Oh, I loved the train tracks with Gwen and Jade! And let's not forget the Garden Gnome Attack!

1. Charity Rahmer

2. Yvonne Zima

3. Emily Harrison

Yeah, what was that? Since when does a girl from the wrong side of the tracks in this country sound like Dame Edith Evans?

Oh, I loved the train tracks with Gwen and Jade! And let's not forget the Garden Gnome Attack!

You see? That. Right there. That alone makes me wish I had multiple personalities, so one of 'em could help me block out the trauma I incurred from watching that POS storyline.

Tracey Ross, Amelia Marshall,

I'm going to assume you probably only saw Marshall on Passions to which I agree she was pretty bad but then again she was terribly miscast in a bad one-note villain role with lousy writing it was her GL work where Marshall absolutely shined and drove story for years. As for Ross, she was one of Passions' better performers.

The whole Justine topic made me realize that sometimes a dual role can reveal just how limited (or talented) an actor or actress really is. I enjoyed David Canary and Martha Byrne as Adam and Lily, but their turns as Stuart and Rose really made me stand up and take notice. They created two characters totally different than what they had played for years. And they didn't go for the easy "evil twin", they played characters that were just different. But VW's Justine and Adrienne Frantz' April showed just how limited those actress' could be when they went beyond their range. I haven't made my mind up about Jennifer Landon's Gwen/Cleo. I KNOW Cleo was terrible, but JL seemed to be having such a good time with the role, I just can't hate it.

For me a dual role isn't so much about an actor's talent, or lack of talent. I loved Martha Byrne as Rose but I can never believe she is a good actress. Some actors are just suited to a certain archetype. For instance, I still can't believe Bette Davis once played twins.

I think it's easier to play dual roles when you have big contrasting personalities, but that's hard with Rachel, because no one wants to see her as a weak victim. That's what she had to be in order to justify Justine's presence.

I doubt it would have been any less of a car crash, but if they'd done something like Katharine/Marge on Y&R, and had VW play some loudmouth white trash, to remind Rachel of her roots, that might have been more interesting.

Edited June 11, 201213 yr by CarlD2

I'm dying for Rahmer to receive her own VH1 reality series, SWEET CHARITY, about her quest to reclaim the role of Belle.

Okay, somebody simply MUST make this happen!

Edited June 11, 201213 yr by RoseVioletDaisy

I couldn't (respectfully) disagree more on Roger Howarth. Wasn't Charity on DAYS for like 2 weeks about 8 years ago? And at least Ronn is hilariously bad. I love his scarves!

Steve Burton, Maurice Bernard, Kelli Sullivan, the "actress" who plays Kristina on GH, Drake Hogestyn, Galen Gering, McKenzie Westmore, Andrew Trischitta, TSJ, JPL, Farah Fath, David Gregory, Bree Williamson (but she's entertainingly bad as Wes), Tracey Ross, Amelia Marshall, Danica Stewart, Michael Easton, Laura Wright, Nafessa Williams, Lenny Platt, Nic Robuck, Josh Taylor, Patrick Muldoon, Chandler Massey, the actress that used to play Celeste on DAYS

The NUKristina actress has only been on for a couple of epis she's far from the shittiest compared to some of the others who didn't make your list ad were on soaps for years like Kristen Alderson. Tracey Ross was one of the better actresses on Passions Lindsey Hartley's limited beyond crying ass needs to be on this list. Amelia Marshall is a good actress, she was good on AMC and GL.

The whole Justine topic made me realize that sometimes a dual role can reveal just how limited (or talented) an actor or actress really is. I enjoyed David Canary and Martha Byrne as Adam and Lily, but their turns as Stuart and Rose really made me stand up and take notice. They created two characters totally different than what they had played for years. And they didn't go for the easy "evil twin", they played characters that were just different. But VW's Justine and Adrienne Frantz' April showed just how limited those actress' could be when they went beyond their range. I haven't made my mind up about Jennifer Landon's Gwen/Cleo. I KNOW Cleo was terrible, but JL seemed to be having such a good time with the role, I just can't hate it.

As much as everyone hated Ava on AMC, I give Leven Rambin major kudos for her portrayal. When I watched Ava and Lily, I felt like I was watching two different actresses.

Anna Stuart just rocked my world on AW. It saddens me that her work has gone generally unnoticed in the daytime community for over 30 years, but at least she's been employed the majority of the time. I'm hoping and guessing that Stuart was saving her nickels in the days where a soap vet could make a handsome living. Plus, she never phoned it in and made acting look so effortless. She's so real at times that it's easy to forget she's acting- even when she's given material that allows for it, Stuart never goes for showy with her performances.

I loved Anna Stuart too. I think the reasons she's been so overlooked are that she was never a leading actress and identified with a show that never got any respect after the 1970s. She was a very effective multi-dimensional villainessous when Donna first appeared in the 80s, but I think the character went to pot when a totally miscast Philece Sempler took over and Donna was turned into a whiny heroine. I think when Stuart returned, she definitely gave it 110%, but I don't think the character ever recovered from the Sempler train wreck. I never got the idea that they really knew what to do with Donna or how to write for her. Anna was terrific on AMC, and I never understood why the show never tried to snap her up and get her on contract. Just so much wasted potential there IMO.

Edited June 11, 201213 yr by LoyaltoAMC

James Scott

I was disappointed when he didn't leave. EJ Dimera is the most pointless and useless character I've ever seen in daytime. I even have a death list for the character. I just don't understand why they overuse him so much. An accent doesn't make you a good actor. And his blinking drives me insane.

Agreed. I think I've *finally* grown to tolerate him, but if they're de-DiMera-izing him, then he's pretty much good to go.

I loved Anna Stuart too. I think the reasons she's been so overlooked are that she was never a leading actress and identified with a show that never got any respect after the 1970s. She was a very effective multi-dimensional villainessous when Donna first appeared in the 80s, but I think the character went to pot when a totally miscast Philece Sempler took over and Donna was turned into a whiny heroine. I think when Stuart returned, she definitely gave it 110%, but I don't think the character ever recovered from the Sempler train wreck. I never got the idea that they really knew what to do with Donna or how to write for her. Anna was terrific on AMC, and I never understood why the show never tried to snap her up and get her on contract. Just so much wasted potential there IMO.

I think the character suffered severe damage when Michael arrived. She became about Michael, and then about Michael and Reginald. She may have been a more supporting character before then, or a bitch, but she had humor and style. It's just depressing seeing Anna Stuart's last months before leaving, as Donna is just a cowering victim.

Anna Stuart said Donna Swajeski had no interest in writing for her upon the 1989 return, and I think it showed onscreen, with such degrading material.

It's telling that the few years Michael was away (92-94) sparked a renaissance for Donna, which ended as soon as he returned. He was a leech.

James Scott

I was disappointed when he didn't leave. EJ Dimera is the most pointless and useless character I've ever seen in daytime. I even have a death list for the character. I just don't understand why they overuse him so much. An accent doesn't make you a good actor. And his blinking drives me insane.

I've always felt that was an acting choice he made specific to EJ. I watched him on AMC before DAYS and he never did anything like that as Ethan. I've noticed then when EJ gets flustered, is caught off guard, or lies, he does the blinking think with his eyes. It's almost as though he's using them to hypnotize the other person or maybe catch them off guard right back. Whatever the case may be, I've always liked it and enjoy that it's still there, as I justify it as being a character choice and one I rather like for this character (or at least I did in the beginning, when EJ was still being defined).

Anna was terrific on AMC, and I never understood why the show never tried to snap her up and get her on contract. Just so much wasted potential there IMO.

Either that's because AS was/is "too old" for youth-crazed EP's and network execs, or they don't know what to do with a performer who doesn't have the heart to chew scenery like others in her generation would.

I loved Anna Stuart as Mary Smythe, and I adored the scenes she had with Erica and Adam. I wish she'd stayed around longer.