Who are you favorite one-time or occasional characters?

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

...and why?

Anything from one-timers like my screen-name-sake to the dashing Edison Faraday Haynes to semi-regulars like Dr. Danvers or the bookish vixen Muriel Gillis - they ran the gamut from first-rate, well-written, accomplished pro performances to the silly and absurd.

Clearly my screen name came from one of mine (I just thought he was amusing and appropriate for a screenname for a forum member who mainly posts silly stuff), but I have lots of them. What are yours?

*EDIT: and how do you fix thread titles with typos?*

 

[James from London]

One of my favourite one-scene characters is Sarah Mulgravy, the mother of the girl molested by Edgar Randolph. The Krebbses find her hanging out the washing in the backyard, friendly as can be ("I don't want you think we don't have a dryer, we do; I just think clothes smell better this way"), before she breaks down as she recalls what happened years before ("Oh Lord, why didn't I have a gun when I went into that room?"). Come to think of it, Edgar and his wife Martha were really well cast too.

And one of my all-time favourite characters ever was Alf Brindle, the old rigger who'd worked with Jock, Jason and Digger back in the day, whom JR, Bobby and Ray bring to Cliff's condo to 'testify' to Jason's bad character in front of him, Pam and Jamie. ("Beggin' your pardon, Miss Jamie, and I don't mean no disrespect, but your daddy was a black-hearted man"). That actor was great - shy and twitchy and excitable and itching for a drink, all at the same time.

Then there were Lucy's two love rivals - Alan Beam's slinky girlfriend Betty Lou played by Terry from Falcon Crest and Lucy's waitress nemesis Betty who was sleeping with Eddie the whole time. ("I just wanted to see if you rich girls hurt as much as us poor ones and I am damn glad to see that you do.") Waitress Betty later won an Oscar. Speaking of Eddie, he was my second favourite of Lucy's boyfriends. He and Betty didn't have much to do, but they just felt so real while they were doing it.

 

[Bill Dilks]

This is my all time favorite, pulled from the A&Q thread, tho' Guzzler runs a close second (yw).

JOCK'S TRIAL II s03e23

Mr. Tuttle: "Everybody calls me Virgil."
.....
Prosecutor: "Did you go outside too?"
Mr. Tuttle: "No, I figured it best I stay Puuuht."

 

[Bill Dilks]

Here's my other, who's right up there with Guzz...

Elroy Askew, answering JR's request to join his cartel. MAKING OF A PRESIDENT s4e13. This guy was pure joy in every thing he did.

 

[Willie Oleson]

From what I've seen so far I'd say Martin Cole. And Rita Briggs because she was called Rita Briggs. I think it should have been Jenna's name.
I find most of these supporting cast actors very colourful and entertaining.

 

[James from London]

The amount of great guest roles for women in the stand-alone Season 1 episodes kind of flies in the face of the idea that DALLAS was a show that wasn't interested in its female characters: Rita Briggs, Julie Grey, Jenna Wade, Donna Culver, Val, Leanne Rees, Garnet McGee, Kristin and Patricia ... even the female member of the gang who kidnapped Bobby was interesting ("I bet your wife's hands don't look like these!").

Another great character from later on: Mrs Scotfield, aka the little woman that did.

 

[Willie Oleson]

And who was the best Sally Bullock?

 

[Bill Dilks]

And who was the best Sally Bullock?

Well, I don't know. Swami's kinda sweet on Leslie Stewart.

 

[James from London]

And who was the best Sally Bullock?

Sally #1.

Sally #2 was much better on SIX FEET UNDER.

And of course, there's Mr Eugene. I loved Mr Eugene.

 

[Swami]

Perhaps Harry McSween (James L Brown) qualifies as being a bit more than occasional star - a grand total of 41 episodes. Even so, he gets my vote.

Swami

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

He was an occasional character & wasn't always in the show but I absolutely adored George O. Petrie as Harv Smithfield. Harv was in some of the show's more memorable storylines. He even appeared in Dallas: JR Returns, it was lovely to see him back on the show.

One of the best character actors to ever grace Dallas. May he Rest In Peace.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

From what I've seen so far I'd say Martin Cole. And Rita Briggs because she was called Rita Briggs. I think it should have been Jenna's name.
I find most of these supporting cast actors very colourful and entertaining.

young Rita gets extra points for me for having married George Clooney then John Slattery later in life. I bet she’s glad JR sent her to California on a bus!

 

[James from London]

young Rita gets extra points for me for having married George Clooney then John Slattery later in life.

And her dad came to a bad end in Psycho.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Sally #2 was much better on SIX FEET UNDER

Yes, she's one of my favourite "horrible TV mothers".

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Perhaps Harry McSween (James L Brown) qualifies as being a bit more than occasional star - a grand total of 41 episodes. Even so, he gets my vote.

The interesting thing about Rip Brown is that he is one of many Dallas actors who started out doing Westerns.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

The interesting thing about Rip Brown is that he is one of many Dallas actors who started out doing Westerns.

It's amazing that one name, James Brown, could have brought us so much greatness!

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I liked Scotty Demerest mostly because he was just so damn good at being a lawyer, and because he had such a cool personality. He was a real quality guy.

 

[Billy Wall]

Vaughn Leland. Just because of the scene when he confronted JR with Jock and Bobby present leading up to “who shot JR?” “IT WAS CROOKED!!!” “He’s your boy alright Jock. A chip off the old block. I know what I’m going to do with him.”

Until recently, I didn’t realize he was on the show as long as he was.

 

[Michelle Stevens]

It would be Jeremy Wendell if we went by semi-regulars but he was fairly too important for this listing.

I'm stuck between Frank Crutcher who briefly dated Miss Ellie to whom JR called "that old snake-oil salesman" or something to that effect or...

... Johnny Dancer. He was the sleaziest and it was a shame Cliff killed him so soon. I loved to hate this guy.

 

[johnmmil10]

I always enjoyed a visit from Sheriff Fenton Washburn! He only appeared on nine episodes, but should have popped up more.



I thought Barry Corbin’s portrayal was more memorable than Ken Swofford’s Sheriff Burnside.