37 replies to this topic

[SoapDope]

I thought I would have a little fun with this topic. Y&R for the last while was stunt casting old TV stars. If you could dig up some of your favorites stars from the past, who would they be and what character would you create for them on your shows ?

[yr9190]

Stunt casting is the worst thing to ever happen with soaps.


It's okay if it's guests spots, but not if you are hiring former sitcom stars just to get attention.

Edited by yr9190, 01 November 2012 - 08:41 PM.

[chicklitsandfantasies]

Stunt casting is the worst thing to ever happen with soaps.


It's okay if it's guests spots, but not if you are hiring former sitcom stars just get attention.

GF has to be the worst case of stunt casting I've ever seen on a soap. She even tops James Franco and I hated JF on GH.

[dragonflies]

How is GF stunt casting?

James Franco is stunt casting, I think it's okay as an occassional thing that's about all

[chicklitsandfantasies]

How is GF stunt casting?

James Franco is stunt casting, I think it's okay as an occassional thing that's about all

What do you mean how is GF stunt casting? Obviously MAB cast her on Y&R to try and get her fans to watch which failed miserably.

[Silver Lord]

Wendy Williams was good on OLTL

[Y&RWorldTurner]

What do you mean how is GF stunt casting? Obviously MAB cast her on Y&R to try and get her fans to watch which failed miserably.

Exactly.

When you haven't debuted on the show yet and they're running promos about the ACTOR/ACTRESS joining, it is clear stunt casting. That was the case for Genie, who flopped miserably on the show.

[chicklitsandfantasies]

Exactly.

When you haven't debuted on the show yet and they're running promos about the ACTOR/ACTRESS joining, it is clear stunt casting. That was the case for Genie, who flopped miserably on the show.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.c...ed/4qs1Lh3nCL0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

No one can tell me that Jame Bond wannabe promo was not promoting stunt casting. And the fact that she basically went to lead status by being paired with the leading men of the show as well as being surrounded by former costars only furthered it.

[YRBB]

Adding insult to injury, that promo is a disaster. Absolutely painful.

[SoapDope]

I didn't mean that I really wanted stunt casting to continue. I thought we could all go crazy and make up some characters and cast them with old has beens for a few laughs. Didn't want to start a war.....LOL

[DaytimeFan]

I loved Joan Collins on Guiding Light...and just because I would worship at that woman's alter wherever I go...I thought she really went for it on GL and was terrific fun to watch. That was stunt casting done right.

Edited by DaytimeFan, 01 November 2012 - 08:39 PM.

[Quent]

Stunt casting is okay in small doses, when it's just done for fun. On ATWT, Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits was brought on as an English butler. He ended up having a sword fight with Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees on the show.

[marceline]

Perhaps it would be a good idea to agree on a definition of "stunt casting."

[tune_in_tomorrow]

Yeah, I doubt we all have the same definition. For example, the casting of Bonnie Franklin on Y&R isn't stunt casting to me. I'm 45 years old, watched and enjoyed "One Day at a Time" 30 years ago and still wasn't moved to watch because of her. For all her faults, I can't imagine Maria Arena Bell casting her thinking it was a way to draw viewers, especially anyone under 40. I also wouldn't consider Genie Francis stunt casting. If that's the case, then no soap stars should move to another one. James Franco comes closest in my mind to stunt casting because he's a name that would appeal to the lower demographic and he wasn't a soap star previously.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't think it's necessarily stunt casting when soap actors go from soap to soap. But when you're running promos exclusively about an actor joining a soap (not the storyline) and hyping them as a casting addition in the press, it becomes stunt casting IMO.

[marceline]

I don't think it's necessarily stunt casting when soap actors go from soap to soap. But when you're running promos exclusively about an actor joining a soap (not the storyline) and hyping them as a casting addition in the press, it becomes stunt casting IMO.

I agree that stunt casting by definition includes a promotional element. To me, stunt casting is bringing an actor who has no previous soap connection to a show for a short-term role and promoting their addition to the cast."

I don't consider Genie's moving to Y&R stunt casting because she's an established soap actor.

[chicklitsandfantasies]

To me stunt casting is when you cast a "big name" to try and gain viewers.

[jcar03]

I don't consider the former sitcom stars that have barely worked since their respective shows went off the air stunt casting. I highly doubt they thought "hey, random sitcom star from that 1980s series will really bring in the viewers and get us some attention". James Franco is stunt casting since that whole role and story line wouldn't have existed without James Frano approaching the show.

[CarlD2]

I don't consider the former sitcom stars that have barely worked since their respective shows went off the air stunt casting. I highly doubt they thought "hey, random sitcom star from that 1980s series will really bring in the viewers and get us some attention". James Franco is stunt casting since that whole role and story line wouldn't have existed without James Frano approaching the show.

But they do. They usually get a writeup on EW's website, which is probably the whole point of casting them. When B&B cast Elvera Roussell as a nurse, probably about five people (including me) cared. When Y&R cast Elinor Donahue, they got EW, a TV Guide Online interview, etc.

[JackPeyton]

stunt casting is like hack writer, a highly overused term by soap fans. not every actor who was ever in a primetime show or movie that hits a soap is a stunt casting, esp when no promotion is given to it. an EW article doesnt matter, they also write about what shoe ashley greene wore. they are desperate for content and know that soap fans will read anything related remotely to soaps. most of these actors are out of work and hitting audition rounds and have agents trying to get them a job, any job. for me stunt casting is when a role is created for an actor in the hopes of driving up ratings, or something like james franco hitting GH.