“And, Almost Starring….”

[Carrie Fairchild]

I’m talking about the actors and actresses that were either cast, or in the running to be cast, in one of the nighttime soaps but for whatever reason, didn’t make it to the final cut. George Peppard as Blake Carrington, and Clu Gallagher and Samantha Eggar as Chase and Maggie Gioberti are probably some of the more well known examples of stars that were recast after the pilot. Or the fact that Sophia Loren was in talks to play Alexis Carrington but was looking for too much money, is an often mentioned story.

But who are some of the more obscure examples of this that you know of? I’ll start the ball rolling with pop queen Kylie Minogue. She read for the role of Rachel Dennis in Central Park West, and was very close to accepting the part, but the schedule of a potentially 22 episode a year TV series didn’t fit in with the demands of her pop career, so she passed. She talks about it here at the 9min 50sec mark.

 

[Monzo]

But who are some of the more obscure examples of this that you know of? I’ll start the ball rolling with pop queen Kylie Minogue. She read for the role of Rachel Dennis in Central Park West, and was very close to accepting the part, but the schedule of a potentially 22 episode a year TV series didn’t fit in with the demands of her pop career, so she passed.

I find it hard to picture Kylie Minogue as Rachel. Perhaps the character would have taken a different direction with her, but I would still love to see a US primetime soap—even a short-lived one—on Kylie’s résumé.

I once read in Soap Opera Digest that Sela Ward was considered for the role of Fallon in The Colbys but turned down the offer, though I’m not sure if that’s true. Sela Ward guest-starred on Hotel in the fall of 1986 (when The Colbys was already in its second season); would Aaron Spelling have given her a part there—even just for a single episode—if she had previously turned him down? Still, it would have been fun if Luke and Fallon had played a couple in Once and Again years later.

 

[Willie Oleson]

There was a Dutch actor - don't remember his name, and I'm not sure if he's ever acted in anything - who became "interesting news" for a while because there was a strong possibility that he was going to play Jeff Colby's brother in Dynasty (not The Colbys).
In hindsight it all seemed rather delusional but he appeared in several TV programmes talking about his Dynasty audition adventure or maybe the audition hadn't happened yet but "they" were interested anyway.
I believe he kinda looked like Michael Praed so maybe he was meant to play Prince Michael, but again, nobody had ever heard of him.
And I'm sure that Jeroen Krabbé, a Dutch household name long before Dynasty, only got the part of Jeremy Van Dorn because of his work in international productions, most notably the 1987 Bond film The Living Daylights.
If Jeroen's Dynasty-appeal was noticed because of Paul Verhoeven's 1983 filmThe Fourth Man (which was quite successful in the US) then he would have played Peter De Vilbis. Hence why the connection with James Bond makes more sense.

Anyway, this Jeff Colby brother-wannabe may have been the ultimate, most physical form of fan fiction. At that time we believed it was possible and of course I was super jealous because I also wanted to be in Dynasty.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

I once read in Soap Opera Digest that Sela Ward was considered for the role of Fallon in The Colbys but turned down the offer, though I’m not sure if that’s true. Sela Ward guest-starred on Hotel in the fall of 1986 (when The Colbys was already in its second season); would Aaron Spelling have given her a part there—even just for a single episode—if she had previously turned him down? Still, it would have been fun if Luke and Fallon had played a couple in Once and Again years later

Sela was the standout star of the one season wonder that was Emerald Point NAS, so I could see her being in demand after that. I’d imagine she would’ve played the role of Fallon closer in style to Pamela Sue Martin, than the wet rag version that we initially got when Emma Samms took on the role.

In relation to other Carrington sibling castings, I remember reading that Italian actress Ornella Muti (Flash Gordon) was being considered for the role of Amanda.

There was a Dutch actor - don't remember his name, and I'm not sure if he's ever acted in anything - who became "interesting news" for a while because there was a strong possibility that he was going to play Jeff Colby's brother in Dynasty (not The Colbys).

This is interesting to read because I’ve read a lot about who was in the running to play the roles of the older characters like Jason and Sable, but next to nothing about who was up for the roles of the Colby children, bar the three that ended up being cast.

 

[Monzo]

This German newspaper article from 1985 reports that Madonna was set to join Dallas as JR's daughter.



Madonna was supposed to appear as JR’s illegitimate daughter to save Dallas from declining ratings. Who knows—perhaps her mother was Julie Grey? The unconventional lifestyle of Madonna’s character would have landed the Ewing family in all sorts of embarrassing situations, and JR couldn’t stand her... It sounds very much like this character would have been a mix of Jamie and James.

Doris Day, on the other hand, was slated for Dynasty—which, according to this German newspaper article, sent Joan Collins into a rage.



The article does not reveal which role was intended for Doris Day (aside from playing the second bitch alongside Joan Collins in Dynasty), but merely the fee: she was to receive 165,000 Deutsche Marks per episode, which corresponded to a value of around 56,000 US dollars in 1985.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I wanted a Madonna cameo in THE COLBYS but everybody disagreed with me.

Should Titania boss Monica Colby have turned down Madonna?

Just for the fun of it? "It's...cute, but not really the kind of quality we're looking for here at Titania. I'm sorry". Followed by a Madonna & Miles elevator-sex scene?

www.tellytalk.net

 

[Willie Oleson]

Wow, indeed, Monzo. It came close to pitchforks and torches.

 

[Toni]

I wanted a Madonna cameo in THE COLBYS but everybody disagreed with me.

Should Titania boss Monica Colby have turned down Madonna?

Just for the fun of it? "It's...cute, but not really the kind of quality we're looking for here at Titania. I'm sorry". Followed by a Madonna & Miles elevator-sex scene?

www.tellytalk.net

They probably went after the kind of quality of, let´s say, Monica Colby?

"Like a Virgin?"​

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

Doris Day, on the other hand, was slated for Dynasty—which, according to this German newspaper article, sent Joan Collins into a rage.

The article does not reveal which role was intended for Doris Day (aside from playing the second bitch alongside Joan Collins in Dynasty), but merely the fee: she was to receive 165,000 Deutsche Marks per episode, which corresponded to a value of around 56,000 US dollars in 1985.

Doris Day was also reportedly in the running for a role on The Colbys (presumably as Connie) around the same time that T.J Hooker’s James Darren was in talks to join the show.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Apparently, Kevin Costner had auditioned for a role in a soap opera. Maybe Steven Carrington, or Fielding Carlyle.

 

[Toni]

On "Dallas" we´ve had confirmation that Judith Chapman and Mary Frann almost got the roles of Pam and Sue Ellen. Foxworth also "almost" was J.R., and Kanaly said in an interview with UD that Martin Kove also auditioned for the role of Ray. And I seem to remember that either Jacobs or Filerman mentioned that they preferred another candidate (Heather Locklear, Lisa Hartman?) over Charlene.

 

[Seaviewer]

The article does not reveal which role was intended for Doris Day (aside from playing the second bitch alongside Joan Collins in Dynasty),

Possibly a "safer" choice for Dominique?

 

[Toni]

Possibly a "safer" choice for Dominique?

Adriana. Que serà, serà.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I seem to remember that either Jacobs or Filerman mentioned that they preferred another candidate (Heather Locklear, Lisa Hartman?) over Charlene.

Was it Stepfanie Kramer? I recall reading that she and Charlene were the final two.

 

[Laura Avery-Sumner]

Possibly a "safer" choice for Dominique?

Yes but she could have been Iris, Sammy Jo's dead mother. She could still be a bitch. But connections with Krystle, Sammy Jo, Daniel Reece would let her slide right in to the story.

 

[Seaviewer]

Yes but she could have been Iris, Sammy Jo's dead mother. She could still be a bitch. But connections with Krystle, Sammy Jo, Daniel Reece would let her slide right in to the story.

Oh, yes, especially Daniel Reece.

 

[ClassyCo]

Madonna was supposed to appear as JR’s illegitimate daughter to save Dallas from declining ratings. Who knows—perhaps her mother was Julie Grey? The unconventional lifestyle of Madonna’s character would have landed the Ewing family in all sorts of embarrassing situations, and JR couldn’t stand her... It sounds very much like this character would have been a mix of Jamie and James.

No, just no.

Doris Day, on the other hand, was slated for Dynasty—which, according to this German newspaper article, sent Joan Collins into a rage.

The article does not reveal which role was intended for Doris Day (aside from playing the second bitch alongside Joan Collins in Dynasty), but merely the fee: she was to receive 165,000 Deutsche Marks per episode, which corresponded to a value of around 56,000 US dollars in 1985.

I've read it often enough to believe that Doris Day was considered for THE COLBYS when ABC was planning the spinoff in 1985. According to Google AI, and take that for what it's worth, she was slated to play Constance Colby before Barbara Stanwyck was brought aboard.

Can we imagine Doris Day in a sparring war with Stephanie Beacham? I don't know how well that would work.

Why would Joan be upset about them seeking Doris for a role? Was her ego that fragile? In hindsight, yeah it probably was.

I honestly like the idea of Doris being on one of the nighttime soaps, and DYNASTY would've probably been the best bet, even if they'd manage to mess it up somehow. I'm also okay with her playing not-the-nice girl, which would've went against the grain of her perpetual girl-next-door image that she had in her previous film and TV projects.