# Actors that will always be that one particular role for you, no matter what. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2014, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027 "2014-10-11T07:22:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/61 "2014-10-12T13:51:54Z")
As someone who watched and actually enjoyed the short-lived _Ferris Bueller_ TV show, Jennifer Aniston will always be Jeannie Bueller to me. Normal people associate her with _Friends_ but, to me, that was just Jeannie Bueller’s new show. Jeannie Bueller was really good in _Horrible Bosses_. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/62 "2014-10-12T15:04:14Z")
> [@JesterX](#): > > I have a really obscure one. On Law and Order, S. Epatha Merkerson played Lt. Van Buren for YEARS. But before they introduced that character, she played a crackhead on the same show a season or two before. For all the time she was Van Buren, I was always in awe of the transformation she made from that crackhead, but I still saw a little of it in her. I was amazed to realize that after watching it for the n[sup]th[/sup] time she was also Miles Dyson’s wife in _Terminator 2_ ! > [@garygnu](#): > > Ron Livingston will always be Peter from Office Space. Bill Pullman is Lone Starr. Yeeeeah, it’s Gary Cole as Bill Lumbergh in that one, that would be greeeat… ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/63 "2014-10-12T15:51:07Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > Also from **Guiding Light**. When I was in high school [James Rebhorn](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0714310/) played an awful, awful man on the soap. The character beat his wife and raped his stepdaughter. (Lizzie’s mother, Beth). > > That was in the mid 1980s. Between then and his death earlier this year he racked up nearly a hundred film and TV credits. He would show up as a chief of staff or an attorney - many roles in suits, most as perfectly benign characters. I never once saw him that my brain didn’t shout “Yikes! Bradley Raines!!!” > > He was in White Color as a chief/director for the FBI. I was certain that we’d find out he was a bad guy. Nope. Oh yes, me too! No matter what he was in, I couldn’t shake the creepy vibe. He was riveting in an awful way on GL. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/64 "2014-10-12T16:12:41Z")
We’ve had similar threads before: > **[Actors you will always associate with one role](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=681077)** > > Whenever I hear Jeremy Irons speak, I immediately think of his role as Claus von Bulow in Reversal of Fortune. It’s hard to watch him in anything else and not hear it for me. I was watching him in the The Borgias and keep thinking my god the Pope is... ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/65 "2014-10-12T16:32:16Z")
Kyle Maclachlan is Dale Cooper. David Duchovny is Fox Mulder. Christopher Lloyd is a tossup between Jim Ignatowski and Doc Brown. Danny DeVito is Louie De Palma. Judd Hirsch is Alex Rieger. Marilu Henner is Elaine Nardo. Tony Danza is Tony Banta. Michael Richards is Cosmo Cramer. Jason Alexander is George Costanza. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is Elaine Benes. Of course Jerry Seinfeld is Jerry Seinfeld. I can’t even imagine him playing some fictional character. Ted Danson is Sam Malone. Shelley Long is Diane Chambers. Rhea Perlman is Carla Tortelli. Michael J. Fox is Marty McFly (although I do like his lawyer character). I could probably list hundreds but I guess I should stop. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/66 "2014-10-12T16:39:20Z")
Sean Penn will always be Spicoli, dude. Billy Crystal will always be Jody. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/67 "2014-10-12T17:08:44Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > Don’t know if this counts, but I can’t watch anything with somebody from Whose Line Is It Anyway, especially Wayne Brady and Colin Mochrie (Ryan Stiles I saw in several other things, particularly The Drew Carey Show, so it doesn’t affect him much), without thinking, “That’s the guy from Whose Line!” It actually took me several episodes of _Nashville_ to notice that Deacon Claybourne was Chip Esten from _Whose Line_, but once I did I couldn’t un-notice it. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/68 "2014-10-12T17:26:11Z")
If I ever met Wayne, I’d want to ask if anyone from LMaD ever tickled his fig old futt. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/69 "2014-10-12T18:14:30Z")
Judith Light was on One Life to Live, and was on the witness stand, where she sobbed through her testimony. Now, whenever we see her on TV, my husband or I will say “Oh, Karen the crier is on this.” ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/70 "2014-10-12T18:20:17Z")
> [@Nom\_de\_Plume](#): > > Giovanni Ribisi was in an episode of X-Files where he could control lightning. My wife and I still call him “Lightning Boy” when we see him in any other role He will always be Phoebe’s brother Frank on **Friends** to me. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/71 "2014-10-12T18:59:34Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > Judith Light was on One Life to Live, and was on the witness stand, where she sobbed through her testimony. Now, whenever we see her on TV, my husband or I will say “Oh, Karen the crier is on this.” She’s Angela Bower. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/72 "2014-10-12T20:50:00Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > Heath Ledger is The Joker. No, Cesar Romero is and always will be! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/73 "2014-10-12T20:53:02Z")
John Larroquette will always be Dan Fielding. I always though Boston Legal missed an opportunity by not doing some sort of reference to Night Court. ---
**Author:** ![Wash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@Wash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wash)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/74 "2014-10-12T21:02:21Z")
I caught the last half of Con Air as I was channel hopping earlier for the first time since it was released. I was surprised to see _Lost_’s “Other” Mr. Friendly (M.C. Gainey) piloting the plane. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/75 "2014-10-12T23:24:23Z")
No matter how many serious cops or sitcom dads he plays, Jeremy Sisto will always be the guy who sliced off his own tramp stamp. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/76 "2014-10-12T23:27:24Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > She’s Angela Bower. You both need to see Amazon’s “Transparent”, it might cure you. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/77 "2014-10-16T12:50:27Z")
Alan Dale will always be Jim Robinson from Neighbours. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/78 "2014-10-16T13:01:00Z")
Hmmm. I disagree with most of these, in the sense that I don’t see most of those actors restricted to those roles. (Marlon Brando IS Don Corleone? Seriously? There’s a (fading) generation to whom he IS Stanley Kowalski) About the only one I agree with is Paul Scofield being Sir Thomas More. When I see him in _The Train_ or _Quiz Show_, it looks like the Chancellor of England has stepped in a time machine. My picks: Howard da Silva is Benjamin Franklin. I’ve seen him in other things, but he’s definitely Ben Franklin from **1776** Ben Kingsley is Mohandas K. Gandhi. Even when he’s in cheesy SF movies, I have to ask what the Mahatma is doing slumming there. Kevin McCarthy is Miles Bennell – who? – That Guy From _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_ ("You’re Next! You’re Next!!!). Even when he’s in _Mirage_ or playing a Bad Guy in a 1980s or 1990s movie, he’s that Guy From IotBS. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/79 "2014-10-16T13:20:16Z")
Ray Liotta will always be Another World’s Joey Perrine for me. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027/80 "2014-10-16T13:25:03Z")
Frank Gorshin is The Riddler. Even when he was Commissioner Beale on _ **Star Trek** _, he was The Riddler. **BEALE [Jumps out of turbolift in pink tights and turtleneck]:** _Riddle me this, Captain Kirk…!_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-will-always-be-that-one-particular-role-for-you-no-matter-what/701027.md?page=5)