"Brenda Dickson was the original Jill. She started with the show in 1973. She left to be a mom in 1980 and her role was taken over temporarily by Bond Gideon and then by Deborah Adair until 1983 . They called her the pretty Jill. Deborah left to do Dynasty and Brenda Dickson came back to play Jill until 1987 when she left apparantly due to problems on the set. Jess Walton who played a prostitute on the now cancelled soap Capital, took over the role then. (Note: That is the soap that started the career of Robin Wright)

It was the pretty Jill, Deborah Adair who married John Abbott and then had the affair with Jack. The blackmail and aftermath was handled by Brenda Dickson. It wasn't the same. Although everyone says they love the original Jill, I like the Jill's for what they portrayed during the characters growth. Brenda Dickson played a great struggling, betrayed Jill but Deborah Adair gave her some class and when Brenda reprised the role it wasn't the same. Jess Walton gave her class again."

"I guess its just a matter of opinion. I never liked the actresses that played Jill until this one. JMO."

"I remember all the Jills. Each had their own flair to give them their dues, but the one I like best is Jess Walton. BD. played it too campy & relied on her huge eyes LOL, DA. played the role well, but without the flair that the original BD. gave Jill. I think that JW gives the role both BD's flair [as of late they have dressed her down a heck of a lot], and the wonderful acerbic [Eve Arden style of deliver that I always loved] wit that is a trademark of the Jill character that lends 2wards the mother's style [Kay Chancelor] as well. They play well as mother and daughter much better than BD. OR DA. could have. So I must say that Jess Walton is the consummate Jill."

"I never liked some of the Jills that were in between Brenda and Jess."

"Brenda Dickson---down to earth?!?!? Not in this lifetime~! She was overly dramatic, if anything."

"I hope you read my post on another thread about Brenda. I don't believe Brenda Dickson has children, and that is not why she left the show. Debbie Adair and Bond Gideon were hired to play Jill, but fans demanded the return of Brenda Dickson. She was brought back, but fired again. This time, it was undeniably acrimonious and the producers threatened to crush her, end her acting career completely. They did. They hired Jess Walton to play Jill and pronounced themselves "very satisfied" with Ms. Walton. The character of Jill had gone through some drastic changes, with the casting changes. Brenda invented the character of Jill. Brenda's Jill was at once vulnerable, funny, dark and self-centered, scheming and conniving, exasperating and luminously beautiful. She was a complex child-woman, sort of a driven Marilyn Monroe-type. Debbie Adair was pretty, but that was about it. Bond...well, the less said, the better. Jess Walton is adequate. She emphasizes the bitter, sarcastic side of Jill. She's kind of an amalgam of Eve Arden and Joan Crawford. Very seldom do we see her Jill's vulnerability. We never see much else. No sense of humor. I very much miss Brenda Dickson. I know that Bill Bell has been exalted to sainthood, but when he and his team destroyed Brenda Dicson's acting career, they deprived us of a very special, unique talent. I miss her."