Guiding Light had a string of successful recasts in the late 80's-early 90's. Kimberly Simms as Mindy, Beth Chamberlain as Beth, Sherry Stringfield as Blake and Rick Hearst as Alan-Michael. I'd even add Liz Keifer as Blake.

1 hour ago, Chris B said:

I wish it was still available but at one point someone put on YouTube a cut with Adair/Dickson and Walton/Dickson doing the same scenes. It was very interesting to see their take on her Jill.

I remember that supercut, and I am gutted that it's gone.

11 hours ago, Vee said:

Maybe the three key Margo Hugheses on ATWT? There was a fourth like Bransford who didn't go over well, but the others were very distinctive and to my understanding popular.

Vicky Hudson on AW might be the same, though I have never cared much for Jensen Buchanan lol.

11 hours ago, carolineg said:

I think those are both good examples.

I do believe JB was popular as Vicky. Although I don't know if she got really lucky or was actually good. Her role as Melissa on GH and her off screen antics make me think it was the former.

Jensen was not that well-received at the start - SOD named her Worst Recast of 1991 - but her chemistry with Paul Michael Valley and the show phasing Marley out benefited her (some fans would claim Vicky just became Marley).

8 hours ago, All My Shadows said:

Sometimes I wonder how big the audience overlap was between Mart Hulswit's heyday as GL's Ed vs. Peter Simon's. I know it was a pretty quick turnaround in 1981, but by the time PS returned in 1986, GL was extremely different from the show it was during MH's run. I also imagine Robert Gentry's Ed was popular in the late 60s.

Still on GL, I figure Jone Allison's Meta was a pretty big draw on radio in the early 50s and brought the character to TV, and then Ellen Demming took over as Meta moved from being the show's young heroine to supporting character.

Love of Life had three popular actresses in the role of Vanessa back-to-back-to-back with Peggy McCay, Bonnie Bartlett, and Audrey Peters, plus a popular Meg with Jean McBride in 50s and then a hugely popular recast with Tudi Wiggins in the 70s.

I guess it helped Ellen that the show was brand new to TV so many viewers had no real attachment to Jone (who seems very good in the surviving radio episodes).

I really wish I could see the transition between the Vanessas. Peggy's has some spunk and humor in the 1952 episodes. The scrap available of Bonnie Bartlett is much more somber, and the bit of Audrey is more of the long-suffering, wise matriarch typical of soaps.

I know that many fans would tell you what a mistake the show made in the turn from Hulswit to Simon. Watching material from the time I can see why they felt that way. By 1986 I do think he fits in better, even if he never really has the warmth the Bauer family needed for a patriarch (which may be why Ed never became a patriarch - as Peter Simon never wanted to play that part of Ed anyway).

7 minutes ago, Liberty City said:

I remember that supercut, and I am gutted that it's gone.

I remember that it included a storm warning at one point, which felt very apt.

18 hours ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Days: Zach Tinker as Sonny

He was the first person I thought of.

How about Chandler Massey? Wasn't he a big hit? I remember this board raving about him.

Edited 20 hours ago20 hr by Soapsuds

Ellen Parker taking over from Ellen Dolan as Maureen on GL.

6 hours ago, Soapsuds said:

He was the first person I thought of.

How about Chandler Massey? Wasn't he a big hit? I remember this board raving about him.

I do remember thinking that he was better than that kid with the Justin Bieber haircut 😂😂😂

For B&B, I'd say that Justin Torkildsen as Rick, Ashley Jones as Bridget, and Lesli Kay as Felicia were quickly accepted by the audience (and ultimately lasted longer than their predecessors – not counting Jacob Young's return years later).

18 hours ago, Soapsuds said:

He was the first person I thought of.

How about Chandler Massey? Wasn't he a big hit? I remember this board raving about him.

Zach Tinker was so good and breathed new life into Sonny and then they did...nothing with him!

Eden became Bianca

On 11/25/2025 at 8:44 PM, kalbir said:

Of Y&R's late 1980s big three recasts, I'd say Jess Walton was the most successful.

Jess knocked it out of the park and within a decade of playing Jill, had two Emmys to her name.

On 11/25/2025 at 9:54 PM, Paul Raven said:

I think Carmen Duncan was pretty well accepted as Iris on AW. The fact viewers knew Beverlee was not returning and Iris was such a dynamic character helped. Also the time b/w the two actresses helped and Carmen was a good actress also.

Another great choice. Carmen was wonderful as Iris.

I'll also add Lauren Koslow as Kate on DAYS. She's coming up to her 30th anniversary on the show. There are definitely still people who love Deborah Adair's Kate, but for me, it's LK or nobody.

Justin Hartley and Mark Grossman as Adam Y&R seemed to slip into their roles easily. IMO Groaaman channels Michel Muney's darkness and mysteriousness. Did you all accept them?

How quickly were GH'S Laura Wright and Tamara Braun accepted as Carly?

Edited 3 minutes ago3 min by Planet Soap