# Actors who play the same role in every movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 25, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693 "2001-09-25T14:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/61 "2001-09-26T09:35:38Z")
What no mention of dennis hopper ? He has 3 roles recently : 1.Thoe oddball spaced out crook who ends up not being a jerk ie “frankie the fly” ot the movie he did with jodie foster for showtime 1. the hippie that never seems to have gotten past 1969 2. criminal who is a sadistic jerk opposite of role number one Just in case Ive missed it has there ever been a big budget movie wiht dennis hopper in it ? ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/62 "2001-09-26T12:49:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nightshadea \* > \*\*What no mention of dennis hopper ? He has 3 roles recently : > > \ > > Just in case Ive missed it has there ever been a big budget movie wiht dennis hopper in it ? \*\* Waterworld. Speed. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/63 "2001-09-26T13:01:46Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by frock75 about James Gandolfini_ > > He plays a real dirtbag porn producer in “8mm”. Not your typical Gandolfini role. Anyway look for him Redford’s new movie “The Last Castle” or something like that. He plays an Army colonel who is the warden of a military prison. Oh and it’s Gandolfini, you fucking got that, you mommaluc? Hey Pauly, pass the gabagool. \*\* As far as I can tell, you’re the only one who lacks the skills to express their opinion without berating somebody else for theirs. You would jump on somebody for mistaking an actor’s name right before yourself writing “or something like that”? Let me add frock75 to the list of those playing an insufferable hypocrite lacking a civil vocabulary. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/64 "2001-09-26T13:05:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nightshadea \* > > Just in case Ive missed it has there ever been a big budget movie wiht dennis hopper in it ? \*\* Giant? Rebel Without a Cause? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/65 "2001-09-26T13:16:56Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Number Six \* \*\* > [@](#): > > What did I miss? \*\* No big. My sole point was that KC really stretched to play a dead guy’s wrists. Sorry we didn’t catch from your 1st post that you caught that. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/66 "2001-09-26T14:04:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nightshadea \* > \*\*Just in case Ive missed it has there ever been a big budget movie wiht dennis hopper in it ? \*\* Um… Apocalypse Now (ét Rédux) ---
**Author:** ![RufusB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@RufusB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RufusB)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/67 "2001-09-26T14:17:23Z")
> [@](#): > > ## _Posted by Lieu_ quote: > > Originally posted by frock75 about James Gandolfini > > ## He plays a real dirtbag porn producer in “8mm”. Not your typical Gandolfini role. Anyway look for him Redford’s new movie “The Last Castle” or something like that. He plays an Army colonel who is the warden of a military prison. Oh and it’s Gandolfini, you fucking got that, you mommaluc? Hey Pauly, pass the gabagool. > > As far as I can tell, you’re the only one who lacks the skills to express their opinion without berating somebody else for theirs. You would jump on somebody for mistaking an actor’s name right before yourself writing “or something like that”? > > Let me add frock75 to the list of those playing an insufferable hypocrite lacking a civil vocabulary. I’m pretty sure Frock75 was making a joke there Lieu. I guess he could’ve typed /mob accent on, but I thought it was pretty clear. I mean really, who else but a mobster says ‘mommaluke’? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/68 "2001-09-26T15:12:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eutychus55 \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > > **John Malkovich always plays a creepy weirdo, except in “In The Line of Fire,” in which he played a psychotic weirdo.** > > He was pretty good in that jewel heist movie, though. \*\* Har! Touche. The best post of the week. Laughed my ass off. ---
**Author:** ![Curdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@Curdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curdog)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/69 "2001-09-26T15:16:51Z")
"Robert deNiro (except for Awakenings) " * * * See “Jacke Brown” ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/70 "2001-09-26T20:19:52Z")
Are my contacts faulty or has no one mentioned Adam Sandler yet? Or are we just assuming he’s not an _actor_ per se since all his characters are pretty much more or less who he is in real-life: the idiot man-child. Oh, and a second for Robin Williams who is always the kind-hearted, weird-but-friendly kid-in-a-grown-up’s-body who is struggly against the evil-uptight establishment that doesn’t understand him. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/71 "2001-09-26T21:01:20Z")
- > [@](#): > > Number Six says:\* OK, I’ll bite. What did I miss? Dinsdale said Costner was unusually animated in his first movie. I assumed he was referring to The Big Chill in which Costner played a suicide in flashbacks, and all of his scenes were cut except for a brief flash of his razor slashed wrists–i.e. he played a corpse. I got the sarcasm there. Ethelrist posted that half his scenes were cut, and my post was a correction of that. Sorry, nothing in your post seemed to indicate that you did “get” the sarcasm and because you didn’t indicate to whom you were responding, I thought it was Dinsdale and not Ethilrist. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fornit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@Fornit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fornit)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/72 "2001-09-26T23:18:07Z")
how 'bout Michael Ironside(s?) ---
**Author:** ![frock75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@frock75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frock75)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/73 "2001-09-27T05:36:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by frock75 about James Gandolfini_ > > > > He plays a real dirtbag porn producer in “8mm”. Not your typical Gandolfini role. Anyway look for him Redford’s new movie “The Last Castle” or something like that. He plays an Army colonel who is the warden of a military prison. Oh and it’s Gandolfini, you fucking got that, you mommaluc? Hey Pauly, pass the gabagool. \*\* > > As far as I can tell, you’re the only one who lacks the skills to express their opinion without berating somebody else for theirs. You would jump on somebody for mistaking an actor’s name right before yourself writing “or something like that”? > > Let me add frock75 to the list of those playing an insufferable hypocrite lacking a civil vocabulary. \*\* Relax bro, I was just doing a little Tony Soprano impression. You really shouldn’t have taken that seriously. If I offended you, I assure you it was not my intention. I am amazed that you took me seriuosly. Hmmmm…sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/74 "2001-09-27T05:37:03Z")
**John Mahoney** , who plays Frasier’s dad in _Frasier_. He’s been in about 50 movies, so he hasn’t just played _one_ role the whole time, but more often than not he’s either a policeman or a retired policeman, and always some sort of authority figure. Funny thing is, he’s British. ---
**Author:** ![frock75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@frock75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frock75)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/75 "2001-09-27T05:38:25Z")
Oh and Rufus…thank you for being a voice of reason. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/76 "2001-09-27T12:25:18Z")
Sorry frock, Rufus made clear what I misunderstood before. I thought I was getting flamed but now share in the humor. In fact, I’m wearing my “sea mint” shoes today as pennance. Carry on, friend. ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Baroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Billy\_Baroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Baroo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/77 "2001-09-27T16:34:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sublight \* > \*\ ***John Mahoney** , who plays Frasier’s dad in _Frasier_. He’s been in about 50 movies, so he hasn’t just played _one_ role the whole time, but more often than not he’s either a policeman or a retired policeman, and always some sort of authority figure. > > Funny thing is, he’s British. \*\* I don’t have that impression, **Sublight**. Some exceptions: _Say Anything_ - morally bankrupt father living through his exceptional daughter. _Barton Fink_ - besotted ex-writer. _Moonstruck_ - Mid-life crisis guy. I love the ‘moonlight in a martini’ line. He may have done his share of authority types, but he doesn’t belong in this thread. He didn’t do any acting when he was young, or you’d see an even greater range of characters. I love his stuff and heck, he’s got an office in the CNA building (Chicago) where I am now. My first thought was the great Dennis Farina, former Chicago cop. He always plays a fast talking guy that reminds you of a Chicago cop. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/78 "2001-09-27T19:30:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Oblong \* > \*\*That kid that was in American Pie (Stifler) who was also in Dude, Where’s my Car? > \*\* Seann William Scott. True, he has played pretty much the same character in every movie he’s been in… so far. \ But just wait 'til his next [movie](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0286152). He actully plays a leading man, in a straight-man role surrounded by funny people. And he’s very good 😃 \. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/79 "2001-09-27T22:58:02Z")
Anyone catch that James Gandolfino played “Bear” the lacky/stuntman in Get Shorty? He didn’t even look Italian. He had reddish hair and a beard. ---
**Author:** ![simply\_cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@simply\_cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simply_cats)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/80 "2001-09-28T03:55:06Z")
I, too, was surprised not to find Adam Sandler heading this list for this thread. I’m not complaining, I admire the guy for not abandoning the style that works for him. What about the crazy white guy from Armageddon (and Con-Air, and another movie I can’t think of…)? I always wonder what it must be like for him when a casting director calls… “Hey, we’ve got this part that just screams your name…” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693.md?page=5)