Every other Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!
For this week's recast I wanted to tap into that Nickelodeon era of programming aimed at teens in the late '80s and early '90s which included shows like Salute Your Shorts, Clarissa Explains It All and my personal favorite: Hey Dude! This teen comedy about a dude ranch in Arizona opened with the lyrics, "It's a little wild and a little strange/ when you make your home out on the range." Hey Dude had that Saved by the Bell mix of cheeseball plot scenarios and recognizable teenage stereotypes. It was kinda dorky but I loved every minute of it. "Singin'. . . Yippee ki yi yay! Yippee ki yi what?"
Who do you think could play city slicker-turned-rancher Mr. Ernst and his adolescent son Buddy today? Who would you recast as the teenagers on Mr. Ernst's staff for the summer: Ted McGriff (originally played by the handsome David Lascher), rich girl Brad Taylor (I used to be so jealous of her hair!), and the girl-next-door ranch lifeguard, Melody Hanson (played by a young Chrstine Taylor, now-wife of Ben Stiller)? Finally, remember Danny Lightfoot (Joe Torres)?
Leave your entry in the comment section below, and I'll pick one winner to feature Tuesday, April 29, complete with a "new" cast photo.
To see a list of characters to recast and a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt, read more.
Characters to recast:
Mr. Ernst (David Brisbin)
Bradley "Brad" Taylor (Kelly Brown)
Ted McGrif (David Lascher)
Melody Hanson (Christine Taylor)
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst (Josh Tygiel)
Danny Lightfoot (Joe Torres)
The BuzzSugar t-shirt
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Vero Moda
I used to watch Hey Dude all the time! =) Remember when Melody caught Brad charging all those clothes on her credit card & made her return them? what a good friend!
1David Lascher was my first real crush. Today, Ted McGriff would SO be played by James Marsden.
2TOTALLY didn't remember it was Christine Taylor! Loved Hey Dude! I was jealous, I always wanted to go to a dude ranch
3OMG!!! I loved Hey Dude and all those other shows on Nick...good times!
4Mr. Ernst (John Cryer- from Two and half men)
5Bradley "Brad" Taylor (Jessica Szohr-Girl that plays Vanessa on Gossip Girl)
Ted McGrif (Zac Efron)
Melody Hanson (Britney Snow)
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst (Haley Joel Osmond)
Danny Lightfoot (Brian Sites- imdb him!)
OH my god this was seriously my favorite show of all time. I had a huge crush on Ted and I always wanted he and Brad to get together. They had alot of sexual tension going on. I don't think there is anyone appropriate enough to cast in a remake. They would have to be unknowns like the originals were.
6I have to agree that it would make more sense for it to be unknowns like the original. I can't even think of anyone I think would fit.
7OMG, I am always on the hunt for fellow Hey Dude fans! BTW, what happened to David Lascher who played Ted? He was pretty hot.
8nancita - Currently I don't think David's up to much. However, I remember him fondly as not only Ted but also as Vinnie Bonitardi, Blossom's boyfriend!
9Mr. Ernst John Cryer
10Bradley - Miley Cyrus
Ted McGrif - Adam Brody
Melody Hanson Ashley Tisdale
Benjamin Ernst-- Aaron Carter (nerd!!!!)
Danny Lightfoot - Corbin Blue
yeah i LOVED this show and wanted to be brad soooo much!
11OMG I LOVED this show. My brother and I would watch it all the time. I had totally forgotten about it! I had a huge crush on Ted too.
12Such a Great Show! I wish it would come out on DVD
Mr. Ernst (David Brisbin) - James Eckhouse
13Bradley "Brad" Taylor (Kelly Brown)- Kelly Monaco
Ted McGrif (David Lascher) - Chace Crawford
Melody Hanson (Christine Taylor)- Ashley Tisdale
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst (Josh Tygiel)- Freddie Munez
Danny Lightfoot (Joe Torres)- Mario Lopez
I loved this show! I wish they played reruns! I wanted to be Brad and I loved Ted!
Recast...
Mr. Ernst ~ Matthew Broderick
14Bradley ~ Leighton Meester
Ted ~ Ben McKenzie
Melody ~ Brittany Snow
Ben ~ Michael Cera
Danny ~ Kal Penn
Mr. Ernst - Stephen Colbert
Bradley "Brad" Taylor - Leighton Meester
Ted McGrif - Jared Padalecki
Melody Hanson - Jamie Lynn Spears (assuming the show doesn't start filming for few months)
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst - Seth Green (the version of Seth Green from Can't Buy Me Love)
Danny Lightfoot - Wilmer Valderrama
And for good measure...
Lucy - Ellen DeGeneres
15Love Hey Dude. Went with some lesser knowns.
Mr. Ernst - Rick Moranis
16Bradley "Brad" Taylor - Shenae Grimes (Degrassi)
Ted McGrif - Hunter Parrish (Weeds)
Melody Hanson - Brittany Robertson (Dan in Real Life)
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst - Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Danny Lightfoot - Victor Rasuk
I used to LOVE this show. And also Salute Your Shorts.
17omg... david was my first crush too. I heart him.
18oh man, i loved all those shows you mentioned!! i miss nickelodeon, especially the really old stuff (on in the 80s) on Nick at Nite...my three sons, patty duke, mister ed
19Mr. Ernst (Seth Rogen)
20Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst (Spencer Breslin)
Bradley "Brad" Taylor (Lindsay Lohan)
Ted McGrif (Chase Crawford)
Melody Hanson (Lauren Conrad)
Danny Lightfoot (Pete Wentz )
Not sure how I would recast it, but Hey Dude was one of my favorite shows. I'm with a lot of others posters here - David Lascher was totally hot!
21Mr. Ernst (Bret Michaels)
Bradley "Brad" Taylor (Megan Fox)
Ted McGrif (James Franco)
Melody Hanson (Brittany Snow)
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst (Zac Efron)
Danny Lightfoot (Kal Penn)
haha I don't know!
22Mr. Ernst (David Brisbin) -- Forrest Whitaker
23Bradley "Brad" Taylor -- Taylor Momsen
Ted McGrif (David Lascher) -- Ryne Sanborn
Melody Hanson (Christine Taylor)-- Lyndsy Fonseca
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst (Josh Tygiel) -- Corbin Bleu
Danny Lightfoot (Joe Torres) -- Nathaniel Arcand
wow, this brings back memories. I named my brother Brad because Bradly Taylor. My parents let me name my younger sibling and i said if it's a girl- Brad, if it's a boy- Brad. So my brother can thank Hey Dude for his name
24Mr. Ernst- Stephen Collins (7th Heaven)Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst- Alexander Gould (Weeds)
25Bradley "Brad" Taylor- Mika Kelly
Ted McGrif -Chase Crawford
Melody Hanson -Aimee Teegarden (Friday Night Lights)
Danny Lightfoot- Wilmer Valderrama
Mr. Ernst - David Cross
26Bradley "Brad" Taylor - Leighton Meester
Ted McGrif - Jesse Metcalfe
Melody Hanson - Sarah Roemer (Ashley from Disturbia)
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst - Martin Starr
Danny Lightfoot - Efren Ramirez
Mr. Ernst - Rainn Wilson
27Bradley "Brad" Taylor - Hayden Panettiere
Ted McGrif - Shia LaBeouf
Melody Hanson - Spencer Grammer
Benjamin 'Buddy' Ernst - Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Danny Lightfoot - Jay Hernandez
David Lascher also had a short stint on 90210 - he played the boyfriend of Kelly (I think) and it turned out he was gay (on the show).
28OMG--LOVED this show!
I had such a crush on David Lascher.
29I vaguely remember the show; I was in elementary school at the time. All I remember is it came on Nickelodeon, it took place on a dude ranch (Which is probably how the show got its name), & I remember the 2 girls Brad & Melody. I always thought Brad was rather superficial, but I ABSOLUTELY ADORED MELODY! She was one of my first crushes! And her character was not only pretty, but really sweet too! I'm glad the real-life actress, Christine Taylor, went on to greater success. She's been in several movies & in 2000 she married Ben Stiller, who's also a well-known actor. To answer the question at the top, I wouldn't try to do a remake for that show like many shows are becoming these days. The 2005 movie version of "The Dukes of Hazard" didn't hold a candle to the original series & it would be the same deal with "Hey Dude"; I would much rather see reruns of it brought back!
30I felt completely the same about Brad's hair!!! I always wanted her hair when I grew up.
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