“The Young and the Restless” star Michael Damian just marked a major anniversary playing Danny Romalotti on the hit CBS soap. What started as a three-month stint has turned into a 45-year gig for Damian, where art has imitated life from the beginning.
‘The Young and the Restless’ Marks Michael Damian’s 45th Anniversary
On June 24, the hit CBS soap celebrated Damian’s over four-decade career on the show with a classic clip. The official Instagram for “The Young and the Restless” shared a throwback to the 80s to honor him.
In the video, Danny makes a grand entrance on stage to perform his hit song “Rock On” to a sold-out crowd. Damian premiered the song on “The Young and the Restless”. It was a remake of David Essex’s 1973 version.
“Rock On” became a huge hit for Damian and not just because of the CBS soap. The song was featured in the movie “Dream a Little Dream” starring Jason Robards, Harry Dean Stanton, Corey Feldman, and Corey Haim.
Damian’s on-screen son, Michael Graziadei (Daniel), popped into the comments of the post to write, “That’s my DAd!!!!!”, while his former co-star Doug Davidson (Paul) chimed in to say, “Rock onward! 👏🔥”
“The Young and the Restless” vets Lauralee Bell (Christine) and Tracey Bregman (Lauren) hopped into the comments to leave emojis for their friend.
Michael Damian Sends Message to Fans
On X, Damian shared a special message to soap fans, thanking them for their love and support over the past 45 years.
**To My Amazing Fans,**A huge, heartfelt **THANK YOU** to every single one of you! Celebrating a 45th anniversary with *The Young and the Restless* feels absolutely surreal. From the rock ‘n’ roll stages to the heart of Genoa City, your incredible loyalty, love, and support over the years have meant the world to me. I couldn’t have asked for a better audience for Danny’s journey. Thank you for keeping the music alive. Here’s to the memories and the road ahead! I love you! **Rock on!** 🎸❤️ @YandR_CBS,” he wrote as his caption.
The actor and the musician had the best of both worlds from the second he began on the CBS soap. Damian told “Dishing With Digest” podcast that he was brought on to “The Young and the Restless” for a storyline that focused on a struggling singer trying to make his dreams come true and find success.
It was supposed to be a summer storyline, something soaps did back in the day. However, when his three months were up, Damian was shocked to learn that the producers wanted him to stick around for several years.
Not only did the show want to keep him around, but Damian didn’t have to give up his music dreams. The producers allowed him to play shows and record music while working on the soap. Meanwhile, on-screen, Danny’s music career has been a major storyline on “The Young and the Restless,” often featuring concerts, music videos, and other performances.
Damian left the show in 1998 but has frequently made recurring and guest appearances, including his most recent stint in Genoa City. Christine and Danny got married again in 2025, bringing him back to town. Despite Danny going back out on tour for a while, the character recently admitted to thinking about stepping back from touring to spend time with his loved ones.
Congrats to Michael Damian on 45 years of playing Danny Romalotti.
