The Two "Samanthas"

was there ever a TV show where the lead actor was replaced midstream? the example usually cited is the two Darrens, but of course neither of them was ever the "lead".

every example i can think of involving the actual LEAD (MJ Fox -> Charlie Sheen; Ron Howard -> Ted McGinley; Valerie Harper -> Sandy Duncan) involves a new CHARACTER being introduced, not just an actor swap. i was thinking more along the lines of James Bond, where someone flat out takes over as the SAME character. isn't there a SINGLE example??

wracking my brain (and searching tvtropes.com) for one, but i'm drawing a total blank. if anything, i'da thought several old private eye/detective series might have operated in this manner. but so far...BUPKIS!

anyone?

 

The best character switch I remember was from the first ep of series 2 of a show called "Game On"
Mathew is 1 of 3 main people on the show and they simply replaced his actor without any excuse.

Watch the last bit of this, after the credits at 8:48

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq27_MG_U9Y

 

It happens on soap operas all the time, although that probably doesn't count as being the lead characters.

On Roseanne the older daughter was replaced midstream with a new actor...again, not technically the lead. (Lecy Goranson replaced by Sarah Chalke)

Alias Smith and Jones simply switched out Peter Duel for Roger Davis, but it killed what would have been a promising series.

Starz is currently searching for a new actor to replace Andy Whitfield in Spartacus, but I haven't heard if they've found anyone yet.

That's all I can come up with, but it seems like there are more. Of course, there is no word yet on whether or not Ashton Kutcher will take over Charlie Sheen's role on Two and a Half Men or if he'll be a new character (at least not that I've heard about).

 

that's what got me thinking about this -- i for one think it would be a hoot if kutcher just suddenly appeared AS CHARLIE HARPER. but i can find no evidence this has EVER been done before.

the examples you cite are more-or-less "side" characters. i know about roseanne's daughter, but what about a show where ROSEANNE herself up and switched?!

the closest i can come up with is Dr. Who. but those are technically different characters.

i figured there would be some old Mannix / Peter Gunn / Bonanza / Buck Rogers-era show where they tried to milk a few more seasons out of a popular character after some actor's death, but honestly, no one can seem to come up with one.


EDIT: spoke too soon -- i have never seen AS&J but the description on wiki sounds like it might be EXACTLY what i'm talking about!!!! moocher's grassy a$$!

"Game on" I am unsure of. Aren't UK shows considered collections of distinct miniseries, where cast changes are routine? The wiki refers to it as 3 "series" rather than 3 "seasons" of the same series, for example.

But it does seem like a good example nonetheless.


EDIT2: is there NO wiki on spartacus?! i hear a lot about the show, but i haven't seen it either!

none of THESE, right? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartacus_(disambiguation)

 

I have no idea if there's a wiki for Spartacus or not, but Starz has an official page for the show.

http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus

It really sucks that they have to replace Andy Whitfield. Not just from the show's perspective, but because it truly sucks that his cancer came back.

Huh...turns out there is a wiki for it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartacus:_Blood_and_Sand

And according to that, they've cast Liam McIntyre in the title role.

 

thanks to a discussion on the radio tonight, I now have 3 great answers to offer!!

the LONE RANGER lost its lead (clayton moore) in a contract dispute, and substituted john hart for a few years...until the studio changed hands and the new owners brought back moore. so that's technically *2* lead swaps!

of course, the lone ranger was messy with radio actors and matinee "serial" actors, and the whole transition to TV, so the swap may not have been that big a deal.

likewise (example 2), the LIFE OF RILEY was one of these early-era TV shows which switched leads midstream. jackie gleason in season 1; william bendix from season 2 onwards. this despite good ratings and gleason wanting to continue. again, tho, the fine print: there was a 3 year "gap" between the two runs, and some consider them "separate" series.

a better example, I believe (number 3), is a show from the modern era, DARK JUSTICE. season 2 picked up right where season 1 left off, but with a totally new actor (bruce abbott) in place of the original one (ramy zada). PERFECT ANSWER! :-D

[as was SPARTACUS...sorry i didn't update this earlier....]

HONOURABLE MENTION: like AS&J below, there is one more entry in the "one of two equal leads" category: CAGNEY & LACEY had a diff lacey for its first season (meg foster) before sharon gless took over for the next 6.

[technically, it also had a third actress for its pilot -- loretta swit -- but there's lots of examples like that around. it's meg foster's role in the actual series why i'm including it here.]

-----
thanks again to the 5 or 6 unknown persons on the radio tonight providing this windfall of information!