Hi everyone,

I am wondering about all this Phillip business... Is he coming back or what? I know for a long time they've talked about him, established that he isn't dead, established that people on the cast have had contact with him etc. etc. etc.

but honestly i wish they'd either [!@#$%^&*] or get off the pot. It's their own fault they screwed GA over so bad and made Phillip such a bag of douche... Either bring him back or stop mentioning him and allowing him to play such a big part of the plot in absentia.

Has anyone heard anything particularly on this subject?

Also - would a re-casted Phillip work? Haven't really seen GA's work as I wasn't watching then but I don't know, I'm sure a well-placed recast would work... Any ideas for a recast? Matt Ashford might work, though he's a LITTLE young. Jack Wagner perhaps if he wasn't on B&B... Drake Hogestyn... hahaha just kidding... I couldn't stomach him on DAYS...

Just wondering what's going on with this angle and why everyone keeps pimping Phillip lately if it's to no avail.

David Kreizman seems to love to do these stories centered around actors who he can't quite get back. Peter Simon, Grant Aleksander, you name it. I have no expectation that GA is back, so this is another pointless "OMG look out for Phillip" tease.

Though honestly, Phillip was at his most interesting for me shortly before his "death". If he were to come back on contract, I'd have no idea where to take his character. How do you go back from that and keep it interesting? The creature that Phillip became was fun but could not last.

Edited December 10, 200718 yr by Vee

I LOVED Grant A., and I stopped watching regularly after they screwed him over. I'm no longer invested in the show, and haven't been in a while, so I don't know whether a recast would or wouldn't work, but GA? he was great.

You pose some good questions, ian.

It really irks me that TPTB are pimping Phillip to drive so much story on-screen now. That should give EW/DK some clue as to how vital the character is to Springfield. Unfortunately, because of the way they wrote Phillip right before he "disappeared", and from what I've heard from GA, don't expect to see him back in town anytime soon.

I attribute this whole Phillip angle in the Beth/Rick/Alan and the Olivia/Gus/Natalia storylines as just a load of crap because the writer's are not able - or are unwilling - to be more creative. There are many other ways they could write this story without further destruction of the character of Phillip.

To answer your other question, I'm not sure about a re-cast. I have watched GA as Phillip since they SORASed him in the early 80s. While some other actors did take over the role for a brief period (John Bolger comes to mind), it never felt right without GA. And really, this regime's track record with recasts (Dylan, Alan-Michael, Daisy/Susan, Mallet, CASSIE) isn't very good. The only two successful recasts, IMO of late have been Dinah and Lizzie and that's due to the strength of the actresses' ablility. A re-cast would have to be a very good one in order for it to work.

In short, I wouldn't expect Phillip - either inthe form of GA or a recast - to show up anytime soon. EW/DK are just blowing smoke up our asses. JMO.

Well it's just frustrating because they aren't taking the story anywhere... This is retarded. However, I imagine that if they were going to bring him back it'd be the most guarded secret since... Bobby is actually alive and in the shower on Dallas. So, maybe they know something we don't, but for the time being I'm inclined to agree that it's a whole lotta nothing...

I LOVED Grant A., and I stopped watching regularly after they screwed him over. I'm no longer invested in the show, and haven't been in a while, so I don't know whether a recast would or wouldn't work, but GA? he was great.

You know, for some reason I can see Dan Gauthier (ex-Kevin, OLTL) as Phillip!

I might be able to, but a little young maybe? (Such a great actor though).

What exactly were the circumstances of the acrimony with GA anyway? Did they just fire him over budget cuts?

I still think Matt Ashford could be a good Phillip.

Is there a story about Phillip on GL right now?? I have no idea.

I loved Grant Alexander as Phillip and if he came back - so would I. Everything with GL just sorta went downhill right after he left, in a way he represents the last good era of GL. When it comes to recasting - absolutely not. Some characters are just meant to be played by one person, since one actor has made that role their own. IMO, Grant did that to Phillip.

The only way that Grant will return is if Wheeler and Kreizman disappear.

I think the way they've handled him since he left is a disaster. Again though, I really don't see what he could do at this point. Phillip was much more interesting during his last run as the controlling scheming Spaulding madman IMHO, and he's been backed into a corner there. What would be exciting about him coming back sane and reuniting with one of his exes? Him and Beth have been thrashed to death. I'd rather see him cause chaos, but there's no long term future in that.

I still think Matt Ashford could be a good Phillip.

I totally agree, I have wanted MA to come over as Phillip since he was fired from Days. He would be such a perfect fit.

What exactly were the circumstances of the acrimony with GA anyway? Did they just fire him over budget cuts?

The budget cuts had something to do with his exit. From what I've heard, between that and the way DK was writing Phillip before his "death" turned GA off. And then there was the whole "Crazy Beth in the Cabin" sl that was intended for GA/Phillip, but since they couldn't get him back they replaced him with Beth (!!).

There's not a lot of love lost between GA and EW.

Hey y'all. There's a rumor going around several sites that Cyrus Foley will be revealed as "Phillip"! I know EW/DK are idiots, but hopefully they will NOT go down that path.