DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '02 II => Topic started by: VAM on September 15, 2002, 07:32:46 PM
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It is obvious that none of those kiddies on DS could be a match for the character "Rhoda" portrayed by Patty McCormick in THE BAD SEED. Or could they? Which of the following DS darlings have (that evil gleam in their eyes and that destructive determination along with a false sweet exterior) the credentials that brings them close to being that child from Hell?
DAVID COLLINS
AMY JENNINGS
ALEXANDER TODD
MICHAEL TODD
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I pick Amy. She told that whopper of a story to Liz and Barnabas so sweetly then later handed Liz a bunch of wild flowers. It was definitely a Rhoda moment.
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IMHO, its definitely Michael Todd coming the closest to the Rhoda character. Once I read that there was a psychologist on set during the filming of 'The Bad Seed'. I don't know what kind of career Patty McCormick had after the movie but I think she was in a soap opera during the 70's(?).
I have to say that the number one performance by a devil tot is that of David Henesey! He was only 9 yrs. old when he plots the murder of his father. The kid could act! It's even more remarkable that it passed the censors back then. Today, no story would even dare to present this type of child on a soap.
The few kids I've seen in the soaps today are actually kind of boring.
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Patty McCormack went on to co-star as next door neighbor Ann Brooks on "The Ropers" in 1979.
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the Levithian tots were pretty evil but David when he tried to kill Roger because here he wasn't controlled by anyone. As good as Amy and David were in this storyline and Jamison as Petofi they were being controlled! Alexander and Micheal were just shells of the real monster so David gets my vote! Great acting by him too!
jennifer
and Joey i remember her!
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I think only David is in the same class. He is a textbook case of an attachment disordered child (the childhood condition leading to becoming a psychopath) complete with the reasons for his problems (abandonment by mother, unfeeling father). The fact that his character was written as it was is just amazing. And David Henesy is a wonderful actor, he almost always has his lines perfect AND he gives a subtle, multilayered performance than many adults could learn from.
Rhoda's lack of conscience and homicidal behavior defied any explanation other than genetics. She proved irredeemable. Therefore, she would outdo our little David. Thankfully, he WAS redeemable. It would have been difficult to have his role continue as it began. AND they chose to keep it realistic enough that he didn't become a well behaved child, just one that stopped trying to kill his father. Until being possessed, of course!
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Have to go with David, at least as he was characterized during the first year of the show. A truly disturbed individual. And as others have mentioned, fantastic acting by David Henesy.
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IMHO, its definitely Michael Todd coming the closest to the Rhoda character.
Remember when he told Barnabas that he wanted to see Julia Hoffman's "eyes closed permanently" and Barnabas was to do it immediately. I guess Julia was tops on his list...::)
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I vote for David Collins. Trying to kill his father was pretty bad! He belongs in the state youth authority prison, for attempted murder. He himself said he could have refused and not have done it.
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Rhoda's lack of conscience and homicidal behavior defied any explanation other than genetics. She proved irredeemable. Therefore, she would outdo our little David. Thankfully, he WAS redeemable. It would have been difficult to have his role continue as it began. AND they chose to keep it realistic enough that he didn't become a well behaved child, just one that stopped trying to kill his father. Until being possessed, of course!
Rhoda was sociopathic. I remember reading the book and there's a bit where she's sitting primly reading Elsie Dinsmore or something like that and there's a line in there about her being puzzled by the moral lessons--Rhoda doesn't care about right and wrong, she has no sense of them. She can learn about right and wrong from a book, but she doesn't have an intrinsic feeling for them.
David isn't sociopathic. He knows the difference between right and wrong. I can't improve on kuanyin's analysis of the character so I'll stop now ;)
Luciaphil
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I vote for Micheal.
That kid was bbbbbbbbaaaaaaaadddddddd!
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the Levithian tots were pretty evil but David when he tried to kill Roger because here he wasn't controlled by anyone. As good as Amy and David were in this storyline and Jamison as Petofi they were being controlled! Alexander and Micheal were just shells of the real monster so David gets my vote! Great acting by him too!
Good point Jennifer. It's definetely David for me too! He did a great job at it too!