MovieChat Forums > Ballykissangel (1996) Discussion > What really happened to actors that disa...

What really happened to actors that disappeared in seasons 4+5

posted 14 years ago by cbolin-2
6 replies | jump to latest

I've put together some questions, details about characters that just "disappeared" from the story/show. I'd like to know if anyone has more concrete details about WHY the actors left. Please no opinions, suggestions or heresy. I'd like to post the facts for others that were left wondering.

The real reasons for the actors leaving the show I'd like to document.

Eamon Byrne - Birdy Sweeney
Why did the actor leave the show? Actor deceased during time of filming the show. May 11th, 1999.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/341662.stm
Explained reason for leaving BallyK: None. Disappeared from show and storyline.

Padraig O'Kelly - Peter Caffrey
Why did actor leave show? unknown
Where are they now: Actor deceased. http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/veteran-irish-actor-peter-caffrey-58-dies-1255742.html
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0128460/
Explained reason for leaving BallyK: Weak. Disappeared from show and storyline. Perhaps followed son to London?

Father Aidan O'Connell - Don Wycherley
Why did the actor leave the show? unknown
Where are they now? http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943614/
Explained reason for leaving BallyK: Weak. Character “Brendan Kearney” states that Father Aidan felt he was not making a contribution to community. Hardly evident from growing involvement and character development in Series 4 & 5.

Orla O'Connell - Victoria Smurfit
Why did the actor leave the show? unknown
Where are they now: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810729/
Explained reason for leaving BallyK: Disappeared from show and storyline. No explanation.

Emma Dillon - Kate McEner
Why did the actor leave the show? unknown
Where are they now: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0568492/
Explained reason for leaving BallyK: : Disappeared from show and storyline. No explanation.

Danny Byrne - Colin Farrell
Why did the actor leave the show: Off to Hollywood. Very successful.
Where are they now: Everywhere. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0268199/
Explained reason for leaving BallyK: Disappeared from show and storyline. No explanation.

[–] aroseindecember 14 years ago

Padraig was probably my favorite of the supporting characters...so sad that he just disappeared! Even sadder to learn of his passing...:(

[–] osoguante 14 years ago

Kieran Prendiville was the writer and director of seasons 1-3. He left for seasons 4-5 and came back for season 6. The characters Father Aidan, Orla, Emma and Danny were all introduced in season 4 after KP left, and while I liked all of the characters, none of them were going anywhere developmentally. Fr. Aidan was too wishy-washy, Orla never found the right guy, Emma and Dillon were cute together but there was no chemistry. I think Kieran P. tried to overhaul the show to try to resurrect it from the downward spiral it was in, but the show was cancelled regardless of his attempts. Getting rid of these characters was probably just a way of cleaning house to introduce new characters that KP had written himself.

As for an explanation for Emma's character, she was only 16 and most likely moved to London with Sean and Niamh.

Someone mentioned in an earlier thread about the manner in which characters just sort of disappeared from the show. Their explanation was Uncle Minto and the alien abductions.

Kids in the front seat cause accidents.
Accidents in the back seat cause kids!

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cbolin-2 14 years ago

I respectfully disagree with your opinions about the character's development or appeal. Regardless they simply "disappeared" with no explanations. There are plenty of speculations of what happened to the characters on many forums and fan fics. Those will never be known as the show is well past development or explanation.

What I want to know is WHY the actors were suddenly gone from show. Not the characters. You speculate Kieran simply changed cast. I am looking for documented reasons, not speculation why the actors left. My opinion is Kieran wouldn't just make 6 characters disappear without ANY explanation despite his lack of participation in their creation. They were part of the story arc, like them or not.

It does seem more likely that during the 2000 hiatus from the show the actors simply had to find work as it was unknown if the BBC would pick up the show or their characters after Tony Doyle died. A lot of preparation for the following season had to be reworked with his absence. That takes time. As it is said, an actor is only as good as their current work. This may explain why the unexplained missing actors were just gone. Almost all those actors that remained never really did much after the show. (just look here on imdb)

But again, I am looking for documented reasons why they left. I may never find them as the actors may never explain. They largely live and work in the UK and need the BBC (the largest production company in the British Isles) to continue to work and they can't "bite the hand that feeds them" with "real" explanations if there was any acrimony.

Given the phenomenon that BallyK became worldwide, I would like to see a "behind the scenes" book/article/quality blog that explains. I am toying with the idea of such a project.

[–] cbolin-2 14 years ago

And for the record there were 12 credited writers for individual episodes of BallyK. One of my opinons about the continuity problems and dead end plots was lack of oversight and coordination. Not teams of writers, but individuals (or in a couple of cases 2 writers) per episode.

Kieran was undoubted the creator and architect of the show and concept, but he was working on other
projects concurrently with BallyK.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695984/filmoseries#tt0115105

Kieran wrote only 14 of the 58 shows himself (although the most the poignant ones IMHO - minus the 6 in series 6))

http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/ballykissangel/interview_kieran01.shtml

He wrote:

- 4 episodes of Series 1
- 2 episodes of Series 2
- 2 episodes of Series 3 (the final 2)
- 0 episodes of series 4
- 0 episodes of series 5
- 6 episodes of series 6

Sources:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695984/filmoseries#tt0115105
http://epguides.com/ballykissangel/guide.shtml

[–] osoguante 14 years ago

Given the phenomenon that BallyK became worldwide, I would like to see a "behind the scenes" book/article/quality blog that explains. I am toying with the idea of such a project.

Best of luck with your endeavor, I'd love to read it when you're finished.

Kids in the front seat cause accidents.
Accidents in the back seat cause kids!