‘The Young And The Restless’ Recap For Monday: Honoring Kristoff St. John

The Young and the Restless recap for Monday, April 29, brings a rare unscripted episode. In it, former and current cast members remember their co-star, Kristoff St. John, who passed away unexpectedly in his home on February 3. Kristoff originated the role of Neil Winters on Y&R in 1991, and last week Genoa City said goodbye to the Winters patriarch. The show includes personal stories and flashback footage of the late actor.

A montage played while multiple actors discussed St. John in a voiceover. After that, footage of Kristoff accepting the Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Daytime Drama Series ran.

An early scene of Kristoff as Neil on Y&R played. On the penthouse set, Victoria Rowell, who portrayed Drucilla, discussed how the show’s creator, Bill Bell, informed her he’d cast her love interest. Then footage of Neil giving Malcolm advice ran, and actor Shemar Moore talked about how starstruck he was by Kristoff when they first met. According to Moore, he got the part because the late actor told Bell that he wanted the “the scared kid with the baseball hat on backwards to play my brother.”

After that, a scene with Lily and Neil played, and then a voiceover of Kristoff discussing actress Christel Khalil taking over the role played. A moment that Neil and Lily shared before her wedding popped up, and Khalil talked about how the actor served as a father figure in her life. Finally, scenes with Neil and Devon played, and actor Bryton James spoke about how safe Kristoff made everybody feel when they worked together. Another moment when Devon heard after his surgery for the first time ran, and James discussed Kristoff’s energy, which garnered a nod from Moore.

Next, the show switched to the Abbott mansion set, and Jack Abbott actor Peter Bergman talked about working with Kristoff over the decades. Then early and more recent scenes of Jack and Neil aired. Later, Jess Walton remembered her co-star as scenes of Neil and Jill played. Finally, Eileen Davidson discussed her recent work with Kristoff when Ashley and Neil got together last year. Jason Thompson shared a detail, and then Marla Adams remembered the “kind and generous man” Kristoff was.

Back at the penthouse, Mishael Morgan, who portrayed Hilary, reflected on how Kristoff made people feel. Later, scenes of their wedding showed, and Morgan remembered that Kristoff dropped a line to help her out. Then, Cane actor Daniel Goddard marveled at Kristoff’s depth as an actor as a scene of Cane telling Neil he loved Hilary ran. Rowell said that she couldn’t imagine ever having an on-screen partner for 14 years like Kristoff in her future.

Flashbacks of the masquerade ball aired, and in a voiceover, Kristoff talked about what a wonderful occasion it was to have everybody together on set. On the patio, Doug Davidson, who is Paul Williams in Genoa City, read a passage the actor once sent him. Inside Crimson Lights, Sharon Case (Sharon Newman) and Joshua Morrow (Nick Newman) reflected on their times with their departed castmate.

At Victor’s office, Eric Braeden and Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman) remembered Kristoff. Footage of the late actor joking around behind the scenes aired. Finally, several members reflected on Kristoff’s legacy, and Lauralee Bell expressed her hope that he was “up there” with her dad. The show ended with Kristoff saying, “I love you,” followed by the “In Loving Memory” plaque.