First point: It's tough for me to be critical of Marj Dusay since I've also seen her at her best: as Myrna Clegg on CAPITOL, and as the second Pamela Capwell Conrad on SANTA BARBARA. That said, if she had to be on GUIDING LIGHT, I'd much rather she'd played, say, Alex's former sister-in-law, Baron Leo von Halkein's sister, who comes to Springfield and attempts to usurp her former nemesis' territory. If nothing else, it would've given the show an excuse to bring back Mary Kay Adams as India (along with a killer storyline where we'd learn Marj's character was actually India's biological mother).

I actually preferred Shirley Anne Field as Pamela, which isn't saying much as I don't think she was a great Pamela. But she fit the idea I had of the character (based on Mason's recollections and such) better than Marj Dusay-- delicate and fragile but also manipulative in a passive-aggressive way. When MD took over the role, it was difficult to imagine how the character must have fallen apart and become such an emotional mess, she just took off and left her baby boy with CC.

MD wasn't a great Alex, but I enjoyed the actress more as Alex than as Pamela. She had more interactions with the GL cast than Pamela was ever allowed on SB (a perennial problem with SB) and it gave her more layers. Admittedly an instance where a rich character history (and still decent writing at the time) benefited an actor. Of the two sibling recasts, I preferred MD's Alex to Ron Raines' Alan Spaulding, and I wish they had dumped Alan and kept Alex instead down the road. Though that probably means they never would have got to experiment with Joan Collins...

I'd say the same about Chris Bernau and Ron Raines on GUIDING LIGHT. Bernau's Alan (Spaulding) was badass, but not to the point of becoming an absolute cartoon. You hated the things Alan did to others, but you also understood why he did them (and even supported him on some level, if that makes any sense). Conversely, there wasn't a moment where I bought Raines' Alan's blustery and grandstanding. He could threaten and intimidate all day long, and all it would elicit was casual eye-rolls.

He was just so ineffectual. He could raise his voice all he wants (and RR certainly had a booming voice) and tower over people, I could never buy the power and influence he supposedly held over so many in Springfield. I had to take a break when Alan came back as Ron Raines and effectively took the show hostage in late 1994. In retrospect, still better writing than under McTavish and future regimes, but it was a frustrating and confusing period vs. what we had before. And it didn't help that the actor at the center of so many storylines wasn't credible. I only saw Chris Bernau through video clips, and there's just no comparison.

The main problem with early Ron Raines Alan was that you needed a super charismatic actor to dominate that way. It wasn't Ron Raines. Putting Alan in a love triangle with Alan-Michael was another blunder, as neither of them had any chemistry with Marcy Walker, and generally, Raines had chemistry with no women (the closest for me was his relationship with India, as that was warm and cozy and banter, something Rianes was better at).

I also have to mention Frank Grillo as Hart, which went against anything the character ever was, and Grayson McCouch on ATWT, who turned Dusty into a dirty thug with a mush mouth.

The second Nikki on ATWT. This was just around when Lesli Kay left the show and they recast Molly, but the girl they had playing Nikki looked so much like Lesli Kay she probably should have been Molly. She was just awkward and didn't fit, but then they had her with Mike and Henry and she finally seemed to click before she dropped off the face of the earth and never got mentioned again.

The main problem with early Ron Raines Alan was that you needed a super charismatic actor to dominate that way. It wasn't Ron Raines. Putting Alan in a love triangle with Alan-Michael was another blunder, as neither of them had any chemistry with Marcy Walker, and generally, Raines had chemistry with no women (the closest for me was his relationship with India, as that was warm and cozy and banter, something Rianes was better at).

I also have to mention Frank Grillo as Hart, which went against anything the character ever was, and Grayson McCouch on ATWT, who turned Dusty into a dirty thug with a mush mouth.

I second that on McCouch. He created a totally different character, a GH-lite bad boy with an attitude that bored no resemblance whatsoever to Brian Bloom's Dusty. I hated the new Dusty and ever interaction he had with the characters and was glad when he was killed off...then his return from the dead made me switch back to ONE LIFE.

All this talk of Ron Raines brought the current revival of Sondheim's "Follies" to mind. I'd love to see this musical...but I'm not sure it's worth sitting through another one of his performances. GUIDING LIGHT was bad enough.

generally, Raines had chemistry with no women (the closest for me was his relationship with India, as that was warm and cozy and banter, something Rianes was better at).

I thought he had some chemistry with Marj Dusay, nothing like Chris Bernau and Bev McKinsey (from what I saw in clips) but not a blackhole like his pairings usually were. Just felt like the wrong kind of chemistry, in that it made Alex look clingy.

I also have to mention Frank Grillo as Hart, which went against anything the character ever was

Ugh, ugh, ugh. I remember rushing home to watch Leonard Stabb's Hart jeopardize Dylan and Julie's wedding and rekindle his relationships with Bridget and Roger. Sadly didn't last long (and I didn't learn about his accident until I got online) but he left his mark. Watching Grillo gaslight Roger with Wendy Moniz' Dinah made me root and cheer for Roger in ways I've never done in my entire time as a GL viewer. He felt more like Hart towards the end (late 1998/early 1999) when he tried to extricate himself from Dinah (not that I ever wanted him with Cassie, ugh) but too little, too late.

All this talk of Ron Raines brought the current revival of Sondheim's "Follies" to mind. I'd love to see this musical...but I'm not sure it's worth sitting through another one of his performances. GUIDING LIGHT was bad enough.

He might have stage presence, even if it didn't translate to screen presence. Never would have imagined he'd be the one to stay through the end of GL.

Watching Grillo gaslight Roger with Wendy Moniz' Dinah made me root and cheer for Roger in ways I've never done in my entire time as a GL viewer. He felt more like Hart towards the end (late 1998/early 1999) when he tried to extricate himself from Dinah (not that I ever wanted him with Cassie, ugh) but too little, too late.

There was only one reason why anyone would've cast Frank Grillo, a virtual Guido before "Jersey Shore" was even a gleam in MTV's eye, as Hart Jessup.

Actually, there were six reasons, one for each of his ab muscles.

I really Liked Marshall Hillard as Hart who playe Hart b4 Frank Grillo in the role

Marshall Hilliard was slightly better than Grillo but I don't know why my choices then came down to greasy-looking Hart v smarmy Hart.

My recollection of Jeff Phillips is very hazy but I think my favorites were Leonard Stabb and his replacement (sorry, blanking on his name) who got to play out the end of Dylan and Julie's relationship. Helps that it was my favorite 'youth' storyline in the summer of 1993, I liked the energy with the Dylan/Julie/Hart/Bridget/David crowd. And if I'm not mistaken, weren't they already thinking of re-introducing Dinah and linking her with Hart then? I don't know who they had in mind as recast (and I disliked Wendy Moniz) but the idea wasn't w/o possibilities for all involved.

Sean McDermott was the name of the actor who was Hart temporarily after Leonard Stabb's accident. While he appeared on GL, he was also on Broadway as the male romantic lead in Miss Saigon.

Eddie Winslow, I mean Darius McCrary, as Malcolm.

Edited August 31, 201114 yr by kalbir

He gave the best audition MAB had EVER seen! Ever!

Eva Marcille (nee Pigford) on Y&R as Tyra. She was green at first, and she was accompanied by THE most annoying young actress to play her 'daughter', Ana the singing child who went around acting liking she was running off the set of "Mississippi Burning". However, towards the end of her run Marcille was getting better, and she showed chemistry with Goddard's Cane believe it or not...then the writers took the disgusting cheap route of having Tyra revealed to not be Devon's aunt, and two minutes later the two of them were screwing like rabbits. Tyra promptly were shipped out of town, just as her sister Yolanda had been after dropping her towel to entice Neil. What kind of message was the show trying to send about Black women?

Edited September 1, 201114 yr by Sedrick

Eva Marcille (nee Pigford) on Y&R as Tyra. She was green at first, and she was accompanied by THE most annoying young actress to play her 'daughter', Ana the singing child who went around acting liking she was running off the set of "Mississippi Burning". However, towards the end of her run Marcille was getting better, and she showed chemistry with Goddard's Cane believe it or not...then the writers took the disgusting cheap route of having Tyra revealed to not be Devon's aunt, and two ladies the two of them were screwing like rabbits. Tyra promptly were shipped out of town, just as her sister Yolanda had been after dropping her towel to entice Neil. What kind of message was the show trying to send about Black women?

Yep.

Edited September 1, 201114 yr by DeeeDee

Kate Sullivan as GH's Kate. I mean Really???