I wonder if the Gordons were just popular because people loved Megan, later Megan/Jake, and Sarah, and Sarah/Bo. Roger was never that popular was he? Wasn't he just kind of there?

I didn't even know the Gordon mother was oncamera until I saw some of VickRobCals clips.

Wasn't there a black family Rauch brought in late in his run, Troy Nichols and some of his relatives?

Was Rika related to Troy or to Sheila?

Should we also count the Dennisons? They weren't very popular were they? Tom and Lee died after a year or two, IIRC. Mari Lyn was the generic ingenue but when she left in 1989 she seemed to be a supporting player.

Edited February 23, 201015 yr by CarlD2

Was Rika related to Troy or to Sheila?

Sheila & Rika were sisters.

I actually don't mind the McColls, from the little I've seen of them. I don't know where they could have gone, but if Kim Ulrich had stayed I think Marland could have made her into one of the good girl/bad girl mixtures he was fond of. And young Cris Leblanc was cute and full of energy -- if he left it must have just been down to the show being in transition, the same reason Marisa Tomei was fired. It's too bad.

The father isn't THAT bad, he just has that very wooden acting I don't care for, like the Coleridge father on RH, remember him? His wig was livelier than his acting.

That's funny...I actually thought of Ed Coleridge, and how his death actually helped solidify the family as viewers knew them during the duration of Ryan's Hope, when you said what a bad actor Whit McColl was. It almost seems like the McColls' story began when he was murdered (and I know that Eileen Fulton's return was coming home and finding his body) so his being a bad actor could have just been a footnote in soap history if the family themselves had not turned out to be only a footnote.

I'm not sure but wouldn't the Barrett's on GH qualify? There was Brenda, her sister Julia and one point didn't they introduce their father too? Julia wasn't around that long and their father wasn't either, and the Barrett's just fizzled

I'm not sure but wouldn't the Barrett's on GH qualify? There was Brenda, her sister Julia and one point didn't they introduce their father too? Julia wasn't around that long and their father wasn't either, and the Barrett's just fizzled

Harlan Barrett. Didn't he have some story where he was conning Tracy, Lucy, and another woman (Dominique? Jenny?) and they put him in plaster?

I liked Julia a lot from what I saw of her. I think she was around for 2-3 years. I liked her 1997 return, I'm sorry they didn't do more with her.

Sheila & Rika were sisters.

Did they ever mention Rika again after they fired her, or was it just Sheila and later Ben?

AMC- The Devanes. Taking GH's popular Anna and building a family around her complete with new made up characters was a big FAIL. I liked Alex but AMC failed to really differentiate between she and Anna and they almost felt like the same character. Gabriel was garbage. Charlotte was annoying. Revealing yet another sibling, Lindsay seemed unnecesary and overkill. Anna was the only one great one. The fact that Aidan remained long after she left was a big mystery

GH - The Zacharas. Im surprised no one has mentioned them. I cant stand this family. They were pushed down viewers throat and failed to make much of an impact. Only Johnny now remains but he's nowhere near as prominent as he once was

OLTL- Carptenters. Outside of Andrew, they all were rather forgettable and even he wasnt that interesting

Edited February 23, 201015 yr by Cheap21

Did they ever mention Rika again after they fired her, or was it just Sheila and later Ben?

After Rika it was just Sheila & Ben.

I liked Aidan but I barely even remember him with Anna. What I hated the most was the constant questions at the time about whether Ryan was related to Duke. Apparently not.

I just thought of another one -- anyone remember the di Marcos on Eastenders? They opened an Italian restaurant. Mother, her three or four teen/adult children, their grandparents. The grandparents were dumped quickly. The mother, Louise Jameson, lasted a few years, as did her kids, but they weren't popular (her son Gianni had an awful story where bad PMS made his girlfriend abuse him). The most popular was dramatic whisperer Beppe, who stayed for about five years until the actor quit over lack of story.

After Rika it was just Sheila & Ben.

I loved Valerie Pettiford, I wish she could have stayed a little longer, but I guess it's a testament to her that OLTL did keep her during the purge of 91-92. I liked the woman who played Rika when she was on GH in the beyond thankless role of Dara. Too bad OLTL couldn't have kept her.

Edited February 23, 201015 yr by CarlD2

That's one of the reasons Ellen Parker was fired?

Damn. No wonder I loathed early Buzz so much.

It was rumored, and I think Curlee and/or Phelps even said years later in print that they had to write off somebody at a certain salary level, and that's why they assembled the focus group that told them Maureen was dispensable. Well, that was the same month Deas started, so the math adds up. What's strange is that you'd think Beverlee McKinsey's sudden departure would have easily balanced that budget and allowed them to keep Maureen and bring on Buzz. Even when they finally recast Alex, over a year later, I'm thinking Marj Dusay was not in the same pay scale as the only actress in soap history whose name was once billed by the announcer in the opening sequence of a show. I wish they had been able to keep both Ellen Parker and Justin Deas, because I liked early Buzz (well, I guess I missed his first few weeks, as I don't remember him dressing in drag or that accent - I was in junior high school and wasn't watching soaps totally regularly yet - but I remember some of his first scenes with Jenna and they were gold). Still, I did snicker inappropriately in the last week of the show when Lillian was at Maureen's grave telling her how much she would have liked Buzz; I thought surely between the two of them Maureen would have haunted their wedding.

Edited February 23, 201015 yr by DeliaIrisFan

GH The Riveras

It was rumored, and I think Curlee and/or Phelps even said years later in print that they had to write off somebody at a certain salary level, and that's why they assembled the focus group that told them Maureen was dispensable. What's strange is that you'd think Beverlee McKinsey's sudden departure would have easily balanced that budget and allowed them to keep Maureen and bring on Buzz. Even when they finally recast Alex, over a year later, I'm thinking Marj Dusay was not in the same pay scale as the only actress in soap history whose name was once billed by the announcer in the opening sequence of a show. I wish they had been able to keep both Ellen Parker and Justin Deas, because I liked early Buzz (well, I guess I missed his first few weeks, as I don't remember him dressing in drag or that accent - I was in junior high school and wasn't watching soaps totally regularly yet - but I remember some of his first scenes with Jenna and they were gold). Still, I did snicker inappropriately in the last week of the show when Lillian was at Maureen's grave telling her how much she would have liked Buzz; I thought surely between the two of them Maureen would have haunted their wedding.

I hated early Buzz, partially because of all his airtime and also because of the way he treated Nadine. I liked Jean and Justin together but the writing for that relationship often pushed my buttons the wrong way, especially since he had abandoned her and their children. The OTT acting from Deas and the sense that my favorites were being hustled out also made me dislike Jenna/Buzz. Looking at their clips now, I see the chemistry between them, especially when Deas is more restrained.

That's hilarious about Maureen haunting their wedding.

And JFP did it again with Alice Barrett and RKK. We saw how well that turned out.

Edited February 23, 201015 yr by CarlD2

I liked Aidan but I barely even remember him with Anna. What I hated the most was the constant questions at the time about whether Ryan was related to Duke. Apparently not.

Aidan joined in June of 2002 and Anna left, I beleive in August of 2003. They intereacted quite a bit during this time. I liked Aidan in the beginning but he did just languish on the show for years not really having a purpose. The show stopped being invested in pushing the Devanes as a family with Anna gone and with Aidan being the sole member, they didnt seem to care.

GH The Riveras

Juan. Ugh. And he continues to damage GH through Becky Herbst's pregnancies. The madness just won't end.

I liked Aidan but I barely even remember him with Anna. What I hated the most was the constant questions at the time about whether Ryan was related to Duke. Apparently not.

Ugh I HATED that they made Ryan related to Duke in any way.

AMC Hunters, Keefers, Cambias, Fryes, Montgomerys, Smythes

ATWT Walshes, Grimaldis