# Welcome Back the Original Actor! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 4, 2021, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637 "2021-01-04T13:30:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/1 "2021-01-04T13:30:52Z")
Sometimes the filmmakers or TV execs realize that the original actor was a major draw, even if he DID want too much money, or was pain to work with, or we insulted him/her. So they bring him or her back, usually with inducements, and herald the result. Cases: Sean Connery returns to play James Bond in _Diamonds are Forever_, after George Lazenby played the role in _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service_. They were coy about this in the movie trailers, not showing his face for the very beginning of the bit, making you wonder if he really did come back. But then, after that film, he was gone. Although he did return to play Bond 9n a remake of his earlier Bond film _Thunderball_) in _Never Say Never Again_ (for a different production company). The title just rubs it in. It’s virtually not a double entendre – you simply can’t meaningfuly read it any other way than saying “Look, we got Connery to play Bond again!” Robin Williams didn’t return to play the Genie in the direct-to-video _The Return of Jafar_, the sequel to _Aladdin_, reportedly because of the way Disney violated their promises about the use of his performance. Dan Castellenata (Homer Simpson, no less) played the part, as he did in the spinoff TV series. They realized that they needed Robin Williams’ manic portrayal for another sequel to be a success, so they persuaded him to come back for _Aladdin and the Prince of Thieves_, and they made a big deal about it. I’m not sure if this is a case, since I don’t recall them making a point of it, but Roddy McDowell, having played the Chimp character Cornelius in _Planet of the Apes_ did not return (with most of the rest of the ape-made-up cast) to play the role in the sequel Beneath the _Planet of the Apes_. But then he returned to the role for Escape from the Planet of the Apes, and he appeared in the rest of the original series, playing Cornelius’ son, Caesar. (Mad magazine quipped that he did it because the only other role he was offered was Center Square on _The Hollywood Squares._). Not only that, but he went on to star in the 1974 TV series _Planet of the Apes_ as Galen. That’s six years in Ape makeup. Any others? ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/2 "2021-01-04T13:53:23Z")
Patrick Duffy on _Dallas_; his character was killed off, only for that whole season to be written off as a dream that Bobby Ewing’s wife had. _The Dukes of Hazzard_ is another good example. Tom Wopat and John Schneider left the series after the fourth season in a pay dispute. Bo and Luke Duke were written out and replaced with Coy and Vance. This went over like a lead balloon, and Bo and Luke were ultimately brought back before the end of the season. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/3 "2021-01-04T14:09:02Z")
_That '70s Show_ had an ensemble cast, but everything basically revolved around the Forman household, and more specifically, the character of Eric Forman, played by Topher Grace. Grace left the series at the end of its seventh season, and so it was never really the same show in the eighth and final season. The Forman character was replaced by Randy Pearson, who was never really accepted by fans. Grace returned for the series finale to provide the ending everyone really wanted for Eric and his girlfriend Donna. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/4 "2021-01-04T14:26:43Z")
Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher was brought back in Season 3 of TNG, after having been unceremoniously fired before Season 2. Her replacement, Diane Muldar, played a more cantankerous Dr Pulaski who was quite polarizing. That said, it helped that the guy who fired her did so due to personal reasons and was himself fired, and that the same Patrick Stewart (Picard) wanted her back. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/5 "2021-01-04T14:57:56Z")
In **Rosanne** , Alicia Goranson originated the role of Becky. She was replaced by Sarah Chalke. They alluded to this when Chalke was introduced the family watched an episode of **Bewitched** and commented on the new Darren vs the old Darren. After that, both actresses played the role somewhat interchangeably with many sly comments about it made by the cast. They even were on the same episodes, although I don’t believe both as Becky. ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/6 "2021-01-04T16:13:15Z")
Margaret Dumont returning to “Duck Soup” and subsequent Marx Brothers films after they did two with Thelma Todd. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/7 "2021-01-04T16:43:15Z")
Shemp Howard returned to the Three Stooges after his brother Jerome Howard (Curly) suffered a stroke. Shemp had been one of the original Three Stooges with his brother Moe Howard and Larry Fine before starting a solo career. He returned to the Stooges to help out his brothers, and assumed Jerome would recover and and return to the role of Curly. Jerome never did recover and Shemp stayed with the Stooges until his own death a decade later. After Shemp’s death actor Joe Palma worked as a body double in order to finish scenes on films started with Shemp. An actor taking the place of dead actor eventually became known as a Fake Shemp based on those scenes and has now become a legal issue. And that crosses over into case of actors returning to roles after their death. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/8 "2021-01-04T17:26:18Z")
Donna Reed replaced Barbara BelGeddes as Miz Ellie on _ **Dallas** _ when Barbara was hospitalized for (IIRC) heart surgery. After the end of the season, Donna (who, I believe, was described as “wooden” by one of the regular cast members) was dumped and Barbara was persuaded to come back. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/9 "2021-01-04T17:55:52Z")
Jason London was cast as Nathan Bedford in the show _I’ll Fly Away_ but had to leave because of a conflict with a movie role. He was replaced by his twin brother Jeremy. When it came time to do a reunion episode, all the main cast was able to make it except for Jeremy London. So Jason stepped in to play the part he had originally been cast in. ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/10 "2021-01-04T18:05:33Z")
Luke Perry returned to “Beverly Hills 90210” after a three year absence. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/11 "2021-01-04T18:16:54Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > An actor taking the place of dead actor eventually became known as a Fake Shemp based on those scenes and has now become a legal issue. And that crosses over into case of actors returning to roles after their death. Filmmaker Sam Raimi was a huge fan of the Three Stooges, and very familiar with the Fake Shemp. He and his crew used the term “Fake Shemp” all the time, and it’s even in the credits for _Army of Darkness_, which I find hilarious. > [@](#): > > Sam Raimi’s later productions in film and television have also often used the term to refer to stand-ins or nameless characters. For example, 15 fake Shemps were included in the credits for _[Army of Darkness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_Darkness)_ , Raimi’s second sequel to _The Evil Dead_ .[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_Shemp#cite_note-philenq-5) The description is sometimes modified in the final credits; in _[Darkman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkman)_ , Bruce Campbell’s quick [cameo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameo_appearance) in the final scene is credited as “Final Shemp”, and Campbell was also credited as “Shemp Wooley” (a pun on singer [Sheb Wooley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheb_Wooley)) when doing the voice of “Jean-Claude the Carrier Parrot” in the short-lived TV series _[Jack of All Trades](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_of_All_Trades_(TV_series))_ . > **[Fake Shemp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_Shemp)** > > A fake Shemp is a type of body double who appears in a film to replace another actor or person, usually when the original actor has died, or is unable or unwilling to reprise their role. Their appearance is disguised using methods such as heavy make-up (or a computer-generated equivalent), filming from the back, dubbing in audio and splicing in past footage from the original actor's previous work, using a sound-alike voice actor, or using partial shots of the actor. > Coined by film director Sam R... Speaking of the Stooges and Shemp, Curly had a brief cameo in one short and almost had another, both after his stroke. It doesn’t quite amount to “returning to the role”, though > [@](#): > > Howard, partially recovered and with his hair regrown, made a brief cameo appearance in January 1947 as a train passenger barking in his sleep in the third film after brother Shemp’s return, _[Hold That Lion!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hold_That_Lion!_(1947_film))_ (1947). It was the only film that featured Larry Fine and all three Howard brothers – Moe, Shemp, and Curly – simultaneously; director White later said he spontaneously staged the bit during Curly’s impromptu visit to the soundstage: > > > It was a spur-of-the-moment idea. Curly was visiting the set; this was sometime after his stroke. Apparently he came in on his own, since I didn’t see a nurse with him. He was sitting around, reading a newspaper. As I walked in, the newspaper he had in front of his face came down and he waved hello to me. I thought it would be funny to have him do a bit in the picture and he was happy to do it.[[10]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curly_Howard#cite_note-Okuda-10) > > ([File:Stooges malice palace curly scene.jpg - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stooges_malice_palace_curly_scene.jpg)) > > In June 1948, Howard filmed a second cameo as an irate chef for the short _[Malice in the Palace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malice_in_the_Palace)_ (1949), but due to his illness, his performance was not deemed good enough and his scenes were cut. A lobby card for the short shows him with the other Stooges, although he never appeared in the final release. > **[Curly Howard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curly_Howard)** > > Jerome Lester Horwitz (October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952), better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and actor. He was as a member of the comedy team The Three Stooges, which also featured his elder brothers Moe and Shemp Howard, as well as actor Larry Fine. In early shorts, he was billed as Curley. Curly Howard was generally considered the most popular and recognizable of the Stooges. > He was well known for his high-pitched voice and vocal expressions ("nyuk-nyuk-... ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/12 "2021-01-04T18:31:26Z")
I’m a little confused… Are we talking about actors returning to their original role after being replaced by someone else _in the same role_, or are we also counting actors who were replaced by another actor _in a different role_ but then came back to play their original role? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/13 "2021-01-04T18:46:42Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I’m a little confused… Are we talking about actors returning to their original role after being replaced by someone else _in the same role_ , or are we also counting actors who were replaced by another actor _in a different role_ but then came back to play their original role? I’m talking about actors who left the role, were replaced by another actor in that role , but then the original actor came back to that role. I think that’s your first suggestion. I’m having trouble parsing the second one. All of these suggestions meet that set of criteria. I might have muddled things up by mentioning urly Howard’s cameo, because Curly pretty clearly wasn’t replacing Shemp, but I said that this wasn’t a case of my original proposition. It was just too interesting to ignore. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/14 "2021-01-04T18:58:19Z")
Nobody replaced Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing. Dack Rambo was added to the cast as a “romantic lead” opposite Priscilla Presley, but he was not a “new Bobby,” and his character lasted only one season. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/15 "2021-01-04T19:04:55Z")
My second example would be like Gates McFadden mentioned above in Star Trek:TNG. Her character was Dr. Crusher, she was replaced by Diana Muldaur playing a different character (Dr. Pulaski), but then McFadden was brought back in her original role in Season 3. That sort of example seems like more of a gray area. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/16 "2021-01-04T19:25:33Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I might have muddled things up by mentioning urly Howard’s cameo, because Curly pretty clearly wasn’t replacing Shemp, but I said that this wasn’t a case of my original proposition. It was just too interesting to ignore. It wasn’t far off course. Every one of these returns has a story behind it that includes at least the replaced and replacement characters and this one was quite interesting. I also was trying to introduce the concept of posthumous returns to roles. I’m not coming up with one that follows a replacement in the role but if none has it can’t be long before it happens. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/17 "2021-01-04T19:36:57Z")
Raymond Burr returned to the role of Perry Mason for a number TV movies. He played the part from 1957 to 1966 in the first television series. In 1973 a new series, The New Perry Mason, had Monte Markham in the title role for it’s brief run. Burr returned as the character in 1985 for the TV movies, along with Barbara Hale who had played Della Street on the first series as well, so this one is a twofer. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/18 "2021-01-04T19:42:35Z")
Brett Somers replaced Barbara Hale as Della Street in the Markham version. Wow! My memory was really jogged on this one! (I also happen to be watching _ **Match Game '78** _ at the moment, featuring perennial panel member Brett Somers.) ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/19 "2021-01-04T20:08:08Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I’m not sure if this is a case, since I don’t recall them making a point of it, but Roddy McDowell, having played the Chimp character Cornelius in _Planet of the Apes_ did not return (with most of the rest of the ape-made-up cast) to play the role in the sequel Beneath the _Planet of the Apes_ . But then he returned to the role for Escape from the Planet of the Apes, and he appeared in the rest of the original series, playing Cornelius’ son, Caesar. (Mad magazine quipped that he did it because the only other role he was offered was Center Square on _The Hollywood Squares._ )… Just to clarify this, Mr. McDowell did not appear in the immediate apes sequel because he was making his directorial debut with _Tam Lin_ a.k.a. _The Devil’s Widow_. He also had 2 other acting credits in 1970. Relatively speaking, it was a lean year for him acting-wise, but we can assume the task of directing his first - and only - feature film more than made up for it. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637/20 "2021-01-04T20:15:46Z")
Noel Neill played Lois Lane (opposite Kirk Alyn’s Superman) in the two Columbia Pictures matinee serials, _Superman_ and _Atom Man vs Superman_. Phyllis Coates played Lois (opposite George Reeves’ Superman) in the Lippert Pictures feature film, _Superman and the Mole Men_ Phyllis Coates played Lois in the first season of the TV show _The Adventures of Superman_. Production shut down after one season. By the time they got a new sponsor, and resumed production, Coats had committed to other projects. Noel Neill played Lois in the second through sixth seasons. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-back-the-original-actor/929637.md?page=2)