most recognisable and well known soap character world wide

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  • kitkat1971kitkat1971 Posts: 39,170
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    JR Ewing's portrayer Larry Hagman was also well known in the US, and definitely even in Australia, at the time of Dallas' debut. That's because Hagman's old sitcom I Dream of Jeannie was a regular fixture on Australian TV being repeated and repeated and repeated (along with Get Smart, Gilligan's Island, Hogan's Heroes, Here's Lucy, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch). I think it is likely it had a few reruns in the US too.

    I'm not sure if the same thing happened in the UK, but in Australia thanks to all those repeats, Hagman was already well known even before Dallas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihmLRxyus0g

    I was only 8 when Dallas started in Britain so can't vouch for it from memory but as I understand it from my parents Hagman was already well known because of "I Dream of Jeannie" (which was also repeated in the 80s) and also being Mary Martin's son. Dallas catapulted him into a whole different league though. I mean "Who Shot JR" made the national news for crying out loud - how many tv plots have ever done that?

    How do the FHM polls work - are there different editions for different countries? Ie, there is an American edition where their readers have voted, a British one, Australian one etc. I find it hard to believe that Americans would have known who Keegan was to vote for her in the first place to get her in the list.
  • kitkat1971kitkat1971 Posts: 39,170
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    dee123 wrote: »
    In the world, right now? With a character still on air?

    It wouldn't be ANYONE from a U.K or Aussie soap. It would be one of the stalwarts from one of the U.S soaps who has been there for decades, if we are actually talking the whole world.

    Someone like Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke Logan) from The Bold & The Beautiful, Deidre Hall (Dr. Marlena Evans) from Days Of Our Lives or Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) from The Young And The Restless.

    That's true. I mean i've never even seen Y+R or B+B as they've never been shown in Britain (except on sky in the 90s possibly I think which I didn't have) and I know those character and actor names and what they look like and I know they are sold to hundreds of other countries unlike the British soaps.
  • DeschanelDeschanel Posts: 8,732
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    The OP was asking about characters, not actors. Just b/c an actor gets global appeal, doesn't mean people will know anything about their soap days. Chris Hemsworth has made it big, but how many of his fans are in tune with his Home & Away character, Kim Hyde? The same for Kylie - most know her for herself, not playing Charlene Mitchell.

    Brooke Logan from The Bold and the Beautiful is probably the most recognisable character in the world, considering B&B is the most watched soap (if not show) in the whole world.

    Outside of that, you have to consider the Brit soaps worldwide appeal, and they're not that big internationally (some have mass appeal in specific countries, like Corrie in Canada, ED in Finland (I think), and EE's pretty popular in India). So, maybe Ken Barlow, Ian Beale and Dot Cotton. HO doesn't have world wide exposure, and while some of their actors are carving out a career, it's unlikely anyone will know anything about their soap characters.

    I think Alf Stewart (H&A), and Harold Bishop (Neighbours) have more global exposure than many of the Brit characters, and are probably more recognisable.
    kitkat1971 wrote: »
    That's true. I mean i've never even seen Y+R or B+B as they've never been shown in Britain (except on sky in the 90s possibly I think which I didn't have) and I know those character and actor names and what they look like and I know they are sold to hundreds of other countries unlike the British soaps.
    Kitkat, did you ever watch Sunset Beach? B&B used to air before SB on C5 from 1997-2001; it also had an airing on Sky Living in 2001-2002; then on Diva TV in 2008-2010 (I think).
  • be more pacificbe more pacific Posts: 19,061
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    Huw and Lenny.
  • AndybearAndybear Posts: 11,287
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    Scrabbler wrote: »
    Surely its Shenice?

    Who's Shenice? Not being sarcastic or anything, I've genuinely never heard of her.
  • ScrabblerScrabbler Posts: 50,931
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    Andybear wrote: »
    Who's Shenice? Not being sarcastic or anything, I've genuinely never heard of her.

    She was a child kat and alfie took in for a few months. She was played by lacey turners younger sister
  • kitkat1971kitkat1971 Posts: 39,170
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    Deschanel wrote: »
    The OP was asking about characters, not actors. Just b/c an actor gets global appeal, doesn't mean people will know anything about their soap days. Chris Hemsworth has made it big, but how many of his fans are in tune with his Home & Away character, Kim Hyde? The same for Kylie - most know her for herself, not playing Charlene Mitchell.

    Brooke Logan from The Bold and the Beautiful is probably the most recognisable character in the world, considering B&B is the most watched soap (if not show) in the whole world.

    Outside of that, you have to consider the Brit soaps worldwide appeal, and they're not that big internationally (some have mass appeal in specific countries, like Corrie in Canada, ED in Finland (I think), and EE's pretty popular in India). So, maybe Ken Barlow, Ian Beale and Dot Cotton. HO doesn't have world wide exposure, and while some of their actors are carving out a career, it's unlikely anyone will know anything about their soap characters.

    I think Alf Stewart (H&A), and Harold Bishop (Neighbours) have more global exposure than many of the Brit characters, and are probably more recognisable.


    Kitkat, did you ever watch Sunset Beach? B&B used to air before SB on C5 from 1997-2001; it also had an airing on Sky Living in 2001-2002; then on Diva TV in 2008-2010 (I think).

    I did watch Sunset Beach but used to catch the Saturday omnibus as I work furing the week. Sky had stopped showing any of the US daytime soaps by the time I got it in 2003. Other than sunset Beach, the only daytime soap I watched (and loved) was Santa Barbara on ITV 88+90 and a friend was kind enough a couple of months worth when it transferred to Sky in 91.

    I have caught a couple of episodes of various ones (another world, Days) when i've been on holiday in America but very few as obviously you tend to be out sight sEing during the afternoon rather than sitting in your hotel room watching soaps.

    I agree that it is characters rather than actors which is why an image becoming iconic (like JR smiling in the stetson or Hilda Ogden in her curlers in front of the muriel) is crucial to wide spread recognition I think. People like Chris Hemsworth, Melissa George, Barry Sloane are good examples of the other case - virtually nobody in America is going to know they wre is Soap before going there, certainly not details of their characters. Kylie and to a lesser extent Danni minogue are globally famous - charlene Robinson and Emma (can't remember her surname) are not.
  • Danny_FrancisDanny_Francis Posts: 5,656
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    Not sure about worldwide, but potentially Europe (Phil Mitchell)
  • BadRomanceBadRomance Posts: 8,689
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    If it's all time then surely Chris Hemsworth, Isla Fisher or the Minogues?
  • kitkat1971kitkat1971 Posts: 39,170
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    BadRomance wrote: »
    If it's all time then surely Chris Hemsworth, Isla Fisher or the Minogues?

    As in a star that jas been in a Soap during their career, yes. But the OP question was character - not actor. Kim Hyde, Shannon, charlene and Emma can't be considered the best known characters. The actors have found global recognition due to their work after leaving the soap although Kylie's singing career obviously had a huge kick start from her Neighbours fame in the UK but I'm not sure about anywhere else.
  • Tanz01Tanz01 Posts: 202
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    Probably someone from one of the axed American soaps like Dallas . Way before my time but I've heard about characters from that show . Probably one way to gauge opinion .
  • MarakaerMarakaer Posts: 702
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    JR Ewing, for sure.
  • Keyser_Soze1Keyser_Soze1 Posts: 25,182
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    Danny Mitchell, the Salt, the tin of Tuna, Monty the snake or Gus Smith
  • priscillapriscilla Posts: 34,370
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    Jack Brannings penis.
  • Keyser_Soze1Keyser_Soze1 Posts: 25,182
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    priscilla wrote: »
    Jack Brannings penis.

    Do you recognise it? ;-) :D
  • Chris MarkChris Mark Posts: 4,897
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    priscilla wrote: »
    Jack Brannings penis.

    Surely Max's todger enters the record books as being the most recognizable in the world or at least in the UK?
  • priscillapriscilla Posts: 34,370
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    Do you recognise it? ;-) :D
    Nope :D
    Chris Mark wrote: »
    Surely Max's todger enters the record books as being the most recognizable in the world or at least in the UK?

    You're right, Maximus: most recognizable penis in the UK. :D
  • Keyser_Soze1Keyser_Soze1 Posts: 25,182
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    Chris Mark wrote: »
    Surely Max's todger enters the record books as being the most recognizable in the world or at least in the UK?

    What about the massive knob and balls hanging from Philth's forehead? :cool:
  • Keyser_Soze1Keyser_Soze1 Posts: 25,182
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    priscilla wrote: »
    Nope :D


    You're right, Maximus: most recognizable penis in the UK. :D

    :D:D:D

    Max's massive throbbing ginger punisher is the most well known character in EE! :o
  • Joel's dadJoel's dad Posts: 4,886
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    Ryan kwanzen. Vinny from home and away
  • 0...00...0 Posts: 21,111
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    Do you recognise it? ;-) :D

    :D Haha
  • Chris MarkChris Mark Posts: 4,897
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    :D:D:D

    Max's massive throbbing ginger punisher is the most well known character in EE! :o

    Question is; is it a punisher or a pecker?

    Never mind finding dark matter, this is what humanity really needs to know.
  • attitude99attitude99 Posts: 14,848
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    The BSA should have an award for most women shagged during the soap year - I think we can safely say Max Branning (or his penis as that has a life of it's own) would probably win every year. Especially now as he likes them young. :D
  • sunny daysunny day Posts: 849
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    attitude99 wrote: »
    Dot Cotton & Peggy Mitchell.

    Dot for her Launderette.

    Peggy for' Ger atta ma pab!'

    I don't think Barbara Windsor would be known as Peggy Mitchell more for the Bra scene in Carry on Camping I would think..
  • Keyser_Soze1Keyser_Soze1 Posts: 25,182
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    Alan Dale, Guy Pierce or Kylie would be very good bets.
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