Actors who were replaced on TV series

Moira was always Catherine O'Hara.

@1 - Thanks Dan!

No. There was another actress who was slated to play Moira and O'Hara replaced her very shortly before production on the series started.

I believe the other actress was in a test or pilot done before the show was picked up.

Imagine being replaced between films with an actor who looks NOTHING like you.

Mad Men. The first guy that played Don Draper had some finesse and nuance but after season 2 they replaced him with a slightly tubbier guy who couldn't act as well and relied solely on his eyebrows to emote for him.

[quote]Who was the original Moira Stone in the pilot of Schitt's Creek?

The character's name is Moira Rose, it's Catherine O'Hara in the pilot, and where exactly did you get your information that there had been someone else in mind for the show?

Sorry, I got the name wrong.

Eugene Levy discussed the last minute replacement that put O'Hara in the role in a print interview shortly before the show premiered. O'Hara also referred to it. Neither explained why the other actress was replaced or who she was.

Maybe it was Genevieve Bujold again

Speaking of Mad Men, who was the British actor who was campaigning for the role of Don Draper? Wiener has referred to him saying he rejected him because he felt Brits playing Americans did not get the cadence right.

I always imagined it must be someone like Dominic West, but who was it really?

Dominic West is totally convincing in his American roles, which all of his signature credits to this point have been American. Its almost seems like an implausibility that he didn't grow up here.

Mark Hamill was David Bradford and Kimberly Beck was Nancy Bradford in the Eight Is Enough pilot.

DL fave Barrie Longfellow was Blossom's mother in the pilot.

There was a different Mr. Walsh in the Beverly Hills 90210 pilot. You'll notice his reshot scenes have the kitchen set used in the actual series and not the house that was used in the pilot.

There was a different Billy Campbell in the Melrose Place pilot. The first one got fat.

Ally McBeal was originally developed and written for Bridget Fonda. She decided she didn't want to do television, so a casting call went out and Ally became Calista Flockhart.

David Kelly wrote the satiric monster film Lake Placid, starring Bridget Fonda. The character she plays is very Ally McBeal-like. It's what gave him the idea.

Do you have a link R7? Or are you trolling DL's "Schitt's Creek" fans? There's only three of us! Leave us alone!

The original Buffy pilot had some bland fat chick playing Willow.

It wasn't working at all (and if you watch it on Youtube you'll know why), so it was recast with Alyson Hannigan.

R13, you set up two alternatives. Neither is the case. I am not trolling Schitt;s Creek fans (and excuse me, but I am a fourth!) , but neither do I have a link to something I read in the paper three years ago.

And I still want to know who was the original Fanny on Bunheads and who the Brit who wanted Don Draper was.

Sylvia Sidney was the original Mother Carlson on "WKRP." She was okay but Carol Bruce was divine.

The closest thing I could find to what you're talking about, R14, is this photo from the first pilot (never aired, as far as I know) but has Martin Mull and another actress playing Jocelyn, but it's still O'Hara as Moira.

Mull may not have been acting, he may have just dropped by. Apparently it was something he said that spawned the idea for the show.

The two pilots for All in the Family had different actors playing Mike, Gloria and Lionel Jefferson

The Three's Company pilots had different actresses playing Janet and Chrissy in the first pilot, then DL fave Joyce DeWitt was cast as Janet and Susan Lanier played Chrissy in pilot #2.

A guy named George Morgan played Father Mulcahy on the pilot of "MASH."

He had doofy hair.

The pilot for The Munsters was in color and had different actors playing Lily and Eddie

Tracey Gold was originally cast as Samantha Kanisky on Gimme A Break! Tracey then replaced Elizabeth Ward when Growing Pains went to series.

Betty Buckley played the mother in the pilot of "Brothers & Sisters" and was replaced with Sally Field. There is a trailer floating around somewhere.

The pilot for McHale's Navy had a completely different cast except for Ernest Borgnine, and was a drama

Valerie Mahaffey was on the Delta Burke, Designing Women spinoff Women of the House. After a few episodes, she was replaced by her virtual twin, Julie Hagerty. Then, I believe they took turns playing the same part from then on. Seriously.

I own this thread bitches.

[quore] DL fave Barrie Longfellow...

Let me tell you something. The votes were hacked that day in favorite of her.

Steven Carrington in Dynasty. To explain why he changed a bit, they introduced a plot about an explosion on the oil platform he was working on. He got burned, hence was unrecognizable. He still looked cute and baby-faced though. His father recognized him thanks to his eyes. The thing is, actor 1 had baby blues and actor 2 had brown eyes, if I remember correctly.

Molly Ringwald was in the first 6 episodes of Facts of Life.

"Roz" on Frazier was originally played by LIsa Kudrow. They felt there was no chemistry so they replaced her with Peri Gilpin. Then Kudrow got Friends.

Bewitched, of course, is the all-time champ! Two Darrens, two Mrs. Kravitz's, and two Louise Tates.

Kadee Strickland played the lead in the pilot of Doubt and was replaced by Katherine Heigl. Fat load of good that did.

Meredith Baxter was not in the Family pilot--it was a different actress.

Ditto Sharon Gless in Cagney and Lacey.

R27, you misremember. Al Corley was replaced by Jack Coleman on Dynasty, although I'm still not sure why. Both have blonde hair and blue eyes. (Coleman went on to play HRG on Heroes, among other things.)

I was up for that role in the goddam Canuck comedy. Bastards replaced me when I was founds mounting a Mountie on Mont Royal.

R32, I can't remember who Baxter replaced, but Gless replaced Meg Foster, right? I was young then and not paying attention to the whys of these things.

Really? Kudrow? I'm glad they went with Gilpin. I don't see Kudrow as Roz at all! Would like to see the pilot with Kudrow... is it out there?

The original Chris Partridge was replaced by an actor who looked nothing like him. Both Shirley Jones and Danny Bonaduce have said he was a brat and his mother was impossible behind the scenes.

Phillip on Maude was replaced for reasons I don't know.

And of course all three of the Brady girls were temporarily replaced at various points in the Brady reunions/spinoffs.

R9, Matthew Wiener said AMC suggested a couple of British actors, but he rejected that idea. So even the said British actors didn't know.

Thomas Jane was sought for the role of Don Draper, but his agent declined, saying his client does not do television.

R13 Clearly it is a troll. Catherine and Eugene Levy are good friends and did SCTV together. No one else could have played the role.

Lecy Goranson/Sarah Chalke/Lecy Goranson

Fred Dryer was the original Sam Malone, but was recast with Ted Danson. The character changed from being a former football player to a former baseball player.

Frances Fisher was to play Jill Taylor in "Home Improvement," but she didn't test well with audiences and was replaced with Patricia Richardson.

Rachel Dratch was cast as Jenna in "30 Rock," but NBC wanted someone prettier, opening the door for Jane Krakowski.

Re: Cagney and Lacey. They shot the pilot with Meg Foster. They thought she was too similar to Tyne Daly, fired her after a couple weeks of filming, and replaced her with Loretta Swit. When CBS decided to take it to series, Swit was still tied to MASH so in stepped Sharon Gless.

[quote]Bewitched, of course, is the all-time champ! Two Darrens, two Mrs. Kravitz's, and two Louise Tates.

I think there were three or four Mr. Stephens, too. Given Mabel Albertson's scene-stealing as a battleaxe, they needed was an older man in a suit.

r16 - Thanks love, you're a peach!

R41 When the finals of Cheers came down, it was between two couples: Fred Dyer/Julia Duffy ... and Ted Danson/Shelley Long. They went with the latter. Duffy appeared in the last episode of the first season as a former college roommate of Diane's.

R21, the original Carol Seaver looked like she belonged to a other family.

r42 - I could be wrong, but my memory is Swit - Foster - Gless.

Fred Dryer would later appear on Cheers as a sports reporter.

In the TV version of Alice, Alfred Lutter III reprised his role as Tommy in the pilot only to be replaced by Philip McKeon.

R33, OK, I checked. Both had blue eyes. Funny, I remember finding odd the discrepency with the eyes. Don't know why Corley left, but the subplot was as I said.

In the pilot episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Bob Newhart played Mary Richards. And MTM played Bob Hartley in The Bob Newhart Show pilot.

I guess it's a question for his agent, R38, but wasn't Hung TV?

r31, wow, I actually like Kadee Strickland but to think Heigl burned so many bridges that she's now below her on the list of go-to's is really something. She really fucked herself over.

Years ago I remember Dyer bemoaning that he had to test with too-short Duffy and he wished he could have tested with Long.

R52, yes, but that was 2 years after Mad Men premiered. So, apparently, Mr. Jane changed his mind.

Levy and O'Hara have always collaborated together in many projects post-SCTV and pre-Schitts Creek. There was no other actress lined up for the role of Moira. Eugene Levy says as much in this interview:

"She was the very first. We had nobody else in mind besides Catherine. The thing was, Could we actually get her to do it?"

I still want to see the Betty Buckley version of The Sally Field Program.

Mad Men had a new "Bobby" every season except for it's final 3.

In the "Roseanne" pilot, DJ was played by a different actor. Supposedly, he and Sara Gilbert didn't get along so he was replaced. But considering how much young Michael Fishman looked like Roseanne I think pilot boy would have been out the door regardless.

Louie Anderson was Cousin Larry in the Perfect Strangers pilot, but was recast.

For fans of UK soap EastEnders:

Jean Fenn was originally cast as iconic character Angie Watts but wasn't working out in rehearsals so was replaced by Anita Dobson.

Frances Cuka was cast as Peggy Mitchell #2 but she was swiftly replaced by Barbara Windsor.

Glynis Barber was a last minute replacement for another actress as Glenda Mitchell but I can't remember the name.

Emma Samms and Karen Cellini anyone? Well maybe not though in the last season of Dynasty Samms started playing Fallon like Pamela Sue and she was delightful.

Lisa Hartman wasn't Tabitha in the pilot.

On the TV show Lucifer Kevin Alejandro replaced Nicholas Gonzalez after the pilot episode.

On Comedy Central's Another Period (from Wikipedia): Hortense Jefferson Library Bellacourt, played by Artemis Pebdani in the pilot episode, Lauren Ash in the remainder of the first season, and Lauren Flans in the second season.

On Bette Midler's TV show Bette her character's husband was first played by Kevin Dunn and then replaced with Robert Hays (the episode it happend even had a scene of Bette commenting on the very habit of actors replacing another actors) and shortly after that the one season show was put out of its misery.

r64 - That was so ridiculous.

On the TV show The Fosters Bruce Davidson replaced Stephen Collins after Stephen's scandal.

Also on the Fosters Jake T. Austin (Wizards of Waverly Place) was replaced by Noah Centineo in season 3.

The original Three's Company pilot had John Ritter as 'David' moving in with Valerie Curtin as 'Jenny' and Susanne Zenor as 'Samantha.' Curtin and Zenor were replaced because they lacked chemistry with Ritter.

[quote] who was the British actor who was campaigning for the role of Don Draper? Wiener has referred to him saying he rejected him because he felt Brits playing Americans did not get the cadence right.

The perfect Don Draper.

Jeffery Joseph played Eddie Charles on the first season of Dream On, then got replaced by Dorien Wilson. I think it was because Joseph didn't have chemistry with Brian Benben.

People say whites are racist but you guys ever notice when AA women are replaced on American tv its always with a fair skin actress; and she's always much much lighter than the original. Both the moms on Fresh Prince and Family Matters(final season) and the daughter on My Wife & Kids. In the latter instance she was so much drastically lighter and just differently looking. I bet you black show-runners were responsible.

The original Martin Lane and the original Ross Lane from the Patty Duke Show were played by different actors.

Wasn't one of the young kids on The Partridge Family replaced?

On Brett Butler's show the young boy who played her son was replaced with a much older actor.

In the "Maude" pilot, aired as an episode of "All In The Family", Carol was played by Marcia Rodd. By the series premiere, she was replaced by Adrienne Barbeau.

[quote]Tracey Gold was originally cast as Samantha Kanisky on Gimme A Break! Tracey then replaced Elizabeth Ward when Growing Pains went to series.

[italic]Gimme A Break![/italic] should get an award for the greatest number of recasts in a single sitcom, or at least a nomination for such an award. They fired Tracey apparently because she couldn't play a tomboy and Lara Jill Miller, who already played a boy in a late 1970s tour of [italic]Oliver![/italic], did (no, I am not making this up, I swear), could. Tracey ended up on [italic]Goodnight Beantown[/italic] before she ended up being a fat joke target of her homophobic brother on that Alan Thicke show. Kari Michaelsen was the only one of the Kanisky kids originally cast who made it from pilot to series (I've always wondered whether Julie Piekarski read for the role of Katie since, unlike Michaelsen, she was actually of Polish extraction). The youngest child was originally a redheaded boy named Matthew (long before Matthew Donovan showed up in season 6) played by an actor I have been unable to identify; even TV Guide mentioned Matthew and not Julie in its fall preview issue, but failed to mention any actors besides Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet. Lauri Hendler had already done a show with Telma Hopkins and Rob Lowe called [italic]A New Kind of Family[/italic] that quickly collapsed up against [italic]60 Minutes[/italic] and [italic]Disney's Wonderful World[/italic], and she'd also guest starred on [italic]Three's Company[/italic] and [italic]Magnum, P.I.[/italic] The link below is all that has publicly surfaced of the original pilot (except for some 1981 NBC fall preview clips long since removed).

Even when the producers made whatever changes NBC wanted and the show finally aired—the network pushed its premiere back to October and its episode count cut to 19 because of the Writer's Guild Strike—they kept recasting supporting roles. Elvia Allman and Elizabeth Kerr played Grandma Kanisky before they settled on Jane Dulo. Rosetta LeNoire wasn't the first actress to play Nell's mother; Hilda Haynes was in a single season 1 episode where Nell's father died, and her sister there was a childlike woman named Marie who still watched [italic]Sesame Street[/italic] at 28, instead of Lynne Thigpen as Loretta later on. And Bonnie Urseth played three different characters in season 1 and 2, one of which was a replacement for Helen Hunt's role as a single mother (Paul Regina, later of the gay-themed sitcom [italic]Brothers[/italic], was the baby daddy); she was unavailable because she'd been cast in [italic]It Takes Two[/italic] with DL icon Patty Duke living in what would later be [italic]The Golden Girls'[/italic] kitchen.

Season 3 saw the biggest changes yet. When NBC cancelled [italic]Love, Sidney[/italic], some of the producers from that show, including Hal Cooper and Rod Parker who took over as executive producers while the old ones, Coleman "Chick" Mitchell and Geoffrey Neigher, ended up on [italic]We Got it Made[/italic] on which Bonnie Urseth was a supporting cast member. When that show was cancelled after a year, they ended up working for Mort Lachman and Alan Lansburg again for [italic]Spencer[/italic], aka [italic]Under One Roof[/italic]. Uncle Ed (Pete Schrum) was written out after his wedding to an ex-hooker (Arlene Golonka), Grandma died some time during the summer (though Jane Dulo would outlive John Hoyt by three years, ironically), and Joey Lawrence and Telma Hopkins took their places. That's when the theme song changed from "I sure deserve it" to "now I know what it takes."

This is my GOD DAMN THREAD !!!

75 posts and none of you mother fuckers mention me !?!?!

Fuck all ya'll and ya'll bullshit.

[quote] People say whites are racist but you guys ever notice when AA women are replaced on American tv its always with a fair skin actress; and she's always much much lighter than the original. Both the moms on Fresh Prince and Family Matters(final season) and the daughter on My Wife & Kids. In the latter instance she was so much drastically lighter and just differently looking. I bet you black show-runners were responsible.

R71, meet R75.

And where [italic]Family Matters[/italic] was concerned, Telma Hopkins left to do another Miller-Boyett show with Cindy Williams called [italic]Getting By[/italic], and JoMarie Payton got tired of playing second fiddle to Urkel since they told her she would be the focus of the show when they spun her off of [italic]Perfect Strangers[/italic].

Take your meds, Janet --you were mentioned at r25

I love you Catherine O'Hara! I want to bear your children! HAAA HAAAA

Jeremy London replaced his twin brother Jason in I'll Fly Away.

Wow, R75, I'm a huge Gimme A Break! fan and even I didn't know some of that info.

Pam Huntington played Blair Warner's mother on [italic]The Facts of Life[/italic] in the second episode before she was recast with Marj Dusay in season 3. Huntington looked more like Lisa Whelchel's mother, but Dusay was a better actress. Unfortunately her Alexandra Spaulding on [italic]Guiding Light[/italic] didn't do much to erase the indelible memory of Beverly McKinsey.

The infamous Oxenberg-Cellini switcheroo.

Another GaB! recast I forgot: Mary Jo Catlett played the leader of Nell's diet group in season 1, then when she got cast as Pearl on [italic]Diff'rent Strokes[/italic], someone else (I think it was Marianne Muellerliele) took her place in a season 2 episode. And of course, the inverse of is that Rue McClanahan played two different roles three years apart: once as the Chief's ex-girlfriend from high school, the second time as Grandpa's ex-girlfriend from Poland (foreshadowing her later getting cast as Blanche Devereaux). Robin Bach, a gay character actor who died of AIDS in 1993 and was in [italic]Beyond the Valley of the Dolls[/italic], also played two small roles in season 2.

[italic]The Golden Girls[/italic] also recast some of their returning one-shot characters, often for reasons of availability. Jerry Orbach replaced Alex Rocco as Glenn O'Brien because Rocco was doing [italic]The Famous Teddy Z[/italic], which earned him an Emmy. Then that same season they turned Blanche's daughter Rebecca from a fat blonde into a skinny redhead.

The original Rob Petrie was not played by Dick Van Dyke but by Carl Reiner, in a pilot called Head of the Family. Wife Laura was not played by Mary Tyler Moore, but Barbara Britton. The pilot flopped and Reiner reworked it with Dick Van Dyke in the lead.

Lindsay Lohan played Bette Midler's daughter in the pilot of her short lived sitcom Bette, but was replaced

Another short lived sitcom from the early '60s, Guestward Ho, was originally set to star DL icon Vivian Vance. When CBS passed on the pilot, she was replaced by Joanne Dru

The original pilot for Gilligan's Island had different actors playing the Professor, Ginger and Mary Ann

Yes, it was Loretta Swit as the original Cagney in the TV movie of 'Cagney & Lacey'. I believe she was still on MASH when it got picked up as a series.

The 1975 Disney movie [italic]The Apple Dumpling Gang[/italic] got made into a short-lived TV show called [italic]Gun Shy[/italic] that aired on CBS for six weeks in 1983, and it's nothing but recasts. Most movies that get made into TV shows don't keep their original casts, but in this particular case everybody from the original film had other commitments to other TV shows: Bill Bixby was still on [italic]Goodnight Beantown[/italic], Susan Clark had already made a deal with ABC and Paramount to co-star in [italic]Webster[/italic], Don Knotts was still on [italic]Three's Company[/italic], Harry Morgan had finished [italic]M*A*S*H[/italic] but was signed to [italic]AfterMASH[/italic], and Tim Conway was already on the show right before it called [italic]Ace Crawford Private Eye[/italic], also a flop. The kids had all outgrown the roles, and Bridgette Andersen, fresh off of the movie [italic]Savannah Smiles[/italic] played the girl three years before she played Rose's granddaughter on [italic]The Golden Girls[/italic] and Hayley Mills' stepdaughter in [italic]The Parent Trap II[/italic].

Love this theead

Only in the PBS two-hour wrapup, R80.

I thought Jeremy London was so beautiful then. Jason was almost, but not quite, as lovely. Look how they turned out.

Lassie owns this thread.

Boris Carloff died during filming of his last movie, so they patched it up with lookalikes and makeshift filming techniques.

Sandy Duncan for Valery Harper.

Valery thought she had leverage, given her title character role in the TV show "Valery", so as to demand more money. Instead, she got the boot, and Sandy Duncan stepped-in to the revised "Valery's Family".

The lesson being: don't make such high demands that it's cheaper to dump your ass for someone else.

Four times you spelled Valerie wrong.

Well, R95, it's not like he spelled it four different ways.

Oh, well that's much worse than once, R95!

R94: Yet they could afford to pay to have Edie McClurg full-time, which [italic]Small Wonder[/italic] could not, forcing them to replace her with Alice Ghostley whenever she wasn't doing [italic]Designing Women[/italic].

Not a tv show but a touring play of Golda's Balcony, where Valerie Harper "stole" the role from Patty Duke.

The JoMarie Payton story is online - she only signed up for the 8th season of Family Matters if given the option to walk away after 13 episodes. And she did. She doesn't give a particular reason for wanting to leave, just that she didn't want to do it anymore.

lets not forget the John Boy switcheroo on The Waltons. A couple of years after Richard Thomas left they brought back the character after he was injured in the war. The actor who played him was so bad he made Jim Bob look good. Richard Thomas came back for guest spots and movies after that

It's odd that in Dynasty three of Blake's four children were recast during the course of the show.

R102 actually FOUR, the long lost Carrington son Adam was recast for the 1991 reunion movie by actor Robin Sachs.

Gordon Thompson couldn't do it because the NBC daytime soap, Santa Barbara, he was on wouldn't let him.

Also Dynasty was a soap opera and soaps are famous for recasts.

Dallas also had a number of major character recasts, there were THREE Jenna Wade's, TWO Kristen Shepherd's and of course TWO Miss Ellie's, first Barbara Bel Geddes (who won an Emmy for the role), then Donna Reed for the 84-85 season and then Bel Geddes again from 1985 onwards.

A very recent example: Joelle Carter played Scott Foley's character's wife on "Scandal" for a few episodes last year; now that she's a regular on "Chicago Justice," Jessalyn Gilsig (Mrs. Schuester from "Glee") is now playing the part.

Fun fact Whitney Houston was originally cast as the eldest sibling on the The Cosby Show. Thought there was no Sandra in the pilot she quickly was introduced a few episodes into the first season.

Because of a contract dispute, Frank Gorshin was replaced during the second season of Batman by John Astin as the Riddler. Gorshin returned for the third season. Eartha Kitt replaced Julie Newmar as Catwoman in season three because Julie was making a movie.

The Mission Impossible TV show's first season was led by Dan Briggs, played by Steven Hill. By the second season the IMF was led by Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves.

Al Corley went on Johnny Carson and said in so many words that he thought night time soaps were stupid. His character was "killed off" not that much longer.

Whitney wasn't cast as sondra. It was down to her and Sabrina le Beauf, Sabrina ultimately got the part because cosby was impressed that she had just graduated from Yale drama school.

Oh uhhyeah, Dallas had ANOTHER major role recast, when after Pam crashed into a truck and her car went up in flames in the season finale, Victoria Principal left the show.

The following season an emergency Pam recast was done for a few episodes, where it was revealed that she survived the explosion, but was still hospitalized, but ALSO was dying of another illness (!(, cancwr maybe? So she went into hiding and dissappeared from the hospital to leave Bobby to grieve alone because she didn't want to be a burden to him

Lucille Ball replaced Vivian Vance as the wife of bandleader Ricky Ricardo.

Brit Gavin Stenhouse played F. Scott Fitzgerald in the pilot of Z: The Beginning of Everything and was replaced by Aussie David Hoflin. At least all they had to re-shoot was one scene.

Gèza Röhrig, however, shot scenes for a week on The OA but "it wasn't working out" and he was replaced by Jason Isaacs. The entire week's work had to be re-shot.

Grant Show (or Andrew Shue) has told the original actor in the role was not told about the change when Grant showed up. The actor who was fired was in the dressing room and had no idea.

Has anyone mentioned George Peppard as DYNASTY's first Blake Carrington? Peppard just wasn't working out for the Shapiros because he couldn't play the nuances they expected of a polished villain like Blake (he was playing it more like big and loud JR Ewing), and he wasn't coming across as a father-figure. All of Peppard's scenes in the pilot had to be reshot with John Forsythe before the network airing.

R114 I've been a fan of George Peppard for decades and I'd give my left nut to see those scenes.

When Ann B Davis was replaced by some butch dyke Emma

Are we talking about characters replaced by new actors playing new characters, or the same character but different actor?

Same character/different actor. And it's even better if it's someone replaced by someone and they had to re-shoot.

[quote]When Ann B Davis was replaced by some butch dyke Emma

I'm not Emma, I'm Kay.

Game of Thrones: Tamzin Merchant originally played Daenerys Targaryen, but she was replaced by Emilia Clarke. Jennifer Ehle originally played Catelyn Stark, but was replaced by Michelle Fairley.

Hey r94 thanks for remembering me. I hope we meet again sometime. I'll keep an eye out for ya!

Martin Sheen replaced Gerard McSorley after six days of shooting on The Departed. McSorley showed up to set drunk and wanted to play his guitar in certain scenes.

r115, me too ... Al Corley said in an interview that he thought Peppard was great in the role and if they kept him it would have made DYNASTY even greater. I'm sure that made Forsythe happy. Everyone else agreed with the recasting. I always thought Peppard would have made a great Ben Carrington, but Peppard pissed too many people off with his demands at the time, which made me think that had more to do with the recasting.

The Joan Marshall who was in the MUNSTERS pilot in the above post was also known as Jean Arliss when she played a dual role in William Castle's HOMICIDAL.

There's an interesting back-story to Mark Hamill being on Eight is Enough.

He played David for a very few episodes, maybe just the pilot; but...Hamill was under contract to play the David character on the TV show for at least 1 year.

He had just filmed Star Wars but it hadn't been released yet. BUT....Star Wars was already getting unbelievable word of mouth. It was predicted to be a monster blockbuster. Hamill wanted out of his contract with Eight is Enough and the TV Show Producers knew they were about to have a major movie star on their hands....so they said NO WAY.

Anyways, fate intervened and forced Hamill off the TV show anyway. He had a terrible car accident that nearly killed him and caused massive injuries and scarring.

So the tv show released him and cast Grant Goodeve as David. And Hamill's injuries were written into the plot of Empire Strikes Back. You don't really see the Luke character until after that Yeti creature attacks him in the cave...those injuries are really scars/injuries from the car accident.

The original pilot for [italic]Married with Children[/italic] had two different kids in the roles of Bud and Kelly.

R35, Elayne Heilvel was the actress replaced by Meredith Baxter Birney on [italic]Family.[/italic]

In the pilot of Parker Lewis Can't Lose his parents were played by Mary Ellen Trainor and Sherman Howard and were replaced by Anne Bloom and Timothy Stack in the series. Anne Bloom was replaced by--wait for it--Mary Ellen Trainor in season two and three.

[quote] Yes, it was Loretta Swit as the original Cagney in the TV movie of 'Cagney & Lacey'. I believe she was still on MASH when it got picked up as a series.

She remained on MASH involuntarily. Loretta begged to be let out of her contract but the producers wouldn't let go of Hot Lips.

[quote][R115], me too ... Al Corley said in an interview that he thought Peppard was great in the role and if they kept him it would have made DYNASTY even greater. I'm sure that made Forsythe happy. Everyone else agreed with the recasting. I always thought Peppard would have made a great Ben Carrington, but Peppard pissed too many people off with his demands at the time, which made me think that had more to do with the recasting.

I always thought that Peppard would have been a better Blake than Forsythe, who was too small in stature and unconvincing in the role.

Although she may not have shot any scenes, Angie Dickinson was tapped to originally play Krystle.

No, Angie Dickinson wasn't cast as Krystle, but she was asked and she turned it down. They asked her again years later to play Lady Ashley Marshall (as was Raquel Welch), but she turned them down again. Aaron Spelling also asked Dickinson to play Sable Colby on The Colbys (as was Faye Dunaway, Elizabeth Taylor and Elizabeth Ashley).

People, PLEASE! It's always MISS Angie Dickinson!

I always love that Hope Davis came close to getting the Christina Applegate role on Married with Children.

r117 scored high on the SAT.

Ha!, never knew that r122.

Forever Fernwood Tab Hunter replaced Phil Burns as George Shumway father to Mary Hardman. George falls in a vat of oil and comes out looking 20 years younger. His other daughter played by Debralee Scott falls in love with him.

When "Family" started as a mini-series, the part of the eldest daughter Nancy Lawrence Maitland was played by Elayne Heilveil. When the miniseries was so successful it was made into a regular series, Meredith Baxter (then Meredith Baxter Birney) took over the role, and it became her most famous role.

In the pilot for "Seinfeld" called "The Seinfeld Chronicles," there is no Elaine Benes, and the girl who hangs out with the three guys is named Claire and played by Lee Garlington.

I don't think it's been mentioned yet but different actors originally played both Jerry and George's fathers on Seinfeld. Jerry's father was played in one early episode by Phil Bruns but replaced for every episode after by Barney Martin. Jerry Stiller famously played Frank Costanza except for his initial appearance where he was played by John Randolph (who also played Roseanne's father on her show.) Stiller became so popular in the role that they re-shot Randolph's scenes with Stiller and replaced them for the syndicated episode.

For the first pilot of "Star Trek: TOS" called "the Cage," none of the characters are the famous ones we know except Mr. Spock played by Leonard Nimoy. For the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," Kirk (William Shatner), Scotty (James Doohan), and Sulu (george takei) are all in place with Spock, but the doctor is Dr. Piper, not Dr. McCoy, and is played by Paul fix. Only by the third pilot, "The Man Trap," is Dr. McCoy is place played by DeFirest kelley, and Nichelle Nichols appears as Uhura.

Venerable character actor Edward Andrews was cast as George Baxter on the pilot episode of Hazel. Although he seemed too old for the part, his replacement, Don DeFore was actually one year older.

r110, that recast was Victoria Principal lookalike Margaret Michaels, best known to soap aficionados as Santana Andrade #2 on the daytime soap SANTA BARBARA.

On the subject of SB, veteran actor LLoyd Bochner was signed to play the show's Blake Carrington-like patriarch C.C. Capwell, but suffered a heart attack days before filming began on the premiere episode. He was quickly replaced by another DYNASTY actor Peter Mark Richmond, who was later replaced by yet another DYNASTY vet Paul Burke, who would be replaced by DAYS OF OUR LIVES actor Charles Bateman, who was replaced by DAYS OF OUR LIVES vet Jed Allan, the last and most identified actor in the role.

Another DAYS OF OUR LIVES vet Rosemary Forsyth originated the role of CC Capwell's presumed dead wife Sophia for a couple of days (disguised as a man) before being recast by Judith McConnell, probably the only time in soap history that a recast was not announced onscreen because the secret this bearded man was supposed to be a woman was supposed to have been the revelation of the story.

On the same show, veteran actress Samantha Eggar was signed to play CC's other ex-wife Pamela, but bowed out a couple of days before and was replaced by British actress Shirley Fields, who would then be replaced by soap vet Marj Dusay.

After firing Sarah Douglas, FALCON CREST recast her character of Pamela Lynch with a somewhat lookalike actress (Martine Beswick) for a brief scene in order to reveal Pamela as a homicidal maniac, using cosmetic surgery to explain the recast.

On the same show, WALTONSesque Jamie Rose was written out after the show's second season and her character Vicki Gioberti returned a few years later in the form of a very different looking actress, the boyishly svelte Dana Sparks.

How could there be no mention of Betty Buckley being replaced by Sally Field on The Sally Field Program?

Lou Thornton was cast as Samantha Jones on "Sex and the City" after Kim Catrall turned down the role repeatedly. Kim had a change of hear, goodbye Lou and the rest is history.

Who the fuck is Lou Thornton?

Sorry if it was mentioned before. On Desperate Housewives the Scavo twins were first played first by Brent and Shane Kinsman and then, after the five year jump, by Max and Charlie Carver.

A bad one was Christina Moore replacing Lisa Robin Kelly on That '70s Show as Laurie. LRK played the role to bitchy perfection and the audience loved to hate her. Moore was just bitchy and whiny, in annoying way and they just phased the character off the show fairly quickly.

Roger Davis replaced Peter Duel on "Alias Smith and Jones", after Duel committed suicide.

And then there's the tragic story of blacklisted Philip Loeb, who played the role of Jake Goldberg in the early television show "The Goldbergs"; the show's sponsor, General Foods, forced Loeb to resign (after the show's owner and star Gertrude Berg refused to fire him), and he was replaced by Harold Stone. Berg fell into a deep depression when he was unable to get work, and committed suicide in his hotel room. Loeb's friend Zero Mostel (also blacklisted) played a character loosely based on him in the movie "The Front".

Hal March, John Brown, Fred Clark, and Larry Keating ALL played Harry Morton (Bea Benadaret's husband) on "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show." And they had a classic way of introducing the final transition:

[quote] In one episode, "Morton Buys Iron Deer/Gracie Thinks George Needs Glasses", George walks on-stage and freezes the scene just before Harry's entrance and explains that Clark has left the show to perform on Broadway. He introduces Larry Keating, who enters, and then calls over Bea Benaderet to introduce the two saying, "This is Larry Keating and he is going to be your husband now". The pair greet and chat briefly, complimenting each other on their previous work. George remarks that if they are going to be so nice to each other, no one will believe they are married. Burns then gives a cue, Blanche resumes her position, and the scene continues where it stopped as if nothing had happened. The new Harry enters and Blanche hits him in the head with a catalog for spending $200 to buy an iron deer.

Exactly R146

R144, it was mentioned at R22.

The actor playing Rocky, Jim Rockford's father, in the pilot of "The Rockford Files" was replaced by Noah Beery.

The Doctor in Doctor Who

Old Who: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann.

(John Hurt)

New Who: Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi.

Agatha Christie's Marple (ITV): The lead was first played by Geraldine McEwan and then, due to health reasons, replaced by Julia McKenzie.

Lisa Kudrow was Roz in the first filming of Frasier, but the producers (rightly) thought she was too weak to stand up to Kelsey Grammer so runner up Peri Gilpin was called in.

The next year Kudrow got the Friends gig.

[quote]Agatha Christie's Marple (ITV): The lead was first played by Geraldine McEwan and then, due to health reasons, replaced by Julia McKenzie.

Joan Hickson preceded both of them.

r157, Joan Hickson was the lead in the BBC series. Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie were the leads of the ITV series.

It's two different series by two different TV stations.

Also on Falcon Crest, Ana-Alicia was not the first actress to play Melissa Agretti. When Melissa was introduced, she was played by Dolores Cantu in one episode. When Melissa reappeared a couple of episodes later, Ana-Alicia was playing her.

John Saxon originated the role of Lance's father Tony Cumson in the first season; Robert Loggia played Tony in the second season; Saxon returned in the sixth season to resume the role.

R159 nighttime soaps have a lot of recasts, I always thought because daytime soaps recast a lot that the nighttime soap profucers thought they could get away with it.

Also onthe original 90210, THREE different actors played Jack McKay, Dylan's father, with the third Jack, Josh Taylor, the fan favorite and longest in the role.

TWO different actresses played Andrea Zuckerman's Grandma Rose, the first was Lanie Kazan!

TWO different actresses played Dylan's long lost (or was she?) half sister, she was played by one actress in season 4&5, then written off the show and then she returned as a prostitute (!) in season 8, recasted AND aged a few years (SORAS).

TWO different actresses played Donna's Mom, and they changed her name from Nancy Martin in season 1 to Felice Martin for the rest of the series.

R156 I also read that when they let Lisa Kudrow go from Frasier, they made a strong effort to let her know that she was a very talented actress....and not to give up....she just wasn't right for THAT particular part.

Actually, R103, all FIVE of Blake Carrington's children were recast on Dynasty: child actress Jessica Player replaced the pile of rags which originated the role of Krystina.

Dynasty kept having to reshoot flashbacks that had contained former actors.

Emma Samms redid the scene where Pamela Sue Martin had the scene with the chauffeur in the bathtub ... DL fave Karen Cellini had to recreate the swimming pool catfight between Catherine Oxenberg and Heather Locklear.

I can't remember if Jack Coleman had to be "flashbacked" into any of Al Corley's scenes.

I wish Alain Delon had replaced Helmut Berger on Dynasty but the character was too insignificant.

In the unaired pilot of "The Patty Duke Show," Mark Miller ("Please Don't Eat the Daisies") played her father, and there was also a different actor playing Ross.

One Tree Hill-two different actors played Peyton's adoptive father.

Friday Night Lights- Buddy Garrity Jr. was played by two different actors and the character was SORASED for the final season after returning from California.

The O.C.- two different actresses played Kaitlin Cooper.

Bea Benedaret by June Lockhart on Petticoat Junction.

William Frawley by William Demarest on My Three Sons

Harvey Korman by Dick Van Dyke on Carol Burnett

Betty Lynn Buckley was replaced by Sally Field as star of The Sally Field Programme

What was the last era in which actors were replaced mid-series? I'm not talking about parts being recast from pilot to full pickup. I'm talking about several seasons in, suddenly, a character is being played by another actor. Like Darren on Bewitched or Becky on Roseanne. Have to imagine Becky is also the only character on tv to have the original actress come back and play the part again after initially being replaced. But, did this practice end in the 90s? I can't imagine this happening today. If an actor is fired, dies, retires etc., the character just gets written off now, right?

r169, Good point. I think in today's world of tivo and binge watching on demand its hard to sustain the realism with such antics. in the past people could only watch a series during its original broadcast giving room for recast without the characters so fresh on the audience's memory.

I was replaced by a wheat thin

R169 As I said above, it just happened on "Scandal," albeit with a recurring character (Jake's wife, Vanessa Moss), not a regular.

R170, yeah, today, I think, if an actor is "replaced" their character is written off and a new high profile actor ends up playing a similar role. Like, the new bad cop to the show's good cop, a new boss in the office, a new love interest etc.. They're not replacing a character, but replacing that character's function in the show. Still, it would be interesting to know what the last incidence of this mid-seasons replacement would have been. Perhaps it WAS Becky on Roseanne.

[quote] I can't imagine this happening today.

it still happens sometimes. r65 and r67 for example.

sorry, I meant r66 not r65. My apologies.

r163 yes, Coleman had to reshoot Al Corley's last scene. They didn't bother choreographing the reshoot the same as the original, but they did use the same dialogue (albeit edited) and they made sure the actors were wearing the same clothes. Both versions at link:

.

All the changes to "Petticoat Junction" are explained with text inserts in this youtube video detailing the two Bobbie Jo's, the three Billie Jo's and how they dealt with Bea Benaderet and Smiley Burnette's deaths during the show's run.

"The unaired pilot of Falcon Crest was entitled "The Vintage Years." In it, Angela (still played by Jane Wyman but in a gray wig) has two children: the alcoholic Dorcas (played by Abby Dalton) and Richard Channing (played by Michael Swan). Richard is a Vietnam vet who fights for a place in his mother's good favor. Although there is no Emma, there was a subplot of a mysterious woman locked in the attic crying for her mother. In this version, the roles of Chase and Maggie were played by Clu Gulager and Samantha Eggar."

That horrible Roseanne season when Darlene got married and Sarah Chalke was back as Becky, then the next ep Lecy Goranson is playing her again, albeit barely seen as she is fixing the pipes under the sink MADE NO SENSE.

Desperate Housewives in season 2, replaced the actor playing Caleb Applewhite mid-season.

Game of thrones character The Montain has been portrayed by THREE different actors. The character of Daario was also replaced by a completely different looking actor between seasons.

"On Brett Butler's show the young boy who played her son was replaced with a much older actor."

Butler kept flashing her tits at the younger boy. His mother threatened to sue the production over it. I think he got a salary even after he was off the show.

That's why they replaced them with an older boy. If Butler flashed her tits at him it would be so child-molesty.

[quote]On the TV show Lucifer Kevin Alejandro replaced Nicholas Gonzalez after the pilot episode.

They also recast the part of Maze. Originally it was Lina Esco. She was replaced by Lesley-Ann Brandt.

[quote]I don't think it's been mentioned yet but different actors originally played both Jerry and George's fathers on Seinfeld. Jerry's father was played in one early episode by Phil Bruns but replaced for every episode after by Barney Martin. Jerry Stiller famously played Frank Costanza except for his initial appearance where he was played by John Randolph (who also played Roseanne's father on her show.) Stiller became so popular in the role that they re-shot Randolph's scenes with Stiller and replaced them for the syndicated episode.

Elaine's father was also recast. Originally he was played by Lawrence Tierney (Reservoir Dogs), but he came off as violent and unstable and generally scared the crap of everyone on the set.

And Larry David was the original voice of Steinbrenner, but when he left another actor started doing the voice, and all the early episodes were re-dubbed for syndication.

Kristy McNichol a tomboy if there ever was one, replaced glasses wearing nerd Frannie Michaels on Apple's Way. That was glaring.

But Elaine's father was only on one episode, r183.

[quote]I was replaced by a wheat thin —Sandy Duncan

Now you know how I felt when Lorimar fired me and hired you.

When Lassie changed families for the first time, Tommy Rettig's Jeff left his dog in the care of Jon Provost's Timmy. Timmy's parents were the Martins. The actors who played the Martins were not liked by the audience, so they were replaced by other actors. I don't know the actors playing the father, but Cloris Leachman was replaced by June Lockhart.

Has Darrin from Bewitched been mentioned yet?

[quote] Molly Ringwald was in the first 6 episodes of Facts of Life.

She was in 13. I was gone after the first four. And I wasn't the last to be shown the door.

YouTube has a brief clip of the pre-Sally Sally Field program.

Forgot that the Kevin role was also renamed and recast - he was called Bryan originally, still a gay man but divorced with a young son and played by Jonathan LaPaglia.

Wikipedia says that the Walker family was originally the March family, and that Nora was originally named Iva, which is who Betty Lynn Buckley is playing here.

Penny from The Big Bang Theory was played by another actress in the pilot. It didn't work out as Penny was too snarky and mean, Kaley Cuoco (what's her name?) brought some lightness and warmth into the character if you can believe it.

I saw some excerpts from the pilot, it's out there somewhere

Cristine Rose played Fanny in the original Bunheads pilot. I believe AS-P said she always wanted Kelly Bishop in the role, but wasn't able to get her when the pilot was filming. I adore Kelly Bishop, but I think Cristine Rose is wonderful too and probably would have done a good job in the role

[quote] Has Darrin from Bewitched been mentioned yet?

At least twice that I've seen, R188. But I think you're the first to spell his name correctly.

Have I missed the inevitable visit from the Golden Girls troll who will list off all the various actors/actresses who have played one of the children and/or how they changed?

That's always fun.

Eric Stoltz was cast as Marty McFly in "Back to the Future" after Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale were unable to get Michael J. Fox, their first choice for the part, due to scheduling conflicts. After five weeks of filming, Stolz was let go from the film because they felt he was "too intense" for the character. Michael J. Fox, who was then available, took over the part.

Due to scheduling delays and prior contractual commitments, both Peter Finch and Stephen Boyd had to be replaced in "Cleopatra" (1963). Rex Harrison and Richard Burton took over the roles of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, respectively.

Here's some footage of Stephen Boyd.

^^^ I apologize for R195 and R196. I momentarily forgot this thread was only about TV series.

Carry on.

Interesting, R197. We'll allow it.

: )

R192

Thank you.

On Friends - Ross' ex-wife, Carol (the lesbian), was originally played by Anita Barone for the first appearance of the character, then replaced by Jane Sibbett.

This isn't a replacement, but I heard Stockhard Channing wasn't the first choice for her role on the West Wing, but the original actress they wanted turned it down. Does anyone know who it was?

r201, you are begging for a "Lucy, but Gary Morton talked her out of it response."

On Nip/Tuck, Kadee Strickland was replaced by Rose McGowan. They didn't look anything like each other. Kadee was blonde and Rose had black hair.

R201 Maybe it goes along with the fact that Martin Sheen wasn't the first choice to play the president? They supposedly wanted Sidney Poitier, but his fee was too high.

R204, you are right that Poitier was the first choice to play the president. However, the first lady was not introduced as a character until later, so no one was approached for that role before the pilot.

The original choice to play the title character in the television series The Incredible Hulk (1978) was Richard Kiel (best known as "Jaws" from the Bond film).

After 2 days of filming it was decided that he was not "bulky" enough for the role. He was paid for the two movies of the week and replaced by Lou Ferrigno.

[quote]Al Corley went on Johnny Carson and said in so many words that he thought night time soaps were stupid. His character was "killed off" not that much longer.

Friends did a take on this for a Joey plot.

Don't think this was mentioned yet, but in the unaired Buffy pilot, Willow is played by a chubby actress with curly brown hair. She was TERRIBLE, and was replaced by Alyson Hanagan. (sp?)

I'm not sure if this is some kind of record, but in the original Hawaii Five-0 series, government intelligence chief, "Jonathan Kaye," was played by six different actors, and apparently from the dates at IMDb, they went back and forth at times:

James Gregory - 3 episodes (1968-69)

Robert Dixon - 2 episodes (1969-71)

Joseph Sirola - 5 episodes (1970-72)

Lyle Bettger - 12 episodes (1969-80)

Bill Edwards - 17 episodes (1971-79)

Tim O'Connor - 2 episodes (1971-72)

Barbara Colby was murdered and replaced by Liz Torres on "Phyllis"

This thread is great way to find all the tedious eldergays and block them all at once.

Don't forget me, cuntella R211.

R210 Liz Torres murdered her just to get the role? Now THAT'S commitment!

Originally, Betty White was going to play Lucy on I Love Lucy. But Gary Morton talked her out of it. At the last minute, Desi's wife, Lucille Ball, took over the role.

Does no one understand the difference between DISCREET and DISCRETE?

When they replaced the sick and aged Bea Benaderet with June Lockhead.

[quote]June Lockhead.

Oh, dear.

R94 And Sandy was much better in the role than Valerie. It was like Rhoda with a husband and three kids, and like the Rhoda show Val just wasn't funny.

R216 Bea died, that's why June came on the show.

Eve Plumb played Mila Kunis' mom on a Season 1 ep of That '70s Show, but when the role was later beefed up Brooke Shields took it over.

Pat Priest and Beverly Owen as Marilyn on The Munsters.

Threads like this always get ruined by the soap queens.

No one gives a shit about Dynasty or Falcon Crest, ladies. Give it a rest.

Originally Steve Carell was unavailable to play Michael Scott being already committed to _Come To Papa (2004)_. As a result, Bob Odenkirk was selected to play him and was a part of the cast when the show was presented to NBC Executives. - imdb

More Office:

In season 2, Shannon Cochran plays Pam's mom. In later seasons, Pam's mom (Helene Beesly) is played by actress, Linda Purl. The two are noticeably different. -- imdb

Good Morning Miami:

Heather Locklear was originally offered the role of Victoria Hill, much like her Caitlin Moore role on Spin City (1996) for the second season of Good Morning, Miami (2002). She said she liked the show, but turned down the role. The part was then given to Tiffani Thiessen.

Lisa Edelstein was cast as Carrie on Sex in the City. Then SJP decided she could do a TV show and Edelstein was out. Apparently she got a decent payout because they were so far along in the process.

Doris Roberts was the first choice to play Vivian on Maude. Rue McClanahan was filming a guest spot on All In The Family while Roberts was in rehearsals for her first Maude episode, when Norman Lear replaced her with Rue.

They TRIED to replace me. DIdn't work

I loved the original Aunt Viv on THE FRESH PRINCE. I know she’s a bit crazy and bitter, but I thought that she was fabulous-dark and gorgeous! The second Aunt Viv was too bougie and bland.

The original Morty Seinfeld and Frank Costanza on "Seinfeld." Both actors were replaced after their initial appearances in the episodes which introduced their characters. Actually, the original Frank Costanza episode was reshot for syndication with Jerry Stiller playing the part. I think they must've slipped once or twice in reruns because you could see the original actor who played Frank.

r230 Already been mentioned.

[quote]you are right that Poitier was the first choice to play the president. However, the first lady was not introduced as a character until later, so no one was approached for that role before the pilot.

If Sidney had signed on, they could've gotten ME!