It's surely not his fault, but it seems that whenever Bryan R. Dattilo (Lucas Roberts) is making news in the comings and going department, there is also a great deal of behind-the-scenes chattering.
Back in February 2000, Dattilo learned that he was being taken off contract. Essentially Dattilo was fired, but Days of our Lives' executive producer Ken Corday insisted that that was not the case. According to Corday, Dattilo's character was being given a "rest."
In the following weeks, swept through the Internet that the show was actually planning to ditch up to eight more contract players in a move to get rid of uninteresting characters with little story and cut the budget. The rumors made their way to the DAYS studio and made more than a few performers nervous.
"It's not true," said Corday as he blasted the anonymous source of the 'net rumor.
In November, a Days of our Lives spokesperson confirmed that Dattilo would return during the February Sweeps period. At the time, it was said that Dattilo's return would last for only a handful of episodes. But that was before Corday dismissed head writer and co-executive producer Tom Langan.
As previously reported, Corday cited "creative differences" for Langan's firing. Langan's replacements -- Peter Brash and Paula Cwikly -- are already in place, but Corday has indicated that the new head writers will use the story outlines put in place by Langan. Those outlines should lead the show through the spring.
In published interviews over the past few months, Corday has hinted that he'd like to bring some familiar faces back to the show. And that seems to hold promising news for Dattilo. According to inside sources, Dattilo's return may now be more permanent than originally anticipated.
In the rumor mill department, behind-the-scenes talk further indicates that Corday is moving ahead with plans to bring back some old favorites. Recent chatter has had Roark Critchlow (Mike Horton) and Christie Clark (Carrie Brady) wanting to return to the show and in some cases the rumors have had DAYS execs wanting the pair back.
In June of last year, rumors that DAYS was courting Lisa Rinna (Billie Reed) caused Corday to become unusually tightlipped. According to reports at the time, Rinna was not willing to make a return to the show because she was pregnant. Rinna and actor/husband Harry Hamlin welcomed a daughter in July. Now that Rinna is no longer expecting and has had what could be called "maternity leave," the reports that she's returning to the show are once again making the rounds. This time around, however, it's reportedly Rinna who has reached out to the show about a return.
