Y&R: Old Articles

[Khan]

I think Wings Hauser and David Hasselhoff should have switched roles, with Hauser playing Snapper and Hasselhoff playing Greg.

[Broderick]

Or not used either one of them 

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I've heard Hasselhoff say something to the effect of, "They kept telling me during my audition that the director was speaking to me from the booth, but I didn't know where the booth was."  That may be what you're remembering.  

[SoapDope]

It could be. It's been years (probably late 90's or early 2000's when I read that article. 

I think he's one of those cheesy/hammy actors like William Shatner, George Hamilton, Lyle Waggoner etc...

Wings Hauser always looked seedy. He bashed Y&R and soaps in general as a 'hair shows" and said he wished he had never done soaps blah blah blah....decades later he didn't hesitate to drag his butt back on there for a few days. Who thought he was a good re-cast for Greg ? He looked nothing like James Houghton or even Brian Kerwin. Kin Shriner did some bit roles on Y&R before he was snapped up by GH. He might have made a good Greg if they wanted to stay with a blonde. Heck Rick Springfield who is close friends to Doug Davidson and Shriner would have been a better Snapper than Hasselhoff.  David Cassidy wasn't doing much in the late 70's after The Partridge Family ended he might have been suitable.....LOL

[Paul Raven]

David Cassidy Man Undercover.

[SoapDope]

I think that only lasted 10 episodes....LOL

[soapfan770]

Wings Hauser has always struck me as a washed up never has been especially with the string of D-movies he did in the late 80’s. Have to agree with @SoapDope about him looking seedy.  Houghton, Kerwin, and McGillin are all more recognizable names than Wings, who’s own son at least has some talent. 

[Paul Raven]

Y&R recasts

Snapper -William Grey Espy-David Hasselhoff

               David worked OK with Trish but by the time Lynne arrived, everyone seemed checked out

Greg- James Houghton-Brian Kerwin-Wings Hauser-Howard McGillan

           Never saw Brian-was he given a chance? Wings was a little creepy but did survive 3 years-he lacked the good guy element of original recipe Greg. Howard was a wash out but was given very little. A pity as Greg could have been a transitional character like Jill.

Jill - Brenda Dickson- Bond Gideon-Deborah Adair-Jess Walton

Each recast was a success in my book. Bond was doing OK but BTS stuff saw her dropped.

Chris - Trish Stewart-Lynne Topping

Lynne lacked the spark that Trish had, but again wasn't  given much to do.

Leslie Janice Lynde- Victoria Mallory

Leslie changed b/c of the recast. Janice had this gutsy underlay beneath the fragility and could have blossomed and gone head to head with Lorie but with Victoria they kept her pretty passive.

Peggy Pam Peters-Patricia Everly

Not worth mentioning.

So yes, most of the recasts didn't match the originals.

[SoapDope]

I wish James Houghton had stayed as Greg. He and Melody would have looked stunning together during the Greg/Nikki pairing. They may have lasted longer as a couple on the show and could have had some steamy scenes keeping fans interested. Wings was just blech. 

Hasselhoff was clearly not invested and not too interested in the role of Snapper and made it quite clear that he was just biding his time till a primetime gig became available. I think he was off the show during long stretches filming pilots. Another actor should have been cast.

Richard Shoberg from AMC might have been a good Snapper or Greg . He would have been available in 1975 before AMC snapped him up. 

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[m&mfan]

There used to be a vault for Y&R episodes and the links I had back then don't seem to work anymore. Does anyone know where I can find the link  now?

[BoldRestless]

The updated link is always found here on twitter: https://twitter.com/yrvault?lang=en 

 

[Khan]

I think William Gray Espy and James Houghton were so perfectly cast as Snapper and Greg, respectively, that all the actors who succeeded them in their roles pale by comparison.  Truly, John Conboy and Bill Bell did an excellent job casting not just those actors but all the actors in the Brooks and Foster families.

[SoapDope]

I agree. Y&R lost the majority of the original actors within the first 5 years and most of them never really went on to bigger things.  

[kalbir]

Some of the original cast went on to other soaps, but were they well received in their other roles?

William Gray Espy - Another World

James Houghton - Knots Landing, The Colbys

Janice Lynde - Another World, One Life to Live

Those are the ones I know off the top of my head. If any actors/roles are missing please add.

Edited November 30, 2023 by kalbir

[SoapDope]

Trish Stewart (Chris) did a short lived series with Andy Griffith called Salvage I in 1979 and a few guest appearances. Then she re-appeared on Y&R in 1984 at Victor & Nikki's wedding. Then she disappeared. 

Pamela Peters (Peggy) did some voice work then vanished into obscurity after about 1990.

Tom Hallick (Brad) still acts here and there.

Lee Crawford (Sally) has no acting credits after her last Y&R appearance in 1982. A late 70's Close Up toothpaste ad she did with Tom Selleck showed up on youtube a few years ago and she commented on it. 

 

 

[kalbir]

Forgot in my previous list, Jaime Lyn Bauer. Shortly after her original Y&R run ended, she was on the short-lived NBC primetime soap Bare Essence. Other primetime roles were guest star on The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Hotel, Knots Landing. She returned to daytime w/ Days.