The Original Cast of "The Young and the Restless" - The Young and the Restless

Here’s a list of characters who were part of the original cast of The Young and the Restless, when it debuted on March 26, 1973:

Can anyone tell me how many characters from Y&R’s very first year are still on the show today?

Can anyone tell me how many characters from Y&R’s very first year are still on the show today?

I don’t remember the last two at all. Back then it was almost one big happy family.

I’d guess Victor Newman and Katherine Chancellor…

Only Jill from this cast, although I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that Kay joined the show shortly after its debut.

[b]Victor Newman

Katherine Chancelor

Karl williams

Mary Williams

Paul Williams has been on the show since he was a little boy he crew up on the show if i remember correctly.
He had a brother and sister but i don’t remember there names.

Katherine and Jill both began in 1973.

Nikki and Paul began in 1978.

Victor, John, Jack and Danny began in 1980.

Ashley began in 1982.

Cricket (Christine) and Lauren began in 1983.

Esther and Brad began in 1985.

Nina began in 1986.

Neil began in 1991.

Source - Wikipedia

Katherine Chancelor

Karl williams

Mary Williams

Paul Williams has been on the show since he was a little boy he crew up on the show if i remember correctly.
He had a brother and sister but i don’t remember there names.

Two brothers - Todd and Steven - one sister - Patty

Lance and Lucas Prentiss
Vanessa their mother
Tracy abbott
Phillip Chancelor
Mamie the maid

While there are still characters from the original cast, NONE of the current actors were on the show when it debuted on March 26, 1973. Jeanne Cooper, who debuted in November 1973, is the only actor who can be considered an “original” cast member.

Quote HOT PINK: While there are still characters from the original cast, NONE of the current actors were on the show when it debuted on March 26, 1973. Jeanne Cooper, who debuted in November 1973, is the only actor who can be considered an "original" cast member.

We are in total agreement on this issue. Jess Walton did not play the original character of Jill. Brenda Dickson was the first actress to play Jill and did it so well that the character gained notoriety quickly. Brenda even had reddish hair and I often wondered if she could be Phyllis’ mother. They are so much alike!

Quote HOT PINK: While there are still characters from the original cast, NONE of the current actors were on the show when it debuted on March 26, 1973. Jeanne Cooper, who debuted in November 1973, is the only actor who can be considered an "original" cast member.

We are in total agreement on this issue. Jess Walton did not play the original character of Jill. Brenda Dickson was the first actress to play Jill and did it so well that the character gained notoriety quickly. Brenda even had reddish hair and I often wondered if she could be Phyllis’ mother. They are so much alike!

Did you know that at one point when Jess Walton as “Jill” was out sick, Judith Chapman played “Jill”?? You know Judith Chapman, the current Gloria Bardwell!

Quote HOT PINK: While there are still characters from the original cast, NONE of the current actors were on the show when it debuted on March 26, 1973. Jeanne Cooper, who debuted in November 1973, is the only actor who can be considered an "original" cast member.

We are in total agreement on this issue. Jess Walton did not play the original character of Jill. Brenda Dickson was the first actress to play Jill and did it so well that the character gained notoriety quickly. Brenda even had reddish hair and I often wondered if she could be Phyllis’ mother. They are so much alike!

Did you know that at one point when Jess Walton as “Jill” was out sick, Judith Chapman played “Jill”?? You know Judith Chapman, the current Gloria Bardwell!

I read that in Judith Chapman’s biography a while back. And, if Joan Van Ark hadn’t left the role of Gloria, she and Ted Shackleford would have been reunited as “wife and husband” once again (Val & Gary Ewing on Knots Landing).

Can anyone tell me how many characters from Y&R’s very first year are still on the show today?

Jill Abbott is the only remaining original CHARACTER left on the show. The longest running PERFORMER is Jeanne Cooper, who started on Y&R about 6 months after it premiered.

Good stuff in this thread. I remember watching when I was 7!!! at my grandmothers. Loved it then too!

Thank all of you for wonderful information! Some of the characters I remember so I don’t. i do remember the ornginal Jill. she hasn’t changed any as far as attitude.

I have always love Jeanne Cooper! Katherine has been one of my favorites since she came on the show.

Thanks for a wonderful topic!

I looked it up on the internet as follows:
Show first aired in March 1973 (I was waiting the birth of my 1st child at that time, so I’ve been watching ever since.
Kay wins the prize as the longest surviving orig character she started in Nov. 1973
Victor - Eric Braeden joined in 1980.
Melody - Nikki - joined in 1979; and the character of
Paul - joined the cast in 1978.
The only other original character remaining since the show’s inception in '73 is Jill Abbott (who has been played by Jess Walton since 1987). The character of Jill Abbott was played by several characters until Brenda Dickson returned in 1993 to play Jill Abbott until 1997 when Jess Walton took over).

After watching it all these years my memory goes a little fuzzy as I age. Thank goodness for the internet to look up little details such as these.

After watching it all these years my memory goes a little fuzzy as I age. Thank goodness for the internet to look up little details such as these.

The site where ever you looked this up is wrong. JILL wins the prize as longest surviving original character. Katherine was never an original character. She was brought on in Nov. 1973–8 months after the show premiered. Jill Foster (Abbott) is an original character–she’s been on since day 1 (though did not appear in the premiere/first episode).

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