PINCH HITTERS

When a front-burner actor is unexpectly ill or unavailable for personal reasons, last-minute replacements are called in, often at the 11th hour. These replacements are really curious, and they are not the famous recast that a lot of actors suffer in daytime television. A replacement is only for a few days, weeks or months, and later the original actor returns to his/her previous role. In the case of a recast, the original actor doesn't return to his/her role, except in some cases.

The first replacement that I remember to have watched is in "Santa Barbara" in 1985*. It was in the episodes # 211 and 212, and a voice in off said: " The role of Amy Perkins is now being played by Ann Wilkanson". I was stunned because Amy was always being played by Kerry Sherman, and another actress was then in the storyline. Fortunately, Kerry Sherman returned in the episode # 213, and all was only a short replacement.

Since then, I was very interested in the actors' short replacements or pinch hitters, and here you are going to find some pinch hitters that happened in Santa Barbara...

SANTA BARBARA

Amy Perkins :

- Amy Perkins #1 : Kerry Sherman 1984 - 1986

- Amy Perkins #2 : Ann Wilkanson 1985 (R)

Kerry Sherman was replaced by Ann Wilkanson during two episodes (# 211 and 212) in 1985 due to problems with her real pregnancy. Her storyline was in the front-burner, and it was neccesary a last-minute replacement.

Jack Stanfield Lee :

- Jack Stanfield Lee # 1 : Joel Crothers 1985

- Jack Stanfield Lee # 2 : John Sedwick 1985(R)

Joel Crothers was replaced by John Sedwick in the episode # 266 in 1985. Joel Crothers' last apparition in SB was in the episode # 269, the actor died suddenly some time later.

Lionel Lockridge:

- Lionel Lockridge # 1 : Nicolas Coster 1984 - 1988, 1990 - 1993

- Lionel Lockridge # 2 : Don Stewart 1985 (R)

Nicolas Coster was replaced by Don Stewart during the episode # 354 at the end of 1985.

Keith Timmons :

- Keith Timmons # 1 : Justin Deas 1986 - 1988

- Keith Timmons # 2 : Robin Strand 1988 (R)

- Keith Timmons # 3 : John Novak 1990 - 1991

Justin Deas was replaced by Robin Strand in 1988, durinig the episodes (# 925 - 932), just after the episodes of Cruz and Eden's wedding. Justin Deas returned again in the episode # 933.

Lt. Victor Boswell :

- Lt. Victor Boswell # 1 : Wendell J. Grayson 1988

- Lt. Victor Boswell # 2 : Rick Fitts 1988 (R)

- Lt. Victor Boswell # 3 : Russell Curry 1988 - 1992

- Lt. Victor Boswell # 4 : Tom Wright 1992

Wendell J. Grayson was replaced by Rick Fitts in the episodes shown in 1988, due to an illness. The first apparition of Russell Curry was in the episode # 1071 in 1988. He was in the show some years. Although some years later, he reappeared again in the episode # 1910 in February 1992, and he stayed until the episode # 2030. In the episode # 2051, Tom Wright was recast as the new Victor Boswell.

Lisa DiNapoli :

- Lisa DiNapoli # 1 : Tawny Kitaen 1989

- Lisa DiNapoli # 2 : Téa Leoni 1989 (R)

Tawny Kitaen was replaced by Téa Leoni during the episodes (# 1168 - 1173). Tawny Kitaen returned in the episode # 1176.

Note 1: In the USA, the episodes # 211, 212 and 213 were shown in 1985 in NBC. As I am Spanish, these episodes were really shown in Spain in TVE1 in 1989, and the voice in off exactly said: " El personaje de Amy Perkins es ahora interpretado por Ann Wilkanson".

Note 2 : (R) means replacement or pinch hitter.