Looking through a couple of US soap sites, I came across some stories about casting and storylines that, had they been done, would've seen some very different soaps to the ones we know and love. Some of our favourite shows may have, in some cases, not lasted 5 minutes and in other cases ran for a lot longer than they did. Some of the below are already well known but there were a few that surprised me.
Dallas was originally offered as a vehicle for Linda Evans but she turned the project down.
The role of JR in Dallas was originally offered to Robert Foxworth but he turned it down. Foxworth went on to star in Falcon Crest as Chase Gioberti.
JR and Sue Ellen were only meant to be secondary characters in Dallas when the show originally was devised. Bobby and Pam were to be the central Romeo and Juliet style couple around which the action revolved. However, when producers saw the rapport between Larry Hagman and Linda Gray, they made them central characters.
The Who shot JR? cliffhanger was only devised when Larry Hagman said he was unsure if he wanted to return to the show. Had he agreed to return earlier, it probably would have never happened.
Knots Landing could have ran for a few more seasons had producers fired some of the big names to cut costs. Before it drew to a close in 1993, the network told producers that production could continue if they axed some of the more expensive cast members. Producers decided to end the show as it had run its course and axed it of their own accord. Michele Lee (Karen) even appeared in some episodes for free.
The feuding between Jane Wyman and Lana Turner was so intense on the set of Falcon Crest that Wyman issued producers with a "its her or me" ultimatum leading to Lana being axed. Had relations been a bit more civil, Lana would have remained on the show meaning that plots would have been a hell of a lot different.
Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Raquel Welch were all being touted for the role of Alexis in Dynasty before Joan Collins was thankfully cast. Loren was actually in negotiations but they fell apart and when Joan won a Golden Globe for her role as Alexis, she cheekily thanked Sophia in her acceptance speech. The character of Alexis was also originally going to be called Madeline.
In the original draft of the Dynasty pilot, the show was titled Oil, the Carringtons were called the Parkhursts and the Colbys were the Corbys.
The Moldavian massacre plot was born out of the fact that contract negotiations were hitting a hard patch so by putting all of the characters lives in peril (only John and Linda were definite to return) the characters could be easily written out if the actors didnt agree to the new contract.
As if the massacre wasnt wacky enough, writers wanted to bring it even further the following season. In a storyline, Alexis was to be kidnapped, the revolution would have been stopped and she would have become Queen of Moldavia (insane, but this was Dynasty). However when Joan Collins refused to return to work over a contract dispute, the plot was dropped. Krystle was kidnapped instead but the Queen Alexis element was discarded and Joan showed up in the following episode when the contract dispute was resolved.
The only reason Stephanie Beacham was brought back as Sable Colby in the final season was to take over the bitch role from Alexis. The producers couldnt afford to pay for Joan to appear in every episode so she only appeared in some in the final season with Sable being groomed to take over.
The reason the end of series cliffhanger left so many loose ends was because it was unknown whether or not the show would be renewed. Joan Collins and Michael Nader had both announnced they wouldnt be back hence their plunge over the balcony. However Sable was being pushed to take over the Alexis role and rumour had it that Diahann Carroll was to return as Dominique if a tenth seaon had happened. The character of Dominique was mentioned a number of times leading up to the series finale and a mystery figure in a limo was supposed to be her in the finale. Alas, the show ended and it wasnt to be.
In Melrose Place, the role of Taylor Mc Bride was originally meant to be played by Hunter Tylo (Taylor in The Bold and the Beautiful). However, when she got pregnant she was sacked and replaced with Lisa Rinna, leading to a dirty court case with Aaron Spelling.
For the series finale of Melrose Place, producers wanted Kimberly (Marcia Cross) to return from the dead again. However, they couldnt agree on a pay deal with Cross so we got the slightly disappointing ending instead.
The Dallas reunion movie, JR Returns was originally acting as a pilot for a new Dallas series that focused on the younger characters. The idea was thankfully dropped.
An internet rumour was started when Titans premiered a few years back saying that Joan Collins was to show up as Alexis Carrington on the show. Producers initially laughed it off but when ratings went downhill, the idea was considered but was never done as the show got cancelled.
Dallas was originally offered as a vehicle for Linda Evans but she turned the project down.
The role of JR in Dallas was originally offered to Robert Foxworth but he turned it down. Foxworth went on to star in Falcon Crest as Chase Gioberti.
JR and Sue Ellen were only meant to be secondary characters in Dallas when the show originally was devised. Bobby and Pam were to be the central Romeo and Juliet style couple around which the action revolved. However, when producers saw the rapport between Larry Hagman and Linda Gray, they made them central characters.
The Who shot JR? cliffhanger was only devised when Larry Hagman said he was unsure if he wanted to return to the show. Had he agreed to return earlier, it probably would have never happened.
Knots Landing could have ran for a few more seasons had producers fired some of the big names to cut costs. Before it drew to a close in 1993, the network told producers that production could continue if they axed some of the more expensive cast members. Producers decided to end the show as it had run its course and axed it of their own accord. Michele Lee (Karen) even appeared in some episodes for free.
The feuding between Jane Wyman and Lana Turner was so intense on the set of Falcon Crest that Wyman issued producers with a "its her or me" ultimatum leading to Lana being axed. Had relations been a bit more civil, Lana would have remained on the show meaning that plots would have been a hell of a lot different.
Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Raquel Welch were all being touted for the role of Alexis in Dynasty before Joan Collins was thankfully cast. Loren was actually in negotiations but they fell apart and when Joan won a Golden Globe for her role as Alexis, she cheekily thanked Sophia in her acceptance speech. The character of Alexis was also originally going to be called Madeline.
In the original draft of the Dynasty pilot, the show was titled Oil, the Carringtons were called the Parkhursts and the Colbys were the Corbys.
The Moldavian massacre plot was born out of the fact that contract negotiations were hitting a hard patch so by putting all of the characters lives in peril (only John and Linda were definite to return) the characters could be easily written out if the actors didnt agree to the new contract.
As if the massacre wasnt wacky enough, writers wanted to bring it even further the following season. In a storyline, Alexis was to be kidnapped, the revolution would have been stopped and she would have become Queen of Moldavia (insane, but this was Dynasty). However when Joan Collins refused to return to work over a contract dispute, the plot was dropped. Krystle was kidnapped instead but the Queen Alexis element was discarded and Joan showed up in the following episode when the contract dispute was resolved.
The only reason Stephanie Beacham was brought back as Sable Colby in the final season was to take over the bitch role from Alexis. The producers couldnt afford to pay for Joan to appear in every episode so she only appeared in some in the final season with Sable being groomed to take over.
The reason the end of series cliffhanger left so many loose ends was because it was unknown whether or not the show would be renewed. Joan Collins and Michael Nader had both announnced they wouldnt be back hence their plunge over the balcony. However Sable was being pushed to take over the Alexis role and rumour had it that Diahann Carroll was to return as Dominique if a tenth seaon had happened. The character of Dominique was mentioned a number of times leading up to the series finale and a mystery figure in a limo was supposed to be her in the finale. Alas, the show ended and it wasnt to be.
In Melrose Place, the role of Taylor Mc Bride was originally meant to be played by Hunter Tylo (Taylor in The Bold and the Beautiful). However, when she got pregnant she was sacked and replaced with Lisa Rinna, leading to a dirty court case with Aaron Spelling.
For the series finale of Melrose Place, producers wanted Kimberly (Marcia Cross) to return from the dead again. However, they couldnt agree on a pay deal with Cross so we got the slightly disappointing ending instead.
The Dallas reunion movie, JR Returns was originally acting as a pilot for a new Dallas series that focused on the younger characters. The idea was thankfully dropped.
An internet rumour was started when Titans premiered a few years back saying that Joan Collins was to show up as Alexis Carrington on the show. Producers initially laughed it off but when ratings went downhill, the idea was considered but was never done as the show got cancelled.
