What, no Marj Dusay? That could have been fun if Kay actually had scenes with Jill, it would be like Myrna and Kelly on Capitol. I agree that Stritch would have also been a great choice. Nevertheless, I'm interested in seeing what Learned does with the role.

I wish Jeanne Cooper the best. Who replaced her back in '86 again?

Gisele Mackenzie.

It seems like the soaps had moved away from temp recasts in recent years, aside from GH. Only this year has there been this big increase.

I just hope she won't play Katherine as the all-knowing, wise, somewhat sweet woman. Just play her as a bitch.

The Temp Replacement thread on SON says That Beverly Garland Also was a Temp Katherine. Anyone remember that

Gisele,Beverly and an actress named Patience Cleveland have all been replacements for Jeanne over the years,

I'd like Jeanne to disclose what her medical leave was about...I always hate wondering about the health of an ageing soap diva.

Michael Learned is in her 70s. That's also the last decade she mattered.

She'll fit right in.

Michael Learned is in her 70s. That's also the last decade she mattered.

She'll fit right in.

Ouch.

Cooper needed time off for medical reasons — rest assured, she’s okay – but the producers needed to continue her storyline so Learned will pick up the slack until the veteran soap star can resume taping in November. Cooper, who turns 83 on Oct. 25, has played Katherine for 38 years.

“Michael Learned is an accomplished actress and we are grateful that she is able to fill in for Jeanne Cooper for this short time,” said Executive Producer and Head Writer Maria Arena Bell in a statement. “Jeanne is an integral part of our show and

we look forward to her imminent return. We have great storyline coming up for Mrs. Chancellor.”

For this short time? Don't they know how long? If they don't why don't they start writing the story around her so she can play it when they KNOW she is able to return? Or is this great storyline coming up all going to be done by ML ?

Kay just suffered a heart attack on screen what a perfect time for she and Murphy to take off for a long needed vacation in warmer weather. Jill is without a story line or anything to do and Neil just quit as CEO, have Jill run CI as CEO while she's gone. Why not give JESS WALTON something more to do than hire another actor who can never be Kay? JW and DM could have a great time in the mansion until Kay gets back Devon can have plenty to do dealing with YoHarmony, Neil, Tucker, and others.

The show is set up PERFECTLY to EASILY work around Jeanne until she is better. They change direction with stories on a regular basis these days so this shouldn't be a big deal for this writing team. I would understand if Jeanne fell ill the day before taping, but it looks like they have had some time to adjust here and decided to re-cast one of their "NAMES" instead. I have nothing against ML but I think this is a slap in the face to JC and others on the Y&R cast. After 38 years MAB should have some respect and WAIT!!!!!!!

I don't view it as "stunt" casting - It's November sweeps and Kay is in the heart of a huge story. It's a compliment to JC that they hired someone of ML's caliber. I guess we can assume that Y&R is now taping about three weeks ahead - that seems far closer to air date than most shows during the past couple of year. Rewrites perhaps?

I have to say it, they should have gotten Cloris to do this. Or Eileen Brennan.

Edited October 24, 201114 yr by alphanguy74

I don't view it as "stunt" casting - It's November sweeps and Kay is in the heart of a huge story. It's a compliment to JC that they hired someone of ML's caliber. I guess we can assume that Y&R is now taping about three weeks ahead - that seems far closer to air date than most shows during the past couple of year. Rewrites perhaps?

It's a compliment that they can easily hire a replacement for you after almost 40 years of making Katherine Chancellor what she is today? .....I don't think so. If Kay is the heart of a big story they should cool it until JC is better. But obviously it doesn't matter to them if JC is there to play that heart or not, actors are interchangeable to them no matter who they are and no matter how much they have put into the show.

I think it's a joke that they are on this so-called strict schedule, since when? They don't care if they drop a story mid-stream or pick it up again in 2, 6, 8 months or forever without explanation. They haven't finished multiple stories, they change history on a regular basis, they don't even attempt to be consistent. They hire and fire actors on a whim, they re-cast them with huge age differences and with no consideration of who they will be portraying or in story with. They take the characters that have been developed for decades and write them any way they darn please. Now all the sudden the schedule and consistency is important?