# Actors and Comedians turned "musicians" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465 "2009-04-09T02:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/21 "2009-04-09T10:48:18Z")
Eddie Murphy had a hit in the '80s with _Party All The Time_. I’m guessing _Rappin’ Rodney_ doesn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/22 "2009-04-09T10:48:37Z")
Not sure how successful they are, but Kevin Bacon will be playing here with the “Bacon Brothers”. I guess if they’re touring, they are having some success. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/23 "2009-04-09T11:18:38Z")
Kylie Minogue started out on Australian soap _Neighbours_ before starting a pop career. It seems to be going rather well so far - 60 million records sold and counting. _Neighbours_ has also given us her on- (and formerly off-)screen partner Jason Donovan who had four UK No 1 singles before the drugs took over. He’s currently back to acting, although he’s doing a West End musical at the moment (_Priscilla, Queen of the Desert_). Other former _Neighbours_-ites include one-hit wonders Holly Valance, Natalie Imbruglia and Delta Goodrem, as well as Alan Dale (later of _The O.C._, _Ugly Betty_, _24_, and _Lost_, who also did some West End musical theatre). Oh, and Russell Crowe. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/24 "2009-04-09T11:29:27Z")
**All hail Leeloo Dallas Multipass, for she is truly wonderful!** **Milla** (short for Militza) Natasha Jovovich released one album 14 years ago that’s (still) absolutely amazing. She’s extremely talented, to the point that at the time of its release I was willing to put her in the Goddess category alongside Kate Bush, Happy Rhodes, Jane Siberry, Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan, just on the basis of that one album (called [The Divine Comedy](http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Comedy-Milla-Jovovich/dp/B000002TNT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1239246081&sr=1-1)). I heard her music before I ever saw one of her movies so at the time I only knew her as a musician. I then saw her in concert at a tiny little club called Schubas and she blew me away. Her talent translated live, it wasn’t just studio trickery. I met her afterwards and we talked and talked. She can come off as perhaps a ditz in [interviews](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co7I8grz6CE&feature=related), but really, she’s one of the sweetest and nicest people I’ve ever met, lots of fun, very huggy and totally adorable. She really is as gorgeous inside as she is outside (and oh my god, is she gorgeous outside!), a truly beautiful woman in all ways. I could only assume that she would continue to make music and become one of the greats. She is, still, to me, but in a different category from those I love who make music their priority. Because unfortunately, she never released a 2nd album. There’s an early release of rough demos (“The Peopletree Sessions”) that leaked and were never intended to be considered as a 2nd album (she’s said to not be happy with it), and she has done tons of non-album songs live, and actually has a bunch of [other pretty damned good demos](http://www.millaj.com/music/index.shtml) (which, btw, she provides free to fans on her web site), but no actual 2nd album. I don’t know what happened. Maybe she’ll go back to music full time again at some point. I don’t know. All I know is that The Divine Comedy is _still_ a great, great album. Here are some examples. I love YouTube: [“Reaching From Nowhere”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fcYDgFUxec&feature=related) (album track, audio only) [“Charlie”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kbfjKp5-Qo&feature=related) (album track) [“Gentleman Who Fell”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_wisooVSBc&feature=related) (album track, actual video) ([another](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOJFMU0RhwM&feature=related) video) (slow, [live](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwDugyOCWwI&feature=related) version) [“It’s Your Life”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNh02RhoAUM&feature=related) (album track, with pictures) ([live](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8G2IRy0WpA&feature=related)) [“Don’t Fade Away”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TZpTwGLEZU&feature=related) (album track) [“The Alien Song”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC3ejHA9DUE&feature=related) (album track) ([live](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=css_efzE1N4)) [“Ruby Lane”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKdV9FJrLtE&feature=related) (album track) ([live performance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUzRYFfvrOI&feature=related)) [“You Did It All Before”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us06fvLQsAc) (album track) [“Bang Your Head”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHUeZQqrbZI&feature=related) (album track, with pictures, uh, NOT a Quiet Riot cover) ([live](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odcrc0piqMk&feature=related)) [“Clock”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6FbcibONao&feature=related) (album version) ([live version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpaPIgaUKmE&feature=related)) And this beautiful traditional folk song, sung in Milla’s native Ukrainian tongue, [“In A Glade”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5O5rEhdUho&feature=related) Not on The Divine Comedy, but all pretty cool too: [“Precious Time”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC6NaXsRiHI&feature=related) (live, not great audio, but nice song) [“Breathing In Your Sleep”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X1Z1xMWC-w) (live audio, but with pictures) [“Diving Up”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdAsLHXN1vQ&feature=related) (with Tuvan throat singing! Audio only, with pictures) [“Can You Bend Your Back Like This?”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJggeMxp1Yg&feature=related) (live performance) [“Mezinka”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRHwyHRfklY&feature=related) (audio only, from the film Dummy, where she plays a whacked-out and not very good singer, but this is fun) [“Shein Vi Di L’Vone”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csWN96WlMd0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fswfs.ilike.com%2Fswfs%2Fvideo.swf%3Fv%3D33794&feature=player_embedded) (audio only, from the film Dummy) [“Take Me To Mars”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxBzz0J20EM&feature=related) (remix, audio only with pictures) [“Left & Right”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxsY9lxBthA&feature=related) (live, audio only, with some pictures) ([original version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2njsHE5Xtc&feature=related), live performance) [“Be My Friend”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tx16QA0j8U) (live acoustic performance) [“You Keep Me Here”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27jrfYGatZQ&NR=1) (audio only, with pics but not of Milla) [“Secret Society”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYHxmN1rzrw&feature=related) (audio only, with pictures) [“There Ain’t No God For Dogs”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVq1xm3sr5Y&feature=related) (live acoustic performance) [“Has Anybody Seen My Girl?”](http://www.style.com/video/designer-profiles/designer-profiles/1896809782/in-the-studio-with-jovovichhawk/1898342261) (impromptu live, freakin’ adorable!) [“Distant”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phL_g6vPLC8&feature=related) (audio only, with pictures, singing doesn’t start until around 2:30) [“On The Hill”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-pVY02XIJ0&feature=related) (live, audio only, with pictures) Short, way too short, cover of [“Hurdy Gurdy Man”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gavetPfrdHM&feature=related) (video, but I have no idea where this is from) [“More Than 4”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZk4BNNkns&feature=related) (audio only, with pictures) [“Strange Behavior”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxCB3au70OY&feature=related) (live) [“Come As You Like”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FId-V8rMeh4&feature=related) (live performance) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/25 "2009-04-09T11:30:58Z")
The Kylie Minogue comment reminded me of Alanis Morisette, who appeared on the Canadian show _You Can’t Do That On Television_ before becoming a singer. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/26 "2009-04-09T12:32:07Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Mandy Patinkin did some musical theatre work early in his career, but seems to have hit it fairly big as a vocalist after becoming famous as an actor. I thought he also played the piano, but Wiki doesn’t say. Puts Musicals Lover Hat On: Mandy Patinkin did some musical theatre work? Are you fucking ignorant? He was a major star, earning a Tony for Evita and a nomination for Sunday in the Park With George. Jerry Orbach & Hugh Grant were also huge musical theatre stars before becoming better known for other things Musicals Lover Hat off. Patty Duke was another TV star who scored some hits. Occasonally people ask her to sign one of her old albums, and she cringes. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/27 "2009-04-09T12:35:41Z")
Does **[Golden Throats](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Throats)** count? ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/28 "2009-04-09T12:45:36Z")
Vicki Lawrence from The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family had a #1 hit with “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia”. Don Johnson(Miami Vice) also had a #5 hit with “Heartbeat”. Both released 3 albums. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/29 "2009-04-09T12:47:42Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Puts Musicals Lover Hat On: Mandy Patinkin did some musical theatre work? Are you fucking ignorant? . Jesus, calm down. I was relying on Wikipedia. Can’t even have a casual conversation in fucking Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/30 "2009-04-09T12:50:56Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Puts Musicals Lover Hat On: Mandy Patinkin did some musical theatre work? **Are you fucking ignorant?** He was a major star, earning a Tony for Evita and a nomination for Sunday in the Park With George. > > Jerry Orbach & Hugh Grant were also huge musical theatre stars before becoming better known for other things > > Musicals Lover Hat off. > > Patty Duke was another TV star who scored some hits. Occasonally people ask her to sign one of her old albums, and she cringes. That’s nice. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/31 "2009-04-09T12:51:28Z")
Bobby Darin, one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived, nominated for an Best Supporting Actor Oscar for \*Captain Newman, M.D. \* ETA: Never mind, I’m going the wrong way, this thread is about actors turned musician, not the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/32 "2009-04-09T12:57:27Z")
Adrian Grenier of _Entourage_ apparently plays piano, guitar, french horn and drums. Over New Years he played a few gigs in Australia with his band _The Honey Brothers_. A friend of mine met him at an airport. Grenier was asking a question over my friend’s shoulder while he was working on his notebook. When he turned to reply he recognised him and blurted out, “what are you doing here?” Grenier laughed and pointed out the band and explained they were taking the same flight back to Sydney. Apparently he and his bandmates were charming and chatted to my friend’s wife for ages while he was working. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/33 "2009-04-09T12:58:22Z")
Gary Sinise often performs with the “Lt. Dan Band.” Haven’t heard much of their stuff, but it seems like passable garage rock; nothing spectacular, and the band surely would be completely unknown without a celebrity fronting. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/34 "2009-04-09T14:00:50Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Jerry Orbach & Hugh Grant were also huge musical theatre stars before becoming better known for other things OK, I’m familiar with Jerry Orbach’s musical theater background, but never heard that about Hugh Grant, so I’m reading his [bio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Grant) on Wikipedia. I see _Twelfth Night_ with the Oxford University Dramatic Society, a year with the Nottingham Playhouse, time with his own comedy revue, and work on plays such as _An Inspector Calls_, _Lady Windermere’s Fan_, and _Coriolanus_. When did he do musical theater? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/35 "2009-04-09T14:02:00Z")
They do a lot of USO shows - and from what I hear they do pretty well in that environment. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/36 "2009-04-09T14:08:45Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Milla (short for Militza) Natasha Jovovich released one album 14 years ago that’s (still) absolutely amazing. I’ve seen photos of her holding a mandolin and had just assumed it was a prop for a photo shoot. What instruments does she play? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/37 "2009-04-09T14:31:37Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Does **[Golden Throats](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Throats)** count? I have CDs by Brent Spiner ([Ol’ Yellow Eyes Is Back](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ol'_Yellow_Eyes_Is_Back)) and John Lithgow ([Singin’ in the Bathtub](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singin%27_in_the_Bathtub#John_Lithgow_album)). The former is decent showtune fare(Spiner appeared with Patinkin in _Sunday in the Park with George_), while the latter is…silly. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/38 "2009-04-09T15:12:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > OK, I’m familiar with Jerry Orbach’s musical theater background, but never heard that about Hugh Grant, so I’m reading his [bio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Grant) on Wikipedia. I see _Twelfth Night_ with the Oxford University Dramatic Society, a year with the Nottingham Playhouse, time with his own comedy revue, and work on plays such as _An Inspector Calls_, _Lady Windermere’s Fan_, and _Coriolanus_. > > When did he do musical theater? Ooops. I mean Hugh Jackman. I apologize for the anger, but I hate it when theatre is teated like the poor stepchild of entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/39 "2009-04-09T15:33:10Z")
Jennifer Love Hewitt has released four albums. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465/40 "2009-04-09T15:49:48Z")
_The Monkees_ tried their hand at music after they got the TV show. Jim Nabors keeps trying, God bless him. And that doofy guy who finished second in _The Bachelorette_ then got his own season on _The Bachelor_ released a single. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-comedians-turned-musicians/492465.md?page=3)