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The same actors playing different parts in sitcoms or dramas

(November 2012)

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WE
Westy2
Why didn't they recast Michelle Fowler?

They recasted her brothers!
TV
TVN
Another one has just come to mind.

Along Wright was killed off as nurse Laverne Roberts in scrubs, but then returned as Nurse Shirley when the original series was renewed for another series.
WO
Worzel
Not strictly the same but remember Madge in EastEnders being cast by two actresses (you'd think that Harrold would have noticed the difference!). Same goes with Jenny in 2 point 4 children to name some!

David Hasselhoff also played Michael Knight and his evil twin brother 'Garth Knight' in the 80s Knight Rider. A big and stupid casting mistake from this show was the actor who played Cameron Zackary. He originally tried to kill Michael Knight and was a big character in the first episode and a couple of second series episodes. By series 4 they had the actor playing someone totally different. Big mistake because all loyal fans spotted it straight away! They also did this with other small characters.
MA
Matt_1979
Why didn't they recast Michelle Fowler?

They recasted her brothers!


A good point. As Susan Tully didn't want to do EastEnders any more, I can't see why they couldn't have re-cast the part.

The original Martin, though, hardly said a word and when he spoke he didn't sound at all like a cockney. I always remember when the new Martin appeared after six months - he looked and sounded nothing like the original!
DA
davidhorman
Not strictly the same but remember Madge in EastEnders being cast by two actresses


Are you sure about that? Wikipedia disagrees - are you sure you're not thinking of Jim's wife Beverly? That was the first time I'd seen a part change hands (Doctor Who notwithstanding) so I've never forgotten it.

David
TG
TG
Also on that note, various other examples from Neighbours (and not Eastenders!) - quite aside from the usual kids getting head transplants to become stroppy teens, the rather odd Aussie soap concept of temporarily replacing sick actresses, notably Cheryl Stark and Libby Kennedy at various points. Probably easier than rewrites, but damned odd when the originals suddenly reappear at a later point (in the case of Libby, didn't she go underwater as the understudy, and pop back up as Kym Valentine?)
TV
TVN
Yes, but that was due to toxic spillage in the lake drastically altering her appearance.
ST
stevek2
i find it funny when actors appear together in different programmes like Viki Binns and Rita May appearing in childrens ward then coronation street, not just being in the same programmes but actually having lots of scenes together in both programmes

good point about michelle fowler not being recast and never attending the funerals of her parents or brother

it's always funny when children are recast and the script writers play on it, like when Ben changed in eastender, went into the young offenders institute as charlie jones and came out as joshua pasco
Phil says to peggy "He'll be a different person when he comes out of there

he was, he came out and 'came out'

same in corry when sarah changed Martin comments that she's like a different child

what I don't get when they recast is getting somebody who looks nothing like them, like Victoria Sugden in Emmerdale who was a ginger haird blue eyed child and now black hair and darker eyes
GS
Gavin Scott Founding member
i find it funny when actors appear together in different programmes like Viki Binns and Rita May appearing in childrens ward then coronation street, not just being in the same programmes but actually having lots of scenes together in both programmes


Pauline Quirk and Linda Robson started working together in the 70s/early 80s (I forget) in Shine on Harvey Moon - long before Birds of a Feather.

http://www.simplyhe.co.uk/13520-large/shine-on-harvey-moon-series-3.jpg
DA
davidhorman
Pauline Quirk and Linda Robson started working together in the 70s/early 80s (I forget) in Shine on Harvey Moon - long before Birds of a Feather.


They've been friends since they were children, as evidenced by the titles of BoF as I recall. Both series were written by Marks & Gran, too.

David
CO
Colm
An egregious example of this trope... hold on a sec...

</tvtropes>

How about Rowena Wallace on Sons and Daughters? Starting off as Pat the Rat for the first few years, then coming back towards the end of the series as long-lost twin sister Pamela after Patricia's character was recast and renamed Alison.
WH
Whataday Founding member
Pauline Quirk and Linda Robson started working together in the 70s/early 80s (I forget) in Shine on Harvey Moon - long before Birds of a Feather.


They've been friends since they were children, as evidenced by the titles of BoF as I recall. Both series were written by Marks & Gran, too.

David


Yes, Linda had been in Harvey Moon for a few series and when Pauline came up to visit one evening she met the writers who saw the chemistry and wanted to write a sitcom for them. In the meantime they wrote a part in Harvey Moon for Pauline.

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