# Actors playing the same part in a Sequel or Series by a Different Studio **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [February 25, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782 "2025-02-25T16:11:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/1 "2025-02-25T16:11:59Z")
I bring this up because I just finished reading **Treasure Island** , and I see that Robert Newton played Long John Silver in the 1950 Disney version, then went on to play the same character in **Long John Silver** (1954), made by Treasure Island pictures 9using the same director as the Disney film, Byron Haskin). They then went on to do a TV series _The Adventures of Long John Silver_ that ran for 26 episodes. It made me think of Bela Lugosi playing the vampire “Armand Tesla” in **Return of the Vampire** (1943), a Columbia film in which he basically plays Count Dracula in what is essentially a sequel to the 1931 Universal film, except that they didn’t have the rights to the name. And, of course, there’s Sean Connery as James Bond in **Never Say Never Again** (1983, Warner Brothers/Columbia). In fact, the same year gave us George Lazenby playing James Bond in all but name in the TV movie **The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.** (Viacom), although it’s little more than a cameo. Going back older films, Alan Hale, Sr. (born Rufus Edward Mackahan, and the father to Alan Hale, Jr. , The Skipper from Gilligan’s Island) played Little John in Douglas Fairbanks’ 1922 **Robin Hood** (United Artists), then again in Erol Flynn’s **The Adventures of Robin Hood** (1938, Warner Brothers), and then again in **Rogues of Sherwood Forest** (1950, Columbia) Any others? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/2 "2025-02-25T16:16:14Z")
I just thought of another one. Johnny Weissmuller played Tarzan in six movies from MGM, then in five made by RKO Radio pictures. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/3 "2025-02-25T16:17:38Z")
What about Richard Belzer’s [John Munch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Munch)? > The character has spanned over 20 years and 23 seasons of network television. Along with his main cast roles on _Homicide_ and _SVU_, Munch, or Belzer portraying a parody of the role, has also appeared as a character in other TV series, movies, talk shows, albums and comic books: > > - _Homicide: Life on the Street_—119 out of 122 episodes in the series > - _Law & Order: Special Victims Unit_—242 out of 325 episodes in the series > - _[Homicide: The Movie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homicide:_The_Movie)_—television movie > - _[Law & Order](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_%26_Order)_—four episodes: “[Charm City](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charm_City_(Law_%26_Order))”, “[Baby, It’s You](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_%26_Order_season_8#ep163)” (part 1), “[Sideshow (Part 1)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_%26_Order_season_9#ep195)”, and “[Entitled (Part 2)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_%26_Order_season_10#ep219)” > - _[Arrested Development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrested_Development_(TV_series))_—one episode: “[Exit Strategy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exit_Strategy_(Arrested_Development_episode))” > - _[The X-Files](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_X-Files)_—one episode: “[Unusual Suspects](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unusual_Suspects_(The_X-Files))” > - _[The Beat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beat_(TV_series))_—one episode: “[They Say It’s Your Birthday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beat_(TV_series)#ep2)” > - _[Law & Order: Trial by Jury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_%26_Order:_Trial_by_Jury)_—one episode: “[Skeleton (Part 2)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_%26_Order:_Trial_by_Jury#ep8)” > - _[The Wire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire)_—one episode: “[Took](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Took_(The_Wire))” > - _[American Dad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dad)_—one episode: “[Next of Pin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_of_Pin)”, Detective Munch shows up at the end of the episode to recruit Steve to join him as a detective after being impressed by Steve’s detective work at the bowling alley. > - _[30 Rock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_Rock)_—two episodes: “[¡Qué Sorpresa!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C2%A1Qu%C3%A9_Sorpresa!)”, the characters are watching an _SVU_ episode, with dialogue written and action shot specifically for _30 Rock_. Richard Belzer also appears as the actor playing Munch in “[Last Lunch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Lunch)”, part one of _30 Rock_ 's series finale, when [Jenna Maroney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenna_Maroney) ([Jane Krakowski](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Krakowski)) lands a guest role on _SVU_ as a corpse. > - _[Jimmy Kimmel Live!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Kimmel_Live!)_—one episode: October 7, 2009. Richard Belzer was interviewed as himself, then does an impromptu scene as Munch with [Kimmel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Kimmel) and [Joel McHale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_McHale).[[48]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Munch#cite_note-48) > - _[Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unbreakable_Kimmy_Schmidt)_—one episode: “[Kimmy Goes to the Doctor!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unbreakable_Kimmy_Schmidt_episodes#ep4)”, the characters are watching a fictional _Law & Order_ spinoff episode on their television.[[49]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Munch#cite_note-49) > - A [Muppet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Muppets) version of Munch appeared in the _[Sesame Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_Street)_ sketch “Law & Order: Special Letters Unit” where he was portrayed by [David Rudman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Rudman). > - Munch makes a cameo appearance on the 1993 [Paul Shaffer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Shaffer) album _[The World’s Most Dangerous Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World%27s_Most_Dangerous_Party)_. > - An unseen Munch is mentioned, by [Detective Chief Inspector John Luther](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Luther_characters#John_Luther), as an NYPD SVU contact on [episode 5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Luther_episodes#ep5) of the UK crime drama _[Luther](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_(TV_series))_. Notably, DCI Luther is played by [Idris Elba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idris_Elba), who played [Stringer Bell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stringer_Bell) in the HBO drama _The Wire_, where Munch previously cameoed. > - The 1996 film _[A Very Brady Sequel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Very_Brady_Sequel)_ > > Munch has become the only fictional character, played by a single actor, to physically appear on 10 different television series. These shows were on five different networks: [NBC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Broadcasting_Company) (_Homicide: Life on the Street_, _Law & Order_, _Law & Order: Special Victims Unit_, _Law & Order: Trial by Jury_, and _30 Rock_), [Fox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_(TV_network)) (_The X-Files_ and _Arrested Development_), [UPN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Paramount_Network) (_The Beat_), [HBO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Box_Office) (_The Wire_) and [ABC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Broadcasting_Company) (_Jimmy Kimmel Live!_). Munch has been one of the few television characters to cross genres, appearing not only in crime drama series, but sitcom (_Arrested Development_), adult animated sitcom (_American Dad_), late night comedy (_Jimmy Kimmel Live!_) and horror and science fiction (_The X-Files_). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/4 "2025-02-25T16:26:38Z")
Klaus Kinski played Nosferatu/Count Orlok/Count Dracla in the 1979 Werner Herzog remake of **Nosferatu** (having played Renfield in Jess Franco’s 1970 _Count Dracula_) , then went on to play the same part in the 1988 film **Vampire in Venice** from a different studio. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/5 "2025-02-25T16:27:13Z")
Evan Peters played Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver) in the FOX produced X-Men movies, and then Pietro in the Disney-produced Wandavision. Now, Disney purchased FOX between these, but there was already a different Pietro in the MCU at the time of Wandavision. ---
**Author:** ![OldManLogan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oldmanlogan/32/5237_2.png) [@OldManLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldManLogan)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/6 "2025-02-25T18:43:30Z")
Speaking of Marvel and Disney, Deadpool & Wolverine went out of its way to bring back characters from Fox and New Line Cinema. Every character is basically making their MCU/Disney debut. Even the character played by Chris Evans… I don’t know what to do with Sony’s Spider-Man and the shared deal with Disney. He’s owned by Sony but makes appearances in MCU produced films as well. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/7 "2025-02-25T18:59:28Z")
Christopher Lee played Dracula in several films for Hammer Studios, then also played him for Jess Franco in _Count Dracula_, and wiki lists a whole mess of production companies for that one, and also was in a French comedy called _Dracula père et fils_ for yet another producer. The Marvel movies, now that they’re leaning into the multiverse stuff, will have plenty: Wesley Snipes, who was Blade in three movies for New Line, appeared in _Deadpool & Wolverine_ (Marvel Studios/Disney). Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Tyler Mane as Sabretooth, Dafne Keen as X-23, Jennifer Garner as Elektra and Chris Evans as Johnny Storm all appear as well after their initial appearances were in Fox Studios properties. (Ninja’d by @OldManLogan who answered while I was typing) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/8 "2025-02-25T19:52:34Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > Christopher Lee played Dracula in several films for Hammer Studios, then also played him for Jess Franco in _Count Dracula_, and wiki lists a whole mess of production companies for that one, and also was in a French comedy called _Dracula père et fils_ for yet another producer. Similarly, John Carradine played Dracula (with a moustache!) for Universal in _House of Frankenstein_ (1944) and _House of Dracula_ (1945), and then played him for other studios in _Billy the Kid vs. Dracula_ (1966) and _Nocturne, Granddaughter of Dracula_ (1979) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/9 "2025-02-25T20:04:11Z")
Mae Questel voiced Betty Boop in the original Fleischer Studios cartoons, then returned for Betty’s cameo in _Who Framed Roger Rabbit_ (Touchstone Pictures / Amblin Entertainment). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/10 "2025-02-25T20:17:17Z")
Boris Karloff was famous for playing the Frankenstein Monster for Universal, but he played Baron von Frankenstein in the 1958 film _Frankenstein 1970_ and also (voice only in an animated film) in _Mad Monster Party_ (1966) (although his name was Victor in the first and Boris in the second). And even though he said he’d never play the Frankenstein Monster again after three times for Universal, he did so again for the episode “Lizard’s Leg and Owlet’s Wing” of the TV series _Route 66_ October 26, 1962, which also brought back Lon Chaney, Jr. as The Wolf Man. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/11 "2025-02-25T20:52:03Z")
Jerry Haleva played Saddam Hussein in both _Hot Shots!_ films (20th Century Fox) and _The Big Lebowski_ (PolyGram), along with a few other productions. He’s never played anyone else. > **[Jerry Haleva](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Haleva)** > > Jerome M. Haleva (born 1945 or 1946) is an American actor and political lobbyist. He gained fame as an actor as a doppelgänger of Saddam Hussein due to his physical resemblance to the late Iraqi leader, with all of his film roles having him portraying Hussein. > Jerry Haleva, a Sephardic Jew, is a member of the Republican Party and has worked as a lobbyist for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, among others. In 1973, he was an adviser to a legislative committee investigating prison c... ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/12 "2025-02-25T21:26:54Z")
James Cagney played George M. Cohan in _Yankee Doodle Dandy_ (1942) for Warner Brothers and again in _The Seven Little Foys_ (1955) for Paramount. After 20th Century Fox decided to stop making Charlie Chan films, actor Sidney Toler bought the movie rights and moved the films to Monogram Pictures. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/13 "2025-02-25T21:31:20Z")
Clarnece Linden “Buster” Crabbe famously played both Buch Rogers and Flash Gordon in serials for Universal, but in 1979 he played “Commander Gordon” to Gil Gerard’s Buck Rogers in the TV series _Buck Rogers_ (Glen Larson productions) “I’ve been doing this since before you were born” Nicholas Rowe played **Young Sherlock Holmes** in the 1985 movie of that name, but he came back to play Sherlock Holmes (in a film-within-a-film) in **Mr. Holmes** (2015) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/14 "2025-02-25T22:04:11Z")
Paul Newman played Fast Eddie Felson in **The Hustler** (1961) for 20th Century Fox and again in **The Color of Money** (1986) for Touchstone. Disney eventually bought 20th Century Fox putting both under the same umbrella, but not at the time the second film was made. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/15 "2025-02-25T22:08:29Z")
Harrison Ford played Deckard in **Blade Runner** (1982) for Warner Brothers and again in **Blade Runner 2049** (2017) for Columbia Pictures. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2025, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/16 "2025-02-26T00:18:32Z")
Peter O’Toole played Henry II in _Becket_ for Paramount and _The Lion in Winter_ for Avco Embassy. O’Toole said he played it as the same character. Harold Lloyd played the same character in _The Freshman_ for Pathe and in _The Sin of Harold Diddlebock/Mad Wednesday_ for United Artists. Scenes from _The Freshman_ start out the latter film. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/17 "2025-02-26T00:50:54Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Johnny Weissmuller played Tarzan in six movies from MGM, then in five made by RKO Radio pictures. If that one counts, Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman spent one season on ABC, then moved to CBS for the 2nd and 3rd seasons. Officially, the title changed from _Wonder Woman_ to _The New Adventures of Wonder Woman_. The setting was changed from the 1940s to the 1970s. Lyle Waggoner’s character in the latter seasons was portrayed as the son of his character in the first season. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/18 "2025-02-26T01:12:24Z")
Charles Gray (The Narrator in _Rocky Horror Picture Sho_w and Ernst Stavro Blofeld in _Diamonds are Foreve_r) played Sherlock Holmes’ REAL Smarter Brother, Mycroft, in **The Seven per Cent Solution** (Universal, 1976), then played him again multiple times in the Granada/PBS series of Sherlock Holmes adaptations (the ones with Jeremy Brett). In fact, when Brett fell too ill to continue they rewrote the stories so that Mycroft solved them. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/19 "2025-02-26T01:25:05Z")
Back in the day if you wanted to cast Teddy Roosevelt you just called Sidney Blackmer (Ruth Gordon’s husband in _Rosemary’s Baby_). He played TR seven times for a variety of film and TV studios. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2025, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/20 "2025-02-26T02:18:26Z")
Bobby Watson played Hitler in nine films. He was the go-to guy in the 40s if you wanted a cameo appearance of the Nazi leader, and did it for several studios. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782.md?page=2)