Character Recasts

[Angela Channing]

Did Knots Landing have any? All the main prime time soaps of the era recast major and supporting characters at some point but I can't recall any occurring in Knots Landing. Am I missing someone? I'm not including Gary as he was recast in Dallas and not Knots Landing, nor actors who only appeared in flashback scenes.

It's kind of remarkable that Knots Landing didn't have any because it was on air longer than any of it's contemporaries.

 

[micmic]

Mary Frances
Brian, Bobby, Betsey & meg
Teddy (Karen's boyfriend )
The guy from kl motors who killed Sid .

 

[Jimmy Todd]

KL did the reverse a couple of times. They had the same actress play a different character. Lisa Hartman played Ciji and Cathy. Stacy Galina played Mary Frances and Kate.
I personally don't like recasts, so I found Knots' refreshing and well done.

 

[Knots Blogger]

I can think of a few. I believe there were 4 Jasons, one in the Pilot, one for seasons one, two, and three, and then a new one takes over from 4 through most of 7 and morphs into the final Jason randomly somewhere in the middle of season 7.

People have already said Mary Frances and Teddy, who was originally played by Terri Kiser of Friday the 13th Part VII and Weekend at Bernie’s fame.

I just remembered Scooter Warren. He morphed from Alan Miller into some guy with a ridiculous moustache. Moustache only played him for one episode and then he returned to being Alan Miller (who, just to make things more confusing, showed up on Dallas season 8 as Jenna Wade’s lawyer).

 

[Daniel Avery]

The guy who played Scooter for one episode was John Considine (later cast as villainous Reginald Love on Another World).

Most of the recasts are indeed the children (for various reasons). One that wasn't mentioned (probably because the whole thing was so problematic) is the recast of Amanda Michaels, though when originally on screen we only knew her as "Sally's Friend" (long story). One actress (some say it was Lar Park Lincoln) played the role when she was only viewed from the back and heard talking on the phone. The following season, Penny Peyser assumed the role.

As for why the show managed to hold on to its stars, maybe it was just such a wonderful place to work that people wanted to stay.
Or maybe the casting directors were so good at their jobs that once they hired the right person, there was no need to replace them.
Or maybe once they saw someone was not working out, they just killed the character off rather than recast.

 

[Gold Canyon 340]

Don't forget Gary Ewing himself, who was a different actor when he was introduced on Dallas for two episodes. Thus, that technicality might mean that this doesn't count, but it is interesting to consider that the first Gary ended up on Knots in Season 3 ("Mistaken Motives"). While I am glad that Ted came along because he had SO much more chemistry with Joan than the original guy, I do wonder what he must have thought in that Season 3 episode? I recall David Jacobs talking about how they approached him with the part, but he opted for a different series (that ended up going nowhere). I wonder if he was kicking himself for not taking the Knots role? I'm glad he didn't. Ted was much more handsome and worked very well with the other cast members.

 

[Willie Oleson]

While I am glad that Ted came along because he had SO much more chemistry with Joan than the original guy

I totally bought them as a couple on Dallas.

But when I think of Gary and Abby, then it has to be the two blondes otherwise we'd end up hating Gary, and I'm sure that was not the plan.
Blonde hair seems to represent both innocence and weakness, and that really worked for Knots-Gary. Ted Shackelford was also a master of the "penny drops" facial expression.

It would have been very interesting if Gary #1 had played Danny Waleska!

 

[micmic]

I felt that instead of recasting they were simply ignoring. like Sid's daughter who never even bothered showing up to her own father's funeral. Same with her mom. Karen's brother and others.

I think the only characters/actors that actually came back were donna Mills and Claudia lonow (plus Joan van ark who wanted to do season 14 after deciding not to, but it was too late).

 

[Daniel Avery]

Knots also had the advantage of not being a show focused around one extended family. It had several families and lots of individuals who interacted with them (until they didn't). When you have one family to write for, you have to hang onto the main family members/characters, so recasts happen a bit more regularly. Knots could have entire families break up or depart entirely but the show did not suffer major damage because others could step up to bat.

 

[Seaviewer]

Or maybe once they saw someone was not working out, they just killed the character off rather than recast.

They also pulled the old trick of introducing a similar character. Aunt Ginny was essentially Lilimae recast and arguably Laura was reborn as Claudia.

 

[tommie]

Knots also had the advantage of not being a show focused around one extended family. It had several families and lots of individuals who interacted with them (until they didn't). When you have one family to write for, you have to hang onto the main family members/characters, so recasts happen a bit more regularly. Knots could have entire families break up or depart entirely but the show did not suffer major damage because others could step up to bat.

Yes, add that it's also easier to introduce characters as there really doesn't need to be a huge reason for someone to move there, or give them a reason for sticking around after their storyline is done (they live there) or when they have a major fall out with characters there's not the whole awkward "why on earth are they letting them stick around in the mansion after all they've done?". And as others said - if a character/actor doesn't work out, they can just write said character out and introduce a new one with a similar purpose.

There's only so many long-lost children, cousins, aunts and others you can believably introduce to the Ewing or Carrington clans. Hell, on NuDynasty they've ended up cornering Sammy Jo's character because if he does something bad, he'll easily be kicked out and there's no reason for them to ever talk to him again. Characters could try to avoid Abby, but when she lived in the Cul-de-sac or had other business there it was harder to just avoid her.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Aunt Ginny was essentially Lilimae recast and arguably Laura was reborn as Claudia.

I always pictured Patricia Williams as the heiress to Laura's throne, at least when she first arrived. Paula Vertosick also performed some of Laura's 'duties' as a sort of 'good angel on Greg's shoulder' trying to get him to do the right thing. But these ladies, as much as I liked them, didn't have all the attributes that made Laura what she was. This whole idea of introducing one or two characters who exhibit characteristics of a past favorite also explains why we had Claudia, Anne, and Linda all come to the forefront after the departure of Abby--because each of them delivered certain facets of Abby's character in the storylines. Claudia brought the ruthlessness; Anne brought the sense of humor about her schemes; and Linda brought the sex appeal/'sleep her way to the top' aspects of early Abby.

Aunt Ginny was such a retread of Lilimae that I often wondered if they wrote the scripts with the name "Lilimae" crossed out and "Ginny" written in. Which is not a slam on the writers or the actress; they needed a character in Val's orbit who performed the 'duties' Lilimae had, and Betsy Palmer played Ginny with the right mix of caring and support (with a bit of comedy tossed in). Another quite direct example of bringing in a similar 'type' is the character of Kate Whittaker, who had many of the character traits and plot purposes of Olivia Cunningham. Olivia and Kate were both sweet and innocent, but had scheming, often villainous mothers whose "sMothering" skills often pushed the daughter away. Claudia and Abby often justified themselves as having done awful things "for their kids, so they will have everything they need". Of course this left Kate and Olivia to be embarrassed (or just plain repelled) when they discovered the depths of their mother's villainy.

 

[Chris2]

I thought the intention was that Julie Harris was going to recur after she departed as a regular, and I remember Joan Van Ark saying the same thing. I’m sure Julie Harris was offered that opportunity and turned it down. They probably wanted to pay her less than she had made as a regular.

 

[Seaviewer]

Yes. Joan was interviewed on a talk show here in Australia and said that she was hoping to get Julie back but sadly it never happened.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Knots also had the advantage of not being a show focused around one extended family. It had several families and lots of individuals who interacted with them (until they didn't). When you have one family to write for, you have to hang onto the main family members/characters, so recasts happen a bit more regularly. Knots could have entire families break up or depart entirely but the show did not suffer major damage because others could step up to bat.

That, and the fact that David Jacobs seemed a less arrogant producer who knew how to listen to nature, adjust things as needed, and knew re-casting core characters just doesn't work in prime time.

 

[Mustard]

As for why the show managed to hold on to its stars, maybe it was just such a wonderful place to work that people wanted to stay.
Or maybe the casting directors were so good at their jobs that once they hired the right person, there was no need to replace them.
Or maybe once they saw someone was not working out, they just killed the character off rather than recast.

The actors on Knots Landing had more creative freedom than on the other soaps. I think it made for an even better show as a result.

Yes. Joan was interviewed on a talk show here in Australia and said that she was hoping to get Julie back but sadly it never happened.

Like Constance McCashin, Julie Harris probably had a very bad taste in her mouth after getting fired for budget reasons in Season 9. Being asked back on less money a couple of years later is like adding insult to injury.

 

[TJames03]

Either nighttime soap’s recasts are hugely successful (Dallas’ Kristin and Gary) or fail horrifically (all of Dynasty’s Carrington children and Falcon Crest’s Vicki) - there’s no in-between.....