# Actors and Actresses Who Have "Played Themselves"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 12, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258 "2003-06-12T01:30:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/21 "2003-06-12T07:03:24Z")
William Shatner played himself in “Free Enterprise” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/22 "2003-06-12T07:03:27Z")
His heroin busts would confirm there’s at least some truth to that. Kevin Smith says that Jay is more like Mewes was in high school, but he seems to have a similar problem… ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/23 "2003-06-12T09:19:24Z")
… Jennifer Grey starred as Jennifer Grey in the bizarre comedy series, “It’s Like, You Know” … [http://us.imdb.com/Title?0168340](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0168340) (the jokes about the “nose job” were hillarious!) ME-Clifton James was Monty’s double in, strangely enough, “I was Monty’s Double”, back in 1958… [http://us.imdb.com/Title?0051759](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0051759) ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/24 "2003-06-12T09:26:42Z")
William Shatner also played himself in “Showtime” giving advice to real cops on how to play cops on TV. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/25 "2003-06-12T12:04:35Z")
I can’t believe I mentioned “Alice’s Restaurant” and didn’t think of Arlo Guthrie. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/26 "2003-06-12T12:06:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by doctordoowop \* > \*\*Capote played himself in Blake’s 1st, non- Rascal flic, “In Cold Blood.” \*\* [No he didn’t](http://us.imdb.com/Credits?0061809). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/27 "2003-06-12T12:38:20Z")
Dan Marino played himself in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.” Keith Hernandez played a ballplayer in “Law and Order.” Brett Favre plays himself in “There’s Something About Mary.” Jay Leno plays himself in many movies for that “Jay Leno Makes Jokes About The Protagonist” scene. Many politicians and political commentators play themselves in movies with political themes, such as “Dave.” Of course, the most famous case might be Harold Russell, a soldier who lost both his hands in WWII, and was hired to play a soldier who lost in hands in WWII in “The Best Years of our Lives.” He won the Oscar for basically playing himself (it wasn’t just a sympathy vote, he was really good) and didn’t appear in another film for decades. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/28 "2003-06-12T12:42:02Z")
Of course, I forgot Dr. Haing Ngor, who was imprisoned and tortured by the Khmer Rouge and then later played a man imprisoned and tortured by the Khmer Rouge in “The Killing Fields.” (Other than that connection, the characters were different; the character was a photographer, Ngor was a physician.) Ngor also won the Academy Award. And damn, I wasn’t the first one to mention Russell. You got me, **RealityChuck.** ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/29 "2003-06-12T13:21:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by doctordoowop \* > **Didn’t the Beatles play the Beatles in Hard Day’s Night?** Sort of. The Beatles were never mentioned by that name in _A Hard Day’s Night_, but the audience is left with the obvious conclusion as to who the annonymous band are meant to be. How about George Raft? Frequent gangster in the movies and pal of Bugsy Siegel in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/30 "2003-06-12T13:21:27Z")
This thread sure went off-topic real quick. Y’all might want to read the OP again. > [@](#): > > I don’t so much mean cameo apperances by people who were already famous, but rather people who played characters who had something in common with themselves. ---
**Author:** ![HDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/bb73d2/32.png) [@HDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HDS)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/31 "2003-06-12T13:35:09Z")
Xenia Seeburg who plays Xev on the Lexx television show played herself. My husband met her at a con and said her personality was the same. Not the sex starved love slave, mind you, but the cuteness that she brings to the role. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/32 "2003-06-12T13:36:14Z")
Nina Hartley in “Boogie Nights” (Or so I’ve heard) ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/33 "2003-06-12T13:44:56Z")
I just saw and episode of Seinfeld with Raquel Welch. She was playing herself, although I really think she does move her arms when she walks. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/34 "2003-06-12T13:48:47Z")
Dudley Moore played a composer/pianist in _10_. He is a concert pianist, and didn’t use a music double (i.e., played his own piece). God, I tried not to make that sound dirty, but it just didn’t work. Burt Reynolds had a brief career as a football player, so his part in_Semi-Tough_ counts. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/35 "2003-06-12T14:06:39Z")
Jeff Olson’s comments noted, Istill must point out an interesting “playing themselves” film. In the “Jolson Story”, Al Jolson was played by actor Larry Parks. The film was a big success so what do they do? The of course film a sequel. The sequel, Jolson Sings Again, covers the time in Jolson’s life during which they actually filmed the FIRST film. So there is a scene in the sequel where Jolson, played by Parks, meets the man who played him on the set of the first movie (Parks) and the role of Parks in the sequel was played, of course, by Parks. So a score card: - Parks played Jolson in the first movie - Parks Played Jolson in the second movie - Parks played Jolson meeting Parks in the second movie ON THE SET OF THE FIRST - Parks played Parks meeting Jolson in the second movie on the set of the first… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/36 "2003-06-12T14:22:31Z")
I assume we’re not even going to begin listing all the people who have played actresses & actors… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/37 "2003-06-12T14:29:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by watsonwil \* > \*\*- Parks played Jolson in the first movie > > - Parks Played Jolson in the second movie > - Parks played Jolson meeting Parks in the second movie ON THE SET OF THE FIRST > - Parks played Parks meeting Jolson in the second movie on the set of the first… \*\* Plus the fact that Jolson himself played Parks playing Jolson in a couple of shots in the film. Not really on subject, except in a purely regressive sense. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/38 "2003-06-12T14:37:32Z")
Alex Karras played Alex Karras in “Paper Lion.” Actually, Karras was not a member of the Lions when George Plimpton tried out for the team (he was on a suspension for gambling), but Plimpton recounted some stories about him in the book, and they were shown in the movie. Karras used the role to start his acting career. Looking at the cast list of the “Paper Lion,” quite a few Detroit Lions players played themselves. The movie may hold the record for a non-documentary for the number of speaking roles consisting of people playing themselves. Alan Alda and Lauren Hutton are the only main cast members playing someone other than themselves. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/39 "2003-06-12T14:45:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > **Dudley Moore played a composer/pianist in _10_. He is a concert pianist, and didn’t use a music double (i.e., played his own piece).** Not any more he isn’t. Jeff and Beau Bridges also played piano without doubles in _The Fabulous Baker Boys_ though, and have admitted that there were autobiographical elements in that. ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258/40 "2003-06-12T14:47:32Z")
In the Pegasus Bridge sequences in “The Longest Day”, Richard Todd plays Major John Howard. Todd participated in the actual attack, with Howard being his commanding officer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-who-have-played-themselves/181258.md?page=3)