Original Actor vs. Recast.

[Dr Neil Curtis]

Looking at how Kate on Days has changed over the years, can you imagine Deborah Adair playing Kate today. Same with Viki Lord on OLTL can you see Gillian Spencer today as Viki. Point being, can you see the original actor playing the role of your favorite character, they originated, today?

[Gray Bunny]

How funny that you mentioned Deborah Adair vs. Lauren Koslow, because even before I opened the thread, that's the first example I thought of. I don't know why, but I really liked Deborah Adair's portrayal. I've also enjoyed her work on another things (Melrose Place, Dynasty). Never saw her on Y&R as Jill, but loved her as Kate. She brought an empathetic softness to her that has been lost in recent years due to the writing and Koslow's portrayal. I'd love to see how she'd take on the role today; I'd maybe start giving a damn about the character again.

[Dr Neil Curtis]

I loved deborah as Kate she had superb chemistry with the cast as does koslow but it was something about Deborah as Kate. She was more independent and business-oriented

[JellicleCat]

I can definitely not see Carrie Mitchum and Nancy Sloan play Donna and Katie Logan the way they are written and portrayed now. Carrie's Donna was never this sex kitten that Jennifer Gareis plays her as, and as for Katie.... I can't even imagine Nancy playing Katie this way. She was more of a pushover and could never have done what Katie has done since Heather Tom took over the role.

Rick Forrester is a bit different. I could see Jacob Young playing Rick the way he's being written now, but not Justin Torkildsen. Justin's Rick didn't seem grown-up enough.

[yr9190]

On Y&R, It's a well known fact that if Brenda Dickson was still playing Jill, They would not write her like the way that have written Jess Walton. I love Jess in the role, and for making the character her own, but i doubt that they would have never even thought of the idea of making Jill and Kay related if Brenda had still been playing Jill.

[Gray Bunny]

I would pay money to see Brenda Dickson back in the role, especially if they vamped the role up again and made her a cougar, oh my Lord I wish I could've seen her take on it in the 80's

[Dr Neil Curtis]

I agree about those two characters, donna and katie were different when they were in the roles and if I am not mistaken the characters were deaged majorly

[Cheap21]

If Sarah Brown (or Tamara Braun for that matter) was on GH, I could see Carly still being written the way she is now. She really hasnt changed much

If Davetta was still on Y&R as Lily, I dont think the character would be the attention seeking, propped up valley girl we see today

I cant see Michael Lowry portraying Jake on AMC the way the character is written today. He's more of a comedic character and currently not suited to ML's talents

[Khan]

Best example: Robin Strasser vs. Nancy Pinkerton (Peabody) as OLTL's Dorian. Can you really see Pinkerton's Dorian involved with David Vickers, lol?

[DeeeDee]

She wouldn't.

Davetta Vs. Scottie wars aside the entire character was so completely different it's almost not even comparable.

[Jay]

I understand Robin Strasser was AW's original Rachel. I couldn't imagine her as the Rachel I "met" in the late '80s. She (or Dorian?) is far too antagonistic to have been Rachel in the '80s and '90s.

[Jay]

Instead, we'd have Lily, the Jive Ass Motherfu ckeress. No way to win with Lily. Maybe I'd've liked Davetta if she'd been the original Lily, but I can't even imagine Kevin having done anything to her. She'd've killed him if he'd given her the clap, so there would never have been any fire. (I think that's how the story went. I wasn't watching then.)

[SFK]

I could definitely imagine Gillian Spencer having played Viki all of these years, I immediately thought of that when she came back for Palmer's funeral. They'd almost certainly write around it these days, but if ES ever had to be out for some reason (God forbid, ptui ptui), it would be awesome if they asked the original Viki to step in (especially if she got a chance to play her original Niki in a dream or something too).

Robin Strasser (by way of Agnes Nixon) is largely responsible for the Dorian we know today. It was Robin's idea to infuse the character with humor and glamour, she has said that her Dorian is essentially her Rachel, just older and richer. Pinkerton was recast with slightly younger and softer Malis because they wanted to change the direction of the character and they didn't believe that the audience would buy Pinkerton as reformed. Joe Stuart told Robin even then that they were going to retcon the idea that Dorian killed Victor, so it looks like Dorian was going to hang around anyway but I have to wonder what she would have been like through the '80s up to today had Robin not been cast.

[MoTheGreat]

If Davetta was still in the role. I can see them writing her so mature after all the things Lily went through. & also writing in her jewelry business.

I liked that one minute recast of Theresa on Passions.

[dm.]

With different writing, any day I'd take Engen and Bloom back as Adam and Heather, respectively.

But really, I don't know why I even wrote this because I don't see a way the damage on Y&R can be repaired, ever.