re: Surprising Guest Roles On TV Shows

Basically 3 types of appearances being discussed:

1. Pre-stardom

2. Guest shot by star

3. Star cameo

One of my favorite star appearances kind of straddles these categories.

A 1969 Get Smart episode parodied The Prisoner of Zenda, complete with a dashing scoundrel of a villain, Rupert of Rathskeller:



The end credits read "Rupert of Rathskeller as Himself" (James Caan appeared on condition his name not be used).

At the time, Caan doing the show at all was an unusual move for a rising young leading man. This was not a cameo -- Caan plays the main heavy in the episode.

I've always though it was cool for a budding star to take time out from his serious dramatic movies to do a Get Smart.

I believe it happened b/c Caan had become friendly w/Don Adams (& Don Rickles*, who has a cameo in the episode) through hanging out together at the Playboy mansion.






*Caan later claimed to have partially based his interpretation of Sonny Corleone on Rickles' stage persona.