# Actors and actresses most might know by face, but not by name. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2015, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202 "2015-01-29T05:24:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/21 "2015-01-30T01:41:11Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > For years, whenever there was a TV role for an old lady, one of the following actresses was almost sure to get it: > > Nedra Volz: [Nedra Volz - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0901839/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) > > Loretta Tupper: [Loretta Tupper | Muppet Wiki | Fandom](http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Loretta_Tupper) > > And the go-to old man was Burt Mustin: > > [Celebrities lists. image: Burt Mustin; Celebs Lists](http://waytofamous.com/19032-burt-mustin@imageburt-mustin-08.jpg.html) He’s the first person I thought of. There’s also the guy who was a generic biker character in the seventies and eighties (he was in Every Which Way But Loose). ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/22 "2015-01-30T01:54:55Z")
[James Hong](http://www.jameshong.com) has one of longest careers and longest imdb entries. Pretty much everyone recognizes him but few could probably name him. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/23 "2015-01-30T02:04:00Z")
Anyone familar with pre-1970s cinema and TV would immediately recognize **this guy** : > **[Percy Helton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Helton)** > > Percy Alfred Helton (January 31, 1894 – September 11, 1971) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He was one of the most familiar faces and voices in Hollywood of the 1950s. > A Manhattan native, Helton began acting at the age of two, appearing in vaudeville acts with his British-born father, William Alfred "Alf" Helton. He was a cast member in the Broadway production of Julie BonBon (1906). Helton went on to perform in stock theater and in other Broadway plays. > Helton joined the ... ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/24 "2015-01-30T02:25:47Z")
That one guy in that one action movie, and that girl in that show that used to be on NBC. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/25 "2015-02-01T17:05:31Z")
Margaret Hamilton, aka, the Wicked Witch of the West ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/26 "2015-02-01T17:37:27Z")
If they haven’t been mentioned already… [Stephen Tobolowsky](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0864997/?ref_=nv_sr_1) [Jon Polito](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0689237/?ref_=nv_sr_2) ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/27 "2015-02-01T17:45:19Z")
Really, the definition of “actors who everybody recognizes but nobody knows” is pretty much “actors in long-running commercial campaigns”. For example, [Morgan Smith Goodwin](http://p2e.mobi/wp-content/uploads/morgan-smith-goodwin-8.jpg), aka [the Wendy’s girl](https://www.yahoo.com/food/just-who-is-that-wendys-girl-91879897281.html). Or [Stephanie Courtney](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTIyOTU3MjM5N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDI2NjYyMQ%40%40._V1_SX640_SY720_.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0183960/&h=266&w=190&tbnid=OKc6LIt0NNC8LM:&zoom=1&tbnh=160&tbnw=114&usg=__LCuh7508W56DUyZDLbsNYYBcG0g=&docid=67j3I5QHcgT7mM&itg=1), known to all, hated by some, lusted over by others, as [Flo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flo_(Progressive_Insurance)#mediaviewer/File:Flo_from_Progressive_Insurance.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/28 "2015-02-01T19:09:50Z")
[Charles Lane](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Charles_Lane.jpg) [Roscoe Lee Browne](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/564/rlb3.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/29 "2015-02-01T19:23:03Z")
Most of these dudes always seem to end up on _Law & Order_, usually playing different roles, too. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/30 "2015-02-01T19:49:13Z")
Of course TV Tropes has an article on the phenomenon: [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeyItsThatGuy](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeyItsThatGuy) > [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > And that movie where Robert Duvall was an asshole Marine pilot? That was _The Great Santini_. > [@Hampshire](#): > > [James Hong](http://www.jameshong.com) has one of longest careers and longest imdb entries. Pretty much everyone recognizes him but few could probably name him. He was even up for the part of Sulu: [Performers considered for Star Trek roles | Memory Alpha | Fandom](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Performers_considered_for_Star_Trek_roles#James_Hong) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/31 "2015-02-01T22:08:20Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > There’s also the guy who was a generic biker character in the seventies and eighties (he was in Every Which Way But Loose). **This guy?** He played Cal on _ **Sanford** _ and a biker called Animal on _ **Rockford Files** _. > **[Dennis Burkley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Burkley)** > > Dennis Henry Burkley (September 10, 1945 – July 14, 2013) was an American actor. In a career spanning four decades, he appeared in numerous films and television series. He is best known for his role as Principal Carl Moss in King of the Hill. > Burkley was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Imogene (née Ware) and Henry Burkley. He grew up in Grand Prairie, Texas, and graduated from Texas Christian University. > In his 1980s and 1990s appearances, Burkley was most recognizable for his lar... **Bo Hopkins** was in that episode too, as Jim Rockford’s buddy: [![](http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/20700000/Dynasty-Bo-Hopkins-dynasty-20797028-775-637.jpg) ](http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/20700000/Dynasty-Bo-Hopkins-dynasty-20797028-775-637.jpg) He was leader of The Pharoahs in _ **American Graffiti** _, and was killed in Vietnam in the sequel. **James Hong** is also the Chinese restaurant owner who can’t stand Sheldon on _ **Big Bang Theory** _. **This guy** I remember seeing in a lot of movies and TV shows when I was a kid, but I never knew his name. He was easy to recognize because he was tall and skinny, had a prominent Adam’s apple, and always spoke slowly and with a Southern accent. > **[Robert Easton | Celebrities lists.](http://waytofamous.com/10361-robert-easton.html)** > > Robert Easton biography, images and filmography. Read and view everything you want to know not only about Robert Easton, but you can pick the celebrity of your choice. He was in _ **The Raid** _ with Van Heflin; when the Confederates are putting together a covert recon team, someone asks him “Can you talk like a Yankee?” (he obviously couldn’t). I was amazed to see that he died fairly recently (December 2011), and that he had a role as a Klingon in _ **Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country** _. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/32 "2015-02-01T22:40:09Z")
[Cracked page](http://www.cracked.com/article_15074_the-20-best-that-guys-all-time.html), also linked in TVTRopes. It’s a little old, so some are questionable nowadays. JK Simmons just got a Golden Globe but maybe he still counts. Trejo has graduated I think. Dylan Baker yes! (poor man’s William H. Macy?). Fichtner (although I think Christian Slater is a slightly poorer man’s Kevin Bacon. Slightly). Jenkins as well. Keith David I know (like that his first listed movie is the “someone threw out a perfectly good white boy” part (swiped from Better Off Dead…). Except I have to do a Homer Simpson and write down his and David Keith’s names on my hand. And speaking of John _Heard_, I also have to write John Hurt = British; William Hurt = American. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/33 "2015-02-02T01:51:53Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > **This guy?** He played Cal on _ **Sanford** _ and a biker called Animal on _ **Rockford Files** _. > > [Dennis Burkley - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Burkley) > > **Bo Hopkins** was in that episode too, as Jim Rockford’s buddy: > > [http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/20700000/Dynasty-Bo-Hopkins-dynasty-20797028-775-637.jpg](http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/20700000/Dynasty-Bo-Hopkins-dynasty-20797028-775-637.jpg) > > He was leader of The Pharoahs in _ **American Graffiti** _, and was killed in Vietnam in the sequel. > > **James Hong** is also the Chinese restaurant owner who can’t stand Sheldon on _ **Big Bang Theory** _. > > **This guy** I remember seeing in a lot of movies and TV shows when I was a kid, but I never knew his name. He was easy to recognize because he was tall and skinny, had a prominent Adam’s apple, and always spoke slowly and with a Southern accent. > > [Robert Easton | Celebrities lists.](http://waytofamous.com/10361-robert-easton.html) > > He was in _ **The Raid** _ with Van Heflin; when the Confederates are putting together a covert recon team, someone asks him “Can you talk like a Yankee?” (he obviously couldn’t). > > I was amazed to see that he died fairly recently (December 2011), and that he had a role as a Klingon in _ **Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country** _. No, not the guy who played Cal. The guy I’m thinking about was not as big. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/34 "2015-02-02T02:01:19Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > No, not the guy who played Cal. The guy I’m thinking about was not as big. John Quade is the guy I was thinking about. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202/35 "2015-02-02T15:17:41Z")
Whenever a movie has a role for an irrascible but lovable old Jew you’re likely to see this gent: the late Lou Jacobi. [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/lou\_jacobi/](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/lou_jacobi/) He was Uncle Morty in\*\*\* My Favorite Year\*\*\*, the transvestite in \*\*_Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex_, \*\*\* even one of the refugees hiding in the attic in _ **The Diary of Anne Frank.** _ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-most-might-know-by-face-but-not-by-name/711202.md?page=1)