Earlier this week, the GH gossip thread at DD was talking about a supposed rumor of Jerry coming to GH to play Jeff Webber, formerly played decades ago by Richard Dean Anderson. I watched GH in the mid-late 80s (era of Robert, Sean, Anna, Frisco, Felicia, etc. after RDA's time) but could never keep the Webber family straight since most of them weren't on the show at that time. I know Jeff Webber is the father to some of the characters on now, but couldn't remember who. Anyway, I think Jerry would have said or hinted at something by now if he had any kind of new job, but it amused me trying to equate Ross Marler to McGyver or Clint Buchanan to Col. Jack O'Neill (RDA's role on Stargate SG-1). That's not to criticize Jerry's characters, but to point out a comparison I would never have made before since the two actors and their roles are so different.

Anyway several days ago someone posted to the OLTL gossip thread at DD that "Word has it that JvD will be taking over the role of Jeff Webber on GH." I never saw an original source for the rumor on the GH thread and it was mainly posters there talking about how they'd like to see Jerry in the role. So it goes from "didn't we hear that JvD would be coming to GH and he'd do great" to "JvD IS coming to GH to play this role". Now there's a ton of debate on the prospect, which I don't believe unless Jerry says something. I think it was just wishful thinking on the GH side that someone misunderstood and took it as heavy rumor to the OLTL side. And then someone brought the heavy rumor from the OLTL thread back to the GH thread and it's also ended up in the Inside Thread. The original post of the rumor on the OLTL board was made by an anonymous poster...

It was nice to see, in the discussion of the rumor, those who really like and adore Jerry from both GL and OLTL, even those OLTL viewers who had never seen him on GL. (I'm still sad that he finally came into his own as Clint only to have the show end shortly after.) Jerry has said there was talk of bringing a number of different actors from OLTL to GH, including himself (probably before deciding on Todd, Blair, John, & Starr), but I think it would probably have been as Clint, not a recast GH character. (Although I don't think it's fair to GH viewers to invade their show with a lot of OLTL characters. Not every GH viewer also watched OLTL.)

Although the idea of Jerry as Jeff Webber would be really interesting if they paired the character with Tracy, who I think is mis-used being paired with Luke, not only through the damaging rewrites of Luke's character but because TG is only on the show like half the year. And of course I'm referring to Jerry and Jane Elliot working together again in a romantic pairing, decades after their former coupling of Ross/Carrie on GL. Plus I think Jeff Webber is a doctor, so it would be something totally new and different for Jerry to play (well new for those who never saw him as a doctor in his few week stint on Ryan's Hope in the late 70s).

Someone referenced Jerry saying he'd never "work" in LA, but I can't remember if he said he'd never work or live in LA. (I definitely believe the never live in LA part.) One of his recent newsletters it sounded like he'd consider a GH project, which would mean working in LA but he'd probably want to commute suggesting it would have to be recurring or short-term.

As for RDA ever coming back to GH, even for a special appearance if the show was ending, I'm not sure about that. I know he has bad knees and had surgery on them in recent years. He spent 7 years as McGyver and then almost right after was full-time for 8 years on SG-1. Both shows were 8-10+ hour physical work days week in and week out. I think he's mostly retired from acting (earning "soft money" in his words - I'm guessing residuals) and building a house (he might be done with that) and being a single parent to his daughter. GH was eons ago in his career and may not have any interest in returning even for a finale.