Soap opera actors are considered some of the most hardworking performers in Hollywood, needing to memorize long scripts in a short timeframe, put their all into every romantic and dramatic scene, and shoot sometimes three episodes a day with no possibility of retakes.
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ButGeneral Hospitalisn’t the only soap to see its actorpull double-duty roles.Every daytime drama has been known for its actors playing more than one character at the same time, while others leave and come back as whole new characters, doppelgangers, long-lost twin siblings, or sometimes all three in that unexpected “dun dun dun” moment.
Deidre Hall As Marlena Evans, Hattie Adams (Days Of Our Lives)
Salem’s favorite (and seemingly only) therapist Dr. Marlena Evans has been played byDays of Our Livesvet Deidre Hall for decades, starting in 1976 and appearing in three runs, her most recent being from 2011 to the present day.
But when she wasn’t being possessed by the devil, Hall was also known for playing Marlena’s doppelganger Hattie Adams, originally portrayed by the actress' real-life identical twin sister Andrea Hall.
Kin Shriner As Harrison Bartlett, Jeffrey Bardwell (Young And The Restless)
While actor Kin Shriner is best known for his role onGeneral Hospitalas Scott Baldwin, he also appeared onYoung and the Restlessin two different stints as two different characters.
Shriner’s firstY&Rappearance was in 2004 as Harrison Bartlett, then again in 2011 when he took the place of Ted Shackelford as Jeffrey Bardwell at the same time hisGeneral Hospitalon-screen lover Genie Francis portrayed Genevieve Atkinson.
Eileen Davidson As Kristen DiMera, Susan Banks (Days Of Our Lives)
The Real HousewivesstarEileen Davidsonmade herDays of Our Livesdebut in 1993 as the infamous Kristen DiMera, adopted daughter of evil villain Stefano DiMera.
But the actress has played a handful of other characters on the soap, most notably the loud and eccentric Susan Banks, as well as Susan’s quadruplet siblings Penelope Kent, Thomas Banks and Sister Mary Moira Banks.
Jerry Douglas As John Abbott, Alistair Wallingford (Young And The Restless)
Jerry Douglasplayed the Abbott family patriarch John Abbott for over three decades onCBS’Young and the Restless.Even after his character’s death in 2006, Douglas continued to appear on the show as John’s ghost that only his son Jack could see.
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Douglas also got to pull double duty during hisY&Rrun, playing the part of an actor named Alistair Wallingford, who arrives in Genoa City and his resemblance to the late John Abbott causes Jack to hire him to play the part of his father’s ghost in a plan to evict John’s widow from the Abbott mansion.
Camryn Grimes As Cassie Newman, Mariah Copeland (Young And The Restless)
Camryn Grimesbecame the youngest Daytime Emmy Award winner ever at just 10 years old for her portrayal of Cassie Newman onYoung and the Restless,a character she played until Cassie’s devastating death in 2007.
While Grimes appeared off and on as Cassie’s ghost, the actress returned to the show full-time in 2014 when her character Mariah Copeland, a Cassie lookalike, was hired to spook Cassie’s mother Sharon before it was inevitably revealed that Mariah was Cassie’s long-lost twin sister.
Judi Evans As Adrienne Johnson, Bonnie Lockhart (Days Of Our Lives)
ActressJudi Evanshas appeared in four soap operas throughout her career, but only one show offered her the chance to play two different characters.
Evans first appeared onNBC’sDays of Our Livesin 1986, where she played three stints as Adrienne Johnson until the character’s unexpected death in 2019. Evans also often took on the role of the mischievous Adrienne doppelganger Bonnie Lockhart, a role she’s been actively portraying since 2018.
Thaao Penghlis As Tony DiMera, Andre DiMera (Days Of Our Lives)
Thaao Penghlisis yet another actor who got to play twins on a daytime soap. Penghlis' original run onDays of Our Liveswas as the first DiMera to appear on the show, Tony DiMera. The actor played the character for four years in the 80’s before reprising the role in 2007.
During Penghlis' first run on the show, he also played Andre DiMera, who was said to be Stefano’s nephew until it was revealed during the actor’s third run on the show in 2015 that Andre was actually Stefano’s son, making him the identical twin brother of Tony.
Judith Chapman As Anjelica Deveraux, Diana Colville (Days Of Our Lives)
Judith Chapmanhas appeared on almost every notable daytime soap opera since the 1970’s, her most recent show she resides beingYoung and the Restlessas Gloria Abbott. But it’s herDays of Our Livesgigs that had her playing two different characters on two different occasions.
The first was as Anjelica Deveraux, a role Chapman played from 1989 to 1991, with a short stint in 2018. The second was as Diana Colville, the mother of Leo Stark, played by herY&Ron-screen son Greg Rikaart.
Kyle Lowder As Brady Black, Rex Brady (Days Of Our Lives)
Kyle Lowderwas Brady Black’s original portrayer until his 2005 exit brought Eric Martsolf into the role. The part earned Lowder a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 2003, amarriage to co-star Adrianne Zucker,and a chance to guest-star as himself onFriendsepisode “The One With The Soap Opera Party.”
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Lowder’sDaysabsence lasted until 2018 when he came back to the soap as Rex Brady, a character he played off and on until 2021. The stint even joked about his former time on the show, when Rex introduces himself to Brady, who responds with “Why the hell not?”
Jeanne Cooper As Katherine Chancellor, Marge Cotrooke (Young And The Restless)
Soap opera legendJeanne Cooperplayed fan-favorite character Katherine Chancellor onYoung and the Restlessfor a consecutive 40 years until the actress' passing in 2013. Her character played opposite her on-screen rival Jess Walton,Y&Rvet Eric Braeden, and her real-life son Corbin Bernsen.
But during her decades-long run on the soap, Cooper also played the character of Katherine’s lookalike Marge Cotrooke in sporadic stints ranging from 1989 to 2009.
