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Soap opera roles created for one performer but played by someone else


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What roles do you know that were created by one performer to play, but they were eventually created by another performer?

 

Here are two examples from All My Children:

 

Kate Martin was created for late Kay Campbell to play.   However, she had retired (from The Edge of Night), and the role was played by Kate Harrington.

 

Judith Sawyer was created for Carol Burnette to play.  It was eventually played by the late Gwen Verdon.

Edited by danfling
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Dallas....the character of Pam Ewing and the show itself was created for Linda Evans. When David Jacobs finished writing the script, he realized it was not right for Linda. The script wound up in the hands of Victoria Principal and she knew she wanted the role. The character of Sue Ellen was to be played by Mary Frann, but Linda Gray got the part. J.R was supposed to of been played by Robert Foxworth. Foxworth did not like the fact the character of J.R. was ruthless for just the sake of being ruthless. Foxworth questioned everything David Jacobs wrote for the character and finally passed on it.  Jacobs said when he created the part of Lucy he pictured Stefanie Kramer (later of Hunter fame) for the part. CBS went with Charlene Tilton, which you could tell in interviews he felt was a mistake. Steve Kanally read for Bobby and Ken Kercheval read for Ray.

 

Knots Landing......Gary Ewing was originally played David Akyroyd on Dallas in 1978. When KL was offered to him in 1979, he passed to do another show that was canned after a few episodes. He later appeared on Knots as another character. 

 

Y&R......Actress Mary Grover was cast as Leslie Brooks, but did not make it to air and Janice Lynde had to rush tape scenes before the first show aired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by SoapDope
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Mary Jackson played Alice Horton in the Days of Our Lives pilot

 

Philip Brown was cast as Ben Warren on GL but quit after a few days taping and Hunt Block assumed the role.

 

George Peppard filmed for several days as Blake Carrington on Dynasty before John Forsythe assumed the role.

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I'd read before that SSH was the actor Bill Bell had in mind when he created Stephanie Forrester. I wonder why she ultimately didn't take the part? Was that around the time she returned to contract on DAYS for a few years. Maybe she thought the DAYS gig was the better choice at the time???

 

I wonder how the role would have evolved with her in the part.

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