Mitch Ryan as.....Jeremiah?

[Nelson Collins]

Barnabas Frid of course! 

Sorry for the typo 

[RachelDrummand]

After Josette's suicide and Vicky accused of withcraft, Jeremiah may have represented her instead of Peter Bradford.

Now that would have been awesome! Though if Mitch would have stayed on, I could see him as Nathan Forbes for some reason...that would have been interested...that would have left Joel Crothers as Jeremiah which might have worked since Maggie and Joe were together.

[Doug]

What was the reason for Mitch Ryan being fired from the show? I have always wondered about that.

[RachelDrummand]

I think it was the alcohol. That and he'd often show up late.

[Midnite]

I think it was the alcohol.

It was.  And not knowing his lines because of it.

That and he'd often show up late.

He'd show up hung over, or not show up at all.

[Gerard]

I wonder how they worked around that, especially if he did not show up at all?  Considering the way DS was shot - an entire episode virtually from beginning to end, reshooting bloopers only in the most extraordinary of circumstances, even inserting the musical score and commercials - just how was it done?  We know of a few situations in which emergencies did happen to the performers and they had to do quick rewrites removing the missing actor/actress, or the even more rarely utilized having a stand-in (such as "fake Carolyn" when Nancy Stoddard came down with the flu), but how was it accomplished when Mitch Ryan did not show up?  All I can think is that they had to quick episode rewrite after rewrite until he was dismissed from the series and his permanent replacement found.

Gerard

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I wonder how they worked around that, especially if he did not show up at all?

In at least one instance Joel Crothers stepped in and Burke's lines were given to Joe.

[Doug]

Well if the alcohol was more important to Mitch instead of his job playing Burke, then he should have put in his resignation. That would have been better instead of being fired.

[Luciaphile]

Do Jeremiah and Millicent even share any scenes together at all?  I recall Joshua talking to Jeremiah about trying to get them together, but I don't remember if they even ever actually meet onscreen.  It seems like subplot died almost before it was born.

I'm pretty sure they do---at least one big one. I believe they are introduced and it's clear there is no way that it would be a viable marriage. I kind of love Barrett as Millicent. She is such a flake.

I am not an Anthony George fan. I didn't like him as Burke and I loathed him as Jeremiah. I've said this before but the way he played Burke it was like his ultimate ambition was to live in a house with aluminum siding.

When Mitchell Ryan played Burke, his chemistry with Moltke was good. Burke comes to town with a whole other agenda. He's ruthless when playing Carolyn against her family, trying to manipulate others, etc., but he's totally disarmed with Vicki. He brought a lot of complexity to the part. He's particularly good with Diana Millay.

Anthony George's Burke on the other hand is borderline abusive with Vicki. He lectures and rants on her sanity a lot. There's very little chemistry there and his performance is rather one note.

I suspect if Ryan had been around for 1795 his part would have been a bit different, but I think he would have brought a lot to the table.

On another note--I continue to find it hysterical [spoiler]that after being shot in a duel, his injuries require him to be bandaged like Boris Karloff in the Mummy. And also that the family can't even put the guy in a coffin. They toss him in the ground with a shroud over him. [/spoiler]

[Nelson Collins]

Doug, it's often not as simple as that.  Alcoholism is a disease and a pretty insidious one at that.  My brother and Father suffer(ed) from it and my father drank himself to death never once admitting he had any sort of problem.

[Nancy]

It took a loved one of mine twenty years and several lost jobs to admit he had a problem with alcohol.  What's obvious to the sober folks isn't to the one with the drinking problem.  Obviously Mr. Ryan didn't get he had a problem and it was affecting his work.

Nancy 

Well if the alcohol was more important to Mitch instead of his job playing Burke, then he should have put in his resignation. That would have been better instead of being fired.

[alwaysdavid]

I always found Anthony's protrayal towards Vickie as more of a overbearing father than a suitor.  Apparently Mitch Ryan got a handle on his drinking because looking at his credits he appears to be the most prolific of the cast members in terms of work afer DS.  I think he had his best work in the first year and have to agree that his interaction with Laura was his best moments.  It's too bad that the younger man older woman storyline wasn't around on the sixies soaps because I think he had Joan Bennett would have been a good pairing.

[Doug]

Doug, it's often not as simple as that.  Alcoholism is a disease and a pretty insidious one at that.  My brother and Father suffer(ed) from it and my father drank himself to death never once admitting he had any sort of problem.

My grandfather was an alcoholic and he also drank himself to death down in Key West, FL. I never knew him when I was growing up.

[Midnite]

Obviously Mr. Ryan didn't get he had a problem and it was affecting his work.

Exactly.  According to his TV Guide interview from the mid 70s, getting fired from DS resulted in his first attempt to get a handle on his drinking, and after a relapse landed him in the hospital, he quit for good.  His TV credits took off during that decade and he continued to work steadily during the 80s, 90s and beyond.

[Sunny_Collins]

I think if Mitch Ryan would have stayed to portray Jeremiah, his character would never have put up with Joshua's bossiness towards him.