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While Counting Down to Three (!) Big Daytime Returns, Consider 35 *More* Soap MVPs That We Need Back, Like, Yesterday
Friday, May 13th, 2022
There are just some actors without whom the genre doesn’t seem quite the same.
When Days of Our Lives’ Peacock spinoff returns with new episodes this summer, among its ranks will be not one, not two but three soap superstars: Kristian Alfonso, who swore that she was done as Hope when she walked in 2020, Peter Reckell, whose Bo was left really, most sincerely dead back in 2016, and Steve Burton, whose Jason was killed off General Hospital when the Emmy winner refused to comply with a vaccine mandate for the safety and well-being of his colleagues. All of which got us to thinking…
If they can come back — and approximately a zillion others have before them — who couldn’t?
More: Steve Burton talks real-life split from pregnant wife
She lived. Why not him?
Credit: CBS screenshot
So Soaps.com put together a wish list of the actors from not only Days of Our Lives but The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital that we are hoping against hope will again turn up in the genre we love as much as we do our wine-o’clock pour.
More: Young & Restless ‘casualty’ returning to Days of Our Lives?
Among the stars included in the photo gallery below are the Days of Our Lives standout who hung a new branch from John Black’s family tree, the General Hospital Emmy winner whose character viewers loved to hate, a Bold & Beautiful alum whose alter ego has already been given one new lease on life and a Young & Restless vet whose potential remains, alas, mostly untapped.
Want to see our picks and see if you agree with them or have alternates that you’d like to suggest? All you have to do is…
Click on the photo gallery below to see the stars on our Most Wanted Back list.
Image: John Paschal/JPI
1/35
<p>Four roles on three soaps. Three Daytime Emmys. Countless fans. No pressure, but it’s your move, <em>Young & Restless.</em></p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
2/35
<p>There’s a reason that <em>Young & Restless</em> viewers didn’t think Rey’s demise was “to die for.” The loss of his much-missed portrayer is it.</p>
Image: George De Sota/JPI
3/35
<p>It ain’t for nothin’ that the powerhouse who brought to life <em>Guiding Light</em>’s “slut of Springfield” is regarded by her peers <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/624899/young-restless-christian-leblanc-robert-newman-message-kim-zimmer/" target="_blank">as a golden goddess</a>.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
4/35
<p>The <em>General Hospital</em> fave has said that if he left Port Charles as Julian — and he did — <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/583055/general-hospital-william-devry-says-if-i-go-no-return/" target="_blank">he wouldn’t return</a>. So how about another show?</p>
Image: CBS
5/35
<p><em>Young & Restless</em> may have recast Summer, but that doesn’t mean that the Emmy winner couldn’t turn up on a different sudser.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
6/35
<p>If <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> wanted to fill the empty role of Rick, the <em>Studio City</em> MVP could pick right up where he left off as the legacy character.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI (3)
7/35
<p>We’d sing a chorus of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” — maybe two — if <em>Days of Our Lives</em> decided to get Paul off the bench.</p>
Image: Evans Ward/JPI
8/35
<p>Daytime’s been a bit dimmer ever since it last boasted among its ranks the Emmy winner who played <em>As the World Turns</em>’ Lily.</p>
Image: Sean Smith/JPI
9/35
<p>Ready, aim, and already, we’re fired up about the prospect of <em>General Hospital</em> bringing home the Emmy magnet as Lucky.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
10/35
<p>Even if <em>Young & Restless</em> never resurrects Dru, some soap <em>should</em> call home one of the genre’s most exciting performers. Ever.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
11/35
<p>He’s more than <em>As the World Turns</em>’ Luke. Hello?!? Drop him into the mix — <em>any</em> mix — stir, and let the sparks fly.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
12/35
<p><em>Bold & Beautiful</em> never <em>quite</em> made use of the enchanting Aussie actress, but we’ll be damned if she didn’t grow on us like (poison?) Ivy.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI (3)
13/35
<p>If <em>General Hospital</em> is making Nelle the rare character that it allows to <em>stay</em> dead, any other soap would be lucky to have her Emmy-winning portrayer.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
14/35
<p>Face it: He’s the perfect soap patriarch. Only question is which show will be the first to utilize <em>All My Children</em>’s beloved Jackson that way.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
15/35
<p><em>Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem</em> did a bang-up job of reminding us how misused this charisma machine was by <em>Young & Restless.</em></p>
Image: Hallmark Channel/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
16/35
<p><em>General Hospital</em> fans have never <em>stopped</em> wanting her back as Brenda. If only Maurice Benard (Sonny) <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/602784/general-hospital-maurice-benard-says-vanessa-marcil-not-returning-brenda/" target="_blank">hadn’t told us this</a>.</p>
Image: CBS
17/35
<p>Theo wasn’t just <em>Young & Restless</em>, he was hot and connected — <em>and</em> played by an up-and-comer who was cast aside just as he’d begun to shine.</p>
Image: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
18/35
<p>Yeah, yeah, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> killed off Macy. Twice. Big whoop. Her portrayer could still return and restart mom Sally’s classic brand. Please?</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
19/35
<p>A comeback for the leading lady who breathed life into <em>All My Children</em>’s Maria? You <em>bet</em> we’ll drink to that. Also, are you, um, gonna finish that?</p>
Image: Freeform
20/35
<p>Sure, he’s making <em>Good Trouble</em> in primetime now. But it’ll be a cold day in hell before we believe that <em>General Hospital</em> has left Morgan <em>dead</em>-dead.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
21/35
<p>The actress who tackled multiple roles at once on <em>One Life to Live</em> is past due to take on at least another single one in daytime.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
22/35
<p>When fans freak like they did over the death of Finn on <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>, you <em>know</em> the actor’s someone who should get a new lease on life. <strong>Editor’s note:</strong> Finn <em>was</em> soon resurrected.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
23/35
<p>She’s proven the breadth of her talents on that long-titled <em>High School Musical</em> show, but boy, do we still miss <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Claire.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
24/35
<p><em>Young & Restless</em> struck gold with Ravi… and then chucked that gold. All another show would have to do is pick Sinha up and set him loose.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
25/35
<p>Though <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> did a brilliant job of recasting Hope, there will never <em>not</em> be a place in daytime for her effervescent original portrayer.</p>
Image: NBC
26/35
<p>She set a record as the first actress to win three Daytime Emmys for three different roles on three different networks. She is, in short, a necessity. <strong>Editor’s note:</strong> McClain continues to appear on <em>Days of Our Lives</em> as Jennifer from time to time.</p>
Image: ABC
27/35
<p>Justice for Dev! The <em>General Hospital</em> standout was so freaking good, he all but demands a shot at another daytime role.</p>
Image: Priscilla Grant/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
28/35
<p>He already brought to life one of <em>Young & Restless</em>’ most notorious villains. Now he <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/629929/young-restless-michael-corbett-david-return-revenge-nina/" target="_blank">just has to bring him back to life</a>!</p>
Image: Courtesy of the Everett Collection
29/35
<p>Daytime television without the icon who rocked the role of <em>All My Children</em>’s Erica Kane doesn’t even make sense. Can we get an amen?</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI (3)
30/35
<p>The <em>General Hospital</em> legend who played <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> seaman Nick still floats our boat. Now if only he’d drop anchor in daytime again!</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
31/35
<p>Though <em>Days of Our Lives</em> too often made JJ a sad sack, what <em>really</em> bums us out is his portrayer’s absence from our screens.</p>
Image: ABC
32/35
<p>This veteran of three soaps is the actor equivalent of jumper cables: She gives a charge to any scene she’s in!</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
33/35
<p><em>Young & Restless</em>’ audience doesn’t grumble about Paul’s absence because it enjoys grumbling. The vet who played him was, and is, special.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
34/35
<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/626830/general-hospital-tyler-christopher-dead-three-times-alcohol-abuse/" target="_blank">His demons in check</a>, it’s only a question of which soap will snap up the Emmy-winning <em>General Hospital</em> and <em>Days of Our Lives</em> alum.</p>
Image: CBS
35/35
