Y&R: Longtime daytime actor joins in new 'mystery role'

[CrazySexyQ]

I was not expecting this. He's a good actor, but really loves to ham it up. It's a bad habit he picked up during his later years at OLTL. But prime Todd Manning will always be one of my favorites, not to mention Todd & Blair.

I hope he's a new character and paired with Sharon. She needs something to do other than make eyes at Nick. 

But these stunt castings don't usually do much in the long run if the story isn't there. 

[Vee]

I would not call Roger a FOJ. His time working for Jill Farren Phelps was relatively brief, and as far as we know she never attempted to poach him since OLTL. But they could be friendly.

Roger does have a past with Josh Griffith, and I suspect that relationship was less contentious than his with Michael Malone.

[detroitpiston]

This was my initial thought when I saw Tamara Braun’s casting and now this lol… Roger Howarth helped secure Jill’s GH promotion back in the day and we know how loyal she is (until you get in contract talks and get tired of being overworked). Definitely feels like JFP flexing and putting the other shows on notice that she’s back.

[Vee]

How did RH help secure Jill's promotion to GH?

[1974mdp]

Exactly! A good soap is a balance of characters from all generations, and you need younger characters to be developed for the future of the show. I mean...everyone on this show is over 40 (or close to it) except maybe Claire, Kyle, Audra....who else???

And as someone else mentioned, they could use this money to finally build some new sets.

I like RH overall, but I bet Y&R could have hired at least five younger actors for what they're going to pay him.

This show needs new blood...STAT.

Edited August 29 by 1974mdp

[reallyhateskateonlost]

If RH is Tucker I will quit watching.

[titan1978]

Agreed, inquiring minds want to know.

[titan1978]

He is at his best with a character that is quirky. Even at his hammiest, he didn’t evoke Tony Geary doing the same kind of over the top style. Geary really could eat the stage when not reigned in. Judging Howarth’s GH work, I am not sure if he is capable of having the darker edge he started with on daytime anymore. He is a good actor with range. The problem I had was poor bts choices at GH in regards to his characters and keeping him there for three different roles in the same run.

But, he doesn’t fit the Y&R mold to me, although the show is a far cry from the glamorous old Hollywood style it used to embody. He always felt like an ABC, New York actor to me. I am not sure I can define it better- they tended to be more gritty and grounded, less the stare off into space and very staged performances like we found on the Bell soaps. 

[soapfan770]

Pretty much my thought too my friend. I still remember Howarth getting hired at ATWT and Barbara Bloom boasting about how many ABC stars she had hired for all 4 soaps at the time. None of them lasted long except we were stuck with Howarth till the very end. 

(Don’t get me started on Brian Gaskill lol)

Other than PB, MCE at her height of popularity there 2014-2016 when she was paired with Justin Hartley,  and I guess B-listers like Thompson and Heinle for better or worse, has any major ABC star ever even made a lasting impression on Y&R? All the ones I can think of outright always flopped. 

[kalbir]

Honestly no, and that's going all the way back to the 1980s, starting with Andrea Evans.

ABC big three acting style is a different beast than Y&R acting style. I remember an early 1990s interview with PB where he even said as much.

At the height of MAB and her love of ABC leftovers (IIRC she brought on Tristan Rogers, Genie Francis, Debbi Morgan, Darnell Williams), I really thought she would try to get Susan Lucci as a recast Julia Newman but thankfully that didn't happen.

[Vee]

I think in a different time, with a different Y&R Howarth (or Billy Flynn, or whoever else) would be a big get. Even 15 years ago. He is willing to act these days (unlike Trevor St. John's predictable stint) even when he has a certain range, and I think in a better situation he could adjust to the rhythms and style of Y&R and do well.

The problem is that this show has long since become, like ATWT and like @DRW50 said, a clearinghouse for old ABC stars, from creative BTS personnel who were more comfortable working at ABC. And very few of these added soap stars or young additions hit or last, because Y&R has failed to cultivate talent long-term or build out anything new anymore. It's calcified.

Say what we will about Frank Valentini's GH, and I could say a lot - it has its own aging vets it refuses to move off the front line, it has a massive traffic jam with too many kids in the younger generations - but it's still nimbler on its feet, still feels alive and still invests more time and focus in the next gen than modern Y&R ever has or apparently will.

Edited August 30 by Vee

[Vee]

Was Andrea not popular here? I thought she was a success and frankly thought that was part of why OLTL went after her to revamp Tina back then. Or was it the story that was famous vs. her Patty?

[titan1978]

And there are those of us who don’t think Peter Bergman was all that successful at what Terry Lester did as Jack. He essentially became more of spoiled little rich boy to me under Bergman, and very little like the sly and nimble Jack that Terry Lester created.

[AdelaideCate007]

This really is all starting to feel like whichever CBS soap it was that had half of the GH vets (and also Cady McClain I think) on there during the JFP era before Frank brought all of them back over.

I think RH is still capable of doing good work, and it wasn't his fault GH saddled him with two of the worst characters imaginable. He's not someone I see fitting in at Y&R though, at least acting wise. I guess we shall see.

Edited August 30 by AdelaideCate007

[Vee]

ATWT. Several of us have referenced it here, yeah.