Worst Actors on Dallas

[I-<3-Clayton]

I meant he was awful as Digger. I didn't mean to imply he was a bad actor all the way around. Just like Donna Reed -she was a great actress, just awful as Ellie.

[vaughnleland]

i do think Wynn made a credible Digger..and if he had played Digger from episode one I would have found him excellent..but Wayne just really embodied the role so well that as good at Wynn was I keep thinking, 'how would Wayne have played the scene?"

[I-<3-Clayton]

That's true - I guess it's kind of like when you hear someone do a "cover" of a song, when you love the original so much you can't stand the thought of someone else singing it (unless they totally "own" it like Whitney Houston did with Dolly Parton's 'I will Always Love You' though I still prefer Dolly's...) Truth be told, it's a rare re-cast that is as well received and beloved as the original actor....it's happened a few times with daytime soaps but it often took the new actor a LONG time to be accepted and beloved by the fans of the original (Jack Abbott, & Jill Abbott on Y&R, Tom and Margo Hughes on ATWT, Alan Spaulding and Alex Spaulding on GL are the only ones who come to mind who ended up being recast with an actor at least as popular, if not more popular than the original)

If I had never seen David Wayne as Digger, I probably would have had little or no objection to Keenan Wynn.

[vaughnleland]

yes, and both wayne and wynn were playing the same type of man as Digger...unlike Donna Reed who totally reintepreted Miss Ellie as a strange colorless,high fashion stepford wife.

[I-<3-Clayton]

I bet if Donna would have tried to remain true to Ellie, she would have been better received by the audience. Not mimic her - it's a fine line to walk - - but not try to totally reinvent Miss Ellie. I loved Miss Ellie as she was, even if Donna called her a "waddling brown wren of a woman." I liked that Miss Ellie wasn't pretentious or "sophisticated" but true to her roots - that's probably where the big problem was. Seeing Miss Ellie all glamorous and glitzy was as out of place as Sue Ellen would be dressing dowdy and plain...

[Jock-1981]

Oh,just rewatching some episodes and seeing Christopher Atkins as Peeeeeettter Richards and Jenilee Harrison as Jaimie was really bad. Even worse was Sasha "Whoa Dude" Mitchell as James.

[Swami]

Keenan Wynn was a brilliant actor..you cant take that away from him just because he wasnt your Idea of dIGGER. I too prefer David Wayne in the role but you cant take away that Keenan Wynn was one of the finest and most versatile charcter actors in hollywood.

They were very different portrayals of Digger. Keenan Wynn was more understated, but I thought both did an equally good job.

Swami

[richard avery]

keenan wynn
jenilee harrison
leigh mccloskey
chris coffey
derek mcgrath
william smithers
priscilla pointer
jared martin
sasha mitchell
deborah tucker
cathy podewell
christopher atkins
j eddie peck
daniel pilon
dennis redfield
michelle scarbelli

[I-<3-Clayton]

William Smithers as a worst actor?

[shawe49]

I wasn't impressed by Barbara Eden in her role . I just couldn't quit thinking of her as Genie. The story she was in didn't interest me at all. I felt like they were grasping for straws, also the one that the soap star that is so tiny, I can't place her name right now, but -- OH yes Susan Lucci. She wasn't a good character on Dallas for me.
I also didn't like the Mickey story. It seemed to drag out forever. They had many of them as fillers I think when they were about out of good stuff to write. I didn't care for Dack Rambo or the girl that was from Three's company.
In all there is one person that I do believe we could have come to love, after Jock died. I think I will make a new thread and see if anyone cares !

[Swami]

William Smithers as a worst actor?

The only problem with William Smithers was that they wrote him out far too soon. McKay lacked the sheer gravitas that Wendell had in his vendetta with Ewing Oil.

Swami

[Jock-1981]

I thought William Smithers as Jeremy Wendell was one of the best adversaries of JRs on Dallas and it was a shame to see him exit that show.

[I-<3-Clayton]

They should never have gotten rid of Wendell. He was awesome.

[Swami]

There was a cold, single-minded approach to Wendell that made him much more of a difficult adversary for JR than Cliff ever could be.

Swami

[W.J.Garr]

There was a cold, single-minded approach to Wendell that made him much more of a difficult adversary for JR than Cliff ever could be.

Swami

Yes, so true. I missed Wendell. He was JR's toughest opponent, he couldn't ever get to Wendell. But his involvment with April lacked credibility.

[Jock-1981]

Jeremy brought down Ewing Oil. Cliff only dreamed of bringing down Ewing Oil.

[Canyon340]

Actually, Dack Rambo wasn't exactly Olivier

He had that unique acting style of prefacing almost every single line he uttered with a chuckle -whether the context was suitable or not.

[Swami]

Jeremy brought down Ewing Oil. Cliff only dreamed of bringing down Ewing Oil.

Cliff was so irrational most of the time.

Swami

[I-<3-Clayton]

That's the best word for Cliff - irrational. I always felt bad for him when things didn't work out for him. One of the most heartbreaking scenes for me with Cliff was when he appealed to Sue Ellen to forgive him for asking for money, and to please give him another chance, and she just brushed him off... I lost a lot of sympathy for Sue Ellen during that season.

[Swami]

That's the best word for Cliff - irrational. I always felt bad for him when things didn't work out for him. One of the most heartbreaking scenes for me with Cliff was when he appealed to Sue Ellen to forgive him for asking for money, and to please give him another chance, and she just brushed him off... I lost a lot of sympathy for Sue Ellen during that season.

Plus, the way he kept on blaming the Ewings for all his woes - he wasn't very proactive.

Swami