# Actors who are so strongly identified with a character that it is hard to dissociate the two. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101 "2010-02-15T19:04:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/21 "2010-02-15T20:44:19Z")
Brent Spiner is always Data to me, although he does very well in every other role I’ve seen him in. Anthony Perkins is always Norman Bates, and creeps me out no matter who he plays. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/22 "2010-02-15T20:48:26Z")
Adam West ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/23 "2010-02-15T20:51:56Z")
I think one reason Gandolfini did not want to do any more Sopranos was he did not want to play Tony type roles forever. He hasn’t had much success since the Sopranos ended. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/24 "2010-02-15T20:51:57Z")
I can’t watch House. He’ll always be Baldrick to me! ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/25 "2010-02-15T21:37:19Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I can’t watch House. > > He’ll always be Baldrick to me! I think you mean the Prince Regent. Baldrick hosts (hosted? not sure if it’s still being made) an archaeology show about old Roman forts and suchlike in people’s back fields. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/26 "2010-02-15T21:38:41Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I can’t watch House. > > He’ll always be Baldrick to me! I think you mean the Prince Regent. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/27 "2010-02-15T21:42:14Z")
Reubens was pretty good in the minor role he had in Mystery Men (The Spleen — “Silent but Deadly!”) ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/28 "2010-02-15T21:44:10Z")
Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. He always give off kind of a creepy vibe anyway, but regardless of what he’s on I always see the fishnet stocking and bustier - even in Kinsey where he played a prudish professor. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/29 "2010-02-15T21:48:59Z")
George C. Scott is often cited, but in a slightly different way than the others mentioned. His performance in _Patton_ overwhelmed any memory most people might have had of the real General Patton, such that hardly anyone today could tell you what the real general looked like, but say “Patton” and you’ll automatically think of Scott. However, that doesn’t mean Scott wasn’t memorable in other roles as well – he certainly was, in films like _Dr. Strangelove_. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/30 "2010-02-15T21:54:41Z")
Nimoy as Spock was the first person who came to mind. Not Shatner so much because of his work in other roles. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/31 "2010-02-15T22:01:49Z")
Michael Richards as Kramer. He was in _UHF_ and _Problem Child_ but he pretty much played Kramer-ish roles in those too. So now he’s Kramer…or, if you prefer, Racist Kramer. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/32 "2010-02-15T22:15:56Z")
I saw _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_ for the first time a few months back, and the whole time I kept expecting George Peppard to turn to Audrey Hepburn and say, “I love it when a plan comes together”. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/33 "2010-02-15T23:31:47Z")
This is going back a bit, but … Larry Linville and Gary Burghoff (“Frank Burns” and “Radar O’Reilly” from _M_A_S_H\*\*) and Richard Sanders and Frank Bonner (“Les Nessman” and “Herb Tarlek”, _WKRP In Cincinnati_). I guess that’s the danger of creating a memorable character - you’re _always_ that character. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/34 "2010-02-16T02:00:53Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I think one reason Gandolfini did not want to do any more Sopranos was he did not want to play Tony type roles forever. He hasn’t had much success since the Sopranos ended. Agree, that’s the first person I thought of. His character in \*True Romance \*could have easily been young Tony Soprano. Well… except that he died. ---
**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:** [February 16, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/35 "2010-02-16T02:08:51Z")
…Richard Belzer as John Munch. > **[Richard Belzer | Actor, Writer, Producer](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001938/)** > > Known for: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Scarface, Homicide: Life on the Street ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/36 "2010-02-16T02:15:40Z")
Paul Reubens was also great in the _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ movie. His last scene is priceless. As for typecasting, I didn’t watch NCIS for the first few seasons because to me, Mark Harmon should always be a doctor, preferably in nicely tailored scrubs. But now I would have a hard time picturing him as anything other than a member of federal law enforcement. The benefactor who began his career, though, Jack Webb, could never ever be anything but Joe Friday. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/37 "2010-02-16T02:36:33Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Woody Allen I **like** Woody Allen movies – except for that nervous redhaired guy that’s always in 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/38 "2010-02-16T03:02:31Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > David Tennant is Doctor Who. It’ll be hard accepting him in another role. You should see a film he did a few years ago called “Recovery,” about a man who receives a serious brain injury in a car crash and how it changes his entire family. It’s a really brilliant performance, completely unlike The Doctor (not that he wasn’t brilliant as The Doctor, but you know what I mean.) I think it might be on DVD? Not sure about that. Sarah Parish, a frequent co-star of his, plays his wife. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/39 "2010-02-16T03:20:11Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > George C. Scott is often cited, but in a slightly different way than the others mentioned. His performance in _Patton_ overwhelmed any memory most people might have had of the real General Patton, such that hardly anyone today could tell you what the real general looked like, but say “Patton” and you’ll automatically think of Scott. I know what Patton looked like. He had very narrow, piercing eyes. Didn’t look much like George C. Scott but was definitely equally striking in appearance. [Patton](http://www.1776baseball.com/images/general-george-s-patton.jpg) [Young Patton in VMI uniform](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Patton_at_VMI_1907.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101/40 "2010-02-16T03:23:31Z")
I can’t believe no one else has said Kelsey Grammer as Frasier. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-so-strongly-identified-with-a-character-that-it-is-hard-to-dissociate-the-two/529101.md?page=3)