Suzanne, may her memory be a blessing, probably had nothing good to say about that show given it was named by TV Guide as one of the 50 Worst Television Shows of all time...but it laid the groundwork for her comeback on Step by Step because Lorimar was the production company of both, and she had a very happy relationship with Lorimar and Miller-Boyett, who she tons of praise for.
Patrick Duffy had an overall deal with Lorimar, so the moment Dallas was over, he was prepping for Step by Step. He is an incredibly well liked man and a solid actor, so he had a well deserved nearly 30 year run in primetime.
That is the same for Locklear and Sullivan, both of whom are hard workers and very professional and well liked, and enjoyed such consistent careers in television.
I personally really like Sheridan, and don't think what happened on Desperate Housewives was cool at all. She's worked since then with a number of networks, so there are clearly other people who agree.
Loni Anderson was an actress who never managed to duplicate the success she enjoyed on WKRP in Cincinnati, which is really a shame because she was a skilled comedienne. In her last role, in a Lifetime TV movie, she proved she still had the comedic chops. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact she was beautiful and glamorous in her private and public image, so in the 80s they weren't casting someone who looked like her in a comedy.
I think Morgan Fairchild is another actress who fits this category. She never had a big hit all her own. A 4 year run on Search for Tomorrow. Guest shots on Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, one episode on Dallas, then Flamingo Road, which only lasted two seasons, then Paper Dolls, which only lasted a season, then two years on Falcon Crest...it was like she could not find a permanent spot on a prime time soap. Then more guest shots (including an Emmy nomination for Murphy Brown), then Chandler's Mom on Friends, and really whatever she could do. She is so smart and has a good heart I'm sorry she never got the true success she deserved. I think a lot of it came down to her bravery in speaking about HIV/AIDS in the 80s and networks deemed her "too controversial"...bastards.
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DaytimeFan ·
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