A small discussion on the Great Bitch that Launched Dynasty to Worldwide Fame, So the discussion is Her Greatest Moments, The other Possible faces she could have had and of course her copies (quite a few) 

As for the copies first comes Ava Marshall from Bare Essence (1983), another one is Dianna Brock from CPW (1995-96), then Cookie Lyon from Empire (2015-21) she certainly got a lot of Alexis in her.

Wasn't Dina on Y&R basically a direct lift of Alexis? I mean the premise, mother abandons children and returns home dramatically, the characterization was less intense.

Edited August 15, 20214 yr by Darn

All Alexises, in one way or another…
 

SFT—Estelle Kendall

GL—Alexandra Spaulding 

ATWT—Lucinda Walsh

DAYS—Angelica Deveraux, Vivian Alamain

SB—Augusta Lockridge

Y&R—Dina Mergeron, as mentioned; later, Jill Abbott

OLTL—Dorian Lord

CAP—Myrna Clegg

And within DYNASTY itself ... Dominique Deveraux, Sable Colby and Caress Morell.

I also forgot Angelica Nero (DALLAS). In later years, Abby on KNOTS LANDING also had some Alexis-ish characteristics (I'm thinking in particular of becoming a tycoon, associating with dangerous men and remarrying about every other year).

Felicia Gallant

Doreen Jackson

Racine

Gwyneth Alden

 

There’s that great photo set of Robin Strasser and Phil Carey very obviously styled as daytime’s answers to Alexis and J.R.
Robin points out that Dorian predates Alexis, as did Robin’s ideas for Dorian … to be more lavish with her wealth, providing the audience with all of that eye candy and fantasy of the super rich.

I remember my mother saying that when Alexis started on Dynasty, she and her co-workers referred to her as, “another Erica”, not the other way around. It would be interesting to look back and examine the timeline of Erica, Dorian, and Alexis as they made their climbs into that glamorous ‘80s soap vixen archetype. I’m sure AMC and OLTL were looking hard at Dynasty, but it’s unfair to suggest that they weren’t way ahead in terms of their raven-haired vixens.

Jo Ann Phlug’s character in Rituals

To be fair, when Alexis enters in season 2, she's not the Queen of the Universe that they would later write her as. She's a sociopathic monster who makes Krystle have a miscarriage and almost kills her out of spite and doesn't feel the slightest bit bad about it. She's dressed rather modestly instead of the later glitz-and-glamour that she would adopt once Cecil died. She was essentially a snake in the grass in season 2.

Just now, te. said:

To be fair, when Alexis enters in season 2, she's not the Queen of the Universe that they would later write her as. She's a sociopathic monster who makes Krystle have a miscarriage and almost kills her out of spite and doesn't feel the slightest bit bad about it. She's dressed rather modestly instead of the later glitz-and-glamour that she would adopt once Cecil died. She was essentially a snake in the grass in season 2.

That was the genius of Joan. She played Alexis so menacingly. She was dangerous. And yet, she had such charisma, audiences loved to watch her.

This is one of my favourite scenes of hers. I've always wondered what episode Joan submitted when she was nominated for the Emmy. I only wish she'd submitted this one, it shows her at her best:

 

Alexis in season 2 was more subtle and subdued.  My mom said it was more interesting when she lived in the gate house on the property where interactions between Blake, Krystal and Alexis were more organic.

She still had some of that lethal snake in the grass vibe in season 3...but gone by season 4.

 

I always viewed Jill on Y & R more like Abby on KL.  Single mom, grew up working class, worked her way into marrying well..but also had keen business sense to keep her in that level when the marriage went south.  And had a tense relationship with her child..same as Abby.

On 8/15/2021 at 7:17 PM, Darn said:

Wasn't Dina on Y&R basically a direct lift of Alexis? I mean the premise, mother abandons children and returns home dramatically, the characterization was less intense.

In a way yes but I remember that Dina had the opposite kind of behavior Alexis Had as her husband's new wife was the actual bitch, if so other Alexis kinds would be Daisy from AMC (just saw her introduction by YouTube so dramatic and great) and Victoria Principal's character in Titans

On 8/15/2021 at 7:17 PM, Darn said:

Wasn't Dina on Y&R basically a direct lift of Alexis? I mean the premise, mother abandons children and returns home dramatically, the characterization was less intense.

In a way yes but I remember that Dina had the opposite kind of behavior Alexis Had as her husband's new wife was the actual bitch, if so other Alexis kinds would be Daisy from AMC (just saw her introduction by YouTube so dramatic and great) and Victoria Principal's character in Titans

On 8/15/2021 at 8:16 PM, Franko said:

And within DYNASTY itself ... Dominique Deveraux, Sable Colby and Caress Morell.

I also forgot Angelica Nero (DALLAS). In later years, Abby on KNOTS LANDING also had some Alexis-ish characteristics (I'm thinking in particular of becoming a tycoon, associating with dangerous men and remarrying about every other year).

How Angelica Nero resembled Alexis, all I know about her is that she was a big bitch during the dream season, in Dynasty Sable was indeed The Colbys Ripoff of Alexis but I actually think Francesca has more to do with Alexis than her (comes back for son, causes lots of trouble etc) I thought that Emily Fallmont has something to do with Alexis I guess I saw her as a mirror to what might have been if Blake never caught on Alexis cheating

On 8/17/2021 at 2:05 AM, SFK said:

Felicia Gallant

Doreen Jackson

Racine

Gwyneth Alden

 

There’s that great photo set of Robin Strasser and Phil Carey very obviously styled as daytime’s answers to Alexis and J.R.
Robin points out that Dorian predates Alexis, as did Robin’s ideas for Dorian … to be more lavish with her wealth, providing the audience with all of that eye candy and fantasy of the super rich.

I remember my mother saying that when Alexis started on Dynasty, she and her co-workers referred to her as, “another Erica”, not the other way around. It would be interesting to look back and examine the timeline of Erica, Dorian, and Alexis as they made their climbs into that glamorous ‘80s soap vixen archetype. I’m sure AMC and OLTL were looking hard at Dynasty, but it’s unfair to suggest that they weren’t way ahead in terms of their raven-haired vixens.

Jo Ann Phlug’s character in Rituals

Sorry I don't remember knowing any of your examples would you mind telling me about them a little? But I remembered Iris Wheeler Cory had a lot of Alexis Vibes, is this Racine the one from Paper Dolls? It would make much sense she was originally played by Joan after all

The possible Faces Alexis could have included the ones from: Raquel Welch, Jessica Walter, Sophia Loren (I Want to thank Sophia Loren for turning down the part😂), Elizabeth Taylor and anyone else, I admit I would have liked an older actress in the Role like Lana Turner (She and Forsyte worked together well in Madame X that movie could also be used for flashbacks) or Dorothy Malone (Her oscar came from a performance that included a Trial scene like the Alexis Introduction) by the way in the reboot did any prefer someone else to play Alexis? Over Nicollette or Elaine like Heather Locklear, Catherine Oxeberg or Pam Sue Martin?

Joan is Alexis, Alexis is Joan. Ttrying to recreate such a character is an impossible predicament. I watch the new Dynasty mostly out of brand loyalty/nostalgia/curiosity about its faithfulness to the original. I’m not passionate about the show, but I do watch. Nicolette worked just fine because she brought her own ‘80s primetime soap pedigree to the show which satisfied a certain nostalgia factor, while she in no way attempted to channel Joan, she was uniquely Nicolette. All of the crazy plastic surgery recasting mess just pushed me further and further away from my acceptance of this not-Alexis-but-Alexis and when I watch now I’m just constantly reminded of how I’m not watching Joan. This Alexis finally got this show’s version of her iconic penthouse the other episode and I couldn’t even get excited about that.

I think I would have preferred a prequel series with an actress playing a twentysomething young mother version of Joan’s Alexis. I would have loved to see Siân Phillips as Mrs. Morell.

Edited September 3, 20214 yr by SFK

On 8/17/2021 at 1:05 AM, SFK said:

Felicia Gallant

 

I don't see a resemblance between Alexis and Felicia. I guess I don't know Alexis well enough. Felicia is over the top, has odd fashion sense, but is warm, caring and loving. 

On 8/16/2021 at 10:27 PM, DaytimeFan said:

That was the genius of Joan. She played Alexis so menacingly. She was dangerous. And yet, she had such charisma, audiences loved to watch her.

This is one of my favourite scenes of hers. I've always wondered what episode Joan submitted when she was nominated for the Emmy. I only wish she'd submitted this one, it shows her at her best:

 

As soon as I saw the heading...

 

Glad you made it and thank you for that scene. Oh my God! That was delicious and she subtly ripped him to shreds and just when he thought he had her...CHECK...MATE. 

16 hours ago, Marissa Gallant said:

I don't see a resemblance between Alexis and Felicia. I guess I don't know Alexis well enough. Felicia is over the top, has odd fashion sense, but is warm, caring and loving. 

You are certainly correct in terms of who Felicia became (thanks to Linda Dano), but the character was conceived quite differently. As Linda says, Felicia was supposed to be a bitch and her early material had shades of Alexis down to the white Roller and getting pushed into a pool.