Soap actors who never had a defining role

[DRW50]

There are some actors who went from soap to soap, and turned in solid work for years, but never became a breakout character, or never became closely tied to a role.

I'm not talking about bad actors or anything, but decent actors who just never clicked, either because of the writing, or circumstances, or whatever.

I was just watching some old ATWT with the Tad Channing story, which had Larry Pine. Then I remembered he was also on AMC about 12-13 years ago as Adam's lawyer and confidant, Barry Shire, and he had a run of 2-3 years on OLTL as Viki's teenage love, Roger Gordon, father of the daughter she'd been hypnotized into forgetting.

I guess you might also count Elaine Princi, although her best known role is probably Dorian, she isn't seen as the defining actress in that part. She was also on ATWT, DAYS, etc. in roles which lasted a year or two but aren't that well known today.

[SFK]

Elaine is a good pick. What would you say Marj Dusay's defining role is, Vanessa? Many would say Alexandra. I know her favorite (at least pre-Vanessa) was Myrna.

I seem to be having more trouble picking the defining role for actors who have been blessed with potentially two. Like Louise Sorel, Augusta or Vivian? I guess Vivian.

Brian Gaskill

Joel Fabiani

[DRW50]

I think her best role was Vanessa, but she did spend more time in the role of Alex, so people may remember that.

I do the same you did, with actors who had several defining roles. Louise Sorel, Marcy Walker. I never really know which was more to them. I guess on an international scale it would be Eden, for Marcy.

I think Gaskill's defining role was Rafe on PC. He stunk, but they shoved him and Allison at people non-stop for the rest of PC's run, and then he kept getting hired afterwards, although he never stayed around for long.

I had forgotten about Joel Fabiani. I might also say Daniel Pilon, and Dennis Parlato.

[DRW50]

It's funny you brought up Myrna Clegg, because I was going to ask people in the Capitol thread what they thought of Carolyn Jones, and if they preferred Carolyn or Marj. If you don't want to answer here we could go to that thread, whichever's more on topic, or whatever.

[SFK]

Rick Hearst is also a tough one, just because his GH role is so fresh in everyone's heads, you can't toss out his Alan-Michael.

I'd probably go with Clay for Dennis, but yeah, all those guys seem pretty interchangeable in soap casting circles, the generic corporate scoundrel. They wanted a Charlton Heston-type for Jared Chase, and they got themselves a Dynasty alum, but there's a certain *oomph* that JF was lacking to make Jared a truly dynamic character imo. There's an off-beat twisted charisma of a Michael Zaslow for example that none of those guys really possessed.

[DRW50]

I always think of Rick as Alan-Michael, mostly because the GH role was so pathetic, and essentially died after a year or two. I kind of feel sorry for Rick because I think he's a very, very good actor and I don't think he's ever had the writing he deserves. Most of the writing for his Alan-Michael made him second or third fiddle, and after Nancy Curlee left, he just spent eons walking around like a puppy dog for Eleni, or having the same done to him by Lucy, or whining about Nick. They never tapped into the potential he could have had with Gilly. Then when he did get more leading material, in his last year, it was very generic stuff.

I had forgotten Fabiani was even on The City. I just remember him as King Galen.

[DeeeDee]

Colleen Dion

[DRW50]

I thought of her too but I was so crazy about her as Felicia back in the early 90s, I left her off. But she did seem to become better known for a lot of very badly written short term roles, so you're right.

I guess I should mention Tracy Melchoir, since I started a thread about her weeks ago on this topic.

[SFK]

I also thought of Colleen but passed since I don't know much from B&B.

Nicolas Coster is another name I've been going back and forth with, but I suppose Lionel by default, though I wonder if older fans would say his AW or ATWT roles.

[DeeeDee]

Denise Alexander

Larkin Malloy

Eileen Davidson

Hillary Smith

Liz Hubbard

Susan Flannery

John McCook

Lisa Peluso

Vincent Irizarry

Terry Lester

Debbi Morgan

Darnell Williams

Amelia Marshall

Heather Tom

Robin Mattson

Genie Francis

Roscoe Born

Ilene Kristen

Judith Chapman

Julie Pinson

Constance Towers

Sean Kanan

Billy Warlock

[DRW50]

I don't remember a lot of his work on SB (I should watch more on Youtube), so I always think of him as Eduardo Grimaldi, which he may not see as his best role.

[Faulkner]

John Bolger? He's probably best known as Philip Spaulding, but that role will always be defined by Grant Aleksander.

[DRW50]

True. I tend to think of him for his AW role, or that odd fit on OLTL.

[MoTheGreat]

Rick will always be Alan Micheal to me.

I love Roscoe Born. First saw him om OLtL then on Y&R. Didn't watch DAYS.

[JellicleCat]

I know she's had other roles, but is there really any doubt about which role she's more identified with? When she is mentioned I don't think a lot of people will think about Ceara Connor (AMC) or Diana Colville (DOOL). She will always be remembered as Laura Spencer.