I think Geary & Benard were basically in the same boat. They left to seek out greener pastures, saw that they weren't getting the work and had nowhere near the clout or popularity they carried in the daytime world, bit the bullet and came back to the gilded cage (sorry for mixing metaphors) where they were wanted. In Geary's case, especially, with the double-edged sword of fans clamoring for his return but only for a character he was reluctant to take up again (and we saw how Bill Eckert worked out!). Michael Easton, too, although he had more crossover success than the other two, appearing in a number of series in the 1990s, plus he was younger and apparently "hawt". Still...if a fairly new, 30-minute soap wants to pay you to play a vampire and the world isn't beating a path to your door, it's still a job and with soaps, possibly some longtime security and a savings account heading into middle and old age...and not having to be away from your family for any length of time or uproot them.

Edited August 8, 201411 yr by applcin

I think there's a difference between someone phoning it in vs. someone who isn't given anything meaty to do for a substantial period of time. Deidre Hall is supporting. John Aniston plays a cantankerous millionaire. B&B's John McCook is given nothing other than a solemn Christmas moment thinking of Stephanie.

I wouldn't put anyone on DAYS on this list either. Y&R's cast looks the most bored. I would say GH too but every day they introduce a brand new cast so I can't really do a comparison.

Gray Bunny, I couldn't agree with you more.

Vanessa Marcil is at the top of the list! She took Brenda from "Sonny, I love you" as Brenda collapses to the floor [brilliant] to a cackling heifer whose sleeves are too long!

I don't agree about Stafford. The problem with Redzilla is that she buys her own hype, but her range is not as great as she thinks it is. She's a good actress, but there is nothing great about her. I would never accuse this woman of phoning it in. She loves who she thinks she is way too much!

I agree with you about Vanessa and I agree about Stafford and would also put Benard, Geary,Miller, etc in that category.

Someone mentioned Kelly Monaco. She was never great to begin with. She just had a character written to fit her but she's never been a great actress.

Someone mentioned Kelly Monaco. She was never great to begin with. She just had a character written to fit her but she's never been a great actress.

No, she was phenomenal as Livvie Locke on Port Charles. One could argue she had the strongest female performance during that soaps run.

She was also devilishly good as Sam during 2007/2008 when she was wrecking havoc on Elizabeth's life over the paternity reveal and seducing Lucky away from her.

Edited August 17, 201411 yr by Skin

I wonder how Monaco would've don't as ATWT's Nikki Munson or the other soap role she was considered of playing

Her performance aside GH was the best career opportunity for her at that time. Makes complete sense why she moved there. She had a great opportunity to get away from Daytime too, post Dancing With The Stars. I don't know why she didn't take it.

It's not so much the actors that fizzle out it's the storylines.

Edited August 17, 201411 yr by nutty4gh

Her performance aside GH was the best career opportunity for her at that time. Makes complete sense why she moved there. She had a great opportunity to get away from Daytime too, post Dancing With The Stars. I don't know why she didn't take it.

She tried she wasn't getting decent offers. Lets face it most of her notoriety comes from her body not her acting.