2
- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: What's the deal with old TV shows using the same actor numerous times in different roles?
Posted on 11/1/26 at 5:53 pm to MorbidTheClown
Posted on 11/1/26 at 5:53 pm to MorbidTheClown
I can't remember if Victor French
or Morgan Woodward
Had the most Gunsmoke appearances
IIRC French holds the record for most times killed by Matt Dillon
or Morgan Woodward
Had the most Gunsmoke appearances
IIRC French holds the record for most times killed by Matt Dillon
Posted on 11/1/26 at 6:59 pm to Kafka
I think I’d have to go with French. It seems like Woodward had only 3-4. I’m going to try and find out.
Surprise to me. IMDB has each of them with 18 roles.
Surprise to me. IMDB has each of them with 18 roles.
This post was edited on 11/1/26 at 7:03 pm
Posted on 11/1/26 at 7:04 pm to 9rocket
quote:oh he had far more than that
It seems like Woodward had only 3-4.
at one point CBS actually complained b/c he was doing so many: "Aren''t there any other actors in Hollywood?"
Posted on 11/1/26 at 9:52 pm to Tampa Ray
In Deadwood, Garret Dillahunt played two different characters: Jack McCall and Francis Wolcott.
Posted on 11/2/26 at 2:08 am to Tampa Ray
quote:
Didn't people back then think it was stupid that one week he's the butcher, the next month he's an escaped convict etc.?
I assume it was cheaper and a lot less headache to just ask an actor to come back and film again for a different role instead of going through the rigamarole of recasting with auditions and using more time and resources.
Especially for TV shows that filmed and aired each week and if the director liked working with a specific actor.
Many of these types of shows were produced, rehearsed, and shot all in a single week.
Posted on 11/2/26 at 2:29 am to Tampa Ray
The entertainment business is a business. There were dozens of shows in production. They needed actors on a weekly basis.
Posted on 11/2/26 at 5:50 am to Kafka
Yep, French was another one. Deadly bad guy in one and poor dad/ husband the next
Posted on 11/2/26 at 6:11 am to Tampa Ray
quote:
Andy Griffith was an intelligent show
Yeah, real Shakespearean.
Posted on 11/2/26 at 7:16 am to mauser
quote:
some supporting actress said that you can work in this town if you can do 3 things, show up on time, know your lines, and don't cause any trouble.
I think Hollywood may have a few more requirements of the ladies, but in a non-predatory capacity, that's likely correct.
Posted on 11/2/26 at 7:32 am to VoxDawg
Jack Elam was in 15 episodes of Gunsmoke as a different character.
quote:
One of his notable quotes reflects the life of a character actor: "Who's Jack Elam? Get me Jack Elam. Get me a Jack Elam type. Get me a young Jack Elam. Who's Jack Elam?"
Posted on 11/2/26 at 7:56 am to OlGrandad
Posted on 11/2/26 at 8:35 am to MorbidTheClown
Murder She Wrote did it a lot too. And it's definitely because no one gave a shite about serialized storylines or continuity back then. It just wasn't a thing.
When you have these long running procedurals with multiple spinoffs (Law & Order, CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, etc) you end up with people playing multiple roles in the "shared universe" even now because they need people to put on the screen.
When you have these long running procedurals with multiple spinoffs (Law & Order, CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, etc) you end up with people playing multiple roles in the "shared universe" even now because they need people to put on the screen.
Posted on 11/2/26 at 9:18 am to Tampa Ray
Jack Webb famously had a small company of actors that he re-used each season of his 1967-1970 seasons of Dragnet. Every year you'd see Olan Soule (the voice of Batman on SuperFriends), Virginia Gregg, Stacy Harris, and famously Webb's ex-wife's husband, Bobby Troup (who later went on to be a cast member of Webb's series Emergency!
Barney Miller had its favorite character actors:
Phil Leeds played 7 different roles.
Kenneth Tigar had six roles, famously played supernatural and spiritual characters and stole the episode each time (werewolf, man being seduced by a ghost, a psychic, man possessed by a demon, Jesus Christ).
Bruno Kirby's dad Bruce Kirby played a number of roles.
Sal Viscuso (Father Tim on Soap) played a number of roles.
Steve Landesburg played a fake priest conman before returning as Dietrich.
Barney Miller had its favorite character actors:
Phil Leeds played 7 different roles.
Kenneth Tigar had six roles, famously played supernatural and spiritual characters and stole the episode each time (werewolf, man being seduced by a ghost, a psychic, man possessed by a demon, Jesus Christ).
Bruno Kirby's dad Bruce Kirby played a number of roles.
Sal Viscuso (Father Tim on Soap) played a number of roles.
Steve Landesburg played a fake priest conman before returning as Dietrich.
Posted on 11/2/26 at 9:44 am to AtticusOSullivan
The "bad guy"??? His name is Jimmy, and you will show him some respect. He also piloted one of the space shuttles on Armageddon. Pretty good for a former felon.
Posted on 11/2/26 at 11:08 am to OlGrandad
quote:I've heard that phrase claimed by so many actors as it being their own. I first heard it from John Larroquette on Carson in the 90s. I think the last actor I heard claim it was Paul Rudd.
One of his notable quotes reflects the life of a character actor: "Who's Jack Elam? Get me Jack Elam. Get me a Jack Elam type. Get me a young Jack Elam. Who's Jack Elam?"
It's like Douglas Adams' "Train Station Biscuit/Cookie Story". It's been told and retold by countless celebrities on talk shows as "happened to my uncle". No one gives credit to Adams, and there are theories that Adams had taken it from earlier writers.
This post was edited on 11/2/26 at 11:11 am
Posted on 11/2/26 at 5:31 pm to Fewer Kilometers
quote:The first version I heard/read was Hugh O'Brien in the '80s. In the '90s I saw Robert Vaughn tell the O'Brien version on Later w/Bob Costas.quote:I've heard that phrase claimed by so many actors as it being their own. I first heard it from John Larroquette on Carson in the 90s. I think the last actor I heard claim it was Paul Rudd.
One of his notable quotes reflects the life of a character actor: "Who's Jack Elam? Get me Jack Elam. Get me a Jack Elam type. Get me a young Jack Elam. Who's Jack Elam?"
It fits O'Brien, or similar leading men. It makes no sense told about a character actor. No one cares about Jack Elam's age.
Posted on 11/3/26 at 3:34 am to putt23
A-Team did too
Posted on 11/3/26 at 9:50 am to SidetrackSilvera
quote:
The "bad guy"??? His name is Jimmy, and you will show him some respect. He also piloted one of the space shuttles on Armageddon. Pretty good for a former felon.
He was a Jem'Hadar in Deep Space 9
And a notable recurring Narn, Ta'Lon in Babylon 5:
Posted on 11/3/26 at 9:59 am to Tampa Ray
Let's take the greatest television series of all time - Star Trek -
Only the great Roger C. Carmel (Harry Mudd) appeared as the same character twice, unless that character was part of the crew.
Mark Lenard played the first Romulan ever seen on screen (in Balance of Terror) and returned to play Spock's father, Sarek.
William Campbell played Trelane (The Squire of Gothos) and later played Captain Koloth in The Trouble with Tribbles.
Diana Muldaur played Dr. Anne Mulhall (Tomorrow is Yesterday) and Miranda Jones (Is There in Truth, No Beauty?)
Morgan Woodward played Simon Van Gelder in Dagger of the Mind and Captain Paul Tracey in The Omega Glory.
(And there are other examples, of course.)
In the "newer" Star Trek era, J.G. Hertzler played at least 9 distinct characters (arguably as many as 12 if you count dopplegangers of Martok and however you consider Far Beyond the Stars), notably Martok.
Only the great Roger C. Carmel (Harry Mudd) appeared as the same character twice, unless that character was part of the crew.
Mark Lenard played the first Romulan ever seen on screen (in Balance of Terror) and returned to play Spock's father, Sarek.
William Campbell played Trelane (The Squire of Gothos) and later played Captain Koloth in The Trouble with Tribbles.
Diana Muldaur played Dr. Anne Mulhall (Tomorrow is Yesterday) and Miranda Jones (Is There in Truth, No Beauty?)
Morgan Woodward played Simon Van Gelder in Dagger of the Mind and Captain Paul Tracey in The Omega Glory.
(And there are other examples, of course.)
In the "newer" Star Trek era, J.G. Hertzler played at least 9 distinct characters (arguably as many as 12 if you count dopplegangers of Martok and however you consider Far Beyond the Stars), notably Martok.
Posted on 11/3/26 at 10:06 am to Tampa Ray
Not the same thing really, but it bugged me at first that the Dad on Frazier had been a different character on Cheers. Apparently he impressed the producers and that why he was cast in Frazier.
Page 2 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News