Do you think they should have recast the role of James? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 03-08-2006, 10:54 AM

I do. It would have kept intact the show's original premise of a two-parent black family trying to make good.

I realize that finding an actor as good as John Amos would be very difficult, if not impossible; however, I still think it should have been recast.

TVJunkie101 · 03-08-2006, 10:57 AM

I don't. John Amos was James. A recast on a sitcom in a key role like that wouldn't have gelled well, IMO.

Brian Damage · 03-08-2006, 10:58 AM

I disagree, there just wouldn't be anybody who had the intensity to play James like Amos did.

Janice · 03-08-2006, 11:14 AM

I agree that Olmos' shoes were impossible to fill. Still, to me it just destroyed the feel of the show. I loved the interaction between Florida and James. To me it's sort of like Darin on Bewitched. The role needed to be filled. I like the husband and wife part.

Brian Damage · 03-08-2006, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

I agree that Olmos' shoes were impossible to fill. Still, to me it just destroyed the feel of the show. I loved the interaction between Florida and James. To me it's sort of like Darin on Bewitched. The role needed to be filled. I like the husband and wife part.

I hear what you're saying, but it was mostly the chemistry between Amos and Rolle that I liked. The show did try to revive that type of chemistry by bring in the Carl character, but it just didn't have the same feel.

TVFactFan · 03-08-2006, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

I do. It would have kept intact the show's original premise of a two-parent black family trying to make good.

I realize that finding an actor as good as John Amos would be very difficult, if not impossible; however, I still think it should have been recast.

I never believed that a Major character on a sitcom should be recast.

Ireneparalegal · 03-08-2006, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVResearcher

I never believed that a Major character on a sitcom should be recast.

The only time that would work would be if there was a chance the actor/actress would come back, like in Roseanne and the "Becky" character. Although I hated the second Becky, still, it was better than having the Becky character removed totally some way.
As for Amos, no way. In those days it was either be on the show, or be removed. Amos was the only second character to ever be killed off. McLean Stevenson was the first. Imagine trying to put another actor in Mclean's role. There are just some roles that shouldn't be played by others.

JeffRuss1972 · 03-08-2006, 09:16 PM

The role of John Amos' James would be nearly impossible to fill by anyone else, as I believe he was too ingrained in the audience's minds as the one and only Evans father. Of course, any actor that replaced him would ALWAYS be compared to John Amos, so in a way they would be starting out in a losing position. As good of an actor as Moses Gunn was, even he couldn't pull it off as ANOTHER character. Imagine everyone suddenly calling him James at the start of season 4-lol. Today we would probably all be starting threads like "Don't you like the FIRST James better than the second?"-like on the Bewitched board-lol

mstewart · 03-09-2006, 01:03 PM

No the role of James should not be recast. No one could play it the way John Amos could and the chemistry that was there between him and Esther Rolle (in spite of their age difference) was priceless. Their marriage looked real and we got to see what it's like to have a strong healthy marriage in spite of economic challenges the Evans' household had.

The only show I knew that could had pulled off a recast of a major character would had been Eight is Enough when Diana Hyland passed away. She was only in five episodes and we didn't bond with her as we did with like John Amos. The show could had recasted Diana's part. But another James Evans no way.

03-08-2006, 10:54 AM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Do you think they should have recast the role of James? I do. It would have kept intact the show's original premise of a two-parent black family trying to make good. I realize that finding an actor as good as John Amos would be very difficult, if not impossible; however, I still think it should have been recast.

03-08-2006, 10:57 AM	#2
TVJunkie101 Member...you 'member? Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 2,838	I don't. John Amos was James. A recast on a sitcom in a key role like that wouldn't have gelled well, IMO.
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03-08-2006, 10:58 AM	#3
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	I disagree, there just wouldn't be anybody who had the intensity to play James like Amos did.
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03-08-2006, 09:16 PM	#8
JeffRuss1972 70s Sitcoms Rule!!! Eternal Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 11, 2005 Location: Villa Rica, GA Posts: 1,257	The role of John Amos' James would be nearly impossible to fill by anyone else, as I believe he was too ingrained in the audience's minds as the one and only Evans father. Of course, any actor that replaced him would ALWAYS be compared to John Amos, so in a way they would be starting out in a losing position. As good of an actor as Moses Gunn was, even he couldn't pull it off as ANOTHER character. Imagine everyone suddenly calling him James at the start of season 4-lol. Today we would probably all be starting threads like "Don't you like the FIRST James better than the second?"-like on the Bewitched board-lol
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03-08-2006, 11:14 AM	#4
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	I agree that Olmos' shoes were impossible to fill. Still, to me it just destroyed the feel of the show. I loved the interaction between Florida and James. To me it's sort of like Darin on Bewitched. The role needed to be filled. I like the husband and wife part.

03-09-2006, 01:03 PM	#9
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	No the role of James should not be recast. No one could play it the way John Amos could and the chemistry that was there between him and Esther Rolle (in spite of their age difference) was priceless. Their marriage looked real and we got to see what it's like to have a strong healthy marriage in spite of economic challenges the Evans' household had. The only show I knew that could had pulled off a recast of a major character would had been Eight is Enough when Diana Hyland passed away. She was only in five episodes and we didn't bond with her as we did with like John Amos. The show could had recasted Diana's part. But another James Evans no way.