Nicolas does a wonderful job on the site. I've sent him a few tidbits he didn't already have about a few of the characters. A really nice guy with a fantastic, informative site.

I couldn't agree more. His is by far the most comprehensive SB site I've ever seen.

Peter really did dissolve into a huge mess, didn't he? I STILL think the Dobsons made a huge mistake by getting rid of Dane Witherspoon. Nothing against Mark Arnold but Dane just owned the role of Joe.

Why was Dane fired

Also Mark has said he left when his contract expired so they killed Joe. But Mark was on SB from Oct 31 84 to March 1 1985. Why would SB only sign him him to a four month deal???

Edited December 14, 201410 yr by John

Mark Arnold made the decision to sign a 13-week deal because he wanted to be free to work on the proposed Teen Wolf sequel with Michael J. Fox (Arnold had played the role of Fox's nemesis, Mick, in the original). The movie was ultimately never made (but another TW movie was made a few years later with an all-new cast, with Jason Bateman in the lead) - I think because Michael J. Fox was offered Back to the Future. He was juggling his filming schedule with BTTF with taping Family Ties, and so wouldn't have been available for anything else at that point in 1985.

The Dobsons' explanation at the time for letting Dane Witherspoon go was because they didn't think he had enough charisma (were they watching the same show??). Then again, they made the decisions to fire Harley Kozak and Louise Sorel later on in the show's run which had the fans crying foul.

I'm just glad they didn't try for a third Joe. A third Joe in 7 months would have been too much, and the magic was already gone.

Edited December 14, 201410 yr by amybrickwallace

I would have kept Dane because he went to Capitol and was under-used there

It would have been interesting if they had kept Dane, because by the time Joe was killed off, Eden and Cruz were already rapidly becoming the show's signature couple. Would Kelly and Joe have been able to keep up the momentum - and would Robin and Dane have stayed together IRL in the long run had SB kept him? So many questions.

I just dont get why they cast Mark if he only wanted a 3month gig. If I were TPTB i would have cast an actor willing to sign on long term

Your guess is as good as mine.

I know Mark was a GET cause of his fanbase at EON but doesnt seem big enough to allow him only a 3 month contract

He did eventually go back to NYC and act on another soap there - OLTL. Two of his co-stars there, Sharon Gabet and Lois Kibbee, had also acted with him the entire three and a half years he was on EON.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUZTIlLTle8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdgVwRqyI6k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byvfbi7YEOA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2yzflQmEBk

Thanks for sharing those, Carl!!!!