GL: Philip Brown question

[DRW50]

I've heard that he was originally cast as Ben Warren, but something happened which caused them to quickly recast with Hunt Block. Is that true? Do we know what happened?

Has Brown really done anything since? I just see a few credits on IMDB.

[Paul Raven]

Yes,Phillip Brown did sign on as Ben,but after taping a few episodes,was quickly replaced by Hunt Block,who was called in quickly and had to redo all of Brown's scenes and current eps.

At the time,Brown said that once he began taping he didn't feel comfortable with the role and the workload so asked to be released.

Whether there was other stuff going on,maybe other posters know more.

[LeClerc]

I never heard about this. Very interesting. I can't picture him as Ben, but Esensten & Brown did say that they intended to bring on as many of the actors from "The City" as possible because they were determined to do that show (The City) one way or another. I'm sure that comment did not go over well with Guiding Light viewers.

[SFK]

This is so funny, I was just reading about this in DTR's gossip thread. Apparently he quit after his first day, saying that they'd given him a load of material to deliver in such a short period of time and he didn't feel that he was doing the work justice. Kind of surprised me hearing that come from someone who'd had soap experience, but maybe he had a point and they could have stated him out a little slower with a brand new character?

[soapfan770]

Yes I remember reading this in SOD when it happened! I believe everyone else here has pretty much correctly summed what happened, he left the series because he felt it was too much to handle. Ben Warren was indeed integrated into the cast right away being almost immediately tied to Ross and being a critical role in the story that was getting the most airtime (Abby's assault/Roy's trial).

[soapfan770]

BTW where is DTR's gossip thread?

[SFK]

I hope it's okay to link other soap sites here, if not, sorry mods go ahead and delete it:

http://daytimeroyaltyonline.com/topic/234259/1/

[bellcurve]

I always read a blind item somewhere that a soap star went bat***t crazy after immediately joining the soap, so they ended up recasting, and that was the reason he could no longer find work in daytime. I always thought this was Phil Brown.

I see him in so many commercials advertising Viagra, Valtrex, and Lipitor. How the mighty have fallen.

[Vee]

According to James DePaiva (Max on OLTL), he was also offered the Ben part by Paul Rauch, and regretted not taking it. I think he implied it was written for him.

[Mitch]

He probably makes more money with those commercials then he ever would as a supporting role on a soap. I always thought Phillip Brown was smoking hot (I even had a baby fag crush on him when he was the big brother on Doris Day..) but I can't see him as Ben..though he would make a great Reardon or another blue collar guy (NOT a Cooper). Makes me laugh, he is one of those actors on Viagra that you have to think "HE needs Viagra????" ..they never show some bald guy with a middle aged spread using it!

[MarkH]

Ooh, I'm not the only one who remembers Doris Day's show??!!

Then again, isn't being a "baby fag" a criterion for watching Doris Day? LOL