As loyal TVGuide.com readers will recall, Days of our Lives head writer Hogan Sheffer recently told us that Stefano DiMera's long-lost son, Benjy Hawk, would return to Salem.

Daytime newcomer Jim Lunsford joins Days as Benjy on November 10. Patch and Kayla -- who adopted Benjy back in the day -- will likely be glad to see him!

See? I told you EJ Wells, who's played by James Scott, isn't Benjy. Some of y'all didn't want to believe me.

I can't wait to find out exactly what EJ's relation to the DiMeras is. Is he Stefano's son, too? Or perhaps Tony's? Hmm...

In other Days news, you recently read right here that Chelsea will get a geeky new love interest named Nick Fallon. That role has gone to another daytime newbie, Blake Berris. BTW, Nick -- who first airs November 7 -- is the grandson of Marie Horton.

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?f...eadID=700008969

Press releases from my Days website...http://members.aol.com/jason47b

A NEW HORTON DEBUTS

Blake Berris joins the cast of "Days of Our Lives" on Tuesday, November 7 as Nick Fallon. Nick is the never-before-seen grandson of Marie Horton (Alice's daughter). His parents are Marie's daughter Jessica and Joshua Fallon (who married and were last seen in Salem back in 1982). When Nick arrives in town he will become the love interest of Chelsea. Blake Everett Berris was born on August 24, 1984 in Los Angeles, California. He recently graduated from UCLA and has appeared in episodes of "Numb3rs" and "Hannah Montana."

BENJY HAWK RETURNS

Jim Lunsford joins the cast of "Days of Our Lives" on Friday, November 10 as Benjy Hawk. Benjy first appeared in Salem in 1988 (played by Darrell Utley). He is the deaf son of Stefano DiMera and the late Ellen Hawk. He was looked after by Steve and Kayla until 1989, when he went to live with his grandfather Orion in Europe. He briefly returned in 1990 for Steve and Kayla's second wedding and has not been seen since. A search on Mr. Lunsford could not find any pictures or verifiable information other than two appearances as a child on "Santa Barbara" and "Starman" back in the mid-1980s. The most likely person is James Ray Lunsford, born on June 2, 1971 in Los Angeles. Benjy was 9 when he was last seen in Salem in the summer of 1990. Without being aged, Benjy would be about 25 now. If this is the correct James Lunsford, then Benjy would now be aged a little and in his late 20s/early 30s. More information will be posted when available.

Oh I know what you are saying Steve but Doug and Julie have never been a major part of the show and only appear at big events.

I hope you mean as of the last few years. Doug and Julie are part of what built this show. And still have many fans out there. It was a big injustice when both were fired right before Bo & Hope's wedding. Thankfully Bill Bell remembered Susan Hayes and her accomplishments and cast her on Y&R where she was wonderful for several more years. And if he would have had his way she would have been on B&B too as Stephanie. But she was either too busy or just did not want the role. As far as I know the Hayes have never been offered a contract in many years. Julie was brought back for awhile as a divorcee with one, but then she was released again. Since then they have only appeared sporadically. And I feel they have not been a major part of the show mostly due to the writers and Ken Corday. They have not been given or offered a contract that I have read or heard of. And so they stay busy. And why should they not do that. They shouldn't just sit around and wait for Days to call them.

Some of my favorite moments of the show the last several years involved Julie. I loved her being featured more during the SSK story. And then loved her interactions in the Lucas/Sami story. Too bad the writers didn't pursue it all further.

Actually, isn't JER the one who wrote out SSH in the early 1990s? If I'm not mistaken, both Bill & Susan were offered contracts just a few years ago and they declined citing other projects going on in their lives (I do know that they enjoy traveling quite extensively). Heck, Doug & Julie WERE Days of our Lives for the better part of a decade.

Also, for the record, Addie's branch of the family has the following males: Steven Olson (son); David Banning (Julie's son); Spencer Olson (Steven's son only mentioned by Julie in the early 1990s, but never seen onscreen); and Scotty Banning (David's son). And Hope has a 1/2 brother out there somewhere (Doug's son via surrogate mother Rebecca North) that's being raised in Europe and hasn't been mentioned in at least 25 years.

Somebody asked if Marie came back to Salem for Bo and Hope's "non-wedding." Yes, she did. But after so much time away and Lanna Saunders in the role, it was a little weird seeing Maree Cheatham with everyone else.

When Alice had the big birthday bash a few years ago, Julie made the stupid comment that Alice didn't have any great-great-grandchildren yet (when Alice's only great-great-grandchild at the time was Julie's grandson, Scotty Banning!).

Does anyone else remember many Christmases ago when Alice received a letter from Steven Olson, Julie's brother? It mentioned that Steve had a son named Spencer, who would be coming to Salem to attend law school. And that's the last we ever heard of this character.

One of my very first memories of "Days" (when I was 5 or 6) was Jake Kositchek holding a silk scarf while talking to Jessica. He was considering killing her since he was the Salem Strangler, but he decided not to. Also ... who remembers Marie going out of town to help Jessica and Joshua either move into their new home or decorate it? She was married to Neil Curtis, who was having an affair with Liz Chandler while Marie was gone. Neil was called to the hospital in the middle of the night, Marie came home unexpectedly, and Liz -- thinking Marie was an intruder -- shot her!

Chip

because the Hortons are what started this show, yet the show has become the Brady hour. Even Shawn considers himself more a Brady than a Horton, and he's not even a Brady by blood. The Brady name will continue on thanks to endless inbreeding, the Horton name needs to continue as well.

And Hogan is bringing Hortons back. He is the first writer since JER in the 90s to bring back a Horton (Mike). Give the man a break. It's not his fault there are no younger males with the last name Horton. Hell, last names don't mean a thing. Lucas, Hope, Julie, Shawn, Abby, Will, JJ, they're all Hortons with last names. Nick is going to be no difference. I don't get what your beef is about this? It's kind of stupid actually.

All I can say is wow. Marie Horton!

I also am willing to give Hogan benefit of the doubt on the vets. He had a lot of fights with P&G and CBS about using some of the older characters and apparently had wanted to use Lucinda a lot more. I am encouraged, for the moment, by his constant use of Maggie.

Nick is not Alice's great-great-grandson. He's only her great-grandchild, just like Shawn, Abby, JJ, Will and Jeremy.

Actually, isn't JER the one who wrote out SSH in the early 1990s? If I'm not mistaken, both Bill & Susan were offered contracts just a few years ago and they declined citing other projects going on in their lives (I do know that they enjoy traveling quite extensively). Heck, Doug & Julie WERE Days of our Lives for the better part of a decade.

Matt I never read or even heard anyone say they were offered a contract. I sure wish they had taken it.

The first time that Doug & Julie were fired was in 1984. That would have been Margaret DePriest or Sherri Anderson that wrote them out with then producers, Betty Corday and Al Rabin. It shocked me as Corday and Rabin were sentimental to the older characters, but daytime was on a youth craze then.

Julie was brought back in 1990 having divorced Doug offscreen. She stayed in town for 3 years flirting with Victor and one of his henchman for awhile. She was a wealthy business woman at that point. And very unlike the Julie that we had come to know - at least to me and many others she was. Al Rabin with Ken Corday were the EP's at that point. When Susan was fired that time in 1993, Tom Langan and Ken Corday were EP's. Headwriters when she returned were Richard J. Allen and Anne Schoettle. HW's when she left were Sherri Anderson and James E. Reilly.

It's funny that Sherri Anderson was on the team both times Julie was written out.

Doug & Julie returned in 1994 - remarried and were recurring until 1996. Then they weren't seen again until 1999 and have been recurring ever since.

All I can say is wow. Marie Horton!

My exact words, Vee. Hogan definitely thought hard about choosing the new male character. He could've easily went the easy route and brought in Jeremy. Instead, he went for a creative decision and created his own character, who is still a Horton. I give him props for that.

Matt I never read or even heard anyone say they were offered a contract. I sure wish they had taken it.

I remember this. It was right after the SSK hoax was revealed. Doug Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes were both offered contracts with the show, but declined due to 'other projects' and wanted to remain on a recurring basis.

Doug and Julie are a huge part of the show Steve. I was just talking the last few years, basically since B&C.

I love Julie more then Doug but, from what I hear, they are very busy with other projects and almost werent available for the few episodes they were in during Zach's death and funeral. I know JER used Julie alot in 2004 and I think he may have wanted to have her around but BH and SSH seem very busy so I am guessing they turned down a long-term stay. I remember hearing SSH was rumored to have went contract during the SSK murders because they wanted her to fill Maggis's void. I know she was recurring at the time but I am not sure if what I heard was true. Most recent fans think of them as special guests and nothing more. The die-hard Days fans of many years know they are more then that. They are important but I am not going to get on Hogan if they aren't used because I know they are both busy. I think Days would've used them a ton this year for Hope. They were featured a bit during Zach's death and aftermath but, like I said, they barely made that. I think if they were around we would've seen them alot just like we saw Caroline and Victor quite a but early this year.

Well, I do think it's important to bring back Mike and Jeremy eventually. I also think there is potential to tell an interesting story if they've spent all that time in Israel and parts of the ME. But I am really thrilled about these developments, and the fact that E.J. turns to attack Steve and Kayla shortly. Will this force Benjy to arrive, or will it be something else? Are he and E.J. even aware of each other?

I also have always felt it is important to bring back either David or Scott Banning someday, because those characters go back to one of the oldest, most famous and popular stories on the show - the Doug/Julie odyssey involving her marriage to another for the child.

My exact words, Vee. Hogan definitely thought hard about choosing the new male character. He could've easily went the easy route and brought in Jeremy. Instead, he went for a creative decision and created his own character, who is still a Horton. I give him props for that.

I remember this. It was right after the SSK hoax was revealed. Doug Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes were both offered contracts with the show, but declined due to 'other projects' and wanted to remain on a recurring basis.

Yeah Drew that is what I was alluding to. I didn't think Bill Hayes was offered one too because I thought he was "killed" at the time but who knows. I remember reading Susan Seaforth Hayes was offered one but I didn't know Bill was. They used Julie alot in 2004 and early 2005 so it was obvious JER liked her. He didn't use Doug much though.

I do give Hogan props. This shows he went into the history and looked for interesting, potential, fresh faces and characters to further energize the canvas and I hope they can both act. Days has done well lately finding actors so I have faith they did it again.

Each head writer has their favorite vets. You can tell because we'll go months or years without seeing a particular character and once the head writing position is changed, that old character comes back.

JER's: Marlena, Caroline, Stefano, John, Bo

Hogan: So far Bo, Hope, Maggie, Victor, Kate, Abe, Lexie, Marlena

to comment on Jeremy Horton being the "easy route", I disagree.

Here you have a kid that's been raised Jewish, possibly half christian/catholic(whatever the Hortons are), half Jewish. Raised in a war torn country while his parents do humanitarian work. Now mixing it up with his family in Salem, who he's radically different from.

Jeremy Horton is not the "easy" Horton. He's the one to pose any writer the most challenge if they don't take the easy way out and say he was at a boarding school the whole time. Jeremy, done right, would be an interesting addition, and certainly more of a challenge than "insert unknown geeky offspring of a family member not seen in over a decade".

Great news, i'm glad these two roles have been cast...its about time we got new horton and dimera..and i'm glad that Hogan brought on characters from the past..