This may have been done before, but what classic TV stars do you think would have been good on soaps ?

I was recently watching some old episodes of the 80's show Matt Houston starring Lee Horsley. I think Lee would have been good as Victor's brother Matt Miller. Pamela Hensley his co-star would have made an interesting Jill.

Kent McCord ("Adam-12") would have been good on Y&R or B&B, or even on old-school DAYS and GH.

Carroll O'Connor. He would have been brilliant on a well-written, intimate, half-hour soap like RH.

I often see theatre or film stars on classic TV and think they'd have been great on a soap. Ben Gazzara, Kim Stanley, Mary Astor...

What a coincidence... just flipped the channel, and there's Ben Gazzara acting opposite Eric Braeden in Run for Your Life.

I could see Elizabeth Montgomery on any of the soaps.

Jaclyn Smith as a sister to Jill on Y&R.

Karen Valentine as another sister to Jil on Y&R.

Kristy McNichol in the lesbian storyline on B&B.

Vanna White as a 4th Spencer sibling Cathleen on B&B.

I always wanted to see Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore as Marlena's parents on Days with Donna Mills (yes I know she got her start in Daytime soaps) joining the cast as a recast Anjelica Deveraux

Vivian Vance

Natalie Schafer

Raymond Burr

Esther Rolle

For a time, Esther Rolle played Sadie Gray on OLTL. I don't remember what year(s) and her episodes most likely no longer exist, but I sure would have liked to have seen that.

I second Elizabeth Montgomery. What a beautiful lady. She could have busted out her Serena wig and played Viki and Dorian.

Better yet, Elizabeth Montgomery could have come in as Irene Manning during the original Viki/Tina/Victor/secret room mystery.

Kenny from back in the day (I think he only posts at DR now) always suggested that Lauren Lane, who played C.C. Babcock on The Nanny would've played a good bitch role on a soap, and I tend to agree.

I could picture Helen Hunt playing a neurotic character on any of the soaps.

Meredith Baxter as a psychotic ex wife/lover who goes on a rampage.

Ricky Nelson as a Noah Drake type character.

Meredith Baxter as a psychotic ex wife/lover who goes on a rampage.

They replay that Betty Broderick mini series movie on Lifetime all the time

Kristy McNichol in the lesbian storyline on B&B.

Yes!

For a time, Esther Rolle played Sadie Gray on OLTL. I don't remember what year(s) and her episodes most likely no longer exist, but I sure would have liked to have seen that.

Interesting; I didn't know that. She certainly could be very dramatic on Good Times ("Damn!...Damn!....DAMN!" ), so I figured she'd be a great fit on a soap opera.

As for Vivian Vance, I was picturing a Myrtle Fargate-type character (this would be in the '70s when Viv was older). Raymond Burr could play a wealthy patriarch, and Nat Schafer would be great as a wealthy matriarch (a la Phoebe English Tyler-Wallingford).

Edited November 7, 201312 yr by Pine Charles

I wonder what Patricia Richardson from Home Improvement would have been like as Margo on ATWT. I would liked to see her cast as a sister to Hilary B. Smith's on a soap.

Ann Jillian was hilarious in the Y&R spoof in the movie Mr. Mom. She would have been awesome on a soap.

Dana Plato (before she got screwed up) as a Patty Williams recast.

Lecy Goranson and Sarah Chalke as twins on any soap