Iconic Soap Stars Who Flopped In Other Roles

[Paul Raven]

Gerald Gordon -

Nick Bellini TD hit 

Mark Dante GH flop

[Planet Soap]

I'd have to agree with @P.J. regarding Michel Easton on GH. First he's John Mc Bain, then Caleb, then Silas, then Finn.  McBain was a badass, the rest of his roles I couldn't get into. 

 

The Jack / Julia explanation makes sense now, that always seemed weird to me.

Edited October 20, 2020 by ironlion

[amybrickwallace]

David Canary:

 

Far Wind - TD, Steve Frame #2 - AW (flop)

 

before hitting the jackpot:

 

Adam/Stuart Chandler - AMC (hit)

 

[SFK]

 

Totally. Robin has said that she disliked playing "grey" Christina, and while she was reunited with Agnes Nixon, she couldn't play the "Rachel" role on AMC as Susan was already playing it. She jumped at the chance to play Dorian and has said that her Dorian was essentially her Rachel, just older and richer.

[Mitch]

Agreed on her coming back as Hope but still would like her to have more of an "edge" then ER's did.  A lot of years went by and we never heard what Hope was up to, not even when her son had big storylines...(weird..why did they hate Hope?)  I would have loved her to come back and do the stuff Joan Collins was doing as Alex...taking over Spaudling..and causing a wedge between Alan and Olivia...and giving Alan a major hard on for his love being a match for him.

[NothinButAttitude]

 

Wasn't it alluded when AM arrived originally that Hope was still dealing with her alcoholism? That's something I would've loved to see played out had she returned. The bottle was the Bauer family curse. Would've been interesting to see her deal with her demons. 

 

I don't know if I would've wanted to see Hope at Spaulding. That was something that grated my nerves in the later years--just anyone *coughs* Harley *coughs* running a conglomerate. I think it would've been interesting to have seen her dangle her interests and son over Alan's head while being alongside Alex. That would've been fun to watch. 

[TV4Me]

Beth Ehlers was not a flop on All My Children. Taylor was a strong female character with a lot of potential. Chuck Pratt was the flop. He refused to write for her. She was on for 14 months, a lot longer than many much raved about stints. She refused to sign a new contract (can you blame her?). Funny thing is Chuck Pratt being fired right before Thanksgiving!

[beebs]

OK, Beth.

[TV4Me]

Taylor on AMC killed a man with her bare hands, a great women power moment in soap history. Contrast that with Harley on GL constantly being assaulted and beaten up despite being a cop with self defense training.

 

As for Harley being CEO of Spaulding Enterprises, it was very brief and she wasn't any less qualified than its other CEOs. Heck, there are many unqualified CEOs in real life. You are forgetting that Harley was established in the very beginning as very smart. She was a math and computer wiz. She later worked at SE as a computer programmer. Other SE CEOs: sociopath Alan, psychopath criminal Roger, brainless ditz Alexandra, sex on the brain Phillip, in over his head Alan-Michael.

[Paul Raven]

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[Mitch]

Oh God..Harley as head of Spaulding was terrible...I don't have to have stark reality on my shows but I do need them to at least mirror reality and there was no when in hell that a board would vote to put someone with no business experience as CEO..and why would Harley accept it...though the CEO never seems to have to work or travel or really do anything (at least Alan and Alex schemed.) WIth Hope you could say she had business experience but yes...I agree she should instead have taken over the Spaulding Foundation as it was her money which started it after divorcing Alan. And I would have Amanda her former friend come back and fight Alan...Alex was Bev's role and should have been retired..talk about flopping..Marj/Alex.

 

MWHAHAHA..But yes, Ehlers was full of herself after Kriezman, who had a boner for Harley, thought she was the STAR of the show, little knowing that her increasing strident and bitter persona (stemming no doubt from her troubled private life we all know about) was turning viewers off. It seems she has gotten her life in order so good for her but bringing her "dark cloud" to AMC just didnt work out.

[StepBack]

Maura West on Y&R

Betty White on B&B

Signy Coleman on GL

Michelle Stafford on GH

[Planet Soap]

I thought Betty White was very good as  Stephanie's mother on B&B. She killed the role of an elderly old school mother, stuck in her ways, and in denial about her daughter's abuse. It made for a decent back story on the source of Stephanie's anger and combativeness. 

[John]

Days should have cast Sarah Brown as Sarah Horton or Noelle Curtis

[NothinButAttitude]

 

That time of the show, I feel like they just had Harley doing any and everything, so that she can be front and center. It was unnerving as we never saw Harley have any interest of working at Spaulding. 

 

And I would've been all for Amanda being brought back. I just would hope that they'd undo that stupid rewrite and make her Alan's child again.