TV characters that didn't exist and/or were written for an actor? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 06-05-2017, 08:42 PM

I am curious to find out about more actors who knocked it out of the park at their auditions that characters were made just to have them show up in the show.

Edward216 · 06-05-2017, 10:13 PM

I know that has actually happened, but unfortunately I can't remember any specific stories right now and I'll have to think about it. Should be an interesting thread.

Ed.

Dianne3 · 06-08-2017, 04:02 PM

Donny Most - Ralph Malph on Happy Days

factsoflife · 06-08-2017, 06:26 PM

Mindy Cohn from "The Facts of Life". During the pre-production research for the show, Charlotte Rae and other producers of the show interviewed prep school kids about their opinions on attending prep school and what it is like. During one of these meetings, Charlotte Rae noticed a girl who she found adorable. That girl was Mindy Cohn, and Rae convinced the writers to create a new character for Cohn, and that character became Natalie.

During auditions for Glee, Chris Colfer auditioned for the role of Artie, which went to Kevin McHale. Ryan Murphy, however, enjoyed his audition and after noticing his pale complexion created the brand new role of Kurt Hummel, even giving the character the nickname "Porcelain", after Colfer's complexion.

visaman666 · 06-08-2017, 06:33 PM

Cliff Claven on Cheers.

John Ratzenberger auditioned for Norm, didn't get the part and asked if they had a bar know it-all. They didn't, so he improvised a scene as Cliff, and a new character was born.

But, the pilot had been written and aporoved before Cliff existed, and that's why he is not in the pilot episode. Then in his first episode, Cliff sits at the bar alone, as a glorified extra.

Retro4Life · 06-08-2017, 07:24 PM

I believe the character of Charlie Pace on "Lost" was created for Dominic Monaghan. He was originally chosen to play "Sawyer" but when Josh Holloway did such a good reading, they switched to him and made Dom Charlie.

Babalu · 06-10-2017, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by factsoflife

Mindy Cohn from "The Facts of Life". During the pre-production research for the show, Charlotte Rae and other producers of the show interviewed prep school kids about their opinions on attending prep school and what it is like. During one of these meetings, Charlotte Rae noticed a girl who she found adorable. That girl was Mindy Cohn, and Rae convinced the writers to create a new character for Cohn, and that character became Natalie.

That's an interesting story and I hate to say it, but I always wondered how such an unattractive and overweight girl got on a TV show.

Coffeecup · 06-14-2017, 10:08 AM

[During auditions for Glee, Chris Colfer auditioned for the role of Artie, which went to Kevin McHale. Ryan Murphy, however, enjoyed his audition and after noticing his pale complexion created the brand new role of Kurt Hummel, even giving the character the nickname "Porcelain", after Colfer's complexion.

Chris Colfer writes children/teen books and seems to be doing well as an author.

Coffeecup · 06-14-2017, 10:14 AM

That's an interesting story and I hate to say it, but I always wondered how such an unattractive and overweight girl got on a TV show.

Hey- that's not nice. Should I turn the sentence and say How come you didn't get on tv? We aren't all ravening beauties. Mindy had the right to be on tv just as much as anyone.

TVJoy · 06-14-2017, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coffeecup

That's an interesting story and I hate to say it, but I always wondered how such an unattractive and overweight girl got on a TV show.

Hey- that's not nice. Should I turn the sentence and say How come you didn't get on tv? We aren't all ravening beauties. Mindy had the right to be on tv just as much as anyone.

She was a dose of reality for me. I grew up overweight and seeing someone who looked like me on that show was comforting. The fact that they didn't make an issue of her weight was nice. i was shy, but I had friends who like me and the weight didn't seem to matter to them, only to me. Also, she wasn't unattractive.

Dianne3 · 06-14-2017, 03:19 PM

I don't see anything wrong with wondering how Mindy Cohn/Natalie got on FOL.
That's not always being mean spirited. It's being realistic.
Good for her. I did like her.

I do remember an episode where both Natalie and Blair were making fun of a boy with a lot of acne. I thought of all characters, Natalie was one who shouldn't be making fun of anyone.

TVJoy · 06-14-2017, 03:44 PM

Quote: "I thought of all characters, Natalie was one who shouldn't be making fun of anyone."

Your sentence is mean spirited.

No one should make fun of anyone whether it's because they have acne, they're overweight (Natalie), they're black (Tootie), they're a tomboy (Jo), they're a self-centered blonde snob (Blair), or any other reason you can think of.

scrapple · 06-14-2017, 09:50 PM

Oh, for God's sake, lighten up.

TVJoy · 06-14-2017, 10:47 PM

Or you could shut up. I'm entitled to my opinion.

Edward216 · 06-15-2017, 03:37 AM

Wow, are you awful. At the time The Facts Of Life ran originally I thought Mindy Cohn was kind of cute. I thought all the girls were attractive. I never liked Kim Fields' shorter hairstyle but that's a minor thing.

Ed.

06-05-2017, 08:42 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,738	TV characters that didn't exist and/or were written for an actor? I am curious to find out about more actors who knocked it out of the park at their auditions that characters were made just to have them show up in the show.

06-08-2017, 06:26 PM	#4
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,747	Mindy Cohn from "The Facts of Life". During the pre-production research for the show, Charlotte Rae and other producers of the show interviewed prep school kids about their opinions on attending prep school and what it is like. During one of these meetings, Charlotte Rae noticed a girl who she found adorable. That girl was Mindy Cohn, and Rae convinced the writers to create a new character for Cohn, and that character became Natalie. During auditions for Glee, Chris Colfer auditioned for the role of Artie, which went to Kevin McHale. Ryan Murphy, however, enjoyed his audition and after noticing his pale complexion created the brand new role of Kurt Hummel, even giving the character the nickname "Porcelain", after Colfer's complexion.
	__________________ "and to the fans. I was only supposed to be on every other Tuesday. But, thanks to you, I'm here, and I promise! I will try my best never to let you down. I am going back into that studio on Monday, and I'm going to play Erica Kane for all she's worth!"-- Susan Lucci, May 1999 Daytime Emmy Speech.

06-08-2017, 07:24 PM	#6
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	I believe the character of Charlie Pace on "Lost" was created for Dominic Monaghan. He was originally chosen to play "Sawyer" but when Josh Holloway did such a good reading, they switched to him and made Dom Charlie.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

06-05-2017, 10:13 PM	#2
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,648	I know that has actually happened, but unfortunately I can't remember any specific stories right now and I'll have to think about it. Should be an interesting thread. Ed.

06-08-2017, 04:02 PM	#3
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,058	Donny Most - Ralph Malph on Happy Days

06-08-2017, 06:33 PM	#5
visaman666 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 818	Cliff Claven on Cheers. John Ratzenberger auditioned for Norm, didn't get the part and asked if they had a bar know it-all. They didn't, so he improvised a scene as Cliff, and a new character was born. But, the pilot had been written and aporoved before Cliff existed, and that's why he is not in the pilot episode. Then in his first episode, Cliff sits at the bar alone, as a glorified extra.

06-14-2017, 10:08 AM	#8
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	[During auditions for Glee, Chris Colfer auditioned for the role of Artie, which went to Kevin McHale. Ryan Murphy, however, enjoyed his audition and after noticing his pale complexion created the brand new role of Kurt Hummel, even giving the character the nickname "Porcelain", after Colfer's complexion. Chris Colfer writes children/teen books and seems to be doing well as an author.

06-14-2017, 10:14 AM	#9
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	That's an interesting story and I hate to say it, but I always wondered how such an unattractive and overweight girl got on a TV show. Hey- that's not nice. Should I turn the sentence and say How come you didn't get on tv? We aren't all ravening beauties. Mindy had the right to be on tv just as much as anyone.

06-14-2017, 03:19 PM	#11
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,058	I don't see anything wrong with wondering how Mindy Cohn/Natalie got on FOL. That's not always being mean spirited. It's being realistic. Good for her. I did like her. I do remember an episode where both Natalie and Blair were making fun of a boy with a lot of acne. I thought of all characters, Natalie was one who shouldn't be making fun of anyone.

06-14-2017, 03:44 PM	#12
TVJoy Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 08, 2017 Posts: 29	Quote: "I thought of all characters, Natalie was one who shouldn't be making fun of anyone." Your sentence is mean spirited. No one should make fun of anyone whether it's because they have acne, they're overweight (Natalie), they're black (Tootie), they're a tomboy (Jo), they're a self-centered blonde snob (Blair), or any other reason you can think of.

06-14-2017, 09:50 PM	#13
scrapple Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 03, 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 259	Oh, for God's sake, lighten up.

06-14-2017, 10:47 PM	#14
TVJoy Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 08, 2017 Posts: 29	Or you could shut up. I'm entitled to my opinion.

06-15-2017, 03:37 AM	#15
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,648	Wow, are you awful. At the time The Facts Of Life ran originally I thought Mindy Cohn was kind of cute. I thought all the girls were attractive. I never liked Kim Fields' shorter hairstyle but that's a minor thing. Ed.