Characters that we gone too long and should've been on canvas

[juniorz1]

Absolutely! He's one of my top choices as well. I was SO disappointed they didn't at least bring him back for the finale. But shame on Ron Carliavati and Frank Valentini for not bringing him back, and Timothy 'Stickney for that matter, at all during their entire run. To me, it's inexcusable what they did to Max Holden. He was always my favorite character on the show and someone I actually could identify with. In fact, One Life's Max is the only male character on all of daytime that was my #1 favorite character on a show. Even Y&R's Brad, who I love and is another one I'd add to this thread, isn't my favorite overall character on the show (that would be JIll).

Absolutely, especially with the John Martin recast. LOVED him and they should bring him back in a recurring capacity at least. Jennifer is back on the canvas and it seems as though she'll be on until the end so why not bring back both Bill and Laura? Laura was another one who was off canvas for too long- it was 15 years, wasn't it? 1979-1994? I'd LOVE it if Susan Flanerry came back on a recurring basis as well, though I don't see it happening. I hate Jaime Lyn Bauer in the 90s for most of her run, though she did play what she was given well, I wish we'd gotten the stronger Laura that apparently existed in the 60s and 70s. I'd rather she be Marlena's equal and counterpart than her patient. But it would be DELICOUS to have Laura back now that Kristen is returning. I LOVED their dynamic and Laura always had a way of bringing out Kristen's bitchy side and I think that would still continue even with all the "therapy" Kristen's apparently had.

Absolutely. My all-time favorite AMC character, she elevated every story and scene she was in. For my money, AMC was at its best when it was about Brooke, like when I first started watching. She was AMAZING when she was pregnant with Tad's baby only to find out it was a tubal pregnancy. But she couldn't accept it and continued to try and carry it, risking her health, because she was still reeling from the loss of her daughter Laura. I remember the heartwrenching scenes where Tad has tracked her down and is convincing her to let the doctors remove the fetus. Powerful, powerful stuff and she won an Emmy for it. LOVED the Dixie/Tad/Brooke/Edmond quad. Not so much when they played the much more drawn out Brooke/Edmund/Maria triangle. Everything Julia Barr touched on 'AMC' she turned to gold, right down to one of her last (and underwritten) major stories- Edmund's death. She completely stole that storyline from Eva LaRue Callahan

Melissa also had a closer relationship to Hope. Jennifer was always their younger cousin, it was Melissa used to be Hope's roommate and Melissa & Pete shared far more story with Bo & Hope in their heyday than Jennifer did. In fact, Pete & Bo were a lot alike, though Pete was far more streetwise. He's another character I'd like to see them bring back and rekindle his relationship with Melissa.

Some others that have been gone too long:

ANNA DIMERA- I hope Tomlin & Whitesell remember that they left the Anna plot point dangling and her story writes itself if she returns. I really hope they bring her back and wish the fans would get louder about wanting her back. With Kristen back, I'd welcome seeing Tony turn up alive and ex-wives Anna and Liz Chandler (Gloria Loring) return. Apparently, Gloria Loring met with producers in the summer so it's not out of the realm of possibility. I'd kill to see Liz & Noelle come back and even Neil. Noelle could be a great addition to the late 20s/early 30s set or the younger set, whichever they prefer. Though I think the Sami/Nicole/Brady-aged characters need beefing up and she'd be a perfect candidate for that, since she was born only a year or two after Sami.

I already miss Y&R's Ashley and hope that JFP and JG soon realize they could have a perfectly viable Ashley in Brenda Epperson. As I said recently, I'd love for both she and Victoria Rowell return to Y&R.

I also think it's time that Kimberlin Brown's Sheila return, though I think I'd like to see her come back to B&B, at least at first. I think the B&B canvas is far better set up for a Sheila redux than Y&R, especially with Stephanie leaving.

As for GH, I've been tuning in more often lately, ever since Robin Mattson returned, so I'd love to see my all-time fave GH character return- Sharon Wyatt's Tiffany. I love Tiff and always preferred her to Bobbie. In fact, if they were to bring back Jackie Zeman (who I don't care for but LOVE their rivalry), they could really put some meat in it. Maybe bring back Lucas and have your gay character back on canvas and try again with a gay story. Cartini pushed the envelope a bit with Kish, maybe they could take it further with some more shades of grey on GH.

I think AW's Cecile was gone too long and though I was thrilled that JFP was smart enough to bring her back, I wish Maggie DePriest would have written her a little campier. I liked that they'd gone back to her darker roots as a sociopathic schemer like she was when Susan Keith played her but they made her too hard and not even a little over the top, which she'd long become by then. Still, it was always a treat when Cecile returned to AW. I just wish they did it more often.

Ooh, and of course, Mark Collier's Mike should have returned permanently, especially at the end. I was devastated that Matie weren't endgame. :I

[Bright Eyes]

juniorz1, Noel was born in 1983, while Sami and Eric were born in 1984. However, I have always felt the same way about Melissa, except that I hated that they senselessly made her younger than Hope.

And with my suggestion of Bill Horton, I argue that he is the most important Horton and Days character ever.

As far as Susan's exit ...

Firstly, Julie and Susan had long since became cordial with the other by the time Susan exited. And to correct Dr. Neil Curtis, Susan was never raped, she just believed she was. Under the terrible recast, Susan ended up moving to California with Eric and their daughter Annie after her divorce from Greg became final.

[carolineg]

What ties would Trish, Alex, or Don have to the current canvas? I don't know what they would bring to the table. Don was so isolated by the time he mailed that letter that I can't see him being relevant. I guess he has ties to Marlena, Roman, and Maggie and could shake up Maggie/Victor (I doubt with Kristin coming he would be an interloper in J&M). I can't really recall much about Trish and Alex seems to have been replaced by Victor. I guess he could be another corporate rival for Victor, but zzzzzzzzzz....Although I did like what I have seen of the actor and character. I could see Liz, Neil, the Andersons, and obviously the missing Hortons carving out a place in Salem that is workable, but not Trish, Alex, or Don. I think Trish would be great if she came back with Scotty, but right now all I can remember about her is her involvement with Mike Horton. I love Patty Weaver, though.

[Bright Eyes]

I absolutely love Trish, but the SORAS eff ups of Mike Horton really screw up her chances of ever returning.

[carolineg]

Yeah, he is like twenty years younger than her now if RC came back to play Mike, right? I mean, Carrie wasn't even born or just a baby when he was with her. The curious case of Mike Horton.......he just never ages.

[Dr Neil Curtis]

Alex Marshall have ties to Nick Fallon as well as the DiMeras. Don Craig and/or Neil could have been tied into Maggie's story after Mickey's death. Trish could have been used in the 80s and 90s. She could have replaced Janice in the triangle with Bill and Mike, shared a recent past with Victor K. or even Justin.

The post stated characters who should've have been on Canvas/gone too long.

[Dr Neil Curtis]

my apologies on my mistake, I wasn't around back then.

[MissLlanviewPA]

Samantha was shot at a health club in 1984, and pronounced brain-dead. However, it was discovered that she was pregnant, and Delila, who was barren, offered to carry the baby (Sammi) to term. Once the procedure (which, oddly enough, had yet to be done in 1984) was completed, Will Vernon took Sam off of life support. And of course Delila had Sammi and she and Rafe eventually married.

And yes, Rafe Garretson was a biological Buke cousin.

[carolineg]

Just stating my thoughts, not trying to dismiss your choices. I forgot about Alex's ties to Nick. I was just talking about the current canvas, not over the years. I still don't think those characters would have contributed much to the eighties or nineties, but I respect your opinion. I just don't think their absence on the canvas is glaring at all compared to the Hortons and Bradys that are missing.

[glatwt]

imma throw rusty shayne in there since roxy has been mentioned, played only by the original actor, reva needed a brother to put her sister cassie in her place!! terrell anthony(was that his name) was a great actor and had major chemistry with all his ladies!!

[Paul Raven]

I think Greg Foster was a missed oppurtunity for Y&R.The last recast (Howard McMillan) was a dud but Greg was still a viable character.He had only one marriage under his belt(Nikki) and that dynamic could have been played.Nikki could have always been running back to Greg in times of trouble and he might have still loved her.That would have added to the Nikki/Jill rivalry.

Greg was a lawyer and could have filled the role that John Silva performed during his stint.Greg need not have been major,just a tie to the shows roots. Of course he could also have been frontburner.If Greg married or had kids they would have provided a new generation of Fosters.

[DRW50]

My guess:

- JFP and ABC had little interest in black characters and JFP also may have wanted to de-age Nora a little (giving her another baby even when Nora had begun entering menopause)

- Evangeline, the only black female lead on OLTL in its last decades, rising to prominence under Higley, a writer who seemed to have serious issues with Nora

- ABC deciding they needed to revert to even more rigid tokenism

[CSF]

I know that Bill Bell felt that Y&R moved passed the Fosters and the Brooks and to an extent it did, but I could never understand why, decades later he didn't bring back a younger generation (Chuckie, Jennifer, Brooks). He kept Jill on but in the end, gave her no other family other than the boring Abbotts.

[Khan]

Who knows? Perhaps that letter was written to Faye, promising that he'd do the "right thing" and stand by her and their ONS baby, Nicole.

[Khan]

But, you know, it's not as if DAYS couldn't recast again with a more age-appropriate actor. Yes, I know, Mike and Carrie. But they're over, Carrie isn't on anymore (and even if she were, you could easily point up how their age difference wreaked havoc on their relationship in the end), and the day Roark Critchlow, or Michael T. Weiss, or even Wesley Eure, is the definitive Mike Horton....