I know all this, Paul. Janet also started having kids about a decade before Patti (the vanishing child that was Chuck Gardner). I still never expected to see Patti return after a 9-year absence of complete ignorance of the character until the out-of-left-field Sarah appeared. And Schultz was a year younger than Louan Gideon (Liza). Patti had a good twenty years on Liza!

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• Re Patti on SFT. Yes she was supposed to be roughly of similar age to Janet Bergman,but in the early 70's Janet returned with two teenage children which pushed her into the 30's age bracket. Millee Taggart was 31 but playing older.So back then Janet was older than Patti.

There must have been a good reason for de-aging Patti that much...but damn if I can think of it.

Y&R: Patty Williams Abbott. Never thought she would be back. When she did show up, the totally ruined the character and was miscast.

I honestly never expected to see Phillip Spaulding returning to GL no matter what, but there he came in February of 2009 and there I came back for him.

Edited February 22, 201511 yr by katie_9918

I guess Love of Life viewers were surprised to see Meg return after 15 years or so absence.

Maybe Y&R will surprise us with Keemo's return!

There must have been a good reason for de-aging Patti that much...but damn if I can think of it.

I imagine the show wanted to go back to its roots, in a sense, but didn't want to make Patti the age she should have been, because to them that would not have made her a viable heroine.

GL-Alan (years later when he was all but forgotten storyline-wise, with Bernau dead and Roger pretty much taking the "Alan position")

-Beth (at least not without Judi Evans.)

-Roger (needs no explanation)

AW-Steve Frame

OLTL-Victor Lord

Dead or alive, Bill Eckert. Hell, ANY ECKERT! I'm sure Sly will pop up any day now.

Of all the AW characters who popped up on ATWT, Cindy surprised me the most.

The completely out of character "Malibu Madam" Amanda Spaulding

Ralph Mitchell on ATWT adter, what, 15 years? And Dani Andropoulos, the one sleeping with her former potential birth daddy, Craig.

Todd Williams on Y&R - not a return but appearing for the first time over 20 years after first being mentioned.

GL's Dinah Marler in 2004. Alan-Michael Spaulding and A.C. Mallet in 2005. Albeit, all recasts, but still surprising.

All My Children:

Kate Collins as Janet

Michael Nader as Dimitri (Prospect Park)

Matthew Cowles as Billy Clyde (Prospect Park)

Edited February 25, 201511 yr by Pine Charles

I'll chime in on Michael Nader. That was a wonderful surprise, and his arrival really coincided with energizing a lot of the show, especially the veteran storylines, outside of the Hubbards' main arc. I was really, really into Dimitri and Brooke (but also holding out for Dimitri and Opal).

Edited February 25, 201511 yr by Vee

Matthew Cowles as Billy Clyde

That was a pleasant surprise -- and just about the only thing I enjoyed from the PP episodes.

Trisha on Loving, at the end.