ANGELES -- For years, Walt Willey was a staple on the daytime drama "All My Children."

His character, Jackson Montgomery, recently made a visit to Port Charles, adding a little extra unrest on "General Hospital."

The reaction to Jackson must have been good because Willey was invited back for another short stint.

"I was really honored, you know? I don't think any actor expects to spend 90% of their career playing the same character but at the same time - what a wonderful thing."

After being away from daily TV production for several years, Willey wondered what he was stepping back into on the soap.

"People said to me, 'Oh, don't worry. It's just like riding a bicycle. You'll get right back on!' Well, that was true, except I got right back on, was pushed out into the middle of the Tour de France," laughed Willey. "These people move!"

Willey doesn't know if he'll be back to "General Hospital" after this week, but he is open to it.

"And for all those folks who want me to bring Susan Lucci with me next time - soon as I find a traveling trunk big enough! I want to give her some room - I'm just going to bring her in!" said Willey.

In the meantime, though, he's very focused on one of his first loves: art.

"For the past three or four years, I've been painting, mostly portraiture, and people knew about us. 'Oh, will you do this for me?' And so I started an Etsy shop, I guess that's almost three years ago," said Willey. "And so I get up about 5:30 in the morning. I paint from 6 a.m. to noon and then I go about my day. And it's wonderful."

Willey checks in again with the cast in Port Charles and "General Hospital" beginning Tuesday, Aug. 29 on ABC.