Wanted: Teri Austin!

Billy Nolan

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Rumours a while back said that Douglas Sheehan and Joan Van Ark didn't get on all that well. Joan was obviously far more fond of Sam Behrens (Danny) than Douglas.
Interesting. I read in an interview that Joan Van Ark once sent Doug Sheehan a couple of balloons for his birthday after he left the cast (had to leave?). He probably didn't answer her or thank her, just let her fly ... As far as I can remember the interview with Joan Van Ark.
 

ClassyCo

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The KNOTS reunions -- as with many TV shows -- can sometimes be a little spotty. I often question their choices for which cast members are brought back to discuss their time at Seaview Circle, with Michelle Phillips almost always being in the midst, while the likes of James Houghton and Kim Lankford don't even show up as worthy mentions. Houghton seems to have distanced himself from the show, but I've always been under the impression that Lankford would've been willing to continue on KNOTS, and is therefore more approachable to be apart of the specials.

Claudia Lonow was apart of the show early on, and was even in the opening credits for Season 5. Sure, I didn't much care for Diana as a character, but she was substantial in those earlier years. Practically all of the kids -- outside of Nicollette Sheridan -- are overlooked in the reunions. They don't even bring Brian Austin Greene back into the picture, and he has the 90210 fame going for him.

But we're here to talk about Teri Austin. I've always found it interesting that Austin was such a big part of KNOTS for several seasons as Jill, but yet wasn't in the opening credits until Season 10. And that was right before her character was killed off. Show business politics I guess at work there. Anyway, Jill was essential to many plotlines during the show's middle years, and deserves some mentioning in the reunions and other specials, but I suppose Ted Shackelford gets his way there, doesn't he? I mean... do you want Gary or Jill for the reunions? The decision would be easy.

Even so, I think Teri Austin gets a bum deal when it comes to being invited to the reunions. But she certainly isn't alone in that pool.

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Daniel Avery

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I've always found it interesting that Austin was such a big part of KNOTS for several seasons as Jill, but yet wasn't in the opening credits until Season 10. And that was right before her character was killed off. Show business politics I guess at work there.
I have no way of knowing about her situation for certain, but there are many cases where actors prefer to be recurring, non-contract players rather than be tied down to one role by a contract. Yes, the contract guarantees them a paycheck and a place to work every day, but it also limits the actor's options to accept other roles, to work in other venues, and to travel or do things important to them. Being on recurring status allows an actor to come and go as they please, work as much or as little as they like. She likely had opportunities to do work for Canadian TV that would not be open to her if she was under contract with KL. Her character was prominent enough that she got to work frequently during her recurring years, so it could be said she had the best of both worlds.

In order to do the story of Jill's descent into insanity and death, they had to sign her to a contract because they needed to cover their bases. As a recurring player she could in theory walk in one day and say "Sorry, guys, I got offered a big lead role on a Canadian series and I quit." Signing her to a contract "nailed down" her availability. They could then write the story with confidence that they had Austin for the duration. Since her face and name continued to be in the opening titles even after Jill bought the farm, I assume (but don't know for sure) that TA was given a one-season contract and got paid for the whole season despite leaving when Jill died. If she had only signed on for X number of episodes, her image would have been removed as soon as those episodes had aired (think: Constance McCashin and Julie Harris being removed after four episodes in S9). Offering to pay her for a full season without having to work a full season might have been a nice enough incentive to get her to stay on and do their story of Jill's exit.
 

cijimccashin

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Jill (Teri Austin) is definitely someone i would like to see get more attention at the reunions. Such a shame, how the great second tier characters get overlooked for the specials!
 
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