# 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:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**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 26, 2025, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/21 "2025-02-26T10:19:53Z")
Paul Reubens played Pee-We Herman in _Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure_ (Warner Bros.), _Big Top Pee-Wee_ (Paramount), and _Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday_ (Netflix). ---
**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, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/22 "2025-02-26T12:10:53Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > 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. > [@](#): > > 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. This is the sort of thing I thought would show up more often – when an actor becomes so identified with a role that they become almost the default. After the movie **1776** came out you saw Howard da Silva appearing as Benjamin Franklin (who he played in the film, and on stage) as a spokesman for General Electric (because of that kite and key thing). William Daniels, who plated John Adams on stage and on screen, appeared as various members of the Adams family, playing John Adams again in the TV miniseries _The Rebels_ and Sam Adams in the miniseries _The Bastard_ . He also did John Adams’ voice in the 1994 series _The American Revolution_. And he was John Quincy Adams in the TV series _The Adams Chronicles_. He had a lock on the family, even though he didn’t really resemble them at all. (Just a side note: His appearing as various Adams family characters might actually be surpassed by the number of times he provided the voice of K.I.T.T. Besides 84 episodes of _Knight Rider_, he did it again for the TV movie _Knight Rider 2000_ , an episode of _The Simpsons_, the 2006 movie _The Benchwarmers_, _Lego Dimensions_ in 2015, and _Superinteligence_ in 2020) Other role identifications are Ian Holm as Napoleon Bonaparte (_The Emperor’s New Clothes_ (2001), _Napoleon and Love_ (1974) and _Time Bandits_ (1981)) Herbert Lom played Napoleon twice, in 1942’s _Young Mr. Pitt_ and the 1956 version of _War and Peace_ > [@](#): > > Paul Reubens played Pee-We Herman in _Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure_ (Warner Bros.), _Big Top Pee-Wee_ (Paramount), and _Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday_ (Netflix). This is what I didn’t expect – lots of portrayals around the same time , but with different companies becausev of series-hopping. I knew about the Deadpool and Wolverine thing recently, but there are a lot more of these than I realized. ---
**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, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/23 "2025-02-26T12:26:49Z")
Another guy who was identified with one role, in this case because of his looks, was Robert Sacchi, who played Humphrey Bogart many times: > [@](#): > > Sacchi played the title role in the 1980 comedy _[The Man with Bogart’s Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_with_Bogart%27s_Face)_ (also titled _Sam Marlow, Private Eye_ ) about a [private investigator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_investigator) who gets [plastic surgery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_surgery) to take after Bogart. He starred alongside [Franco Nero](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Nero), [Michelle Phillips](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Phillips), [Olivia Hussey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Hussey),[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-Gray-2) [Yvonne De Carlo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_De_Carlo), [Mike Mazurki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mazurki), and [George Raft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Raft) (making his final film appearance).[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-NYT_obit-1) Writing in _[The New York Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times)_ , Tom Buckley was of the opinion that Sacchi “shows considerable acting skill in the title role, although his hopes for future employment in films would seem to be limited”.[[4]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-Buckley-4) In spite of this prediction, he went on to gain more roles as Bogart.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-NYT_obit-1) These included [Phil Collins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Collins)’s music video in 1990 titled “[I Wish It Would Rain Down](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Wish_It_Would_Rain_Down)”,[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-NYT_obit-1)[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-Hipes-5) as well as Sacchi’s [one-man show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-man_show) called _Bogey’s Back_ .[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-Beresford-3)[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-Hipes-5) He also played Bogart in _[Fantasy Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_Island_(1977_TV_series))_ (1981),[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-Rotten_Tomatoes-6) _[Sledge Hammer!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sledge_Hammer!)_ (1987),[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-Hipes-5) and the _[Cybill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybill)_ episode “In Her Dreams” (1997).[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-Rotten_Tomatoes-6) He later recounted how he “never thought Bogie was too terrific-looking”, adding that “like most kids at the time, I wanted to look like [Gregory Peck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Peck)”.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#cite_note-NYT_obit-1) [Robert Sacchi - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sacchi#:~:text=Robert%20Patsy%20Sacchi%20)(March%2027,look%20and%20sound%20like%20him. I thought that Kate Mulgrew might be bound for a similar fate as a Katherine Hepburn look-alike, but as far as I know she only played Hepburn in the 2003 one-woman play **Tea at Five** > [@](#): > > Mulgrew has frequently been compared to Hepburn—a comparison she has described in interviews as “odious.”[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_at_Five#cite_note-2) Although she was not initially a fan of Hepburn, Mulgrew reportedly developed a deep appreciation for her while researching the role.[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_at_Five#cite_note-3) > **[Tea at Five](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_at_Five)** > > Tea at Five is a 2002 one-woman play written by Matthew Lombardo, which presents the story of Katharine Hepburn through a monologue. It is based on Hepburn's book, Me: Stories of My Life. The initial production starred Kate Mulgrew, for whom the part was reportedly written. > Mulgrew has frequently been compared to Hepburn—a comparison she has described in interviews as "odious." Although she was not initially a fan of Hepburn, Mulgrew reportedly developed a deep appreciation for her while resear... ---
**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 26, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/24 "2025-02-26T13:05:06Z")
Another example à la Pee-Wee: Jim Varney’s character Ernest P. Worrell made his first film appearance in _Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam_, produced independently by director John Cherry. He went on to appear in five Touchstone-produced _Ernest_ films, after which Touchstone apparently lost interest in the character, and Cherry produced the remaining limited-release and direct-to-video installments himself. ---
**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, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/25 "2025-02-26T14:02:01Z")
And the character himself already existed, appearing around the country in commercials for various local companies (out in Utah he represented a dairy). I don’t know who made these, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t either of the studios that made his movies. ---
**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 26, 2025, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/26 "2025-02-26T14:09:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I don’t know who made these, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t either of the studios that made his movies. Wikipedia says it was also John Cherry, who worked as an ad exec before he became a film director. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/27 "2025-02-26T14:47:10Z")
David Duchovney and Gillian Anderson played Mulder and Scully in _The X Files_ (obviously…) but also in _The Simpsons_ as a one-off. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/28 "2025-02-26T14:49:38Z")
Those are both Fox (studio, not Mulder), though. ---
**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 26, 2025, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/29 "2025-02-26T14:58:25Z")
Martin Short played Ed Grimley on _SCTV_ (CBC), _Saturday Night Live_ (Broadway Video) and _The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley_ (Hanna-Barbera). ---
**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 26, 2025, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/30 "2025-02-26T15:03:06Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > when an actor becomes so identified with a role that they become almost the default. Another example is Timothy Bottoms, who played George W. Bush as a spoof character on _That’s My Bush!_ and in a _Crocodile Hunter_ film, then played the role straight in _DC 9/11: Time of Crisis_. ---
**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, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/31 "2025-02-26T16:15:09Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Another example is Timothy Bottoms, who played George W. Bush as a spoof character on _That’s My Bush!_ and in a _Crocodile Hunter_ film, then played the role straight in _DC 9/11: Time of Crisis_. Will Ferrell has also become a go-to for playing George W. Bush, too, having portrayed him on SNL many times, on TV specials, and once on _Last Week with John Oliver._ ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/32 "2025-02-26T20:56:37Z")
Sean Connery played James Bond in several films in the 1960s for Eon Productions, and then played the same character in _Never Say Never Again_ for Taliafilms/Warner Bros. Fun fact: _Never Say Never Again_ was directed by Irving Kershener, who also directed _The Empire Strikes Back_ ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/33 "2025-02-27T01:17:13Z")
In _In Harm’s Way_ (Paramount, 1965), Henry Fonda played CINCPAC, an admiral whose name was never stated, but who pretty much had to be Chester Nimitz. In _Midway_ (Universal, 1976), Henry Fonda played Chester Nimitz. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782/34 "2025-02-27T01:27:41Z")
Maurice Lamarche has played Orson Welles in a number of shows and movies, including The Simpsons, The Critic, Futurama, Ed Wood, and most notably Animaniacs and its spinoff Pinky and the Brain where he used his Welles voice to play the Brain, and in one short reenacted Welles’ famous “frozen peas” outtake. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-playing-the-same-part-in-a-sequel-or-series-by-a-different-studio/1014782.md?page=1)