# Actors who have successfully played TWO characters on television **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2001, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867 "2001-10-02T00:17:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/81 "2001-10-04T01:50:07Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by TheLochNessHump_ > How about actors who play diffent characters on the same show? How about I Dream Of Jeannie? Barbara Eden played Jeannie and her sister Jeannie. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/82 "2001-10-04T01:53:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mudshark \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by TheLochNessHump_ > > How about actors who play diffent characters on the same show? > > How about I Dream Of Jeannie? Barbara Eden played Jeannie and her sister Jeannie. \*\* Patty Duke Phoebe and Ursula on Friends ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/83 "2001-10-04T01:54:01Z")
Bill Daily was on I Dream Of Jeannie and The Bob Newheart Show. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@Lady\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Ice)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/84 "2001-10-04T05:16:25Z")
Rue McClanahan: Maude, Mama’s Family, and Golden Girls. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/85 "2001-10-04T12:02:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by watsonwil \* > \*\*How about I Dream Of Jeannie? Barbara Eden played Jeannie and her sister Jeannie. \*\* Patty Duke Phoebe and Ursula on Friends \*\* [/QUOTE] Elizabeth Montgomery. Samantha and Serena on _Bewitched_ Lots of actors have done this as a one-shot appearance, (a man playing his own sister or something). David Schwimmer on _Friends_ did it, too, playing Russ, the guy who looked like Ross. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/86 "2001-10-04T14:03:55Z")
Martin Lawrence was the king of this on Martin. And does anyone think Bill Daily looks like Bill O’Reilly from Fox News? ---
**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 4, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/87 "2001-10-04T14:08:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > > If we’re including soap performers, since 1984 **David Canary** has done a brilliant job of playing two very different characters on All My Children on a daily basis. And he was Candy on Bonanza. \*\* He also played Steve Frame (back from the dead) on Another World. George Clooney was also on Roseanne the first season as her boss Booker. He might get the award for the actor who has bailed out of more successful series than any other. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/88 "2001-10-04T14:13:06Z")
On that note, how about actors who play the same character on multiple shows? I think the hands down winner on that score would be Richard Belzer, who has portrayed Det. John Munch on Homicide, Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/89 "2001-10-04T16:57:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tlw \* > \*\*On that note, how about actors who play the same character on multiple shows? I think the hands down winner on that score would be Richard Belzer, who has portrayed Det. John Munch on Homicide, Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. \*\* Kelsey Grammer on _Cheers_, and of course, _Fraiser,_ but he also played Fraiser in an Emmy-winning guest spot on _Wings_. So he also has three. ---
**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:** [October 4, 2001, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/90 "2001-10-04T17:37:10Z")
Many shows have done crossovers, or spin-offs, or were set in the same universe. Green Acres, Beverly Hillbillies, Pettycoat Junction The Practice, Ally McBeal Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, a few more lame spin-offs Homicide, L&O Startrek: TNG, Deep Space 9, Startrek: TOS What shows shared universes but weren’t really spin-offs? ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/91 "2001-10-04T18:22:15Z")
> [@](#): > > On that note, how about actors who play the same character on multiple shows? Armin Shimmerman was Quark on DS9, and also guest spotted in one episode of TNG and the pilot for Voyager, as well as appearing in deleted sceens in Star Trek:Insurrection. If we did trek guest stars in multiple guest roles, we’d need to open a new thread… ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/92 "2001-10-04T18:39:22Z")
Funny. I always thought that is was Avery Brooks who played Torque in _A Man Called Sloane_, but now I discover that it was someone else entirely, [Ji-Tu Cumbuka](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Cumbuka,+Ji-Tu). My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/93 "2001-10-04T22:01:06Z")
William Conrad as Cannon (A QM PRODUCTION!!!) and as the overweight half of Jake and The Fat Man. Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/94 "2001-10-04T22:19:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Telemark \* > \*\*Many shows have done crossovers, or spin-offs, or were set in the same universe. > > Green Acres, Beverly Hillbillies, Pettycoat Junction > The Practice, Ally McBeal > Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, a few more lame spin-offs > Homicide, L&O > Startrek: TNG, Deep Space 9, Startrek: TOS > > What shows shared universes but weren’t really spin-offs? \*\* Friends and Mad About You ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/95 "2001-10-04T22:19:19Z")
Martin Milner of Route 66 and Adam-12. I’m trying to come up with some sort of wit about “number series” but I’m getting nothing beyond the phrase itself… ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/96 "2001-10-04T22:31:13Z")
For someone playing two different characters: Steve Williams: As Stone Cold Steve Austin in WWF Smackdown, Stunning Steve Austin in WCW Worldwide (belive me, these two characters are very differnent) and The hard-boiled cop in Walker, Texas Ranger ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/97 "2001-10-04T23:11:28Z")
Some of the entries in this thread don’t really seem to qualify per the original post, but I think a really big, really solid example has been missed (if I missed it being mentioned, I apologize). This actor was on television for eighteen straight seasons. First he was accepted for 10 seasons in one show, and then the _very next season_ he began a new show and lasted another eight seasons. The actor? Raymond Burr _Perry Mason_, 1957-1966 _Ironside_, 1967-1975 Has any other actor been on fictional prime time TV for so many straight seasons (Kelsey Grammer is getting close)? ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/98 "2001-10-05T01:16:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by capacitor \* > \*\*For someone playing two different characters: > > Steve Williams: > > As Stone Cold Steve Austin in WWF Smackdown, > Stunning Steve Austin in WCW Worldwide (belive me, these two characters are very differnent) > > and > The hard-boiled cop in Walker, Texas Ranger \*\* And also the loose cannon cop on Nash Bridges. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/99 "2001-10-05T02:49:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > **Armin Shimmerman was Quark on DS9, and also guest spotted in one episode of TNG and the pilot for Voyager, as well as appearing in deleted sceens in Star Trek:Insurrection.** Even more prolific is Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who has voiced the Federation computer in TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, and several of the movies. She also played Dr. Chapel in TOS and the movies, and Lwaxana Troi in TNG and DS9. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867/100 "2001-10-05T02:54:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by frock75 \* > \*\*Avery Brooks- A Man Called Hawk, DS9, Gargoyles(does that count?) \*\* No qualifier needed. That was very good–I missed that one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-successfully-played-two-characters-on-television/84867.md?page=6)